NEWS PENTICTON WESTERN
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news
City told marketing cycling trails a better strategy
VOL. 48 ISSUE 29
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Hugs help McIvor deliver safety
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FRIDAY, April 11, 2014
entertainment High Bar Gang brings bluegrass to Dream Cafe
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sports Bob Nicholson retires from Hockey Canada
GEESE BEWARE Addling program helps reduce number of geese along beaches
NEWS PENTICTON WESTERN
the addling program by the end of May. Key to the program, said Lynka, is pubIt may not be easter for another week, lic participation in finding new nests. but the hunt is on for more than just the “It is just a few weeks when they are chocolate eggs the bunny has left out. nesting and the more reports we get, the For the eighth year, communities better job we can do,” he said. throughout the Okanagan are beginning Lone geese, pairs of geese, or nest lothe Canada Goose egg addling program cations on private or public land can be and are looking for property owners help reported by e-mailing coordinator@okanin locating nests in their quest to manage agangooseplan.com or calling 1-877- 943the valley’s resident goose population. 3209. “It’s having a very The public is also asked positive effect,” said Jeff to keep away from goose Lynka, parks supervisor for nests and to avoid touchPenticton, who estimates ing the eggs. there are 6,000 fewer geese Lynka said an additionin the Okanagan thanks to al program, where geese the addling program. are rounded up and relo“Without the addling cated in the early summer Our goal is not program, we can only has also been successful, imagine what the goose to eliminate the though he isn’t sure if it population would be.” The geese aren’t native goose population. will be repeated this year. “We’ve done relocation to the valley, but were in— Jeff Lynka in two summers, 2012 and troduced in the 60s and 70s 2013,” he said. to encourage the creation “It temporarily removes of an Okanagan goose popthe geese off swimming ulation. beaches for a period of What was not foreseen a few weeks in the early was their ability to adapt summer. to and thrive in the mild “Only about half of them have come Okanagan climate and their inability to migrate because they had no natural parents back.” The others, he said are choosing to stay to teach them how. As a result, the number of geese has in their new, relocated homes. “I think overall, not only in Penticton, grown with few natural controls, creating but throughout the valley, we are all expea need to manage this population. The Okanagan Valley Goose Manage- riencing fewer geese on our beaches and ment program works to control the repro- waterfront parks,” said Lynka. “Our goal is not to eliminate the goose ductive output of Canada geese, particupopulation, it is just to manage the species larly in public spaces. Trained contractors identify mating from some of our sensitive areas, like our pairs and nesting sites and will complete waterfronts and our beaches.” Steve Kidd
Western News Staff
EVIL ON TRIAL — Darth Vader (John Swanson) gets plenty of legal advice from local lawyers (left to right) Deb Drissell, Paul Varga and Tyrone Duerr on the steps of the Penticton Courthouse Thursday. Two mock trials are taking place at the courthouse Friday in recognition of Law Week. Local middle and high school students, members of the bar and Crown will be participating.
Mark Brett/Western News
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