~ What footprint do you leave as you go about your day?

Tread lightly on this sweet Earth so that all who follow you may flourish ~

Growing food is an adventure; it’s an exploration deep into the ground and a continuous relationship with nature that proves its importance.

Wildsight Invermere is excited to partner with the family of Winderberry and Edible Acres for a journey behind-the-scenes of their greenhouse operation and certified organic farm on Friday, May 24th. 

We'll learn about their farming process and the systems they use for sustainable, healthy food production. The tour will include planting your own plant to take home and a muffin and coffee at Edibles Cafe. 

Thanks to funding from Columbia Basin Trust, we are able to offer this tour-workshop at a discounted price. Early bird tickets are still available; book now before they're gone!

Enjoy a hike for all the family around the shores of gorgeous Lake Enid and discover the art and joy of foraging for wild plants.

Naturalist and permaculturist Kalista Pruden brings a wealth of local and Indigenous knowledge to lead the walk, showing what you can and can’t eat, exploring medicinal and other cultural uses of wild plants, and how to harvest them safely, sustainably and respectfully.

Do you love hiking or cycling in Columbia Lake Provincial Park? Or would you like to learn more about it and meet fellow enthusiasts? Lead by EKISC (East Kootenay Invasive Species Council), we’re hosting a weed pull with a twist, for recreationalists who want to learn how to identify and remove common invasive plants and understand the impact of invasives and recreation on the Bighorn Sheep habitat around Columbia Lake.

On Saturday, May 25th we’ll start with a 20-30 minute training intro, then you can take to the trails by either boots or bike and keep your eyes peeled for weeds to pull. Meet at the Columbia Lake Park carpark at 10 am. Gloves, bags and a barbecue will be provided.

Recently the ʔAkisq̓nuk First Nation bought a parcel of land at 625 4th Street, on which our office sits along with BC Services and several other buildings. Wildsight Invermere congratulate AFN Enterprises Partnership on their purchase of this prime land in Invermere and we wish them the very best with establishing their office there. Everyone is invited to join the celebration and flag-raising on site, on Friday, May 17 from 2-6 pm with food and entertainment.

On June 1st we’ll be at Canal Days with information and fun activities about the Columbia Lake Bighorn Sheep and other wildlife. Stop by and say hello while you enjoy this annual festive event in Canal Flats, celebrating what makes small communities great.

Save the Date — June 28! A wild evening of toe tapping, hoof stomping music, dance and good old-fashioned hootenanny. If you've never done a square dance then put aside any preconceptions you might have — our summer FUNdraiser will definitely have you skipping and twirling 'till you can't no more. All ages welcome, food and drinks will be served, and all in support of Wildsight Invermere’s work to protect our wild places. 

Thanks to all who came to our AGM for a lively and inspiring discussion, a very thought-provoking film (Beyond Climate) and tons of delicious food. We welcomed new board members Elizabeth Shopland, Kristin Whitlow, and Karen Barkley (former Branch Manager) and recognized outgoing president Cam Gillies for his dedicated contribution to Wildsight and 9 years on the Invermere branch board.

For those who missed out, here’s the recipe for Jessie’s delicious squash coconut soup! If anyone else would like to share the recipes they brought, please get in touch. 

You can now read Wildsight Invermere’s Annual Report for 2023 on the website.

There was a fantastic turnout at the Earth Day community cleanup, with more than 60 people participating at the three locations and collecting over 20 bags of garbage (and two crates of recyclables!) Thank you to everyone who helped clean up our corner of the Columbia Valley. 

Thank you to Groundswell for sharing fascinating information about composting with worms, and to Hopkins Harvest, Lake Windermere Ambassadors, Shuswap Band, and the District of Invermere for helping with the cleanup stations. Thank you to Tim Hortons for the sweet treats and Mac-Neil Landscaping for transporting the collected garbage to the dump. What a great collective effort.

Thank you also to all the businesses who donated to the prize packages: Om Organics, The Trading Post, Tea Etc, Birds Eye Boutique, Rocky River Grill, Ullr Bar, Taynton Bay Distillery, Local View Printing, Valley Fitness Centre, Kootenay Savings, Purcell Sewing Company, Invermere Smokeshop, Roi's Resale, and Treasures in the Wind.

And congratulations to Jenny Hubrecht who won the prize draw!

We also had some really great entries to the Earth Day Competition for Businesses. Congratulations to Infinity Solar Group (formerly Kootenay Solar) who won that prize draw. Keep an eye out in future newsletters as we highlight some of the best entries!

And finally a huge thank you to Jessica and the team at Kootenay Savings Credit Union for instigating, organizing and hosting this event with us.

Can’t wait till next Earth Day? Remember, every day is Earth Day! And every action you do to reduce your footprint on the Earth is a gift.