We are so excited to have Wildsight’s Youth Climate Corps (YCC) back in Kimberley/Cranbrook for a third season!
Our crew began at the start of May with in-class and on-the-ground training to prepare for a full season of projects. Through our partnership with Kootenay Employment Services, the crew is undertaking a specialized program that includes mentorship and guidance that helps prepare participants for future career options after the YCC season ends.
Our mission with Wildsight’s Youth Climate Corps is to address solutions to the climate emergency, providing skills and certifications to young adults to combat climate change. With a great lineup of projects planned, the 2023 season will be full, and fulfilling.
Crew members are learning about fire ecology and wildfire fuel sampling methods. They will get the opportunity to work on a number of projects, including wildfire risk-reduction at the Kimberley Nature Park and in Bull River in partnership with the Nature Trust of BC.
A new project we’re launching this season is at Kimberley’s Lois Creek. Working alongside the Friends of Lois Creek, Kimberley Trails Society, MacHydro, and the City of Kimberley, our team will begin undertaking a small-scale, community-oriented steam and wetland restoration project located on the Lois Creek trail system.
The crews will explore local food systems as they support local food recovery in both Kimberley and Cranbrook. Projects include working alongside Kimberley and Cranbrook Food Recovery, volunteering at a local farm, and teaming up with our Kimberley/Cranbrook Wildsight branch on food projects such as apple capture and getting their hands dirty in the community garden.
Other small but significant projects for this season’s crew include Whitebark Pine recovery, native wildfire seed collection, and pollinator meadow restoration.
The crew will also be undertaking a community engagement project with the second annual Fix-It Fair. This is a great opportunity to come meet the crew, find out more about the Youth Climate Corps, and get your old and broke stuff fixed at the same time. Join the crew at the Over Time Beer Works Patio in Kimberley Saturday, June 17th from 12–3 pm.
“The diversity of projects our crews get to participate in continues to grow, says Tim Chapman, YCC Kimberley/ Cranbrook coordinator. “Increasingly, our team gets to dip their toes into more and more climate related fields. This is super helpful for these young folks to determine what may or may not be of interest when pursuing a career or continued education. We certainly seem to have our core projects and partners that we are working with year over year, which adds a feeling of stability to our work. This season we also have many new partners and projects – it really keeps things interesting. I will be out there taking in as much of this new work as I can, I would be fibbing if I said I wasn’t excited!”
As climate change places increasing pressure on our global, regional and local ecosystems and communities, the need to respond with meaningful action could not be more pressing. Harnessing the energy and ambition of young adults, we believe the Youth Climate Corps empowers young adults to inspire and implement solutions to the climate crisis through employment, training and leadership development. We’re excited to watch this year’s crew grow in confidence and knowledge as together, they take action on the climate crisis.
