At Wildsight Invermere, we are constantly reminded of the generous spirit of our mountain community. Recently, we received a $1,000 donation from long-time Columbia Valley resident and naturalist Larry Halverson. After he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Canadian Museum of Nature last November, he decided to share some of the goodness with us. For his thoughtfulness, we are humbled and grateful. 

Larry has been an inspiration to us all for a long time. He was a co-founder of Invermere’s ever-popular Wings Over the Rockies Festival, now in its 26th year. In 1992, he was honoured with a Governor General’s award for his service and contributions to Canadians; there were other awards after that. For 38 years, Larry worked as a Parks Canada naturalist at Jasper, Yoho, Banff, and Kootenay national parks, sharing his knowledge about the wonders of the natural world with anyone and everyone. Locally, our knowledge of the plants and animals in the wetlands of the Columbia National Wildlife Area has been enriched by his and his coworkers’ extensive fieldwork in the summer of 2004. The published report remains relevant and full of information.

But it’s not so much about receiving awards and accolades. It’s how you live your life. Larry, you exemplify what it is to be an engaged citizen who believes in the importance of environmental stewardship. Thank you!

Are you dreaming of the cool days of autumn, hiking among golden larches? Listen up. We have an opportunity to organize a special outing on September 19th to Diana Lake with a fully catered overnight stay in their newly built bunkhouse. We thought it would be a wonderful way to spend some time together – walk among the larches, perhaps hike up the Judge or check out the fossil beds, look at stars, share stories, and be immersed in the wildness of the Rocky Mountains. Interested?

We still need to confirm the details and costs but, in the meantime, we wanted to judge your interest. We would need a minimum of 4 people to book the lodge. The cost will probably be between $240-250 per person. This includes all taxes, food (appetizers and dinner on the 19th; breakfast and lunch on the 20th), lodging and our minimal organizational costs. Find all details here: dianalake.ca

Our friends at Diana Lake Lodge — Mike, Pat and Amanda —  are committed to preserving the environmental integrity of this special, high mountain basin on the edge of Kootenay National Park. Not only that, they have supported and sponsored our Wild & Scenic Film Festival in past years. 

If you’re interested in the Sept. 19th overnight trip, please email us.

The east side of Columbia Lake is a treasured jewel. It holds special significance to the Indigenous People who have resided there from time immemorial and today, much of its shoreline is part of the East Side Columbia Lake Wildlife Management Area (WMA). Designating this 6,886 Hectares as a WMA provides an important winter range for ungulates, staging areas for waterfowl, and vital habitat for many other species. 

Join us Thursday, August 24, at Columbia Lake to help protect this special area by locating, identifying and disposing of invasive terrestrial plant species. This event is  part of our Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep program and is in collaboration with our friends at East Kootenay Invasive Species Council.

Please RSVP to invermere@wildsight.ca for final confirmation of details. 

Preliminary Details:

• When: Meet at 10 am, Thursday, August 24th
• Where: Columbia Lake Provincial Park parking lot by Fairmont Hot Springs
• What: Bring your bike or hiking boots to scour the trails for invasives

Extreme heat and wildfire smoke is affecting families and communities in BC.

What we are doing:

In July, Wildsight Invermere supported the East Kootenay Climate Hub in providing an update to local government councils on the new BC building code – the Zero Carbon Step Code (ZCSC).

The ZCSC targets carbon emissions from buildings, which, in BC communities, are the top sources of carbon pollution. In our homes, fossil fuel space and water heating contribute 99% of household emissions. Since the majority of grid electricity in BC is generated from clean or renewable sources, electrifying our homes can greatly reduce carbon emissions. A wide selection of efficient electric equipment is currently available, and the province is working on ensuring our grid is capable of supplying increased electrical demand. We are now seeing lots of innovation around decentralized electricity generation. Stay tuned for more information on how to build or renovate your home so you can be a part of the solution.

Hopkins Harvest, a family owned and operated small business, is striving to bring positive change and growth and they are doing a great job of it! Stop in to get produce and fruit that is locally sourced and minimally packaged. Bring your own bags and stock up on goodness.

Have a local business you’d like to nominate as a climate hero? Email us at invermere@wildsight.ca

Does this sound familiar?

Did you see the air quality index today? / I had ash falling on me when I was sitting on my back deck! / Very thankful for the wildfire crew that is working so hard to keep us safe! / The sun looks so orange. / We could see the flames from town. / Too smoky for hiking/biking these days, sadly.

Tired of talking about it? It’s time to team up and take action. Email us at invermere@wildsight.ca  and be a part of the solution.

Are you a team player anxious to make a difference in your community? Are you a whiz at social media, great at grant writing, super organized and efficient? Watch for an upcoming job posting or write and tell us how you see yourself fitting into our organization: invermere@wildsight.ca