Scout Island Nature Centre is going to be saluting the health and wealth of nature, and Williams Lake itself with a springtime day-long festival.
The Scout Island Marsh Magic event will be a family affair taking place on the Sunday, June 9 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“Our goal is not only to celebrate Scout Island, but also our lake and marsh,” said Sue Hemphill, longtime executive director, at the Scout Island Nature Centre annual general meeting. She provided an update and outlined the current plans for the event.
Hemphill noted despite some public misgivings, the lake is actually quite healthy, and while there are plenty of aquatic plants in the lake, they are native plants which provide habitat, food and oxygen for the native species which call the marsh and lake home.
The event will be a collaborative one, with other community groups being invited to participate in the activities and host low-waste, educational activities of their own.
Events and activities being planned include presentations on invertebrates, botany, and land bugs, as well as fish painting, and salmon fry release.
The event also nearly coincides with World Oceans Day, which is on June 8, and so naturally the salmon fry release will be a great one to show the connection between the ocean and the nutrients of the sea to our inland waters and interior ecosystems. Each year, when salmon return, they bring critical nutrients back to the forest and animals, fertilizing trees and feeding many species, from bears to eagles to humans.
For those wanting to make as light a footprint on the land as possible, attendees can walk or ride their bikes to Scout Island for the event.
Streets for All Williams Lake will be leading a ride from Boitanio Park to the event leaving Boitanio Park at 9:30 a.m. and will also be hosting a bike valet at the event, where anyone who rides to the park can leave their bike with volunteers while enjoying the Marsh Magic event.
READ MORE: Scout Island Nature Centre in Williams Lake provides summer education for all ages
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