November 18, 2009 The Valley Voice 1 Volume 18, Number 23 November 18, 2009 Delivered to every home between Edgewood, Kaslo & South Slocan. Published bi-weekly. “Your independently owned regional community newspaper serving the Arrow Lakes, Slocan & North Kootenay Lake Valleys.” First step taken toward watershed plan for the Lardeau River by Jan McMurray Trower explained that the health of the river. not a pressing concern. However, Friends want the whole community The Friends of the Lardeau River Kootenay-Boundary Land Use Plan’s Someone expressed concern that someone else pointed out that the on board with the planning. “We (FLR) are working with the Columbia Protected Areas Strategy identified the demand for waterfront property government could decide to create lots don’t want it to be just the Friends Basin Trust to come up with terms several ‘Goal 2’ sites for protection, could come to the river. Trower from that land, so they should not be of the Lardeau River. Everybody has of reference for a Lardeau River and the Lardeau River riparian corridor said that 97% of the land along the too complacent. something that connects them to that watershed plan. is one of them. “This has been signed Lardeau is crown owned, so this is Leslie from FLR said that the river.” A show of hands at a meeting off by everyone except the ministers held November 4 in Meadow Creek, involved,” said Trower. with about 75 people in attendance, Guest speaker Bill Green spoke indicated that the great majority about the watershed plans he worked supported the development of the on in the Upper Columbia and in terms of reference. A similar meeting Salmo as former coordinator of held the next evening in Nelson was the Columbia-Kootenay Fisheries attended by more than 100 people who Renewal Partnership. Unfortunately, were supportive of a watershed plan there has been no funding to implement for the river. either plan. The Meadow Creek meeting Green said he felt the watershed began with a slide show of stunning plans completed so far were too photographs by Jim Lawrence to focused on the conservation of fish illustrate the natural values along the and fish habitat, and encouraged the Lardeau River, which include a wide community to think about a wider variety of fish, wildlife, habitats, scope for the plan to address all the vegetation and landscapes. issues and concerns in the watershed. Grant Trower of FLR told the Cathy Scott-May, hired to people at the meeting: “The Lardeau facilitate the meeting, then opened Rene Bruneau, Nakusp’s Legion president, and Liza Christie, Nakusp’s Legion Ladies’ Auxiliary president, lay wreaths River is the only unflooded major the community discussion. at the cenotaph during Remembrance Day ceremonies. river system in the Columbia Basin. The first person to speak said Wherever we go, people tell us it was important that the plan be we have something unique.” He representative of the whole emphasized the importance of the community, and that it balance river to the Gerrard rainbow trout; the conservation concerns with socio- Lardeau River is the only place where economic concerns. the Gerrards spawn naturally. “They People asked about funding and tried to milk the eggs and send them the legal authority of the plan. Scott- all over the world, but they didn’t grow May acknowledged that there was anywhere else,” he said. cynicism in this region because of Trower listed some of the things the lack of government commitment. threatening the natural values of the She said government agencies had river, including siltation from erosion, recently indicated they don’t have any washouts, and natural slides; forest resources to bring to the table, but they fires; logging in the riparian zone; would like to see the Lardeau River highway development; tailings from watershed plan done. One potential Trout Lake mine draining into Trout funding agency would not make a Lake, which feeds the Lardeau River; clear commitment, and first wants to Southern Interior MP Alex Atamenenko makes the walk to place a wreath at New Denver’s Remembrance Day Ceremonies. invasive weeds; forest in-growth; know that the community supports human conflicts with wildlife. He also the plan. “So it’s a catch 22,” she Slocan Island property procured for conservation mentioned Duncan Dam, which has said. “The government wants to know submitted overflow channels intersecting the funding towards land conservation neither a generator nor a fish ladder. there is community support and the Columbia Basin Trust (CBT) and productive riparian site. The property efforts, which will assist in maintaining “There is no such thing as green community wants to know there is The Nature Trust of British Columbia is comprised of cottonwood forest, a range of community values on lands hydropower for fish and wildlife or government funding.” (TNTBC) have announced the mixed conifer forest and wetland plant in the Columbia Basin. CBT partners their