Okanagan Forest Task Force

[JLives]

I can't give Kane Blake and OFTF enough kudos for doing what they do. How does one go about lobbying the powers that be to create some sort of publicly funded position for this vital service to our forests? Is it a Regional District responsibility? Ministry of Forests? I suppose it matters on location and they cover a wide area. It is currently completely volunteer. Funding could be partially funded with increased fines. Ideas?

https://www.castanet.net/edition/news-s ... htm#348619

[GordonH]

I like the idea of increasing fines, the problem is actually catching the holes doing the dumping.

Fines as big as possible plus a minimum of 1,000 hours of community service, teach these idiots life long lesson.

[JLives]

I like the idea of increasing fines, the problem is actually catching the holes doing the dumping.

Fines as big as possible plus a minimum of 1,000 hours of community service, teach these idiots life long lesson.

Agreed but I see a great value in funding the cleanup efforts as well. These are all volunteers at this point and provide a valuable service to our forests that noone else is doing. They do receive some donations and a waiver of disposal costs but it's mostly at their personal free time and expense. And the amount of waste in our forests is growing rapidly.

[Fancy]

I've met him and also agree what he's done for our backcountry deserves more support from the coffers.

[GordonH]

I like the idea of increasing fines, the problem is actually catching the holes doing the dumping.

Fines as big as possible plus a minimum of 1,000 hours of community service, teach these idiots life long lesson.

Agreed but I see a great value in funding the cleanup efforts as well. These are all volunteers at this point and provide a valuable service to our forests that noone else is doing. They do receive some donations and a waiver of disposal costs but it's mostly at their personal free time and expense. And the amount of waste in our forests is growing rapidly.

I agree, they are providing a incredibly & valuable service. It’s shameful they are needed.

[GordonH]

A local shop should step up and donate labour and parts to keep that old ford diesel running... or better yet donate newer truck.

[okanaganforesttaskforce]

Thank you all for the kind words. Our group is full of amazing people and we do what we can. As many know I spend most days in the back country and come across all kinds of things. We do catch lots of people and many fines have been handed out. We work close with conservation and or rcmp depending on what is going on.

Our group has grown lots from day one to now and has cleaned up roughly 356,924 pounds of dumped debris. We only have one backcountry and it needs to be taken care of. Seeing a chipmunk living in the heater vent of a trashed vehicle breaks my heart. Not to mention all the broken glass he runs through. Wildlife in areas like this suffer and it's completely unacceptable. I have said this before and I stand by it "people say we need to leave a better plant for our kids but what we need is better kids for our planet". The future generations are what can make the change so teach them young to respect our backcountry.

[BTDT]

Crime Stoppers is offering a cash reward for information that will identify these idiots and get them charged. Somebody knows who did this!

[TylerM4]

Crime Stoppers is offering a cash reward for information that will identify these idiots and get them charged. Somebody knows who did this!

The problem is getting them charged. From what I've seen, crown prosecutors have been reluctant to pursue charges even when strong evidence is provided. Most that seems to happen is a fine - and even then it seems to be a challenge to get people fined.

[JLives]

Crime Stoppers is offering a cash reward for information that will identify these idiots and get them charged. Somebody knows who did this!

Not the topic. How do we go about having OFTF be properly funded for the important work they do? The cleanups still need to occur.

[polelady]

Yes the OFTF does need funds to keep up the good work... perhaps some trail cameras could be set up in prime locations... and if a vehicle has a load going in and empty on the way out..... a check stop with some local ball players and baseball bats could invite them to play ball..lol The court system is to slow and lenient on this type of behavior, plain and simple stop checks will soon get around this is not allowed.... news travels fast .... trust me...
In the mean time... kudos to the task force... !!!

[contestwinner]

if the vehicle is identified it should be confiscated and crushed for scrap no questions asked. the courts don't have time to handle fines

[Treblehook]

I keep wondering, who are these people who insist on dumping their garbage on public lands, rather than doing what most other citizens do, and take it to the landfill for disposal.. It's difficult to find an adjective to describe these cretins, who seem to suffer from a lack of social development; a total lack of respect for their fellow citizens and the environment in which they exist. A couple of matresses, dumped on the side of McDougall road en route to Rose Valley, seems further evidence of the existence of so called humans. They perhaps belong more in the species Sus scrofa domesticus. Disgusting !!!

[GordonH]

Excellent donation from Red Cherry Media and Award from BC Conservation Service
https://www.castanet.net/news/Kelowna/3 ... wilderness

[DarbyD]

Cudos to the the Okanagan Forest Task Force on this cleanup. Thank You Thank You

https://www.castanet.net/news/Kelowna/3 ... James-Lake

Unfortunately there is another encampment on a road splitting off of James Lk Rd.