There’s something for everyone as the Okanagan Basin Water Board celebrates United Nations World Water Day and Canada Water Week from Monday to March 22.
The theme this year is wetlands.
“There’s a lot of great – and important – work being done around wetlands in the Okanagan. We wanted to share that with the community and celebrate it. What better time than Canada Water Week,” said OBWB chairperson Doug Findlater.
“During the last few decades, as the Okanagan’s population has swelled, more than 85 per cent of our wetlands and natural riparian areas have disappeared. Today, we understand the importance of wetlands.”
The fun begins Monday when OBWB launches its annual Okanagan WaterWise Challenge. School classes and individuals from kindergarten to Grade 12 are invited to explore an Okanagan wetland and report back, submitting a multi-media entry that explains what they saw, why the wetland they visited is special, and what people can do to protect these cherished places.
Prizes include a two-hour boat cruise on Okanagan Lake for a private class lesson on Okanagan water, presented by the Okanagan Science Centre, as well as pizza parties and pool passes. For contest details visit www.OkWaterWise.ca. The contest ends April 24.
And on Wednesday, organizers have scheduled a line-up of free events including a series of wetland documentaries to be screened between 1 nd 3:50 p.m. at the Laurel Packinghouse in Kelowna, followed by a guided tour of Rotary Marshes from 4 to 5 p.m., and finally a panel discussion from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Laurel Packinghouse.
The panel event, and the film screenings are free but seating is limited and pre-registration is required. Visit www.OkWaterWise.ca for more information.