aquatic, riparian and mountain One woman wanted to know successful purchase of a 142-acre communities, and valuable rainbow with the East Kootenay Conservation habitats,” he said. what scientific information had been conservation property called Slocan trout rearing areas. Waterfowl, moose, Program, which researches various Trower also outlined some of gathered on the Lardeau River. Island, located near the community of elk, and Townsend’s big-eared bats are parcels of land each year and the successes in protecting the river Trower said the Ministry of Winlaw. also natural inhabitants of this property. recommends the highest priorities and corridor. Two hundred and seven Forests, Ministry of Environment, “Considering the property’s “As a leading land conservation best-suited projects to meet CBT’s acres have just been purchased by a Department of Fisheries and Oceans important ecological values, organization, The Nature Trust along goals for the Land Conservation collaborative group, including the Fish and Ministry of Mines all had pieces Columbia Basin Trust is pleased to with its partners is working to ensure Strategy. Over the last ten years, CBT and Wildlife Compensation Program, of scientific information on the river, support this securement as part of that the amazing variety of life in has contributed $2.25 million to land CBT, the Nelson Rod and Gun “but they don’t necessarily talk to each our Land Conservation Strategy,” this area of BC is sustained through conservation efforts in the Columbia Club, BC Conservancy Foundation, other. They don’t look at the whole said Kindy Gosal, CBT, Director, habitat protection. The acquisition Basin. Kootenay Wildlife Heritage Fund, BC watershed in their specific plans. So Water and Environment. “CBT has of the Slocan Island conservation Other contributors towards the Trust for Public Lands and the Habitat let’s bring it together and find out made a commitment to ensuring long- property is an excellent demonstration purchase of the property are the Fish Conservation Trust Fund. Also, the what we know, where the gaps are, and term stewardship of the Columbia of this partnership in action,” said & Wildlife Compensation Program, Nature Trust and the Ministry of whose responsibility it is to fill those Basin’s natural assets and maintaining TNTBC’s Kootenay Conservation Land the Land for Wildlife Fund and the Environment own seven conservation gaps,” he said. healthy ecosystems. Investing in this Manager Rob Neil. “Our principle land Kootenay Wildlife Heritage Fund. The properties at the head of Kootenay Trower also informed people that property helps CBT fulfill those ongoing management plan for this property is to owner of the property also provided a Lake, totalling just under 600 acres. the FLR had just joined the Columbia commitments.” ensure that the biodiversity values of the portion of the total cost as an eco-gift. There is also some land on the east side Basin Watershed Network, and would The Slocan Island property is property are maintained in perpetuity.” For more information on the Ecological of the river that is being considered for work with them to do basic monitoring located in the Slocan River flood CBT provided $138,000 toward the Gifts Program, visit www.cws-scf.ec.gc. purchase for conservation. that will paint a simple picture of the plain and has several distinguishable total value of $370,000. CBT provides ca/egp-pde or contact The Nature Trust. The Valley Voice is 100% locally owned 2 NEWS The Valley Voice November 18, 2009 Local power conservation initiatives recognized by FortisBC by Jan McMurray “I’m proud to restore a piece of The RDCK also won a Leadership Selkirk College received a Other recipients include Wynndell Several local businesses and Kaslo’s history and make it even better Award for two initiatives that reduce Conservation Excellence Award for its Box and Lumber, Canadian Tire (Trail), organizations were recognized with by integrating modern energy efficient power consumption – the new water innovative new heating and ventilation Columbia Brewing, Zellstoff Celgar FortisBC PowerSense awards on technology that will help ensure it is here treatment plant in Ymir and the system, and School District #8 was also Ltd., School District #20, City of Grand November 4 in Castlegar. for decades to come,” says hotel owner, server upgrade to the IT (Information a Conservation Excellence Award winner Forks, Roxul Inc., Twin Rivers and the Among the winners were Kaslo John Eckland. Technology) department. for the Crawford Bay School project. Hedley Improvement District. Hotel, the Village of Slocan and the The Village of Slocan was a Regional District of Central Kootenay. Leadership Award winner for replacing The Kaslo Hotel won a Conservation the old forced-air heating system Award for the energy efficiency features in Village hall. Upgrades included incorporated into the newly renovated EnergyStar low-E windows, a new building.