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 Nature Takes Over - Castlegar, BC Posted by:  T0SHEA
N 49° 19.929 W 117° 39.400
11U E 452290 N 5464587
This is one of a handful of signs dealing with the nature and history surrounding the Waldie Nature Trail which follows the left bank of the Columbia River across the river from downtown Castlegar.
Waymark Code: WMNCFM
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Date Posted: 02/13/2015
Views: 2
Nature Takes Over
As this photograph of the Waldie Sawmill shows, the area in front of of you was a site where cedar shakes were produced and layers of waste wood quickly accumulated. This area was often flooded. A railway trestle crossed it to bring trains to the mill. In the years following closure of the mill and its loss to a fire in 1962, natural systems were quickly re-established. An intricate web of life redeveloped, bringing the site close to what it must have been like before human effort altered it. Let us look at some of the strands of this web.
THE STRANDS:
The Black Cottonwood is the dominant tree; interspersed among it are a few evergreens like the Lodgepole Pine and Douglas Fir. Shrubs like Red Osier Dogwood, Columbia Hawthorn, Blackberry, Wild Rose and Willow make up the understory. Vines such as the Bitter Nightshade, Wild Hop and Honeysuckle use other plants for support.
The muddy bottom of the Mill Pond is a favorite feeding area for fish such as Carp and Sturgeon. The latter feed in the pond at night, retreating to deeper water of the main river channel during the day.
Amphibians (frogs and salamanders) inhabit the swampy areas and reptiles (snakes) in turn feed on them.
The bird population is very diverse, drawing on all aspects of the complex environment. Ducks, geese, Kingfisher, Killdeer, Dipper, Osprey, Bald Eagle and Great Blue Heron are a common sight at the right time of the year.
This marshy area is the domain of the beaver. Evidence of its activity is everywhere. Larger mammals such as deer, elk, coyote and bear find the sheltered areas very appealing for feeding, resting and hunting.
From the Sign
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