Wednesday, October 27, 2021 6:30 – 8:30 pm via zoom
Thank you to all who joined us for this dynamic discussion with Dr Ruth Waldick TSS, Bill Henderson: Moderator, Musician, Dr. Susan Hannon: President of the Salt Spring Island Conservancy, Mitchell Sherrin: Captain at Salt Spring Island Fire Rescue, Mark Whitear: Forester, Bryan Young: Chair TSS.
Please find the recorded video on our Youtube channel here: https://youtu.be/SJybr0SJ4_A
Please find the Chat Link Here.
Enjoy this all-star community cast as we dive into ways that you can steward your land to better conserve water, maintain healthier ecosystems and prevent wildfires. An evening for property-owners, land-stewards, neighbourhood pods, foresters and landscapers.
Do you wonder …What should I do to prevent the spread of wildfire around my home?
Should I be cutting trees or branches near my house?
What should I plant to retain moisture, protect my home from fires?
What happens when I limb trees for a view?
What do I do with all the biomass building up?
How can I work with my neighbours to preserve forest ecologies and prevent the spread of wildfire?
What is regenerative forestry, and how does it apply to the land I live on?
Together with a team of forest experts, Transition Salt Spring has been visiting properties with diverse ecosystems to help property owners determine how to retain moisture on their land, conserve water, how to manage native plant and tree species, and protect their properties from wildfire. This evening discussion will help provide you with tips on managing your property and working with your neighbours to do the same while learning more about water retention, fire risk and our forests…!
Our host, Bill Henderson, is best known as a singer, songwriter, and guitarist with Chilliwack. He is also a member of the Order of Canada and in the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. Bill is curious about how he, as a community member, can learn more about how climate change is impacting our island ecology and how we take action to steward land in our forested community.
Mitchell Sherrin is a fire captain with 18 years of experience at Salt Spring Island Fire Rescue. Mitchell is an educator, firefighter, and active member of our community. He is the local FireSmart Coordinator for FireSmart BC, and lives on a hobby farm with his wife Mylene, and many great animals. Mitchell is interested in building community resiliency and educating islanders about the responsibilities of living in a rural forested community to prevent the spread of wildfire.
Susan Hannon is a retired ecology professor who spent her professional career working in forests and studying the effects of forest fragmentation on birds. She moved to Salt Spring 11 years ago and immediately joined the Salt Spring Island Conservancy with the goal of doing ‘hands-on’ conservation. As the President of the SSI Conservancy, Susan has recently been working with SSI Fire and Rescue to understand the state of our forests and how to protect them into the future. Susan is active in the community serving on other conservation boards and the Coastal Douglas-fir Science Working group.
Mark Whitear is a forester, miller and high-end custom furniture maker who came directly to SSI from the U.K. in 1990 and set up an organic farm on an overgrown 1800’s farm. He follows the system Orville Camp developed in Oregon called “natural selection sustainable forestry,” which harvests weaker trees and leaves stronger dominant trees standing to increase growth. Mark derived income from tree cutting but stopped selling raw logs, choosing instead to purchase a portable bandsaw mill to make lumber locally. Mark does custom milling and has deep experience managing a forest on SSI.