What can you expect to find on this site? Anything related to life in our community -- events, celebrations, wildlife alerts, stories, photos, conservation news...
It is that time of year when we begin to see yard waste dumped illegally around our community. Thank you, Jacquie, for the photos and reminder!
Photo by Jacquie Brugger May 25, 2020
Photo by Jacquie Brugger May 25, 2020
Photo by Jacquie Brugger May 16, 2020
The Logan Lake Eco Depot is located just 5.1 km south west of Logan Lake on Highway 97C, on route to Ashcroft. Note that it is FREE to take your yard waste there. They also accept many other items at no cost.
BCLSS is updating our Safety Program and related insurance policy. We are now required to provide the ages of volunteers to our new insurer in order to receive comprehensive coverage. If you are currently a BCLSS member and volunteer for our BC Lake Stewardship and Monitoring program and did not receive our email on May 5 regarding updating your information, please contact the BCLSS office so that we can ensure you are added to the policy.
Safe Boating Awareness Week May 16-22
Since 1995, Safe Boating Awareness Week has been the mainstay of boating safety to over 16 million people who recreate on Canadian waters. Due to Covid-19, this campaign will be a little different in many ways. Please see the Canadian Safe Boating Council website for the Safe Boating Awareness Week messages.
Did you know that May 14 was National Lifejacket Day? The Canadian Red Cross urges lifejacket use for all boaters as every year, 161 Canadians drown while boating. Of these, 87% are not wearing a lifejacket or do not have it properly secured.
Before heading out on a boat, ensure that all persons on board - even strong swimmers - are outfitted with a correctly sized lifejacket appropriate to the activity. Be aware of and monitor the weather and water conditions, be prepared to head to the nearest point of safety if the conditions change, never consume alcohol before or during a boating outing, and ensure boaters know how to safely operate and load the vessel.
More information on boating safety and how to choose a lifejacket or PFD can be found here.
This year, the theme is All Hands on Deck - Lake Stewardship in Climate Challenged Times. The event will be held at Windermere Community Hall from October 2-4, 2020. Keynote speaker will be Bob Sandford, Chair in Water and Climate Security at the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment, and Health.
Please note that the Conference Committee is monitoring public health information during this pandemic as it may affect the conference. If the conference is postponed, we will provide an update on our website and in future newsletters.
New Canada Water Agency to provide solutions for emerging water crisis - expert panel The new Canada Water Agency - a mandated commitment of the federal government - will provide much-needed solutions to the emerging water crisis, according to Tom Axworthy, chair of a national water policy panel organized by Global Water Futures (GWF) at the University of Saskatchewan (USask).
Not a member of the BCLSS yet? Please consider joining our network of lake stewards! For more information on the benefits of membership, please visit our website.
The BCLSS gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the Government of British Columbia through the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy and the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
Be careful when out on your bicycles or walking your dogs! Residents are finding these metal spiral pieces all over our streets, likely from the street sweepers on the weekend.
Lac Le Jeune residents are grateful to Sugarloaf Ranch for allowing access to their trail system. Due the COVID-19 health and safety concerns, these trails are closed, just as all other recreational trails. Unfortunately, the signs are being ignored and we all risk losing this trail privilege.
These photos were shared by Will Ciancone, Ranch Manager. Local cycling groups, Kamloops Performance Cycling Centre and Kamloops Bike Riders Association, were quick to get the word out to members that this behaviour is unacceptable.
Please, do not put others at risk or jeopardize the future use of these incredible cycling opportunities in our area.
Thank you Sugarloaf Ranch for your generosity and local cycling organizations for establishing this valuable partnership and staying vigilant!
~ Sylvia Currie, with thanks to Chris Wynne for helping to get the word out.
BC Parks is immediately closing the entire BC Parks system, including all parks, protected areas, conservancies, recreation areas, and ecological reserves. All camping (front and backcountry) is now banned until May 31st, 2020. This action is being taken in response to the call for increased action to address the COVID-19 pandemic.
With the desire of the public to get outdoors, many parks have already experienced peak season levels of use that have resulted in overwhelmed parking lots, trails and trailheads, making physical distancing difficult, if not impossible in some locations. It has also resulted in damage to our facilities and the environment.
This closure is also necessary to ensure the continued health and safety of our visitors, employees, park operators and their staff, volunteers, and park contractors. By taking this action, we align with federal and provincial directives for people to stay home to reduce COVID-19 transmission risk.
This temporary measure means public and vehicle access is prohibited until further notice. All trails, roads, day-use areas, beaches, lakes, boat launches, and backcountry areas are closed to the public. Park closures will be enforced through regular monitoring and patrols and anyone found in a closed park will be evicted and could face a $115 fine.
In addition to the full system closure, the campground closure has been extended to May 31st, 2020. Full refunds will continue to be provided to those with existing reservations during this time. The Discover Camping reservation system has been suspended for all new reservations. A public notice will be issued once facilities are reopened and the system is able to accept new reservations.
BC Parks continues to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic closely and is following the recommendations set out by the Provincial Health Officer and the Minister of Health for decisions related to closure and reopening of parks and facilities.
This year, the theme is All Hands on Deck - Lake Stewardship in Climate Challenged Times. The event will be held at Windermere Community Hall from October 2-4, 2020. Keynote speaker will be Bob Sandford, Chair in Water and Climate Security at the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment, and Health.
It is an anxious time for us all. Let’s join other communities in saying THANK YOU to those who are on the front lines including medical staff, grocery and food industry staff, gas attendants, truckers, and all those who continue to work with the public in various capacities!
Step out your door and make some noise at 7:00 pm each night; call out, sing, use pots and spoons, whatever (Kids like doing it, make it their responsibility!) We truly are all in this together and some of us are dealing with other issues in our lives besides COVID-19. We can let them know we are thinking of them as well!
~Jacquie Brugger on behalf of the Lac Le Jeune Conservation Society~
News Release See full release ====snip==== As cases of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in BC continue to increase, the BC Centre for Dis- ease Control recommends implementing measures that help to reduce excess air pollution in populated airsheds across the province. There is strong evidence that exposure to air pollu- tion increases susceptibility to respiratory viral infections by decreasing immune function. This means that:
Deterioration in air quality may lead to more COVID-19 infections overall,
Deterioration in air quality may lead to more cases of severe COVID-19 infections, adding further demand to our healthcare system, and
Improvements to air quality may help to protect the whole population from COVID-19 and its potentially severe effects. Evidence suggests that air pollution from combustion sources is most strongly associated with increased risk of viral infection, particularly vehicle emissions and biomass burning. At this time the BC Centre for Disease Control strongly recommends that open burning of biomass fuels be restricted in areas with high or moderate risk of population exposure to the resulting smoke. While the focus should remain on social distancing to prevent the spread of infection and re- duce the number of cases, keeping our air as clean as possible will also help to protect the population during this difficult period. For this reason The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy is restricting open burning in some parts of the province. These restrictions will be evaluated on a daily basis; the area to which they apply may grow or diminish accordingly.
