One of the questions I’m asked most often is, ‘What gives you hope?’ As forests fall, wildlife populations decline, and politicians appear to ignore climate change, it’s sometimes hard to feel hopeful. But my job allows me to interact with people whose curiosity and commitment are daily reminders that small acts, rooted in place, can ripple outward in powerful ways.
I’m thinking of the forester who tipped us off to planned logging in ancient, irreplaceable forest; the lawyer who showed us a way to push back on development when all other paths seemed blocked; the teenagers, alumni of our Columbia River Field School, who taught a room of decision-makers about possible solutions for a river with an uncertain future.
These are people whose stories seldom make the front page, yet who remind us of something essential: we don’t need to wait for ‘someone else’ to fix things — we all have a part to play in creating the world we want.
Our globally significant region
Like these small acts of hope, a gift can start a ripple that grows into lasting change for this region.
From the northern Monashees and Selkirks, to the southern Rockies and Purcells, this is a landscape of superlatives: the longest intact wetland in North America, the largest remaining stretch of Inland Temperate Rainforest left on Earth and the most important wildlife corridor on the continent.
The decisions we make and the actions we take here have repercussions that are felt not just locally, but globally.
With the support of this community, we’ll defend the ancient forests of the Inland Temperate Rainforest, which store vast amounts of carbon and provide one of the last strongholds for deep-snow caribou. We’ll stop the pollution of our glacier-fed rivers that sustain life and land far beyond these mountains. We’ll connect and protect habitat for wildlife. And we’ll help raise a generation of engaged and wild-hearted children.
On the power of collective action
These goals may seem ambitious, but they are achievable. Lasting change rarely arrives in a single sweeping gesture; it comes from small, steady actions — a choice, a gift, a moment of speaking up — each one sending out its own ripple. When we show up together, those actions gather into a current strong enough to reshape the future.
At its heart, the future we’re working towards is a simple one: healthy and intact ecosystems that support thriving wildlife, healthy communities, clean water and clean air. This isn’t a radical vision, but it does require that we all play our part.
Will you give today to ensure the next generation inherits not just stories of what once was, but living, thriving wild places?
Robyn Duncan
Executive Director, Wildsight
P.S. Monthly donors give us the reliable footing we need to take on big challenges and protect what matters. Please consider starting a monthly gift today.