OUR EXPERIENCE OF SLOCAN LAKE IS AN EXPERIENCE OF AWE, GRATITUDE, AND WONDER.
1. We value Slocan Lake, its tributaries, and its related ecosystems.
2. We value the health of this entire ecosystem as essential to the health of our communities.
3. We value this ecosystem as a rare and irreplaceable gift.
4. We value the privilege and responsibility of stewardship for this ecosystem.
5. As temporary guardians, we value this ecosystem as a common good to be sustained for future generations.
5. We value local, informed decision-making and the collective ability to make wise choices for this ecosystem.
THE PURPOSES OF THE SOCIETY ARE:
a) To research and cooperatively plan guidelines that will ensure the care and protection of Slocan Lake, its tributaries and foreshore; and
b) To support and initiate projects and programs for sustainable lake use; and
c) To facilitate education regarding Slocan Lake, its tributaries and its environs.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS – 2011 – 2012
Therese DesCamp - President
Mike Lesnik – Vice President
Lane Haywood – Treasurer
Richard Johnson - Correspondence Secretary
Clarence den Bok - Director
Margaret Hartley- Director
A HISTORY OF THE SLOCAN LAKE STEWARDSHIP SOCIETY
In June 2006 Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK) hosted a public forum at the Knox Hall in New Denver. This gathering was attended by New Denver Village councilors, MLA Corky Evans and MP Alex Atemanenko, along with many members of the public. During the meeting, Barbara Yeomans and Ruby Truly requested support from the government for a Slocan Lake planning process. A “show of hands” at the meeting indicated that all were in favor of some sort of Slocan Lake plan. However, government officials felt that it was necessary to go into the community and see if there was support beyond the meeting; MLA Evans suggested that 300 names would indicate enough support to proceed.
In September 2006 petition sheets were placed at nine Slocan Lake locations from Slocan City to Hills. In only fourteen days, 350 signatures were gathered in favor of establishing a management plan for Slocan Lake and its environs.
In October 2006, RDCK hosted an Official Community Plan (OCP) public information meeting in New Denver. Attendees from surrounding communities identified issues regarding Slocan Lake as a community priority (using star stickers to indicate their personal priorities).
In the Fall of 2006 and winter of 2007 ads were placed in the Valley Voice newspaper inviting residents interested in developing a Slocan Lake management plan to contact Barb Yeomans with the aim of forming a working group.
Starting with thirteen community volunteers, the newly formed Slocan Lake Management Committee (SLMC) met informally in the winter of 2006-7.
In April of 2007 sub-committees were created to research and share information regarding the following areas: Lake Inventory, Lake Models, Foreshore, Water Quality and Water Recreation. These sub-committees are still in place and members are encouraged to join a committee.
In the spring the Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK) began its process towards an Offical Community Plan (OCP) and the SLMC established a working relationship with the RDCK’s Advisory Planning Commission (APC north) for the upper Slocan Valley (there is also an APC for the lower valley). One of the members of the APC (Gerry Toop) attends our meetings as APC liaison. However, our committee remains a not-for-profit independent organization, focusing on Slocan Lake and its environs and separate from the RDCK and its Advisory Planning Commission. Our research and recommendations regarding management of Slocan Lake will be taken into consideration in the APC’s draft guidelines to the Regional District in the creation of an Official Community Plan for the upper Slocan Valley, but will not necessarily be incorporated.
In May 2007, the Slocan Lake Management Committee joined the BC Lake Stewardship Society (BCLSS), which has implemented a province wide community based monitoring program. BCLSS works with the Ministry of Water, Land, and Air Protection’s Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program. The program acts as a resource and communication network among scientists, environmental professionals and the public and provides lake water quality training to community stewardship groups. Trained volunteers can then collect information of value to lake communities, lakeshore residents and government agencies responsible for lake management. (SLSS members Peter Roulston and Lane Haywood were trained as volunteers earlier this spring (2007) to implement the SECCHI DIP and Peter continues to monitor lake temperature and turbidity).
Three members from the Slocan Lake Management Committee attended the BCLSS conference at Wasa Lake in June 2007. They took extensive notes and obtained audio CD’s of the informative lectures (this information is available to members). The BCLSS encourages ongoing monitoring of all inland water systems and provides a central database of all GPS mapping data and chemical data in the province. Many B.C. lakes have now completed baseline studies, which were later followed by management plans.
Some of the communities that have implemented management plans are:
Central Okanagan Lake Foreshore Inventory and Mapping, Thompson-Nicola Regional District Lake Study Policy, Christina Lake Management Plan, Cariboo Regional District Lakeshore Management Policy, Tabor Lake Management Plan, Lake Windemere
Management Strategy, Regional District of Fraser-Fort George Lakeshore Guidelines, Peace River Regional District Lakeshore Development Guidelines, Charlie Lake Environmental Strategic Plan, Wasa Lake Management Plan, W Kootenay Lake Baseline Study (to be completed 2007).
The BCLSS monitoring program entails active support from trained volunteer monitoring groups. At the conference our members signed up for a BCLSS limnology training session to be given in the Kootenays. Our committee purchased a copy of the BCLSS Lake Keepers Manual that has detailed information on the different lake monitoring tasks, the protocols involved, the forms for record keeping, and explains the containers used for taking samples to be sent away for analysis.
In late August 2007 our group’s name was officially changed to the Slocan Lake Stewardship Society. We are now registered in B.C. as a not-for-profit organization, but not as a registered charity.
OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH 2007 – 2010
• Public Information Sessions
• Columbia River Treaty 2012
• Climate Change in Columbia Basin
• Watercraft & Boating Safety
• Bannock Point Restoration
• Lake Lies & Fishy Tales – May Days storytelling
• Lake issues member, Advisory Planning Commission for North Valley Official Community Plan
• Joint session with BC Parks regarding loss of Valhalla Park Rangers
• Distribution of water sampling kits
• Establishment of website for lake monitoring reports
• Presentation to S.V. Chamber of Commerce
• Information Booth at Hills Garlic Festival & North Valley Mountain Film Fest
• Mounting of Slocan Lake panorama photos for public display
OUR WORKING PARTNERS
• Ministry of Environment
• Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans
• Regional District of the Central Kootenay
• Municipalities of Slocan, Silverton & New Denver
• New Denver Marina Society
• BC Lake Stewardship Society
• Galena Environmental Ltd.
OUR FUNDING PARTNERS
• Columbia Basin Trust
• Ministry of Environment
• Regional District of the Central Kootenay
• DFO
• Shell Canada
• Columbia Power Corp.
OUR FUTURE PLANS & PROJECTS
• Shoreline Restoration
• Slocan Lake Management Guidelines
• Slocan Lake Bathymetric Map
• Kokanee Study
• Bonanza Marsh Preservation
• Species at Risk Identifi cation
• Terrestrial Wildlife Shoreline Habitat Assessment
• Art projects and lake monitoring with area schools
We can be reached at
Box 322, New Denver, BC V0G 1S0
