S.E.N.S. Stuff (May)
Planting Trees For a Better World
1500 trees snapped up in 50 minutes! What a boon for our planet... Thanks John and Terry and all who took part!
Garden Seeds
You can now access a variety of free seeds at the Vernon Library. Librarian Peter Critchley has placed them in a filing cabinet upstairs. He’s taking donations of seeds as well! If you don’t see what you want ask Peter – he’s still sorting a bag of my 2020 seeds for the files!
Butterfly Pathways
SENS director, Sheila, will soon be putting butterfly pathway information (and a challenge?!) on the SENS Facebook page for this year. Stay tuned... Check out the Thompson-Okanagan section for a detailed Pollinator Plant List here: Pollinator Partnership regional guides - Google Drive Spread the word about our events! On our FB page, click on the invite button and choose any friend from your list and they get sent an invite notification.
SENS‘ New Website:
Thank-you to SENS member Stevie Blaue, creator of our new look! Ideas for changes/additions always appreciated; Just contact us!
Electric Car and E-bike Caravan:
May 29, 10 am in Vernon. SENS director Terry Dyck is staging a covid-safe version of our usual May electric vehicle event. Everyone is welcome to join this event with your electric vehicle or E-bike…and even normal-style bikes are welcome in the caravan! If you are able to take part or wish more information, please contact Terry (terrydyck80@hotmail.com). Route travel details are in the planning stages. What signage will you make?!?
ACTION ITEMS
SENS May Event:
The weather’s too lovely, early evening, to sit indoors and Zoom, so SENS asks instead that you act for forest ecosystems in our local area or in B.C. – it all helps! Here’s information you might wish to use for a phone call or letter:
LUMBY
Old growth trees shipped to Lumby for BB are generating lots of CO2… Read about it here! Also, check out this CCPA article titled “Burning Our Way to a New Climate”!
NORTH OKANAGAN AREA
Check out what’s happening to Gardom Lake and its surroundings.
SAANICH
A Notice of Motion has been submitted to Saanich Council to formally oppose old growth logging and calls on the provincial government to immediately halt logging in their lands. These forests provide protection against wildfire, store water and carbon, and are banks of biodiversity. Only 2.7% are left! And Even though the date of the motion''s presentation has passed, a letter would still be of influence. Also for even more background, read the Wilderness Committee’s Appeal to Save Argenta Face AND read about Fairy Creek: Here's Focus on Victoria's take on it, CBC's, The Guardian's take, The Narwhal's take and Discourse.ca's Analysis! And here's some Fairy Creek specific petitions too (1 and 2)!
FORT NELSON
Check out this CCPA article titled"Trees to pellets"!
FOREST PROTECTION
Check out "B.C.’s Coastal Douglas-Fir Zone Needs Protection Now"! (From BC Nature)
PROVINCE-WIDE
Phone Premier John Horgan (1-250-387-1715) and the Minister of Forestry, Katrine Conroy (1-250-387-6240) telling them YOU want a moratorium, and then a ban on logging. Also sign these petitions demanding: a moratorium on logging B.C.’s remaining ancient trees, protection of B.C.’s endangered old-growth forests and forestry jobs, protection of B.C.’s old-growth rainforests!, and a stop to logging in B.C.s old growth rainforests!
LOCALLY
Write to council members and MLA asking for a motion similar to Saanich's on old growth logging, and/or for an increase in the Parcel tax budget so that regional districts and municipalities can purchase more parkland and preserve sections of old growth. Write letters to the editor of your local newspaper about any concern you might have!
JUST IN:
Duteau Water Treatment Plant at Risk from Logging in May: Cut block LV1243, which is only 500 meters from the Duteau Creek water intake, needs to be paused or our expensive Treatment Plant may close and water rates escalate due to slope instability, erosion – prone soils, and hydrological changes from road building. RDNO was only notified a few weeks ago.
Summary in local media: https://vernonmatters.ca/2021/04/22/last-ditch-attempt-to-stop-logging-in-local-watershed/
Join the Protest
RDNO case summary: https://rdno.civicweb.net/document/156941/210421_BoD_RPT_Tolko_Headgates_block.pdf
Numerous options would protect this watershed, however if other municipalities prevent even hikers from using their watersheds, why is logging even considered here ?
All the details will be on the SENS website very soon. Check it out.
Writing Tips: Start with an expression of your concern and how it affects you/others or why you are writing. Then provide some factual information (with valid source if wished), then end with what you’d like to see happen. Mention that you look forward to their reply and for information on what they’ll be doing.
Some ideas/phrases that you might wish to use: “Legacy that should be left for/given to our grandchildren/future generations…”; “Need to act as stewards of our surroundings…”; or “Destroying ecosystems or nature isn’t profitable in the long run…”! If you’d like some help with a letter contact someone from SENS via our website.