| Synopsis of Save Our Seine Green Team (and HRDC) Activities By Nathan Laser, Augustl 2002 This summer our Green Team battled against mosquitoes, wood ticks, the sun, heat, humidity, rain and high river levels as well as two years of accumulated garbage. Compared with past years the Green Team was fairly young and inexperienced but by no means immature. Whereas in the past, members have been in their twenties and have returned for several years in a row, this year all members were under 19 and no one had canoed or done any similar work in the past. As well, although I had been involved in the Green Team before, it was my first job with any kind of real supervising and task managing responsibility. The Green Team got off to a slow start this May, beginning with just three workers (including myself), but by the end of June we were at full strength with a team of five members. Last summer the river lacked the care of a Green Team and there was much work to be done to make up for this. Although we were not able to remove garbage and logjams along the entire length of the river (as had been done in past years), it was more or less a very successful year. High water levels on the northern half of the river forced us to concentrate on cleaning the southern half for most of the summer. While canoeing the river we used rubber gloves to pick up all the garbage we could find, and when the riverbank was polluted we got out and waded through the bush along the river picking up the garbage. We were able to clean all of the floating garbage from the Flood-way up to Marlene Street (just north of Bishop Grandin). As well, we cleaned some of the garbage from Niakwa Street (just south of Fermor) to Marion but the high water levels prevented us from getting it all. Time constraints and water levels prevented us from cleaning the section between Marlene Street and Niakwa and the section from Marion to the mouth of the river. In order to improve the flow of the river and keep it canoe-able for recreational users we also had to remove fallen trees and log jams. This involved jumping onto the riverbank and using saws, ropes, hooks, and a chainsaw (which I operated and the Green Team members did not) to get them out. We were also in charge of clearing the siphon inlet and outlet at the Flood-way of any garbage and debris that was impeding flow. On Sunday June 2nd, SOS held their Annual Greening at the old St. Vital Dump along the Seine River at the end of Marlene Street. Several Team members were present helping plant trees, and in the week we planted even more trees. Afterwards we disposed of the excess wood chips we had by laying a wood chip path to buffer the newly planted saplings from City of Winnipeg lawn mowers. At various times through out the summer when it had not rained for a while we used our water pump to quench the thirst of the newly planted saplings to ensure their survival. One of the other projects that we had was trail maintenance and construction. Most of this work was done towards the end of the summer as high water levels kept large parts of the path submerged. Maintenance work involved pruning back overgrown vegetation, picking up garbage along the path and removing fallen trees blocking the path. With the aid of wheelbarrows, shovels, rakes, and a John Deere Gator 4x6 Utility Vehicle, we were able to resurface most of the old path in St. Boniface with new limestone gravel in a few short weeks. And in less than three days we were able to cut a new trail through brush and trees along the River in South St. Vital. The main aspect of the supervisor position included, deciding what work was to be done and when. It included contacting team members on rain days and for other reasons. As supervisor I also managed the time sheets and for the team. Working on the Green Team allowed us to spend our summers outdoors and in nature. Even though the tasks could often be very physical, working to improve the environment was very spiritually rewarding. |