Area H enters the Local Conservation Fund game
By Timothy Schafer Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The Local Conservation Fund is on the table for Area H residents.
Electoral Area H residents in the Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK) have voted in favour of joining the Local Conservation Fund service.
RDCK chief elections officer Tom Dool announced the unofficial assent voting results from the Saturday night referendum (official results will be determined and reported by Wednesday, Oct. 19).
The referendum was an important opportunity to bring the service to the residents of Electoral Area H, said Walter Popoff, Electoral Area H director.
“By voting in favour of joining the Local Conservation Fund, our community has determined funding for projects that directly impact our natural environment in the Slocan Valley is of significant value,” he said in a press release.
The Local Conservation Fund service bylaw will be amended to include Electoral Area H as a participant and $15 per parcel of land will be collected annually from residents.
Strength in numbers
In partnership with the Kootenay Conservation Program (KCP), Electoral Area H will join areas A, D and E in the local conservation fund service.
The service creates dedicated funding to support local high-priority conservation projects. Since 2016 the fund has generated $468,000 and has leveraged an additional $2.1 million in additional funding and in-kind support.
“For the past six years, the Kootenay Conservation Program (KCP) has been a partner of the Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK) to deliver the Local Conservation Fund in the Kootenay Lake area,” said Juliet Craig, program director of KCP.
“We are now excited to extend this service to the Slocan Valley. We look forward to working together with the RDCK to provide tangible, on-the-ground results for nature, and for the residents in the Slocan Valley.”
Local organizations and indigenous communities can apply for funding for conservation projects that benefit, wildlife, habitat and water.
Community groups and individuals that partner with an eligible organization can also apply. These proposals are reviews by an independent, volunteer panel of technical experts before being decided on by local elected officials.
Source: RDCK communications coordinator Dan Elliott
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