ANNOUNCEMENTS

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City Directive regarding BlackBerry Removal​

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September 21, 2026

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Sincere thanks to everyone who has taken the time to share their thoughts regarding the blackberry hedge adjacent to the Antler Swamp restoration area.
Given the differing views expressed and as suggested,  the Lions Club contacted the City of Nanaimo for direction before taking any further action. The City has now responded and has instructed us to remove the Himalayan blackberry hedge. The City has also advised that there is no need to conduct a community survey on the matter.

“As an invasive plant, I fully support you removing the blackberry. I see no need to do a survey about that as a point of engagement.  We appreciate you keeping on top of that and stewarding the restoration work paid for under the grant.

If someone wants to keep blackberry for picking etc, they are welcome to take a cutting and plant it elsewhere.

But the City supports work to remove invasive plants  and has many policies in place for that.

Here’s one from City Plan under Natural Areas.

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C1.3.15 Preserve ecosystem integrity by removing invasive species from natural areas, restoring disturbed ecologically sensitive areas with native and/or appropriate non-invasive vegetation, and through programs and partnerships that support joint stewardship and restoration.”

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As this is City-owned parkland and the Lions Club serves as its contracted steward, we will be following the City’s direction and arranging for the blackberry hedge to be removed immediately. This will include a thorough removal of the roots to help prevent regrowth and allow the area to be properly restored and maintained going forward.

We recognize that some residents enjoy picking blackberries. As has been pointed out, there are many other areas on the island where blackberries are readily available for picking, including a large patch on the other side of the Community Garden. The City has also indicated that anyone wishing to keep blackberry plants is welcome to take cuttings and plant them on their own property.  Please let us know if you would like some cuttings and we will ensure to put some aside for you.

Once the area is cleared, we hope to create an attractive seating area that can be enjoyed by people visiting both Antler Swamp and the playing field.

We also want to acknowledge and sincerely thank everyone who took the time to share their thoughts with us. We know there are differing feelings about the blackberry hedge, particularly among those who have enjoyed picking berries there over the years, and we genuinely respect those concerns.

As it became clear that this was a sensitive issue with strong feelings on both sides, we felt it was important to seek direction from the City rather than allow a patch of blackberries to create hard feelings among friends and neighbours. We all live together in this small community, and maintaining those relationships is far more important.

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Linda J

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On behalf of your 

Protection Island Lions Club

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“We Serve”