Forestry Forum & Film Screening of Trouble In The Headwaters
Public Workshop - How Forestry Practices Impact Watershed Hydrology Saturday November 29 3-5 pm
Featuring guest speakers Dr Younes Alila, Daniel Pierce and Heather Pritchard.
We are pleased to announce that this year we are collaborating with the Koksilah Watershed Working Group to hold a public workshop on how forestry practices impact the hydrology of watersheds. The workshop will feature Dr Younes Alila, Daniel Pierce and Heather Pritchard. This workshop will be from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., November 29, 2025 in the gymnasium at the Hub at Cowichan Station (2375 Koksilah Road).
Younes Alila is a civil engineer with a PhD specializing in hydrology and is a Professor of Forest Hydrology and watershed management in the Department of Forest Resources Management at the Faculty of Forestry at the University of British Columbia. Daniel Pierce is a film maker and journalist who has been covering BC forestry for more than a decade. He has made a number of films and recently has worked with Younes to prepare the short documentary called ‘Trouble in the Headwaters’. Heather Pritchard is an ecoforester concerned with how forestry practices impact watersheds. She co-authored the Ecosystem-Based Assessment of the Koksilah River Watershed, similar to a 2015 report commissioned by the SBS that Herb Hammond wrote for the Shawnigan Lake watershed.
The workshop will start off with Heather giving an overview of the issues in the Koksilah River and Shawnigan Creek watersheds. We will then have a few comments by Younes and Dan on their film Trouble in the Headwaters that has a focus on the relationship between forestry practices in the Kettle River watershed and flooding of Grand Forks in 2018. We will then watch the 25-minute film followed by some comments by Dan, Younes and Heather. The floor will then open for public comment and questions.
This is the third workshop on forestry issues we have held with other organizations. In 2023, we organized, together with the Vancouver Island Hub of the Pacific North-West Health Network, a public forum on the ‘Indigenous Perspectives For Sustaining Forests’ led by four Cowichan Tribes speakers. In 2024 we collaborated with the Boundary Forest Watershed Stewardship Society to hold a public workshop on “Power of Forests”.
We encourage you to attend and learn how forestry practices can impact flooding, landslides, summer stream flow and biodiversity. There is no charge for admission but donations will be appreciated to help cover costs.
Featuring guest speakers Dr Younes Alila, Daniel Pierce and Heather Pritchard.
We are pleased to announce that this year we are collaborating with the Koksilah Watershed Working Group to hold a public workshop on how forestry practices impact the hydrology of watersheds. The workshop will feature Dr Younes Alila, Daniel Pierce and Heather Pritchard. This workshop will be from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., November 29, 2025 in the gymnasium at the Hub at Cowichan Station (2375 Koksilah Road).
Younes Alila is a civil engineer with a PhD specializing in hydrology and is a Professor of Forest Hydrology and watershed management in the Department of Forest Resources Management at the Faculty of Forestry at the University of British Columbia. Daniel Pierce is a film maker and journalist who has been covering BC forestry for more than a decade. He has made a number of films and recently has worked with Younes to prepare the short documentary called ‘Trouble in the Headwaters’. Heather Pritchard is an ecoforester concerned with how forestry practices impact watersheds. She co-authored the Ecosystem-Based Assessment of the Koksilah River Watershed, similar to a 2015 report commissioned by the SBS that Herb Hammond wrote for the Shawnigan Lake watershed.
The workshop will start off with Heather giving an overview of the issues in the Koksilah River and Shawnigan Creek watersheds. We will then have a few comments by Younes and Dan on their film Trouble in the Headwaters that has a focus on the relationship between forestry practices in the Kettle River watershed and flooding of Grand Forks in 2018. We will then watch the 25-minute film followed by some comments by Dan, Younes and Heather. The floor will then open for public comment and questions.
This is the third workshop on forestry issues we have held with other organizations. In 2023, we organized, together with the Vancouver Island Hub of the Pacific North-West Health Network, a public forum on the ‘Indigenous Perspectives For Sustaining Forests’ led by four Cowichan Tribes speakers. In 2024 we collaborated with the Boundary Forest Watershed Stewardship Society to hold a public workshop on “Power of Forests”.
We encourage you to attend and learn how forestry practices can impact flooding, landslides, summer stream flow and biodiversity. There is no charge for admission but donations will be appreciated to help cover costs.
This event is open to more sponsors.
Thanks to SLREC for stepping up as our first sponsor.
Click the links above to See more work by our artist direct donors.
