BC SPCA asks public to remove bird feeders after salmonella outbreak

-----BC SPCA News Release January 25, 2021-----

The BC SPCA is asking the public to temporarily remove backyard bird feeders in order to stop the spread of a deadly salmonella outbreak that has spread throughout the province. The outbreak is affecting pine siskin birds specifically.

“2021 has gotten off to a rough start for pine siskins on southern Vancouver Island and the rest of the province with a deadly outbreak of salmonella,” says Andrea Wallace, manager of wild animal welfare.

So far in January, the BC SPCA’s Wild Animal Rehabilitation Centre (ARC) has admitted 43 pine siskin birds with many of them showing signs of disease but few surviving.

“Salmonella is a severe and contagious disease so we’re asking people to temporarily remove, or at the very least clean, their bird feeders and bird baths to prevent further spread of the disease,” says Wallace.

The Bridge Beyond the Boundary by Perry Kilby

Our friends Perry and Elizabeth Kilby lived in the upper subdivision of Lac le Jeune for many years as they raised their children. Since their retirement and move away from this area, Perry has written a children’s book, The Bridge Beyond the Boundary. You may recognize Lac le Jeune in some of the locations referred to in his book, even though in this week's Kamloops This Week article, he refers to Kamloops as the area. We know where it really is!

The book is self published and can be purchased from Perry's website.

Posted by Kathy Wyse

Timely Snow Removal on Lac Le Jeune Roads

"Snow falling" by Fellowship of the Rich is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

A couple of weeks ago a Lac Le Jeune resident had to call an ambulance in the middle of the night because of a suspected heart attack. When the ambulance arrived it was not able to reach the individual’s house because the driver was concerned the ambulance would get stuck in the snow. In this instance the individual had to drive his four wheel drive vehicle onto Lac Le Jeune Road and from there he got into the ambulance. Although in this case everything was resolved happily, in another situation it could have been fatal. Without a four wheel drive vehicle, how long would the paramedics have taken to trudge through the snow and carry a sick patient on a stretcher back to the ambulance perhaps a kilometre away?  

If you feel as I do that the roads this winter have not been plowed in a timely fashion please register a complaint with the Yellowhead Road and Bridge.  There is a form to do so on their website, or you can call 1 250 315 0166.  

