South Okanagan residents reminded to look after fruit trees

PENTICTON –  The regional district has beefed up its bylaws protecting the commercial tree fruit industry in the South Okanagan and Similkameen. That means residential fruit growers need to vigilant in the care and maintenance of their fruit trees and shrubs.

The bylaw has recently been updated to include new species and threats to the industry, according to a regional district media release.

All residential owners of fruit bearing trees or shrubs are responsible for controlling insect pests on their properties to prevent the spread of insects to nearby neighbours or professional growers.

The two most common pests are the Spotted Wing Drosophila and the Western Cherry Fruit Fly.

The regional district is asking all property owners to regularly inspect their trees and shrubs in addition to taking precautionary measures to prevent insect infestations as well as familiarize themselves with signs of infestation.

Regional district staff will respond to complaints concerning infected fruit trees.

For more information contact public works projects coordinator Zoe Kirk at 250-490-4110 or go to the regional district website.


To contact a reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad or call 250-488-3065 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. 

Steve Arstad

I have been looking for news in the South Okanagan - SImilkameen for 20 years, having turned a part time lifelong interest into a full time profession. After five years publishing a local newsletter, several years working as a correspondent / stringer for several local newspapers and seven years as editor of a Similkameen weekly newspaper, I joined iNFOnews.ca in 2014. My goal in the news industry has always been to deliver accurate and interesting articles about local people and places. My interest in the profession is life long - from my earliest memories of grade school, I have enjoyed writing.
As an airborne geophysical surveyor I travelled extensively around the globe, conducting helicopter borne mineral surveys.
I also spent several years at an Okanagan Falls based lumber mill, producing glued-wood laminated products.
As a member of the Kaleden community, I have been involved in the Kaleden Volunteer Fire Department for 22 years, and also serve as a trustee on the Kaleden Irrigation District board.
I am currently married to my wife Judy, of 26 years. We are empty-nesters who enjoy living in Kaleden with our Welsh Terrier, Angus, and cat, Tibbs.
Our two daughters, Meagan and Hayley, reside in Richmond and Victoria, respectively.

Steve Arstad's Stories

More Articles