Do you love our magnificent river? If you do, you can prove that love by coming out to the Love Your Columbia event on Saturday, August 23.
That’s when volunteers have the opportunity to pick up litter, pull invasive weeds and perform other restoration activities at riverside locations.
Originally initiated by the Columbia River Keepers’ group in Hood River, Oregon, and locally organized by Mandy Kellner of Kingbird Biological Consultants with help from Robyn Hooper of the Columbia Shuswap Invasive Species Society and the North Columbia Environmental Society, Love Your Columbia is intended to highlight the issues surrounding the river by increasing public awareness, working to restore its health and encouraging improved stewardship along the entire river.
“The event brings together individuals, communities, and organizations along the river and throughout the watershed for a day to work towards restoring the resource that we all depend on,” said a statement from River Keepers.
“Rivers in virtually every country face an array of threats, and only through our active involvement can we ensure their health in the years ahead. This is a fantastic way to connect to all of the communities and people along the river.”
The main focus of the local event is a small native plant restoration project in the high ground behind the Workers’ Memorial inukshuk. The goal is to restore a more complete, functioning ecosystem to the site, as well as to educate people, big and little, about native plants in our area. Volunteers from the NCES, CSISS, Begbie View Elementary, and the general public have so far planted more than 550 live stakes and 250 small shrubs. The project is funded by FWCP and benefits greatly from collaboration and support from NCES, CSISS, and Parks Canada.
“As a Love Your Columbia! Event on Aug.23, we will be visiting the sites to pull or stomp down competing vegetation around the live stakes and shrubs, and to see the results of all that planting,” Mandy told The Current.
“Clearing the competing vegetation will also assist in determining (the stakes’) survival, to see what worked and what may not have. Weed pulling and stomping will occur between 10 am and 1 pm. Bring your work clothes and gloves and expect some mosquitoes! Food and refreshments will be provided.”
For more information please contact Mandy Kellner at 250-837-0820 or send her an e-mail at mandy.kellner@gmail.com.
