We are thrilled to introduce three new dedicated team members who have joined Transition Salt Spring’s (TSS) Climate Adaptation Research Lab (CARL), each bringing unique skills and experiences to our mission. Together, they strengthen CARL’s commitment to environmental research and action on Salt Spring Island. Welcome to the team, Grace, Keegan, and Anya!
Grace Fields, Project Coordinator and Experimental Lead
Grace Fields is joining TSS’s CARL team as the Project Coordinator and Experimental Lead. Her role with CARL includes project management, research project design and establishment focusing on forest and watershed health, and knowledge sharing through educational programming and data visualization tools. A recent graduate with a BSc from the UBC Natural Resources Conservation program, Grace has a strong understanding of forest ecology and anthropogenic environmental pressures. Her passion for the environment has been lifelong, instilled in her while growing up in San Diego, California, where issues such as drought and wildfire have always been at the forefront of her attention. Grace is excited to contribute to CARL’s continued efforts to find solutions to the urgent issues that our natural world faces.
Keegan Thomas, Forest Health Assessor
Keegan Thomas joins the Transition Salt Spring’s (TSS) Climate Adaptation Research Lab’s (CARL) team as a Forest Health Assessor. Growing up in North Saanich, Vancouver Island, Keegan spent his free time hiking and camping, which facilitated a deep appreciation and understanding of the coastal forest ecosystems on Salt Spring and the other Gulf Islands. With a BSc from the University of Victoria focusing on Biology, Forest Ecology, and Environmentalism, he will assist the CARL project by monitoring tree health and disease and assessing wildlife and danger trees in the Maxwell Creek Watershed.
Anya Gurr, Hydrological Mapping Lead
Anya will be working with the CARL team to assess the watershed and determine priority areas for intervention using various skills and methods, including LiDAR remote sensed data. She joins the team with a background in Recreation, Fish, and Wildlife studies from Selkirk College, where a hands-on approach to understanding and measuring the health of Freshwater systems inspired her to continue this work with TSS. Anya grew up on Gabriola Island and is passionate about restoring natural ecosystems for the current and future generations of Gulf Islanders to enjoy.