Free 1 Hour Virtual Workshop! Thurs, Feb 19 at 12pm PST

In partnership with the Columbia Mountains Institute of Applied Ecology (CMI), Kootenay Conservation Program (KCP) presents their Annual Winter Webinar Series on the theme of Lessons for the next chapter of Restoration & Stewardship in the Columbia Basin.

Coteay Creek, a tributary of akskʷəkʷant (Inkaneep Creek), flows into suwiw̓s (Osoyoos Lake). The area surrounding that creek has dried up and, along with the wetlands, the beavers — or stunx in nsyilxcən — have disappeared. Delaney Hall and his team know that wetlands provide critical habitat for aquatic beings such as fish and amphibians, as well as land animals such as moose, deer and elk. They also provide fire protection, and are essential systems to help buffer the impacts of a warming climate. Delaney also knows that the beaver can teach us how to restore these wetlands, and that the elders in his community are able to share the historical location of many beaver dams where you no longer see evidence of their prior existence. In this talk, Delaney Hall will speak to a project partnership with the Osoyoos Indian Band and the B.C. Wildlife Federation involving the introduction of beaver analogues as one tool being used to help recover wetland ecosystems.

Facilitator

• Delaney Hall, tmixʷ (all living things) technician, Okanagan Nation Alliance

This year’s webinar series is designed to honour the legacy and capture the extensive knowledge of senior restoration and stewardship professionals in the Columbia Basin. As many of these experts approach retirement, this series provides a timely platform for intergenerational knowledge exchange—ensuring that decades of applied research, field experience, and collaborative learning are effectively transferred to the next generation. Presenters will reflect on key lessons from their careers in ecological restoration, land stewardship, and ecosystem monitoring, emphasizing important insights that can and should inform future restoration efforts.

As we explore these stories, we recognize and honour Indigenous peoples as the original and enduring stewards of these lands, and reflect on how Indigenous values, knowledge, and practices can be meaningfully integrated into current and future restoration planning and implementation. By fostering this continuity, the series supports the long-term resilience of conservation efforts in the Kootenays—a region of exceptional biodiversity increasingly affected by climate change and human disturbance

Register Here