Watershed Stewardship Program City of Kelowna Environment Division Danielle Drieschner, BSc, Dipl.Tech

Watershed Stewardship Program Introduced in 1996 Consists of three main components: Restoration and Enhancement Stewardship Education. In 1996, The City of Kelowna’s Environment Division introduced the Watershed Stewardship Program to address watershed health in the urban environment and help mitigate impacts to local creeks. The program includes three components: 1) Education 2) Stewardship 3) Restoration and Enhancement. These three components have been successfully used for several years and were applied towards the Fire rehabilitation areas in 2004.

Restoration and Enhancement Eroding bank The Environment Division has initiated many stream restoration and enhancement projects since 1997 to improve: fish and wildlife habitat riparian area condition hydraulic function overall stream health. The Environment Division has initiated many stream restoration and enhancement projects since 1997 to improve: Fish and wildlife habitat Riparian area condition Hydraulic function Overall stream health Restoration efforts have included restoring, enhancing and maintaining over 7,000 meters of local streams, 40,000 square meters of wetland, and planting nearly 41,000 native plants. Restoring eroding bank and improving fish habitat

Restoration and Enhancement Initiatives bank stabilization instream habitat complexing park naturalization spawning channel construction spawning gravel addition urban instream enhancement Central Okanagan Post Fire Rehabilitation/Weed Management Plan.

# trees/shrubs planted Restoration and Enhancement Summary (since 1997) (Does not include other projects by Parks Division, Development or Volunteers) Stream Area Restored # trees/shrubs planted Bellevue Creek 385 m 601 Bertram Creek 350 m 3,575 Blaskovitch Ponds - 13,755 Fascieux Creek 10 m 21 Jack Smith Lake 40,000 m2 10,815 Joe Rich Creek* 700 m 700 Lebanon Creek 800 m 3,830 McDougall Creek* 175 m 325 Mill Creek 4,045 m 6,412 Okanagan Shoreline 30 m Thomson Creek 100 m 68 Whelan Creek* 120 m 200 Wilson Creek 320 m 416 TOTALS 7,035 m + 40,000 m2 40,718 *in partnership with Regional District of Central Okanagan

Watershed Summer Crews 6-12 employees each summer since 1999 Implement creek restoration projects, maintenance, and public education.

Stewardship City provides funding, equipment, expertise and administration to encourage groups to partake in environmental initiatives From 1997-2005, Kelowna residents have volunteered over 8300 hours on watershed stewardship projects for an in-kind value of $80 000! The City’s Watershed Stewardship Program provides funding, equipment, expertise and administration to encourage groups and individuals to partake in environmental initiatives. From 1997-2005, Kelowna residents have volunteered over 8300 hours on watershed stewardship projects for an in-kind value of $80 000! Watershed stewardship opportunities include: garbage clean-up Adopt-A-Stream Program invasive weed removal planting native vegetation wildlife and fish habitat enhancement Streamkeepers training events and education Yellow-Fish-Road Program

Adopt-A-Stream Program As of 2006, 23 groups are active in the program. 10,500 meters of Mill, Brandt’s, Fascieux, Wilson, and Mission Creeks have been adopted within City of Kelowna boundaries . The Maude Roxby Bird Sanctuary, a 14000 square meter section of wetland, has also been adopted. Groups include schools, non-profit organizations, businesses, families and naturalists clubs.

Additional Volunteer Opportunities garbage clean-up invasive weed removal planting native vegetation wildlife and fish habitat enhancement events and education Yellow-Fish-Road Program. For those groups who want to make a difference in their community, but cannot commit a lot of time, the City of Kelowna will assist in finding short-term projects.

Education Classroom presentations School Assemblies Public Events Targeted educational campaigns (ex. Living By Water Dessert Evening, Be Pesticide Free). The City’s environmental education program encourages students to foster respect for the environment through interactive learning and hands-on adventures in watershed and airshed health. In the 2004-2005 school year alone, 7,400 students were educated by the Environment Division! In addition, the Environment Division organizes several environmental events each year including Family Environment Day, the Mayor’s Environmental Expo and the BC Rivers and Fisheries Awareness Festival.

Schools 7400 students educated in 04/05! Fear Factor Environmental Mind Grind School Eco-Challenge Environmental Survivor Kokanee in the Classroom 7400 students educated in 04/05!

Public Events Family Environment Day Mayor’s Environmental Expo BC Rivers and Fisheries Awareness Festival Kelowna Farmer’s and Crafter’s Market.

Be Pesticide Free Campaign Commercial Pesticide Notification Registry Program since 2004 Reduce pesticide and fertilizer runoff into our waterways Pesticide alternative recipe carabiner keychain Be Pesticide Free lawn sign.

www.kelowna.ca residents\environment enviro@kelowna.ca www.kelowna.ca residents\environment