A research partnership between UNBC, the city’s adult and youth custody centres, and the City of Prince George has born fruit.

The Prince George Northern Sustainable Landscaping Initiative sought to identify plants which plants which can thrive in the Prince George area with minimal watering, fertilizing and maintenance.

Project coordinator professor Annie Booth met with city council, Monday, to discuss the report and propose four new projects for 2006.

The first of four proposed projects would see testing of salt-tolerant species along roads, Booth said.

“We’re essentially a winter city. Salt tolerance is very important – [climate] warming causes icing and means more salt on the roads,” Booth said. “We’ve done testing along University Way and salt saturation in the spring is 17 times the normal.”

Heavy concentrations of salt are found within six feet of the street, particularly within three feet, she added.

“We’re looking for plants which will resist high salt concentrations,” Booth said. “There are three species of rose and day lilies that have salt tolerance.”

Maple trees also have high salt resistance, she said.

Other projects being examined include using plants to stabilize the hill along University Way, rehabilitating gravel areas on Third and Second Avenue downtown, and testing fruit and nut trees for potential commercial potential.

Booth said the group has received $216,000 in funding which can be used to match City spending on municipal projects.

It is unlikely the slope stabilization project could be done on that budget, she added.

“Slope stabilization is a professional job,” Booth explained.

Tackling the salt issue, and remediating land downtown, would be her priorities, she added.

City council voted to have administrators take a more detailed look at the proposals and bring a report back to council.

A copy of Prince George Northern Sustainable Landscape Initiative report can be found online at www.realestatefoundation.com/ community/sustlandscapeinit_pg.pdf.

© Copyright 2006 Prince George Free Press