What an great event! We welcomed 100 attendees on May 1st and 90 on May 2nd, who gathered to hear 16 presenters over two days covering diverse topics such as cumulative effects, water and climate conditions, land use, biodiversity, habitat, and economics. Thank you to the participants, speakers, and knowledge-sharers; tt was truly the community’s involvement that made the Ripple Effect the success it was.
To the many many speakers: Thank you for sharing your time and knowledge with us all. Your information has added so much to the Boundary Region watershed conversation. Speakers include: Barb Stewart, Bob Davidson, Caroline Lafond, Chris Ford, Doug Sandner, Elliott Tonasket, Evan Smith, Graham Watt, Greg Utzig, Jenny Coleshill, Kasey Moran (presented by Marc Steynen), Lisa Tedesco, Michelle McLellan, Mike Kennedy, Natasha Neumann, Peter Novokshonoff, Roly Russell, and Yiping Hou.
A big shoutout to:
- The Province of BC, Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness, for funding the larger RDKB 2 year Rural Riparian project: Boundary Region Rural Riparian Restoration, Bank Stabilization, and Ecosystem Services – which included funding for this forum;
- Boundary Region organizations for donating to our draw prizes: Freeman’s Country Supply, Fresh Tracks Outdoors, Grassland Grazers, RDKB Grand Forks & District Recreation, Save On Foods, The Wooden Spoon, Union of Spiritual Communities of Christ (USCC), and Wild Blue Nursery
- Many community members who led field tours that happened in all 3 of our Electoral Areas: Area C: CLSS and RDKB Environmental Services; Area D: City of Grand Forks; and Area E: Midway Community Garden and Trails to the Boundary Society;
- All who supported and attended the May 1st evening Climate Clinic; and
- The numerous volunteers who made this two-day event possible!
Let’s keep the momentum going.
Revisit the insights shared by speakers at the Ripple Effect forum. Click below to access the presentation slides from some of the talks.
1. Greg Utzig. What does Climate Change have in store for the Boundary
2. Kasey Moran (presented by Marc Steynen). Nature-based Solutions: Sensitive Ecosystems, Keystone Species, & Watershed Health
3. Lisa Tedesco. Fire in the Boundary: Past, Present, and Future
4. Michelle McLellan. Connected Landscapes: Stewarding Grizzly Bear Recovery through Habitat Connectivity
5. Mike Kennedy. Making Nature Count: Putting Natural Assets on the Balance Sheet
6. Natasha Neumann. The Mismatch Between Summer Rainfall & Low Streamflow Patterns Over the Last Three Decades in the Kettle River Watershed
7. Roly Russell. Inescapably Entangled & Unknowable: Rethinking if Biodiversity Matters
8. Yiping Hou. Cumulative Hydrological Effects in the Kettle River Watershed
With 77% of attendees from the Boundary Region, the Ripple Effect saw an excellent turnout over this 2 day event. It’s important to note that many of those reporting as living “outside the boundary” still work in the Boundary Region. See below for the breakdown of attendees by RDKB Electoral Areas (Boundary Region).
