In honour of Mother香蕉视频直播檚 Day weekend, more than 70 people gave back to Mother Earth by assisting with a community cleanup of illegal dumpings across Peachland香蕉视频直播檚 watershed area Saturday (May 8).
The event, organized by Okanagan Forestry Task Force (OFTF) and the Peachland Watershed Protection Alliance (PWPA), saw Peachland residents volunteer six hours of their time to pick up garbage that was illegally dumped across the watershed, which spans 400 sq. km.
With the area serving as the source for the community香蕉视频直播檚 water and as a site for recreational activities, Taryn Skalbania, the co-founder and director of outreach for PWPA, said it香蕉视频直播檚 important for people to respect the land.
香蕉视频直播淚t seems that we have a very finite space on this Earth. But we香蕉视频直播檙e creating an infinite amount of things that are just disposable and people are just abandoning them,香蕉视频直播� said Skalbania. 香蕉视频直播淭here香蕉视频直播檚 just not a lot of respect for Mother Nature, the wildlife and the animals.香蕉视频直播�
This was the watershed香蕉视频直播檚 first of two cleanups of the year. Throughout the day, volunteers picked up discarded items that included everything from shotgun shells, furniture, BBQs, TVs, car parts and tires, and even the remains of an animal.
香蕉视频直播淥ne, it香蕉视频直播檚 unsightly. But two, it香蕉视频直播檚 dangerous. We found 40-gallon drums here, oil change abandoned, metal,香蕉视频直播� said Skalbania. 香蕉视频直播淓very weekend, we call them the weekend warriors, they come here and use it as an illegal target site.香蕉视频直播�
Virginia Schmidt, a cleanup volunteer and the secretary of the PWPA, said she was heartbroken and devastated by all the garbage she picked up.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 not OK. People like us can clean up, clean up and keep cleaning up. But people don香蕉视频直播檛 have respect and we have no one to monitor that,香蕉视频直播� said Schmidt. 香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 pretty shocked. I香蕉视频直播檝e done the cleanup before, but it didn香蕉视频直播檛 seem that bad last time.香蕉视频直播�
Peachland resident and volunteer Lloyd Stinson Sotas said he was happy to see the community turnout, but was not at all pleased with the garbage he picked up.
香蕉视频直播淭his is my home. It香蕉视频直播檚 home and nature,香蕉视频直播� said Sotas. 香蕉视频直播淭hose people really oughta be ashamed of themselves.香蕉视频直播�
Similarly, Peachland resident and volunteer Maggie Lovelock said people need to realize that they香蕉视频直播檙e polluting their own backyard.
香蕉视频直播淲ould you do this to your own backyard? Why do this to everyone else香蕉视频直播檚 backyard?香蕉视频直播� she said.
According to Skalbania, there are plans to place cameras and signs around the area, cautioning visitors to respect what the land has to offer.
香蕉视频直播淛ust nice, polite, reminding signs that this is your community drinking water. This is a community watershed. Treat it with respect,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淣ot just for your humans, but for the animals, the wildlife, all the users of the watershed.香蕉视频直播�
READ MORE: Cleaning up Peachland香蕉视频直播檚 backcountry for Mother香蕉视频直播檚 Day
READ MORE: Illegal dump found in Kelowna backcountry, authorities seeking answers
aaron.hemens@kelownacapnews.com
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