Local scientist to discuss water issues in public speaker series

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What’s up with water in the Okanagan?

A lot, and Dr. Anna Warwick Sears is eager to tell you about it at a public lecture at Okanagan College’s Kalamalka Campus on Tuesday, September 27 at 7:30 p.m. This talk is presented by the Science in Society Speaker Series (a joint project by Okanagan Science Centre and the Okanagan College).

 

Dr. Warwick Sears is the Executive Director of the Okanagan Basin Water Board, a local government agency focused on water sustainability in the arid interior of British Columbia. More information can be found about her work and concerns at Okanagan Basin Water Board website and Dr. Warwick Sears’ blog.

The Okanagan has become a center for water science and policy innovation in Canada. Many important questions need to be answered concerning our water resources: How do we protect our aquatic environments? What activities should be allowed in the forested drainages around drinking water sources? How will we adapt to climate change? Who will go after the polluters? Who pays for what? New models are evolving in British Columbia to regulate the use of water including such approaches as collaborative governance. As the government of British Columbia is in the process of revising its century-old water act, informed input, from all stakeholders, is crucial. In this talk, Dr. Warwick Sears will be sharing the latest issues and approaches of the Okanagan Basin Water Board.

Warwick Sears received a Ph.D. in population biology at the University of California – Davis, studying competition for resources in arid environments. Before coming to the Okanagan in 2006, she was the Research Director of an environmental non-profit in California, leading watershed restoration and planning initiatives. Dr. Warwick Sears is particularly interested in using science to solve real-world problems and building bridges with community stakeholders.

Admission is $5 in advance or $7 at the door. Please contact the Okanagan Science Centre www.okscience.ca or call (250) 545-3644 for advanced purchase of tickets or for more information.

This event is sponsored by the Best Western Vernon Lodge, the Morning Star, Starbucks Coffee, and Sweet Caroline’s Bakery.
For more information, contact:

• Carl Doige, Okanagan College (250) 545-7291 ext. 2286
• Sandi Dixon, Okanagan Science Centre (250) 545-3644  

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