Thank you,

Pat Burton

BCLSS Loonie News - December 2020

 *Reposted with permission*

BCLSS Holiday Office Closure The BCLSS office will be operating with limited hours over the holidays starting on December 19th. Regular office hours will resume on Monday, January 4th, 2021.    The BCLSS Board of Directors and staff wish you a happy and healthy holiday season! Help Keep the Ice Clean this Winter When recreating on lakes this winter, please keep in mind these helpful tips:   Garbage On Ice To reduce garbage and other debris left behind by visitors from freezing into ice on rivers and lakes, join forces with a few neighbours to create a “Citizen’s Patrol” to monitor ice and speak to visitors about garbage. You can also plan a shoreline clean-up early in the spring to help protect nesting shorebirds. Winter Recreation Take care when accessing a frozen lake for skating, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, or tobogganing. Use summer access trails, rather than direct paths over snow. Even through the covering of ice and snow, vegetation and bank structure can be damaged by winter traffic. Cleaning Up After Your Dog There are a number of great reasons to pick up after your dog not the least of which is that you, or your closest friends, may be the ones who "discover" the treasure while going for a nice ski/skate. In addition to the aesthetic reasons to clean up behind your pooch, there are very sound health and ecological reasons: Feces contain pathogenic (disease causing) organisms that make people sick. Many of us rely on lakes as our drinking water source and children often ingest water while playing at the lake. Excess nutrient loading, including phosphorous, from more dog traffic causes significant imbalances in a lakes natural ecosystem. This leads to degradation of lake water quality. Nutrients from fecal matter may lead to increased algae growth and can effect oxygen levels and other physical characteristics that fish and other animals need to survive.  As more of us use the lake, and take our dogs with us, the fragile ecological balance and public health are further jeopardized. We need to reduce the risks to ensure the health of our lakes.  We need to be careful and responsible to ensure that the lakes that we love remain lovely! Originally printed in BCLSS Newsletter Volume15:3, November 2012.  Sources: Brian Nickurak and On the Living Edge by Kipp and Callaway Columbia Shuswap Invasive Species Society ~ Columbia Shuswap Region is Invasive-Mussel-Free for Another Year!   Invasive species can be extremely damaging to the health of both the ecosystem and our economy. At the top of the ‘Most Unwanted’ list are two aquatic invasive species: zebra and quagga mussels.  The Columbia Shuswap Invasive Species Society (CSISS) partners with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy (ENV), the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation (HCTF) and the Shuswap Watershed Council (SWC) to monitor high risk lakes in the upper Columbia and Shuswap watersheds for invasive mussels.  In a recent statement, ENV reported that 89 waterbodies in BC were monitored throughout the season by 12 grant recipients (including CSISS) and Ministry staff, collecting 954 plankton samples, all of which showed no evidence of invasive mussels.  Currently there are no known infestations of invasive mussels anywhere in BC, including the Columbia Shuswap. If invasive mussels were to become established in a BC waterbody, it would be extremely difficult to eradicate them and very costly to manage the negative impacts, so preventing establishment is key. Transportation of infested watercraft is a known way in which these species travel between waterbodies, even over large distances.  To prevent the spread of invasive mussels into our lakes and rivers, all watercraft entering BC. should be inspected by Provincial staff.  Travellers bringing watercraft to BC are encouraged to visit the provincial website https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/invasive-mussels/bringing-your-boat-to-bc. Members of the public are asked to please report any suspected invasive species via the Provincial “Report Invasives BC” smartphone application (available for download from www.gov.bc.ca/invasive-species) and any suspected invasive zebra or quagga mussels to the Report All Poachers and Polluters hotline 1-877-952-7277. Read the full press release from the Columbia Shuswap Invasive Species Society here. The Columbia Shuswap Invasive Species Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to the prevention, management and reduction of invasive species in the Columbia Shuswap Regional District.

Announcements and Reminders   Ice On/Off Data Ice events - the freeze and thaw dates of waterbodies - are easily recorded changes that, with the help of volunteer observers, can help us monitor the effects of climate change on our lakes. The BCLSS submits ice on and ice off data to IceWatch, part of the NatureWatch suite of national volunteer monitoring programs designed to help identify ecological changes that may be affecting our environment. Please submit the ice on and ice off dates of your lake to the BCLSS. A data form can be found here. Native Trout Stewardship Initiative: 2020 Call for Proposals The Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC is pleased to announce Year Three of its pilot funding initiative that provides resources to organizations and groups seeking to get involved in native trout conservation activities at the local level. These activities are expected to be collaborative and involve partnerships with community, stewardship and angling groups. The deadline of December 31, 2020 is quickly approaching! Further information can be found here. Women and Water Lecture Series Hosted by the Global Institute for Water Security, Global Water Futures - Young Professionals and Global Water Futures. Lectures occur monthly from January to April. The schedule can be found here.  BC Water Funders Collaborative The BC Water Funders Collaborative is a group of funding organizations working together to facilitate the strategic use of collective resources to advance freshwater protection in BC. For more information and a reference guide to water funders, please check out their website. Okanagan Water Board Opens Grant Program The Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB) is now accepting applications for its Water Conservation and Quality Improvement (WCQI) grant program which will focus on water security. This application deadline is 4:00 p.m. on February 26, 2021. The complete Program Guide, detailed information, and application forms can be found here. Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation PCAF Grants The Public Conservation Assistance Fund provides small grants to organizations and individuals who need financial help to implement a conservation project. Approximately $150,000 is provided each year to help implement on-the-ground conservation work, with a particular focus on hands-on, community-based, and public awareness initiatives. Grants will be due in Spring 2021 - now is a good time to start thinking about projects. More information can be found on the HCTF website. The BCLSS is available to help our members with applying for grants of all types. Please contact the office for assistance. INVASIVES 2021 - ISCBC's Annual Forum & AGM February 9-11, 2021. The Invasive Council of BC will be holding their forum virtually. You'll hear from two great keynote presenters, enjoy a variety of plenary session, lighting talks, and have the opportunity to network with others in the invasive species community. The agenda and registration details can be found here.   News and Information Holiday glitter in our lakes? Watershed Security Agenda for British Columbia 'Dramatic changes': Study suggests more lakes fail to freeze over, could harm ice fishing, skating