Thanks to Chenoa Willow, Jon Gugin, Kyle Kilgour, Roger Carr, & Sharon Stone
Thanks to Chenoa Willow, Jon Gugin, Kyle Kilgour, Roger Carr, & Sharon Stone
PAST EVENTS
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Guest Speakers:
Qwustenuxun Jared Williams –Quw'utsunPublic Educator & Traditional Food Advocate Shannon Waters –Stz’uminusBand Member, Medical Health Officer for Cowichan Valley Huyamisé Della Rice-Sylvester –Quw'utsun Elder & Medicine Knowledge Keeper Su-taxwiye Sarah Morales–Quw'utsun member, Fellow of Indigenous Law, AP UVic |
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Art Auction & Gourmet Dinner
Fundraiser at Unsworth Vineyards
November 30th 2023 5pm to 8:30pm
Several local artists & private collectors and have contributed to our current collection. New items to be added weekly throughout November.
Click the links below to See more work by our artist direct donors.
2023 Recreation Raffle AND 50/50 Raffle
YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!
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EBike $2100 value
Sanctuary Experience $780 value Kayak$600 value |
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General Meetings - First Tuesday of every month 7 pm - 9 pm
2025
January 07 - General Meeting 7-9pm
February 02 - World Wetland Day
February 04 - General Meeting 7-9pm
February 15 Volunteer Meet & Great with SLREC & SBS 10am - 2pm @SBS
February 26 to March 03 - Invasive Species Awareness week
March 03 - World Wildlife Day
March 04 - General Meeting 7-9pm
March 22 - World Water Day
April 01 - General Meeting 7-9pm
April 17 - Speaker Series - All About Bats
7pm at SBS
April 26 - 10am - 2pm SBS@ Shawnigan Rotary Eco Club Community Clean Up Day at SL Community Centre
April 17 - Bat Appreciation Day
April 22 - Earth Day
May 02 - Forestry Tour with Mosaic 9am-1130am meet at SBS RSVP space is limited
May 06 - SBS Annual General Meeting
7-9pm
May 22 - International Day for Biological Diversity
May 28 - Unsworth Fundraiser
Gourmet meal & silent auction*
June 05 - World Environment Day
June 07 - Canadas Clean Air Day
June 08 - World Oceans Day
July 03 - General Meeting @ SBS 7-9pm
August 05 - General Meeting @ SBS 7-9pm
August 13,14,15 - Watersheds Canada site visits*
August 23 - SBS@ Cobble Hill Fair
September 02 - General Meeting @ SBS
7-9pm
September 21 - SBS @ Quw'utsun Sta'lo' Skweyul 10am - 3pm
September 28 - World Rivers Day
October 07 - General Meeting @ SBS 7-9pm
November 04 - General Meeting @ SBS
7-9pm
November 10 Stebbings Community Forest hike
November 28 – CVRD Technical Advisory Team Meeting
November - Milfoil Removal Westarm
November 29 - Guest Speakers & Film screening at The Hub at Cowichan Station "Trouble In The Headwaters" see our events page for tickets & info
December 02 - General Meeting @ SBS
7-9pm
December 07 - Village Light Up Activities*
December 9 – CVRD Climate Gathering Conference
2024
January 1st - Recreation Raffle - Prize Draw
February 2nd - World Wetland Day
February 15 2025 10am - 2pm @SBS Volunteer Meet & Great with SLREC
February 26 to March 03 - Invasive Species Awareness week
March 03 2024 - World Wildlife Day
March 11 2024 - 7pm - 9pm CVRD presentation re Shawnigan Lake Village Waterworks Proposal at SLCC
March 22 2024 - World Water Day
April 4 CITIZEN SCIENCE Salmon survey training for Coho and Kokanee fry.
April 06 – PUBLIC HIKE Sooke Lake Road Community Forest and into the adjacent Crown Woodlot Walk
April 14 - PUBLIC HIKE - Crown woodlot
April 20 2024 - 10am - 2pm Shawnigan Rotary Eco Club Community Clean Up Day at SL Community Centre.
