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Many events planned for Earth Week.

Earth Week starts this weekend. Choose from a variety of tours, films, talks and hands-on activities.

Earth Week starts this weekend.

Choose from a variety of tours, films, talks and hands-on activities that encourage us to be mindful of the fact that Earth survives on what is essentially only a "drop in the bucket" of our planet’s total water supply.

Healthy, sustainable water systems require healthy riparian ecosystems.

On Sunday, April 17, from 1:30 to 3 p.m. join three South Okanagan experts to learn how waterfront property owners can use landscaping to protect their shorelines and help improve local water quality and habitats.

Don Gayton will talk about the riparian function and healthy ecosystems,

Alison Peatt will illuminate the topic of riparian regulations and their importance and Eva Antonijevic will illustrate which hardy plants are suitable for our shoreline areas. For more information and to register contact: Eva at evaantonijevic@gmail.com

Learn more about the water you drink.

On Tuesday, April 19 at 10:30 a.m., the Municipality of Summerland is hosting a comprehensive tour of Summerland’s Level 4 Water Treatment Plant. See first-hand how water from the Trout Creek Watershed is received and treated in order to produce safe drinking water for the community.

For more information or to register contact: Works and Utilities at 250-494-0431.

Also on Tuesday, at 7 p.m. in the Former Summerland Library, filmmaker and eco-artist Shimshon Obadia will present an outstanding example of a Wetland Daylighting Project.

After a century or more of wetland destruction, communities across B.C. are joining the restoration movement.

Ponds, marshes and stream banks are now being recreated and enhanced. Shimshon’s film on the KLO Middle School Fascieux Creek Daylighting Project highlights the recently completed project in Kelowna. Following Shimshon's presentation, local ecologist Don Gayton will present a potential creek daylighting project for Summerland.

At the Philosophers’ Café on Wednesday, April 20, Dr. Jeannette Armstrong and Dr. Marlowe Sam will address the topic, Syilx Water Perspectives: Valuing siwɬkʷ Knowledge in the Okanagan.

Syilx people have an understanding and protocol around water grounded in their local environment and culture, reflected in the word siwɬkw.

Marlowe Sam and Jeannette Armstrong will discuss these understandings and protocols as well as offer solutions for a better, more resilient water future.

The Café takes place at the Summerland IOOF Hall, starting at 7 p.m.

Do you want to know how to better manage storm water?

Rain gardens are a sustainable solution and many are being installed by municipalities and on private properties from coast to coast. On Thursday, April 21, from 10 to 11 a.m., you are invited to join Eva Antonijevic, Community Programs Director of the Friends of Summerland Gardens Society, on a rain garden tour and learn about how their rain garden was created to deal with storm water issues at the Gardens.

For more information contact Eva: friends.summerlandgardens@gmail.com

The Earth Weekend offers lots of fun, educational and interactive programs for children and families, including recycled art projects, storytelling and songs.

The week culminates with the 10th Annual Earth Day Celebration at Peach Orchard Park on Sunday, April 24. More on these weekend events next week.

For more information on all of the events visit: summerland.ca (search: Earth Week) or our Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/SummerlandEarthweek