“This experience meant so much to me. I enjoyed so much learning from the land, guest speakers, and leaders and being able to make my own connections. I will remember how much I learned, all the new places I saw, the amazing people I met, and how much my understanding of the area developed.” CRFS … Continued
K̓ukamaʔnam/Kimberley – Wildsight strongly supports the Ktunaxa Nation’s decades long call to have the International Joint Commission (ICJ) address the deterioration of water quality in the Elk-Kootenay River System. The IJC, with independent representatives from Canada and the United States, makes recommendations based upon consideration of science and Indigenous knowledge. Wildsight is concerned with both … Continued
It was the last evening of our four-day, three-night adventure. Peaceful calm was in camp as chores were wrapping up, bellies full from dinner. Comfortable chatter from people that started as strangers, but were leaving as friends, could be heard around the rocky campsite along the shores of the Columbia River. Seventeen sets of eyes … Continued
Applications close May 22 for this year’s Columbia River Field School: learn more. —– You may have heard about the Columbia River Treaty in the news once, or perhaps many times, over the last decade. The Columbia River Treaty is an agreement between Canada and the United States about our shared watershed. It was originally … Continued
Why is the involvement of the International Joint Commission (IJC) needed in the Elk Valley? Coal mining has occurred in the Elk Valley for over 100 years. Recently, coal production has drastically increased while water quality has decreased throughout Kootenay/Kootenai Watershed. Selenium concentrations continue to reach record highs, threatening the environment and communities that call … Continued
The Columbia River Field School is an immersive learning experience for students ages 15-18. Over 15 days, students travel the Columbia River by canoe while exploring important aspects of the river’s story through lessons in geography, ecology, hydrology, technology, economics, politics, history and culture. On top of this, the Field School is an opportunity for … Continued
Landslides. Floods. Wildfires. They come with a vengeance, sweeping away or burning up communities. When they’re happening, they seem inevitable. But what if these events weren’t inevitable? What if the solution was closer than we think? To get to the root of these problems, we need to look to the trees. The provincial government released … Continued
Absolutely riveting! A new perspective on some connections to the Columbia River The second in our ‘Wild Wednesdays’ Local Lore workshop series, ‘History Of the Columbia River’ hosted by historian and author Laura Stovel was fascinating! Enjoy this recording yourself, with your kids, or students, to learn more about the history of of the Columbia … Continued
In 2018, I was a student in the inaugural year of Wildsight’s Columbia River Field School. Going into the trip, I had little to no knowledge about the Columbia watershed or the Columbia River Treaty. I had also never been canoeing and camping for so long before, and I knew none of the students or … Continued
Gumption. If you’ve got it, you’re halfway there. The other half? A mixture of luck, well-positioned friends, and a whole lot of work. Tracy Flynn has gumption, no doubt about it. Tracy is a Columbia Valley resident who lives in a small rural community bordering the western shoreline of Columbia Lake. This grandiose lake, the … Continued