April 22 2024 - Earth Day
May 07 2024 - SBS Annual General Meeting
May 22 2024 - International Day for Biological Diversity
May 25th 2024- 10am - 4pm SBS at The Cowichan Valley Climate Solutions Expo at The Hub
June 05 2024 - World Environment Day
June 07 2024 - Canadas Clean Air Day
June 08 2024 - World Oceans Day
June 08 2024 - 10am -4pm Pop Up Art Sale featuring Jon Gugins Art and the fundraiser shirt he designed for SBS
June 15 2024 - 10am 12pm Rotary Club of Shawnigan Lake EcoClub 3rd anniversary
June 18 2024 – Cowichan Stewardship Round Table presentation on SBS Activities
July - What's in your Water campaign start
July 05 2024 - SLS @ SBS 7-9pm Salmon Enhancement program presentation
July- PUBLIC INFO BOOTH SBS @ Lush Nanaimo
August 21 2024 - 430 to 7pm CVRD @ SLCC Shawnigan Village Waterworks Proposal
August 25 - SBS @ Cobble Hill Fair
August 26 - Lower Cowichan River Clean
September 03 - 50/50 Raffle Draw
September 17 - 7 - 9pm SBS & BFWSS Forestry Forum at Mill Bay Hall
September 22 2024 – Quw’utsun Sta’lo’ Skweyul, Cowichan River Celebration
October 17 - Saanich Inlet Protection Society at KP Rec PUBLIC 2 – 430PM
October 20 - Shawnigan Lake Community Association Fall Fair 11:30am - 3pm
October 22 - Riverscape Restoration presented by Cheri Ayers @ SBS 7 - 9pm
October 23,24,25 - Coldwater Eurasian Milfoil Removal Testing
November 09- Member Pop Up Shop @ SBS 10am -4pm
December 07 - SLCA Christmas In The Village @SBS 4 - 630pm Community crafts
December 09 & 10 - CVRD Cowichan Region Climate Gathering
2023
April 13 7-9pm Thursday– Forestry Forum Indigenous Perspectives – Mill Bay Hall
April 21 4-7pm Friday - MBNS Fun Fair
April 22 10am - 2pm Saturday – Earth Day
SLREC- Rotary Community Clean up
May 22 World Biodiversity Day
May 27 9am - 2pm Saturday Info station at St Johns Academy Fun Fair
June - Island Return It Charity Of The Month
June 05 World Environment Day
CERCA Bat Symposium at VIU - 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
June 30th Friday– 2pm-5pm
West Shawnigan Lake Provincial Park Q’ushin’tul Ancestors Walk Rest Stop:
Walking Together on the Creation Story Pathway from T’sou-ke to Swuq’us
July 06- CERCA Bat Symposium at Providence Farm - 7:00 p.m. to 9:0 p.m.
August - Fundraising Raffle Begins
Sept - Indigenous Plant Medicine Walk - postponed
Sept 23 BC Rivers Day
Sept - Forestry Tour with Mosaic - postponed
October 13 - CVRD Local Area Planning 4-7pm at Shawnigan Community Centre
October 14 - CVRD Local Area Planning 11am-2pm at at SLCC
October 17 - Jay White - Cyanobacteria Presentation 7pm -9pm
November 30 - Art Auction Dinner at Unsworth 5pm - 830pm
January 1st 2024 - Raffle draw
* event details to be announced when confirmed
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Past Public Information Events
The Shawnigan Basin Society hosts a series of Shawnigan Watershed Information events. Past topics have included:
March 15th 2022 - Resilient Coast for Salmon with Kelly Loch - Virtually Zoom Meeting ID: 882 0265 8287 Passcode: 336082
February 15th 2022: Community Outreach Discussion - Vic Neufeld, BC Coalitions Institute
January 18th 2022: Coho Salmon Project with Ken Gray
October 30th 2021: Shawnigan Basin Society's Fundraiser at Cherry Point Estate Winery - Locally inspired, forest to foreshore, gourmet dinner, art centered silent auction and a perfect opportunity to enjoy some unique & award-winning local wines
September 11 & 18 2021 : Medicinal plant identification, traditional storytelling and medicine making with
Cowichan elder Della Rice Sylvester.
May 8th, 15th, 22nd 2021 : Koksilah Ancient Forest Reserve Tour - Guided Forest Walk & Talk with Ed Wiebe
November 5th 2020: Mosaic Virtual Tour! Presented by Molly Hudson - Director Sustainability; David Beleznay, Manager – Hydrology & Terrain; Pam Jorgenson – Land Use Forester
October 31th 2020: Biochar Burn with Shelagh Bell-Irving
October 20th 2020: Flower Power! Presented by Genevieve R. Singleton, B.Sc., Biology; M.Ed.,
Counselling Psych., Nature Interpreter, Biologist, Polster Environmental Services,
September 15th 2020: Gardening with Native plants presented by Dorothee Kieser, Master Gardener
September 4th & 18th 2020: Medicinal plant identification, traditional storytelling and medicine making with Cowichan elder Della Rice Sylvester.
