Submitted by Wildsight

Wildsight’s Youth Climate Corps (YCC) is back for its third season in Kimberley/Cranbrook.

Wildsight’s YCC seeks to address the climate emergency with tangible solutions while empowering young adults with  the knowledge and tools to combat climate change.

The seven-member crew began in May with on-the-ground training to prepare for a full season of projects. Kootenay Employment Services provided the crew with a specialized training program that includes mentorship and guidance to help prepare participants for future career options after the season ends.

Team members are learning about fire ecology and wildfire fuel sampling methods. They will get the opportunity to work on a number of unique projects, including wildfire risk-reduction at the Kimberley Nature Park, and in Bull River in partnership with the Nature Trust of BC.

A new project launching this season for YCC is at Kimberley’s Lois Creek. Working alongside the Friends of Lois Creek, Kimberley Trails Society, MacHydro, and the City of Kimberley, the team will begin undertaking a small-scale, community-oriented steam and wetland restoration project located on the Lois Creek trail system this summer.

The crews will explore local food systems as they support local food recovery in both Kimberley and Cranbrook. Projects include working alongside Kimberley and Cranbrook Food Recovery, volunteering at a local farm, and teaming up with our Kimberley/Cranbrook Wildsight branch on food projects such as apple capture and getting their hands dirty in the community garden.

Other small but significant projects for this season’s crew include Whitebark Pine recovery, native wildfire seed collection, and pollinator meadow restoration.

YCC will also be undertaking a community engagement project with the second annual Fix-It Fair. This is a great opportunity to come meet the team, find out more about the Youth Climate Corps, and get your old and broken stuff fixed at the same time. Come to the Over Time Beer Works Patio in Kimberley Saturday, June 17 from 12–3 p.m.

“The diversity of projects our crews get to participate in continues to grow,” said Tim Chapman, YCC Kimberley/ Cranbrook coordinator. “Increasingly, our team gets to dip their toes into more and more climate-related fields. This is super helpful for these young folks to determine what may or may not be of interest when pursuing a career or continued education. We certainly seem to have our core projects and partners that we are working with year over year, which adds a feeling of stability to our work. This season we also have many new partners and projects; it really keeps things interesting.”

To learn more about Wildsight’s Youth Climate Corps, visit www.wildsight.ca/ycc

Wildsight thanks Arjay R. and Frances F. Miller Foundation, Catherine Donnelly Foundation, the City of Nelson, Columbia Basin Trust, Eco Canada, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Get Youth Working!, Kootenay Career Development Society, Kootenay Employment Services, 128 Collective, the Province of BC, the Regional District of Central Kootenay, RBC Foundation, and our many community partners for making the Youth Climate Corps possible.

Lead image: The crew completed S100/S185 & Chainsaw training to prepare for this season’s projects. Photo submitted

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