Michelle and Jennifer provided an informative session for Interior Watershed Task Force (IWTF) on January 22, 2024 via Zoom.
Michelle Connolly’s presentation:
How we get what we want in protecting primary forest in Central BC
She spoke about what Conservation North does, how and why they do it; what they do and do not say to the government.
Michelle is a forest disturbance ecologist who runs volunteer-based group Conservation North. She lives in Prince George, BC, the traditional territory of the Lheidli T’enneh Nation. She has spent much of her life exploring and experiencing natural forests, and has an educational background in forest ecology, although she is not a researcher and does not do science for a living.
Michelle influenced the IWTF mission statement to say:
The Interior Watershed Task Force is a coalition of more than twenty NGOs, Community Organizations, and Professionals that was initiated in 2023. The IWTF advocates for the legal protection and preservation of water, primary and natural forests, wildlife and critical habitats in the BC interior. We are based in the Okanagan region of BC and respectfully live and work on ancestral territories of several First Nations.
Jennifer Houghton’s presentation:
On behalf of BFWSS, Jennifer made a presentation on the BFWSS campaign: The Movement: Safeguarding Communities by Protecting Forests Through Legislation.
The presentation was covered in the news by Barry Gerding of the Vernon Morning Star: https://www.vernonmorningstar.com/news/saving-interior-bc-primary-forests-choosing-ecosystem-over-economics-7311506