The community restoration project underway at Butler Park in Otter Point is a wonderful
example of local citizens taking their own initiative to make their world better.  At the
corner of Butler and Otter Point Roads there is a flat grassy triangle of land that used to
be Butler Main logging road. This little piece of land is being restored with plantings of a
diversity of native species. 

The “Otter Point Community Restoration Project” it is the brainchild of Marlene Barry,
coordinator, who teamed up with local nature enthusiast, Heather Phillips; Roy
Desveaux, UVic Forest Restoration student; and Kira Decyk, school liaison, to restore
the land with a three pronged approach: restore the land; engage community and
educate. This is a project of hope and tangible endeavours. 
 
The project began in the fall of 2021, when Marlene and a few friends were going to
‘guerrilla garden’ by planting a few trees and shrubs when no one was looking, filling in
the land over time.  Marlene dubbed it their 20 year project. They soon discovered that
the almost 1/2 acre was not road right-of-way but actually part of the Butler linear park,
so an application was needed for permission to do anything. With only a rough plan in
mind, an application was made to the Juan de Fuca Parks and Recreation Commission.
Since the plan was first approved, it has been developed and modified several times as
more people engage in the project and provide input. The first test planting was done in
May 2022 and was highly successful.
 
On the recommendation of Mike Hicks, who was our CRD Director at the time, Don
Closson, the Juan de Fuca Parks Manager, applied for and received a grant from the
Union of BC Municipalities. These funds can only be used on the Butler Park, which
includes the linear sections as well as corner triangle.  At this point only the corner piece
is being worked upon. By way of community engagement, and to stretch the grant,
community support is sought wherever possible, for example through discounts on
purchases and welcoming volunteers with specific skills.
 
In the spring of 2023, ninety children came to plant trees and shrubs. Each of their
plants is identified with a painted stake so the child can come back and check on it.
Several did in fact come back to proudly show their plants to siblings, parents, and
grandparents.
 
Community members help with planting, weeding, watering during the dry season,
supplying local native plants and spreading mulch, gravel, and other material. The
project has also received support from area businesses, the past and current CRD
Regional Directors, and community members with specific skills and equipment. It
would be difficult to list them all without the risk of missing someone.
 
The core team now call this project their “100 year plan” as they plant for our future.