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Mitigating the Economic and Social Effects of Drought in Kamloops
Get PDFDrought, defined as a prolonged period of below normal precipitation, which may result in a water shortage, poses significant environmental and socio-economic challenges. Located in the interior of British Columbia, the city of Kamloops is particularly susceptible to drought due to its semi-arid climate and increasing exposure to climate-induced temperature variability. These conditions place considerable strain on the region’s water resources, ecosystems, and economic stability. By integrating primary data collected through a community survey, the study aims to evaluate the perceived effects of drought and corresponding water restrictions, identify key areas of vulnerability, and assess the viability of local adaptation strategies. As droughts become an increasingly persistent feature of the regional climate, evidence-based, community-oriented approaches will be essential to support long-term resilience and sustainable water management in Kamloops
A Journey Through Decolonization, Reconciliation, and Indigenous Resilience: Book Review: Lytton: Climate Change, Colonialism and Life before the Fire – A Journey Through Decolonization, Reconciliation, and Indigenous Resilience
No full textLytton: Climate Change, Colonialism and Life before the Fire by Peter Edwards and Kevin Loring explores the complex relationships between climate change, colonialism, and community resilience in Lytton, British Columbia. Once a central and thriving part of the Nlaka\u27pamux Nation, Lytton now symbolizes the complex effects of colonial disruption and environmental change, worsened by the devastating 2021 wildfire.
The book emphasizes Indigenous knowledge systems and the cultural significance of land stewardship, offering an integrated framework for learning rooted in traditional ecological knowledge and contemporary approaches. Storytelling plays a crucial role in this framework, serving as both a research method and a means of cultural preservation (Lewis, 2011). By embedding narratives within academic discourse, Indigenous communities assert their histories and knowledge systems in ways that counter colonial erasure. However, while storytelling is an essential tool for decolonization, it must also be supported by concrete policy frameworks to address systemic injustices (Alfred, 2009; Coulthard, 2014). While the book critiques colonialism, it does not engage deeply with land-back initiatives or Indigenous legal frameworks that ensure sovereignty beyond symbolic recognition (Alfred, 2009; Coulthard, 2014). Discussing legal precedents like the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) could have enhanced its policy contributions.
This review builds on Tucker\u27s (2024) earlier journalistic reflection in The British Columbia Review, which focused on the book\u27s narrative style and accessibility for a general audience. In contrast, this review takes a scholarly approach, situating Lytton: Climate Change, Colonialism and Life Before the Fire within academic discussions on decolonization, Indigenous methodologies, and climate justice. While the book amplifies Indigenous voices, it overlooks governance models like co-managed conservation areas that assert sovereignty beyond colonial systems (Simpson, 2017; Pasternak, 2017). This review critically examines storytelling, land-based learning, and Two-Eyed Seeing, integrating scholarly sources to assess its academic and policy contributions. It also critiques the book\u27s lack of concrete policy pathways and limited engagement with Indigenous governance, highlighting both its strengths and areas for further development. Ultimately, the book contributes to decolonization and climate justice by using storytelling to foster empathy and bridge Indigenous methodologies with sustainable practices
A Comparative Analysis of Transportation Systems in Kamloops and Vancouver: The effects on the environment and sustainable living
Get PDFTransportation systems shape urban sustainability, health, and everyday life. This study compares Vancouver and Kamloops, B.C., to assess how infrastructure influences travel behavior and per-capita transportation emissions. Using publicly available government data, planning documents, statistical records, and prior studies, supplemented by lived experience, we analyze mode shares, transit accessibility, walkability, and emission profiles. Vancouver’s integrated network of frequent transit, protected cycling routes, and transit-oriented neighbourhoods corresponds to lower transportation emissions at 39 percent and higher active-mode use of walking and cycling at 29 percent. In Kamloops, car dependence dominates (88% of trips), and transportation contributes a larger share of emissions at 66 pc. Kamloops\u27 fragmented walkability and topographic constraints further limit alternatives. While geographic and environmental factors preclude a simple replication of Vancouver’s model, targeted improvements in Kamloops—such as enhanced bus frequency and coverage, connected and protected cycling infrastructure, and walkable, mixed-use neighbourhood design—could deliver meaningful reductions in emissions and co-benefits for public health and social inclusion. The findings highlight that even in car-dependent mid-sized cities, incremental, context-sensitive interventions in sustainable transport can yield outsized gains.
Keywords: sustainable transport, mode share, transit accessibility, walkability, per-capita emissions, mid-sized citie
How Old-Growth Forest Conservation Policies Support Caribou Recovery in British Columbia
Get PDFThis research examines the critical policy intersection between old-growth forest preservation and caribou conservation strategies in British Columbia. Caribou depend heavily on old-growth forests for lichen, their primary food source. In response, British Columbia has implemented policies aimed at protecting old-growth ecosystems, thereby indirectly safeguarding caribou habitats. While alternative methods such as predator control (e.g., wolf reduction) and maternal penning provide short-term conservation gains, long-term caribou recovery requires substantial protection of old-growth forests. However, expanding conservation efforts entails significant opportunity costs, particularly the loss of logging revenues that remain vital to the provincial economy. To explore these dynamics, this study applies a simple extinction model to evaluate the impact of different forest management scenarios on caribou population trajectories. Through a comprehensive review and critical analysis of current forest preservation policies, the study identifies key gaps and proposes strategic enhancements to strengthen conservation efforts. The findings emphasize that preserving old-growth forests not only supports caribou survival but also enhances British Columbia’s ecosystem services and long-term ecological resilience. Keywords: caribou population, policy review, old-growth forest, British Columbia, economics of conservatio
Nicole Favron: CURATORIAL STATEMENT
No full textThis curatorial statement offers a reflective account of the Explorations in Art and Artificial Intelligence exhibition, developed alongside Twyla Exner’s Fall 2024 course, VISA 3830: Experiments in AI Art at Thompson Rivers University. Written by Nicole Favron, a Bachelor of Fine Arts student and research assistant, the statement provides an intimate view into the emotional and conceptual journeys of student artists as they engaged with generative AI in their creative practices. It explores the tensions between fear and curiosity, the challenges of collaboration with emerging technologies, and the ways in which artists maintained authenticity while experimenting with new tools. Favron’s perspective emphasizes the evolving role of AI in the arts and celebrates the personal and collective growth of the participating students—herself included
Feminine Resilience: Indigenous Women of British Columbia, 1850-1900
Get PDFThe status of women throughout various stages of North American history shifted according to the cultural influences of the groups of people interacting in specific locations. In British Columbia, the arrival of European settlers to the area brought with it a number of social and cultural changes, including an increase in the subordination of girls and women. The presence of clashing groups in British Columbia caused Indigenous women to often choose to rebel against the expectation that they were to submit to white settlers. The shifts taking place in the region showed an increasing emphasis on patrilineal structures of families and society, and a lessening of matrilineal models, which were most often common in Indigenous cultures and nearly non-existent in European culture. A review of the literature reveals clashes that took place in modern day British Columbia between Indigenous people and European settlers, with Indigenous women suffering increased oppression and subjugation, with many of them essentially being forced into sexual servitude by male Europeans. The tensions between these groups not only lead to unspeakable tragedy but also toward Indigenous women fighting back against their oppressors. This paper will follow the experiences of these Indigenous women specifically in the period from 1850 to 1900
