HUMANS AREN'T the on- ly creatures scurrying about preparing for the end of holidays and the start of ‘school, new work projects and other fresh beginnings. ‘ECO INFO The autamn marks the return of salmonids (salmon and sea-run trout) to our rivers and creeks, . salmonids that will spend the fall months spawning before they die. The annual Coho Festival will again be celebrating the return of the spawners. There will be in- formation booths.in Park Royal from Thursday, Sept. 10 to ‘Saturday, Sept. 12, and festivities _ at Ambleside Park as well as the : Coho Walk on Sunday, Sept. 13. ~ Proceeds. will be directed to salmonid enhancement projects. ' Now, it’s all well and good to ‘have an excuse to throw a party, “but for many people that’s all it is —_@ party. What, after ail, : returning. fish have to do with us . -urbanites? - ‘ * Ht’s reassuring to know —~.and important to realize -- that we -have quite a lot to do with each other." -I’m-not talking about the im- portance of our commercial fish-_ “eries or some people's enjoyment -of . sports fishing. !’m talking “about the fact that we’re blessed ‘to be living in such close proximi- ‘ty, if:not always in harmony, with an. abundance of = creeks and - - ~'streams that still support a variety of fish species: . Many. of.-us. live closé to stream and if. they are all not Friday, September 4, 1992 — North Shore News — 12 Spawners’ return time for celebration Coho Festival proceeds go toward funding salmonid enhancement projects fish-bearing, many of them feed into creeks that are. And while we don't always realize it, our day- to-day actions can have an effect on fish being reared near or: downstream from our home. The North Shore Recycling Program is preparing a short guide to North Shore stream care, which includes a map of local creeks and information on the fish stocks they support. It will be ready for distribution at the recycling program booth in Park Royal during the Coho Festival lead-up. While people often express in- terest in ‘‘adopting’’ a stream or doing salmonid enhancement pro- jects, sometimes the best we can do for these waterways is leave them strictly alone. During spawning season, Fish- eries and Oceans Canada tells me there are regulations against even going into the stream because it might churn up the creek bed and disturb the eggs. Much commitment and guid- ance is needed to correctly under- take creek enhancement tasks, and locals such as Zoeann Morton and the Nort: Shore Fish and Game Club are doing a wonderful job at the projects they have adopted over the past years. People wishing to become in- volved in such an undertaking can cal! the Fisheries and Oceans Community Advisor at 666-0743, Others who want to learn how to best’ treat their neighborhood stream can start with the -follow- ing tips: @ The vegetation around a stream guards against soil erosion, en- courages an insect population (which provides food for the fish), and keeps the water cool. An increase in water temperature resulting from the removal of the tree canopy can slow fish growth rates and feeding, and even cause death. Vegetation near streams should therefore be left where it is. To help stabilize stream banks, plant trees or bushes that have a good toot system such as blackberry bushes, alder trees or willows. @ When washing your car in the driveway, use low-phosphate soap. Dump leftever detergent water into a sink or bathtub, not into the street drain which leads directly to a creek or stream. e Chemical pesticides used on Recipes for a cleaner, healthier environment Refrigerator Tips . Proper setup and maintenance of your refrigerator will prelong the life of the unit. and “1 | $ave energy ona daily ba 615, Check to see if the sealon the door is tight by closing the door ”” ona sheet of paper. if the paper slides out easily then the seal isnot ‘ tight and the gasket should be cleaned or replaced. Use a cloth dipped in ammonia to clean the coils on the back of the fridge to improve efficiency. Remember to unplug the fridge before you begin, Improve air circulation by iccating the back of the unit two or more inches from the wall, [te may aisu be possible to cut. a vent hole m the wail from the kitchen to the next room to allow for air exchange. Tip: An open tox of baking soda placed in a refrigerator will absore food \ CLIP & SAVE IN RACK & ROLL BS AY BLUE SHARK BILLIARDS OPENING EARLY SEPTEMBER UPSTAIRS FROM T-BIRD 10 PIN ACTION CENTRE 120 WEST 16TH ST., NORTH VAN. your lawn and garden can leach into the groundwater and find their way into nearby streams. Minimize your use of chemicals by using organic gardening tech- niques. For advice, visit the library or call the Compost Hotline at 736- 2250. © “Cleaning up’? a stream may sound like a gocd idea, but the fish use the stumps, fallen trees and boulders in the water as cover from predators, shade from the heat, a refuge from the current, and as a food source. Restrict yourself to cleaning up debris and garbage from the banks. @ Wet concrete is highly toxic to fish. Be sure to keep it away from fish-bearing waters and storm drains when doing home renova- There's simply no higher quality street hiker or running shoe at this price. Lots of Sac value tion projects. @ Bark mulch creates a_ toxic feachate. If you must use it, do so only in areas that don’t drain di- rectly into waterways or storm drains. @ If you suspect a toxic substance has been dumped into a stream, call Fisheries and Oceans’ Violat- ion Reporting Line at 666-3545. 450 pairs of selected Ray Ban, Yuamnet, Baile, Bugaboos and sea oY a *19°°. End of Summer Cleare Clip Patnfinder tent has a single front door and an eave pole! Lightweight, compact, USA. FG poles. 3 person, 6.5 Ib 99° 8 cS ae The Logan for backpacking (eft) or the Orient Express for travel (right. Two of our favourites and both on sale now. For only a hundyed bucks! 999° The Monashee has 1.0 tb of Polarguard fill. Rectangular shape Fuii shoulder and zipper baffles. 6°C. Lifetime guarantee. 69%