Howard Smith

Virginia Thompson

Virginia  Thompson
Virginia

Branch Board Director

Revelstoke Branch

I have lived in Revelstoke since 2006. I have been the mountain caribou rep for North Columbia Environmental Society (NCES) since 2006 and then for Wildsight Revelstoke, which NCES became in 2020, to the present. On the Board of NCES from 2006 to 2011, then on the Conservation Committee for several years. Prepared a Section 80 Application under the federal Species at Risk Act for NCES and Yellowstone to Yukon in 2018 asking for a stop order on logging in mountain caribou critical habitat in order to recover the endangered mountain caribou. Was a founding member of the Revelstoke Caribou Rearing in the Wild (maternity pen) in Revelstoke for NCES. Given the Wildsight Lifetime Award for Environmental Achievement in 2021. Also received a Doctorate in Adult Education, U. of Toronto in 2003. Thesis: “Re-Learning Intimacy with the Earth: an eco-psychology”.

I am a strong believer in protecting old and primary forest in the Inland Temperate Rainforest as it is itself a critically endangered ecosystem, where we live, as well as being critical habitat for the endangered mountain caribou. I am also passionate about action to fight climate change, and believe in this valley where Revelstoke is situated, the single greatest thing we can do to fight climate change is to protect old growth forests.