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During the year SDLCA leads many programs to keep our community up-to-date on what's happening in and around our Lake. All of these initiatives need your support. Become a member and get involved today! |
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Community Events: Our volunteers are our public relations representatives - connecting with residents during summer months, welcoming new residents to our lake and providing a neighbourly link between the association and the population it serves.
Yearly we organize various social events such as Concert by the Lake, a spectacular Fireworks display on our Canada Day long weekend, and our Canoe Race and Barbecue on the August Civic holiday weekend. Each event is an opportunity to meet other Salerno Lake Cottagers and create synergy and strengthen in our lake community.
In addition, each year the association hosts a workshop to help facilitate networking among our community and provide educational opportunities to enable our lake residents to reduce their impacts on the lake environment.
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Communication: SDLCA Annual General Meeting invites everyone to be a part of the decision-making process. Our twice-yearly newsletter, Salerno Lake Sentinel, is sent to all members. It provides Salerno Lake news updates and reports on special meetings; environmental, social and political matters that affect us all; as well as Township activities. In addition, e-Lake Updates go out to the community email list. Please check out the SDLCA website often as new information is provided on a continuous basis. It's a place to read community news, learn about lake history, pay membership dues and obtain details about summer events. Community input and feedback are what make the Association and the website work! Don’t forget also to like the SDLCA Facebook page. |
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Environment: The association focuses on the larger issue of watershed health, such as: degraded shorelines, storm water runoff, poor forest health and improper waste management. Yearly we attend many meetings to keep in the loop and gain a better understanding of the elements that impact surrounding lakes. We aim to protect the environment that surrounds our wonderful Lake. |
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Native Plants:
We need them, we want them and they provide a beautiful, hardy, drought resistant, low maintenance landscape while benefiting the environment.
Native plants, once established, save time and money by eliminating the need for fertilizers, pesticides, water and lawn maintenance. It is to the benefit of our local ecosystems, and the plants and animals in them, to use native plants in all areas of the landscape.
A complete list of native plants can be found under “Your Property - Go Native”. |
Septic:
Did you know? Septic systems are the single largest polluter of our lakes. All systems pollute, but those not working well pollute much more. The 2 secrets to septic health and minimizing lake pollution are: Bacteria and Time.
Bacteria - Never let anything go down the drain that kills the good bacteria in your system, like: Bleach, Anti-Bacterial Products, Dishwasher Detergent containing bleach and phosphates, Dishwasher Rinse Aids (use lemon juice instead), Cream Cleaners (most have bleach), Drain Cleaners (use Eco Ethic Septic Treatment instead), Automatic Toilet Bowl Cleaners (blue is not green). Your system needs as much time as you can give it to digest the waste you put in before the next load of water arrives.
Time - Remember one drop in = one drop out of your system. Give your system time by minimizing water use and spreading it out over time.
Educating and learning more about septic systems is one of SDLCA’s top initiatives.
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Shoreline - aka Ribbon of Life:
Is a sophisticated ecosystem that serves as the "glue" holding a shoreline together, through roots and foliage. It’s also a zone where contaminants from land can be filtered, where fish can lay their eggs and where smaller critters can hide out. The great thing about nature is its ability to heal itself. It’s never too late to restore an altered shoreline to its natural state, by replanting native shrubs and grasses, removing break walls and switching to shore-friendly docks. All you have to do then is recline into your hammock, put your feet up, and let Mother Nature do her thing.
Ensuring water quality and sustaining the lake's watershed/ecosystem(s) preserves and sustains the value of Salerno Lake properties. As the SDLCA takes on most of these initiatives, it is working to preserve your property values. A healthy lake means property values will be sustained and not decrease.
Educating our community about how to improve our Ribbon of Life is another top initiative for the SDLCA. |
Water Quality and Testing:
Salerno Lake is part of a province wide, volunteer-base, water quality monitoring program called Lake Partner Program. Over 600 volunteers monitor nutrients and water clarity at almost 800 lakes.
Our testing kits arrive via Canada Post each year. Testing is performed in 3 locations on Salerno Lake in the summer months between May to October. |
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External Affairs and Finance: SDLCA represents members’ interests in the communities surrounding the lake: the Township of Minden Hills and Haliburton Highlands and through the Federation of Ontario Cottagers’ Association (FOCA). Experienced volunteers monitor the budget processes of municipal and regional governments to ensure our tax dollars are spent appropriately. In addition, we work with the townships to address members' concerns with the county roads that give us access to our properties. Looking for township details - simply click "Township Links" on our Home Page for links to details that impact us all. |
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Lake Plan: The purpose of the Lake Plan is to provide information on the Salerno Lake Community and recommendations to assist in maintaining, sustaining and improving the things we value as residents of the Salerno Lake Community.
In October 2012, the Salerno Lake Shoreline Inventory Project was undertaken through U-Links, and a report was completed by a Trent University student. The purpose of the shoreline inventory is to aid in the continued efforts supporting shoreline preservation and management. On July 27th, 2013, a Public Meeting and Vision Statement Workshop was held to develop a Vision statement:
To sustain, enhance and promote Salerno Lake’s natural heritage for generations through preserving water quality, tranquility, natural environment and viewscape; sharing a balance between human activity and the environment with respect and dignity.
A second open house and workshop was held on Saturday July 5th, 2014 to review the draft Lake Plan and provide further comments and feedback. Following the workshop, a final draft has been completed and has being presented to the Salerno Lake Community for approval at a Public Session on August 2nd, 2014. Click here to find out more about our Salerno Lake - Lake Plan. |
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Loon Survey Program:
Get involved and help us better understand the health of the Common Loon and other water bird populations by participating in the Canadian Lakes Loon Survey. Other programs include the Aquatic Invasive Species and water testing.
Thank you to the Pepper family for volunteering to help with this program. Click here to see their updates. |
SDLCA and FOCA Member Benefits:
Have you renewed your SDLCA membership? If yes then these FOCA benefits are available to you because the SDLCA is affiliated with FOCA.
Further benefits can be found on our SDLCA membership page. The password is included in your membership email. |
Succession Planning:
Due to changes in tax law, handing down the cottage to the kids is not the simple matter it once was. FOCA's popular Cottage Succession Seminar Series encourages everyone to consider how they plan to "Keep the 'Family' in the Family Cottage." These sessions are free to SDLCA members – see http://www.foca.on.ca/Cottage-Succession. |
Planning and Development:
SDLCA volunteers monitor Council planning committee meetings and provide input on development proposals throughout our Townships (Minden Hills and Haliburton Highlands). Our mandate is to alert our community to potential threats to the lake and surrounding area, such as the Asphalt plant, and to ensure that the integrity of our Lake Plan is respected. |
