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Yellow fish lawns

Donna Lanyon of Parksville and some of her friends have chosen to not water their lawns this summer.
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Parksville resident Donna Lanyon is placing her yellow fish on her un-watered lawn.

Donna Lanyon of Parksville and some of her friends have chosen to not water their lawns this summer. The yellow fish they display tells others that they are conserving water for salmon habitat in the Englishman River.

Lanyon and others want to help minimize the effect of the low summer flows that decrease fish habitat and cause water temperatures to rise. Residents use much more water in the summer when the river can least afford it.

“Here on the east coast of Vancouver Island, we live in a Mediterranean climate zone where we always experience a period of drought in summer,” said project coordinator Faye Smith in a news release. “Because of that, grasses are used to going dormant, so keeping lawns bright green should not look natural.”

The Mid Vancouver Island Habitat Enhancement Society (MVIHES) has been running the Salmon Friendly Lawn program for several years and has handed out hundreds of the yellow fish ornaments.

To receive a yellow fish you must pledge to not use pesticides or water your lawn from the tap. To pledge and get a yellow fish, call Smith at 250-752-9297 or e-mail info@mvihes.bc.ca.

— Submitted by MVIHES