Wildsight

Our East Kootenay YCC crew were busy beavers a few weeks ago. ..no, literally. 🦫

They teamed up with Columbia Wetland Stewardship Partners to construct 'Beaver Dam Analogues' (BDAs), which use local, natural materials to mimic real beaver dams.

Beavers play critical roles in shaping wetland health and biodiversity. In upland areas where beavers are no longer present, BDAs offer a way to increase the amount of water that can be stored within the landscape. Prolonging water's latency on the landscape is particularly important under changing climate conditions.

The analogues are constructed by weaving vegetation and sediment through wooden posts to slow the passage of water.

The construction of these BDAs is an important part of protecting wetlands by increasing the complexity and connectivity of habitats and the resilience of riparian ecosystems in the Columbia Valley. Youth Climate Corps

🚨 Cobwebs like this can ensnare birds, bats, and important insects, and lead to fatal consequences. Fall is a critical time for birds as they migrate unbelievable distances through our towns and cities, and many individuals seek out hedges and shrubs for safety and to roost in overnight. 🚨

Please turn to other decorations that don’t pose a risk for wildlife. 🎃👻

Spread the word to friends and neighbours so we can work together and keep our festive decor wildlife-friendly.

The word ‘habitat’ comes from Latin, meaning ‘it lives’, ‘it has’, or ‘it holds’. Even the root of the word shows us that habitat is synonymous with survival. It provides everything necessary to support the lives that occupy that space.

Today, on World Habitat Day, we reflect on both the thriving and dwindling habitats that are vital not only to our wildlife, but to us too.

Today, take a moment to reflect on a wild space or a species that you love — and consider what we stand to lose. Pledge to spread awareness and reverence for our wild places, and do what you can as an individual to protect these irreplaceable habitats.

On National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we take time to reflect on the history and ongoing impacts of colonialism, and to honour the survivors, families, and communities who continue to carry this history.

We’re grateful for the First Nations we have the opportunity to work alongside, and for all the work they do to protect the places and species that make this region so special — from threatened Mountain Caribou and old-growth forests to rivers, wetlands, and watersheds.

Indigenous Nations are leading important efforts to safeguard ecosystems, uphold connections to land and water, and shape a healthier future for these places. Today and every day, we recognize their leadership and the importance of deepening relationships grounded in respect, collaboration, and action.

Wildsight offers eight educational programs to get students outside and into nature. There, they experience awe and wonder, find space for difficult emotions, and discover that the natural world holds endless beauty, meaning, and inspiration.

In turn, these young people yearn to care for and protect the precious places that they come to love.

But sadly, many youth today experience paralyzing fear about the future of the climate and environment — and feel helpless as they face the reality of losing so much.

Remaining hopeful in these times is everything. And environmental education helps children move from fear towards understanding, from understanding towards action, and from action to hope.

Will you make a gift today to help bring more students outdoors for hands-on learning that builds the knowledge and confidence they need for the future?

Please visit https://wildsight.ca/giveforkids?source=Facebook+-+Post+-+2 to donate.

📸Photos:
1,2,7-Morgan Mitchinson
3,6-Jenny Rae Bateman
4-Julie Anne Davies
5-Drew Leiterman

‼️Your voice is needed to stop BCTS logging rare old and ancient forests in endangered Mountain Caribou habitat near Revelstoke‼️

This logging in a deferred no-cut zone will increase extirpation risk for the sole southernmost Mountain Caribou herd with a viable future — the Columbia North herd.

Caribou abundance is predicted to decline by 42% for every 1% increase in forestry roads in their habitat, and the Foster Arm logging could create 30kms of road access through the Columbia North herd's habitat.

The broader Foster Arm region is one of the last large areas of intact low-elevation old-growth left.

🔗 Please use our pre-written letter to demand halting logging plans in Foster Creek — just as the government's own experts recommended. 🔗 https://wildsight.ca/foster?source=Facebook+-+Post+-+1

‼️THREE DAYS left to submit your feedback about the future of the wider Cranbrook area's forests!‼️

The Ministry is creating a Forest Landscape Plan for the wider Cranbrook area, including Cranbrook, Kimberley, Fernie, Sparwood and Elkford — and wants to hear what values locals in the region prioritize their forests for.
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This information will be used to help the planning team understand how people use the forests in the area, and which values, issues or concerns should guide future decisions (priorities like wildlife, ecosystem health, timber harvest, or recreation).
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The survey is simple and takes about 3 minutes to complete. Deadline is Sept 25.
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Please take the time to speak up for our forests — and share with your family and friends.
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Link: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=AFLbbw09ikqwNtNoXjWa3LcPjKQ4KdpKi6Y8qeUfvuJUMDVaUlZQOFdSUUw0V1FYUTNYNTZCMTJITi4u

Photo: Bailey Repp

This year, Go Wild! took 12 teens into the southern Rockies for a 5-day backpacking wilderness adventure.

To our absolute delight, we discovered not only a vast array of fossils — from corals to ammonites — but incredible relics from ancient Ktunaxa travels in the area.

We found piles of flaked chert from tool-making, old meat caches, tent rings, and evidence of ancient hunting. These artifacts serve as reminders of age-old footsteps from millenia past that traversed along our same travel route.

Go Wild! Offers an unique experience for youth to connect with nature, other like-minded youth from across the Basin, and with themselves — as they discover how powerful the wilderness can be.

Read more about this year’s Go Wild! at https://wildsight.ca/2026/08/25/ancient-trails-new-adventures/

One of the statements we routinely hear is that old-growth Cedars are rotten and hollow inside — and therefore dead — and should be harvested immediately before they fall and are ‘wasted’.

But the hollow core of an ancient cedar is anything but ‘waste’ for a forest and the animals that dwell there. In fact, it’s a life-giving feature that is invaluable — particularly for species like Black and Grizzly Bears, who depend on hollow trees for denning and birthing their young during the winter. The same can be said for other species like Vaux’s Swifts and Northern Long-eared Bats, all whom often rely on hollow Cedar cores for roosting.

Core rot is a natural, healthy part of the aging process for Western Redcedars. They can stand tall for many, many centuries with completely hollow or decaying cores.