Halloween 2020

This is a summary of activities and tips I've heard from residents. I'm also including tips to decrease the risk of getting or spreading COVID-19, along with other general safety information.

• The Halloween Goblin Wagon will once again be touring the neighbourhoods!
• Plan for approximately 30 trick-or-treaters.
• Provide well-lit self-serve outdoor treat stations. 
• This is an excellent safety list from BC Centre for Disease Control
• There will be a fireworks display on Water Street at 7:30 and residents are encouraged to watch from a distance. If you're planning your own fireworks display, please keep to the 7:30 schedule that's already been established.
• Keep your pets indoors and ensure all escape routes are closed off. When terrified by noise from fireworks, animals may bolt and NEVER find their way back home. 
• If your pets are stressed, stay with them.
• Nix the fake spider web decorations; birds and small animals can get wrapped up in it.
• Pumpkins attract bears so bring them indoors at the end of the evening.

Sylvia

Job Posting: Onsite Maintenance at Wilderness Resort

The Wilderness Resort strata (30 units plus lodge with indoor pool, kitchen, dining and games area) is looking for a person to assist with onsite maintenance duties, preferably someone who lives at Lac Le Jeune. 

If you are interested please contact Chris Murray (250) 320-0476 or email chris.murray51@outlook.com. A job description and salary details will be sent out to anyone who is interested.

New Bridge Being Installed This Week

The following notice was delivered to some Lac Le Jeune residents. Perhaps the rest of the residents on the streets listed will receive a notice this weekend. In addition, there is a sign at the bridge.

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Lac Le Jeune, Lookout, Marmot, Osprey East, Ridgemont, Heron and Pineridge Roads

Yellowhead Road & Bridge (Nicola) Ltd. on behalf of the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure will be replacing the bridge on Lac Le Jeune Road commencing on October 19, 2020 with a completion date of October 22, 2020. Expect minor delays between 7am and 7pm for the duration of this project. 

October 20th starting at 9am there will be no vehicular traffic allowed across the bridge while the old structure is removed and the new one is being constructed. YRB expects to have the bridge open to traffic by 4pm on the same day.

If you have concerns please contact

Ted Smart

Superintendent Merritt North and Structures

(250) 315-5027

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Please pick up after your dog

"Daisy Flowers and Bees" by Scott 97006 is licensed under CC BY 2.0

We have a lot of dogs living in Lac Le Jeune, and many enjoying the provincial park. That brings lots of joy, but also more poop! This is a reminder from Pat Burton.

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In the last few weeks there has been an increasing amount of dog poop left along the sides of Rainbow Drive. Please pick up after your dog and don’t leave unsightly messes behind to spoil the beauty of our neighbourhood.

Improving Rural Internet Connectivity

Wilgengebroed on Flickr / CC BY

Residents will have received a letter in the mail from TNRD with a link to a survey regarding experiences with internet for personal or business use. Many of us work and study from home and are struggling to get the connectivity we need. Meanwhile, we continue to pay for services we're not receiving. 

Please complete the survey before October 5, 2020.

https://www.tnrd.ca/stay-connected/surveys/

Time to buy your ski pass!

Registration is now open for the 2020-2021 ski season! 

Here's a direct link to purchase a pass. Visit the Overlander Ski Club website for special registration instructions for Juniors / Jackrabbits / Bunnies.