Native Plants of C’UÁN / Tl’elhum  (Salt Spring Island) ELSIE CLAXTON Centennial Park’s native plantings, as well as these pages, honour the memory of Elsie Claxton, respected SȾÁUTW̱ (Tsawout) Elder and Knowledge Keeper for the W̱SÁNEĆ (Saanich) People. Elsie Claxton had extensive knowledge of native plants, and her lifetime work was as a teacher of W̱SÁNEĆ ways,…

Water connects us all-and protecting it means protecting our future. Transition Salt Spring’s Lighter Living Program is here to help with practical tools to secure our island’s water resources. In the coming months, we’ll be talking to locals and highlighting best practices. Our goal is to share facts you need to know about water challenges…

Adopting a plant-based diet and growing local food are powerful steps toward a healthier planet and community. By focusing on plants, we reduce the environmental impacts of food production, including greenhouse gas emissions, water use, and habitat loss. Growing food locally-whether in backyard gardens, community plots, or small farms-further cuts carbon footprints by reducing transportation…

We often think of fighting climate change as overwhelming, fraught with sacrifice and self-deprivation.  It doesn’t have to be that way! We are consulting with climate scientists, behaviour experts, and carbon footprint calculators, to bring you lifestyle tips that are low-effort changes in the way we travel, shop, and eat. These changes can impact your…

Earlier this year, TSS Scientist in residence, Dr. Ruth Waldick, joined “WTF Friday,” a group on Cortes Island, to discuss climate change, fire risk, and innovative forestry practices. She talked about the impact of traditional logging methods on fire risk and the pathways to reducing wildfire threats in our region. Listen to the entire presentation…

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,…