May 2020: Shawnigan Basin Society Information Sessions with Directors Terry Lineham and Bernie Juurlink.
March 17th 2020: Cougars and Wolves and Bears... Oh my! Dr. Mira Ziolo
March-August 2020: Postponed due to COVID -19 health advisories
February 18 2020: DEVELOPING AN ECOLOGICAL LEGACY IN THE SHAWINIGAN LAKE WATERSHED
January 21 2020: Water Quality Studies In the Cowichan Valley by Kate Miller, Manager of Environmental Services
December 17 2019: THE WELLSMART PROGRAM
December 3 2019: WHO,WHAT,WHERE,WHEN,WHY & HOW
November 19 2019: Malahat Highway Bypass, Our surrounding area.
October 17 2018 : Has the time come for Municipal incorporation? Pros, cons, boundaries, costs and how does incorporation actually get established.
October 14 2018: Watershed Forest Tour...see below for details.
October 2018: Whole watershed planning. How to take advantage of the new water sustainability act to develop a sustainable watershed management plan. Incorporating Shawnigan is discussed in Saving Water: Stewardship of the Shawnigan Community Watershed in Chapter Eleven.
September 26 2018: A 50 Year Perspective on the watershed forest, how forest companies are planning for the future in the shadow of climate change and how we also could look 50 years ahead for all of our community interests
September 19 2018: Foreshore Restoration, and how to make your shoreline natural again
September 12 2018: Milfoil invasion in the lake, and what we can do about it.
Additionally, the book Saving Water: Stewardship of the Shawnigan Community Watershed by Bruce Fraser, Kelly Musselwhite, Brock Musselwhite and Chase Musselwhite has been published
and is now available through the Shawnigan Lake Museum for $20 per copy.
All proceeds will be donated to the Museum to help with their expansion project.
"Three generations speak about the state of the Shawnigan watershed, the need for a heightened sense of environmental awareness and a wide-ranging approach to ecological governance of the community. Topics include ecological principles, lake and watershed issues, planning for the future and municipal incorporation. The book contains both technical and deeply personal material but it is the comments from Brock at twelve and Chase at ten that give a stunningly clear perspective on what really matters." (Bruce Fraser)
Look 50 Years into the Future with the Basin Society
Watershed Forest Tour 2017
The greatest influence on the security of our watershed is the ecological health of the upland forest. Much of that forest is the private domain of two major forest companies, Timber West and Island Timberlands, both of which continue to harvest their land when the trees have matured to commercial value. In the last decade or so, the watershed forests have been logged, replanted, and now await the next rotation some 50 years into the future. To make sure that there will be a healthy crop of trees for that next rotation the companies will tend their plantations dealing with threats of drought, fire, disease and pests. Their healthy forest is our secure watershed. Their 50 years of forest management is our 50 years of life and community.
What do we have to look forward to in Shawnigan in the next 50 years? How old will you be? How old will your children be? How many people will live in Shawnigan? What will the village look like? What will have happened to our lake? How will the same issues that concern a forest company over the next 50 years influence our lives – climate change, population growth, water demand, economic development, social licence for industry? Most often we only think in terms of next year, next pay cheque, next vacation, next school year or next election, let alone time two generations away.
Timber West and Island Timberlands rouse to the challenge of illustrating their 50-year perspective on the forest with residents of Shawnigan. They demonstrated what it takes to deal with rotation length planning and challenged us to demonstrate what it takes to plan for our society over the same span. This took start with a forestry field trip into the watershed highlands on October 14' 2017. The companies illustrated on the ground what the long-term perspective looks like to foresters. The Basin Society will follow up with a dialogue with the participants to explore what the long-term perspective looks like to Shawnigan citizens.
What do we have to look forward to in Shawnigan in the next 50 years? How old will you be? How old will your children be? How many people will live in Shawnigan? What will the village look like? What will have happened to our lake? How will the same issues that concern a forest company over the next 50 years influence our lives – climate change, population growth, water demand, economic development, social licence for industry? Most often we only think in terms of next year, next pay cheque, next vacation, next school year or next election, let alone time two generations away.
Timber West and Island Timberlands rouse to the challenge of illustrating their 50-year perspective on the forest with residents of Shawnigan. They demonstrated what it takes to deal with rotation length planning and challenged us to demonstrate what it takes to plan for our society over the same span. This took start with a forestry field trip into the watershed highlands on October 14' 2017. The companies illustrated on the ground what the long-term perspective looks like to foresters. The Basin Society will follow up with a dialogue with the participants to explore what the long-term perspective looks like to Shawnigan citizens.
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