Rethinking Fire in Our Watersheds In the first webinar of the Fire Files series, “When Fire Meets Water: Healthy Watersheds as a Solution for the 21st Century,” experts explored how wildfires, water, and watershed health are deeply interconnected. Moderated by Dr. Ruth Waldick, lead scientist at our Climate Adaptation Research Lab (CARL), the panel brought…

One of the greatest accelerators of wildfire is woody debris. The good news is, this is a manageable problem with a fairly simple solution that’s already in practice in many regional communities: chipping. Chipping the debris reduces fire fuel, creates valuable chips for gardens and farms and provides an alternative to burning, thus reducing air…

Attention Nature and Plant Enthusiasts! Help Us Restore Our Local Forests The Climate Adaptation Research Lab is calling on your green thumbs and gardening expertise to assist with an exciting Forest and Wetland Restoration Project! We’re working to restore vital native ecosystems in the Maxwell Creek Watershed, and your support can make all the difference.…

On April 5th and 6th, Grace Fields, the TSS Project Coordinator for the Climate Adaptation Research Lab (CARL), and Brian Smallshaw (Biochar Working Group Lead) travelled up to Clearwater, BC, to speak to community members on improving the resiliency of their forests to climate change and wildfire. On Friday evening, organized by Astrid Arumae of…

Fire risk reduction in the Coastal Douglas-fir biogeoclimatic zone Read the Full Report here. Introducing a new practitioner’s report focused on reducing fire risk by increasing ecological integrity. Historically, wildfire has been an intermittent but essential disturbance regime in forested ecosystems across the country. In more recent times, the arrival of settlers and the dominance…

Climate Adaptation Research Lab – Restoring the Maxwell Watershed with North Salt Spring Waterworks District Watch this short and brilliant 5-minute video.  It describes why we are doing our work in the watershed. GISS students worked with CARL team members on a restoration project in the Hwmet’utsum (Mt. Maxwell) Creek Watershed. While most students were…

Read the whole article in the May 24th 2023 issue of the Gulf Islands Driftwood. Andria Scanlan won’t ever forget the howling winds and trees that came crashing down around her house that December afternoon in 2018. “We have a long-distance view from Channel Ridge, and I could see and hear the gusts rolling in…

Save Money and Improve Resilience by Harnessing Your Water Resources This practical and engaging webinar explores how to use water wisely on your property to reduce costs, increase climate resilience, and build a more sustainable future, no matter your starting point. Learn how to make the most of rainwater, manage greywater, reduce overall water usage,…

In this informative Q&A session, forest ecologist Erik Piikkila explains the critical role healthy forests play in protecting our communities from fire and drought. As climate extremes become more frequent, understanding the link between forest health, water security, and fire resilience is more important than ever—especially for landowners, stewards, and concerned citizens of the Southern…