in Williams Lake increases a lot. The Conser-
vation Society encourages residents to con-
sider ways that they can not only reduce the
but also protect our water by re-considering the prod-
ucts that they purchase and apply to lawns and gardens.
campaigns running this summer. The campaigns include
"Art With A Message," which provides friendly remind-
ers to residents, while adding to the beauty of our city and
sharing the artistic talents of students in our local schools.
munity. Local elementary and high school students have
created colourful depictions of "life at the end of a storm
drain." Water Wise instructor Jenny Howell has also
been out with local school classes painting yellow fish on
the curbs above storm drains throughout the community.
The art reminds residents that what flows down a storm
drain ends up in our rivers and streams and that only rain
should go down the drain. Garbage, cigarette butts, pet
waste, chemicals, oil, and other pollutants do not belon g
in storm drains. Remember, if you wouldn't want to
swim in it or drink it, neither would the fish and wildlife.
when Mother Nature waters them and golden when the
weather gets hot and dry. You continue to water trees,
shrubs, flowers, and vegetables--just let the lawn go
golden. They are also herbicide and pesticide free. Natu-
ral lawns protect our rivers and streams from pollution
and protect the City's groundwater aquifer by conservin g
precious drinking water.
golden lawn to encourage neighbours and friends to do
the same. If you are interested in placing a sign on your
yard please visit City Hall, the library, or the Cariboo
Grower's Food Co-op; sign the pledge, pick up a sign,
and share the news. We would love to see the sign dis-
played in your yard so if you can, please take a photo of
the
"Go atural" in your yard and garden Be Water Wise
and Chemical Free
Eliminate your use of chemical herbicides, fertilizers,
and pesticides. Choose environmentally friendly, less
toxic alternatives such as mineral oil or vinegar to kill
persistent weeds.
Recipe for Vinegar Weed Eradicator
1 L water
2 Tbsp. salt
5 Tbsp. white or apple cider vinegar
Directions: Add salt and vinegar to boiling water. While
it's still hot, apply the mixture to undesirable weeds
garden. Apply to your target only.
loss. Long grass reduces the need for it to quickly re-
grow (which requires more water) and instead allows the
grass to put energy into creating a healthier root system.
to shade and protect the roots of your lawn reducin g
evaporation and watering needs. Leaving the grass clip-
pings on your lawn will not contribute to thatch (a build-
up of grass roots and stems at the base of your lawn that
can hinder lawn growth). Thatch is actually caused by
over watering and over fertilizing, which leads to shallow
roots.
level.
as quickly as possible, many people use fertilizers with
high nitrogen content in the spring. These fertilizers re-
quire a lot of water to prevent the grass from burning.
Consider using rabbit food pellets (alfalfa) to fertilize
your lawn or top dress your lawn with organic materia l
(compost) as often as you can. These are great alterna-
tives to harmful chemicals.
per week rather than lightly at a great frequency. To find
out if you have watered it enough, put an empty tuna can
on the lawn. When it's full, you'll know your lawn has all
the water it needs (approximately 2.5 cm of water per
week). During the hottest spells, let it go golden. Once
the rains return, the grass will turn green again.
less water. Native trees, shrubs, and wildflowers increase
biodiversity and encourage butterflies, birds, and benefi-
cial insects that eliminate the need for harmful chemicals.
In addition, these plants are more suited to their environ-
ment and will be stronger, healthier, and more resistant to
disease and insects. By planting a water-wise garden,
residents can easily reduce garden watering by 60 per
cent.
cent. Composting is nature's way of turning yard, garden,
and kitchen scraps (fruit and vegetable peels, coffee
grounds and filters, etc.), paper, and cardboard into nutri-
ent rich, dark soil that can be mixed into your flower beds
or vegetable gardens, spread as a top dressing on your
lawn, or placed around the base of shrubs or trees
(leaving a gap between the compost and the stem) to im-
prove water retention and soil condition.
plants, composting, pesticide alternatives, and more
please contact the Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Soci-
ety at 250.398.7929 or