It’s that time of year again — time for Mid Vancouver Island Habitat Enhancement Society (MVIHES) to remind residents to place their yellow salmon signs on the boulevard again.
The yellow salmon indicates that the property it sits on is “Salmon Friendly,” that is, these residents do not water their lawns or use chemical fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides because they want to protect salmon, their drinking water and the ecosystem.
We live in a Mediterranean climate where an extended period of drought in the late summer is a natural occurrence.
Other parts of the country may experience thunder storms and drenching rains that will keep those lawns looking green all summer. Here, our grass will go dormant for lack of rain.
Our creeks, rivers and aquifers do not get recharged during this time.
If we choose to ignore the natural cycle and unnecessarily increase our use of water in the summertime we can put our iconic salmon at risk.
Salmon need water and they need watercourses that are free of harmful chemicals from lawns.
To receive one of these attractive Salmon Friendly Lawn yellow fish contact info@mvihes.bc.ca.
Faye Smith
Qualicum Beach