Community News (January 1, 2011)
The Community Society has grown since its start in 2007, with over 70 families now participating as members. Not bad when you consider there are less than 120 homes from Osoyoos to Anarchist Summit, including the Sidley Mountain area. We have had several excellent tree planting projects since 2008, with about 30,000 new trees planted by members and in cooperation with the Regal Ridge company. We completed creating detailed aerial photography and GPS maps of all the roads, and many of the trails between Osoyoos to just west of Bridesville. This is an on-going project and will be improved as the years go by. You are encouraged to view the maps, which are accessible from this page or the Home Page. A committee of members completed a Stewardship Agreement with Regal Ridge in 2008, which recognizes the role of the Community Society in advising that company on how the nearly 2,300 acres of conservation lands will be managed. That agreement will be amended in 2011, to better describe who can use the lands, the rules of use and where access will be located.

In 2010, considerable fuss was raised by the Regional District requiring that the Regal Ridge company put lands aside as community parks. Regal Ridge has dedicated a lot in th Peregrine sub-division to be owned by RDOS, that may be the site of a community hall at some future date. The idea of RDOS owned parks is not supported by 84% of Society members that responded to a questionnaire in 2010, and on-going discussions with the Regional District will continue in 2011.

Forest Health Assessment

Since 2008 the Society, with shared funding from Regal Ridge, has hired Eric Haupt a Forest Health Forester who specializes in forest insect infestations to do evaluations of Anarchist Mountain / Sidley Mountain's trees. Several inspection tours have occured in 2008, 2009 and 2010 by Mr. Haupt. He has confirmed that there are no major infestations of either MBP or Western Pine Beetles evident, although in 2010 fir budworm and tussock moth were detected adn are now bing monitored. While some naturally occurring populations of tree pests were found, the forester's reports indicate that the trees on the Mountain are generally quite healthy and well spaced. These features should help deter infestations. The Society has posted the forester's reports on the website on the Business Page / Announcements. The Society intends to continue to have these evaluation done in the future.

Bear Awareness Seminar

The potential of bears getting into residents garbage and becoming a major hazard was discussed at a seminar held in conjuction with the Annual General Meeting , Ocober 30, 2008. Ms. Bree Andritz - Bear Aware Program Delivery Specialist , outlined that bears become conditioned to people, and garbage they encounter and become an escalating hazard. The 30 minute slide presentation is available on the website (Business Section in Announcements section)

 

Carbon Sequestering - Tree Plantation

The potential for a tree plantation on some Regal Ridge lands on upper Anarchist Mountain is being examined by that company. Regal Ridge has hired, Robin Clark & Associates, from vancouver as their consultants to examine the feasibility of a carbon sequestering project and to recommend strategies for its implementation. The Society has endorsed the idea and is provided its support for the idea of planting trees in significant numbers to provide a "carbon sink" for green house gas emissions. The idea of planting trees is consistent with green house gas mitigation strategies accepted by the UN - International Panel on Climate Change. Planning is underway to plant tens of thousands of mixed species of naturally occurring trees in the "Kelly farm" property owned by Regal Ridge. These trees and natural shrubs would be left to grow and sequester ("suck up") carbon dioxide from the atmosphere for many decades. If the project proceeds as planned the first phases of restoring deteriorated grazing lands could begin as early as March or April 2009.

Community Projects and Society Committees

  • Community Watch Committee
    • With assistance from a grant from the RDOS, and from Regal Ridge a community watch program has been established
    • The Society has posted signs, and residents have created patrols to watch for criminal activity
    • In 2009 and 2010, the incidents of crimes / thefts on the Mountain diminished significantly
  • Equestrian / Horse Club Activities
    • Resident Nick Marty is examining whether local horse riding enthusiasts wish to create a riding club
    • Interested persons can contact nick at: teresanick.marty@gmail.com
    • Meanwhile, in 2010, Jon & Dorothy Rescorla organized a Horse Poker Ride in the Kehoe Meadows area
    • This successful event will be repeated in June 2011, followed by a horse Endurance Ride in September 2011
  • Invasive Weed Committee
    • Chair : Naga Terada with assistance from Jody Ross
    • In 2010 a professional weed expert came to the Mountain, and visited properties with owners.
    • Usefull advice on how to manage invasive plants / weeds proved to be helpful to members
  • Conservation Committee
    • Chair : Art Harfman. Not fully active yet.
    • Commencement of GPS mapping of some trails in S Conservation area
    • Some Members have walked some of the trails since the Oct 30 AGM, and we will be getting those GPS plotted routes mapped for the spring time.
  • Stewardship Agreement Negotiating Committee
    • This committee was Chaired by Ron Palmer, and also had members Bonnie Douglas and Naga Terada sit on it. The Committee’s mandate was to meet with Regal Ridge owner Adrian Erickson and negotiate a Stewardship Agreement document as a first step in the Society playing a roll in advising on how the conservation lands on Anarchist Mountain are managed. This agreement was successfully negotiated and signed in late June 2008. See Business Page for a copy of the Stewardship Agreement
  • Communications Committee
    • Chair: Mark McKenney
    • Purpose is to prepare newsletters, announcements and news circulations and distribute these to members. Notifications of Directors meetings will be posted to website. Notifications of Annual General Meetings to be distributed at the request of the Society Secretary – Joe Cardoso.