Outdoors . - . TheReview Wednesday, November 29,1989 — A16

MARTINDALE WATERFOWL ,
: Cy Hampson photo

J stood at the top of Island View Road; at the

_ Vern Michell market garden, and gazed across his

‘lush fields to:the. west, now. dotted with arcas of ©

“naturally: impounded: water from recent rains.

Mary was inside their produce: ‘outlet, choosing .
the. delicious fresh carrots, Brussel’ s-sprouts,- =
cauliflowers, turnips, ‘squash. and potatoes which.

we would need for the next fortnight.

a Mallard and baldpate. ducks. were: circling os
ny overhead while]: counted. 52 rare. trumpeter swans. ©

of. on a.green: patch to the left and below. The wild
~ calls of scores, of Canada geese feeding ina field

directly. west: of me rang pleasantly in my. Cars.
Suddenly 1 recalled that I. was. Jooking .at.a

portion. of the’ Peninsula’s ‘Agricultural © ‘Land

~ Reserve. It is people like the Michclls and their

neighbors who have basically- made. possible this:
setting aside of these extensive and attrac live ~
open areas which provide" residents of nearby,

: communities with, a: ready. source of" fresh loc al

fruits and vegclables as well as essential habitat

for untold numbers of wintering waterfowl and
exciting, passing migrants.

Their fine, clean produce stocks our larders,
wildlife enthusiasts study, photograph and tally
the changing populations ‘of birds, the open space
gives room to breathe and lifts the spirit. Other
ALR lands provide essential habitats for many
other forms of native plants and animals.

Scores of letters to the newspapers proclaim the
importance of preserving the ALR and | agree
with the position taken by the writcrs. But it must

be realized that these farms and orchards arc only ~

viable in the long run if the farmers and fruit
growers. are able to scll their produce. It is
incumbent upon. residents. of the Peninsula and
Victoria to support our local agriculturists just as
these producers support our desire for uncrowded
surroundings, excclicnt, flavorful produce and
attractive vistas.

We are. all aware that local berry farming is
threatened because. of year-round deals struck
with out-of-country produccrs, and what secms to
many of us-as: uncthical markcting policies of
some other countrics. It seems a shame that

_ Okanagan growers arc at the: moment decimating

their apple orchards; Osoyoos, their vincyards;
many arcas of B.C, their tomato fields.

- Some concern has been expressed about the usc
of sprays here but Jet's look at the situation

“realistically. One of our major competitors 10 the:

~ south grows up to four crops: of some items per:
“year on the same ground. This. necessitates four
“successive. sprayings with no prolonged scason” .
when the chemical residues from. those. ue have.
, much of a chance lo dissipates :

fruit ivand vogoubles whenever we ‘have the choice.
They: are fresh. The awe is superior!

Uh contrast, the growers of our Peninsula grow a af.

Earthquake info.

Education Minister Tony Brum.
met said last week he had “serious
concerns”? that. parents aren’t gct-

ling accurate information. about

the. safety of schools in- their 7

district in the event ofa major
carthquake..

Brummep said school: buildings
constructed after 3953, the year
the national buildings code estab-
fished earthquake safety standards,
will withstand a major quake.
Most schools inthe province, the
“Minister added, are in that cate-

gory. ob |
Break for.
small guy |

Security deposit moauieements
for individuals and. firms. buying

“limber under, the Small: Business
Forest Enterprise Program have,

heen sunstantially: reduced, Furst

Minister. Claude
= anounced bist week.

Ri chmond

Under previous rules, applicants

“for stimber Sales had tocoake a

deposit worth 10 per cent of the
total stumpage value, According to

“the new rules, applicants must
deposit 10 per cent for the first
$100,000 in stumpage: value, five
per cent for the nest S4A00.000
worth and two per cent forthe rest,

This. means that, according 10
“the hew te ulations, it hiner sitle:

with.a stumpage “value of $750, 000
requires a deposit of only $35 000,
compared with $75,000 under the
ald system,

“That's fast

Management of the province’ s

‘old-growth forests. a topic of con-

siderable: controversy for more

- than a decade, is sapposed to. be

ander contal inthe near future,
“What has cluded. the. govern-

BOP

SUITE 7
SIDNEY,

PERMS_

9843 2ND STREET

ment and the industry for years has

‘apparently become obvious as a
cresult-of a recent: three-day work-
shop, dealing with the manage--

ment of British Columbia's
remaining, old-growth. forests. |

Claude Richmond,-the new for-
_ est minister,

announced fast week
that the B.C. F
“outline an action plan for devel-
oping a strategy to manage. old-
arowth forests in the: province as
SOON AS possible.”

“GONGEPTS

ceepenenen atmeteneireaneoreresiannae ve

Fendag VOUS —

__curs: & STYLES.

orest- service will...

Panne re eremmmenareenare orate
IN HAIR

TANNING _

disease killed birds
Martindale Flats

Laboratory lesis on Lissuc sam-
ples taken from dead birds found
recently at Martindale Flats region
climinate pesticide residucs as the
cause of death, an Agriculture and

Fisheries Ministry veterinarian
said.

‘Many of the 174 birds col-

“tected (mostly mallard ducks)

were already partially decom-
posed and couldn’t be tested,”
said Dr. Peter Hewitt.

“However, we are satisfied that
all of them died of aspergillosis, as
did a pintail duck,” Hewitt said.
“The one teal tested dicd of acute
avian cholera, a disease which
bears no relation to human chol-
era.’

Hewitt said that onc coot died of
severe physical trauma.

The Wildlife Branch of the Min-
istry of Environment, in. conjunc-
tion with the SPCA, will monitor
the Central Saanich site periodi-
cally until it is assured no dead or
sick birds remain, Hewitt said.

Further routine bacteriology and
virology tests, heavy metal analy-
sis and microscopic examination
of selected tissues will be com-

plete by mid- December, Hewitt
said.

Aspergillosis is an avian respira-
tory disease caused when birds
inhale spores of some naturally
occurring molds. Recent heavy
‘rains in the arca should do much to
alleviate the problem, Hewitt said.

No PCPs, organophosphates or
chloropyrophos — indicators. of
pesticide involvement — were
astacten, in. 1 the: tests.

BRITISH COLUMBIA |
RENTAL SUPPLY PROGRAM.
PHASE II

CALL FOR PROPOSALS |

“The British Columbia Housing Management Commission + (BCHMC)
invites proposals for new. rental housing | projects in areas:
throughout the Province: “with vacancy rates less than 2%.:

“The goal. of the B.C. Rental Supply. Program’ isto encourage
projects “suitable: for: families: and: seniors, which. will: remain in the Heo:
rental. market’ fora minimum of five. years. interest costs will.be |}
reduced for selected projects ‘which. meet Provincial ‘objectives.’

Sealed proposals must be received: by the British Columbia Housing:
; Management Commission.no later, than 4:00 p. ue Friday,

January 19, 1990.

_Information packages are available at the following BCHMC offi ces,
or by calling Mr. Jack Merkley at 433-1711.

8 BCHMC- Lower Mainland ~
1701 ~ 4330 Kingsway
Burnaby, B.C... VSH 4G7

@ BCHMC - Victoria
201 = 3440 Douglas Street
“Victoria, B. C. V8Z 3L5 _

i BCHMC -

305 --

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Penticton, B.C. V2A IN5

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Prince George, B.C. V2L 42

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