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Water and Landscapes along Okanagan shorelines

The Regional District Okanagan Similkameen is offering a workshop on shorelines and riparian areas.
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The Regional District Okanagan Similkameen is offering a workshop on shorelines and riparian areas.

The RDOS is sponsoring a series of workshops with the RBC Blue Water Project Grant Fund and the South Okanagan and Similkameen Conservation Program. These free workshops focus on properties on or adjacent to lakefront, wetland and creek sides. Waterside property owners are encouraged to attend.

By definition, riparian areas link water to land. They border streams, lakes, and wetlands. The blend of stream bed, water, trees, shrubs and grasses in a riparian area provides fish habitat, and directly influences water quality. Unfortunately, upwards of 57 per cent of the water’s edge along our main-stem lakes and creeks has been modified, damaged or affected by human habitation. The need to understand these natural buffers is of critical importance to all of us living or visiting the Okanagan-Similkameen.

Three experts have come together to discuss why we need to care about protecting our shoreline habitats. These introductory workshops will show you how to recognize and maintain healthy habitats along our shorelines and riparian areas.

Workshop participants will gain an understanding of:

  • Function of riparian areas and how they contribute to ecosystem health and water quality
  • Regulations of riparian areas for homeowners along waterways, shorelines and beach fronts, as they protect both the land value and biological value of waterfront properties. Regulations can differ depending on where you live, therefore the information will be specific to each location
  • Landscaping with easy-care, hardy native plants, shrubs and trees suitable to plant along the shoreline to act as buffers and to protect banks from erosion
  • Invasive species, aquatic and terrestrial species information and control

The next introductory workshop in this series is Nov. 19, 2016 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Room 1 at the Oliver Recreation Centre, 6359 Park Dr.

Watch for information on hands-on neighbourhood field days that will follow these workshops beginning in the spring of 2017.

For more information and to register contact co-ordinator Eva Antonijevic at evaantonijevic@gmail.com or at 250-486-2303.