Columbia Basin Residents Invited to Explore River Through Field Tours

Residents of the Columbia Basin have the opportunity to deepen their understanding of the region’s waterways through two educational field tours offered by Wildsight this fall. The tours, titled “Columbia River Conversations,” invite participants to camp, explore, and engage in interactive learning along the Columbia River. Scheduled for September, these events will focus on the rich history, current challenges, and future prospects of the Columbia River.

The field tours are designed to foster connections among participants who share a passion for the Columbia watershed. Participants will have the chance to learn about critical topics including dam operations, reservoir levels, ecosystem restoration, and salmon reintroduction. Discussions will also touch on the Columbia River Treaty and other relevant environmental issues. According to Graeme Lee Rowlands, program lead with Wildsight, “The Columbia Basin is a vast and complex watershed with an even more complex future. To understand the issues we face, it’s essential to spend time with the actual places that are involved.”

Tour Details and Locations

The first tour will take place in the Upper Columbia region, specifically in the area surrounding Revelstoke, from September 5 to 7, 2023. Participants will camp at Blanket Creek Provincial Park. The second tour is set for September 27 to 29, 2023, in the Lower Columbia area near Castlegar, with camping at Syringa Creek Provincial Park.

This initiative builds on Wildsight’s extensive experience in providing educational programs focused on the Columbia River. The organization launched the Columbia River Field School in 2018, a 15-day summer course aimed at engaging students with watershed issues. In 2021, Wildsight developed a curriculum package called Teach the Columbia, which has made field school topics accessible to educators. The program has since offered professional development courses for teachers.

Engaging the Community

In 2023, Wildsight hosted a gathering for government and community leaders alongside field school alumni to facilitate knowledge sharing and build connections around watershed topics. Rowlands expressed optimism for the upcoming tours, stating, “Now, this experience will be open to the general public for the first time.”

Wildsight aims to attract a diverse group of participants, including local residents, community leaders, artists, writers, and natural resource professionals. By bringing together individuals from varied backgrounds, the organization hopes to enrich discussions and foster a collaborative approach to addressing environmental challenges in the Columbia Basin.

The Columbia River Conversations field tours present a unique opportunity for residents to connect with their environment and each other while exploring the complexities of a vital natural resource. As the region faces pressing ecological issues, these educational experiences will contribute to a better understanding of the Columbia River and its significance to the community.