Local Actions Make a Difference in a Changing Climate
Lessons from the C.A.R.L. Project
Presented by
Dr. Ruth Waldick
Thursday, February 19
7:00 pm
Library Program Room
As amazing and bizarre as it seems, Climate Change no longer has a front row seat in the news, nor does it even seem to be a major political focus! But we all know that the world and its living inhabitants will face ever-growing risks from climate-related events such as fire, drought, flooding, biodiversity loss, unlivable heat, or crop failures, and others. How much at risk are we here on Salt Spring Island? - now, and in the near future? … and is anyone doing anything about it?
In this presentation, Dr. Ruth Waldick will speak to these questions based on the lessons she and her co-workers have learned at the Climate Adaptation Research Lab (C.A.R.L.) Project in the Maxwell Creek watershed. The Project, under the umbrella of Transition Salt Spring, started in 2023 and since then has had many successes including the involvement of volunteers (including students) diving into on-the-ground restoration work and other climate action.
Dr. Waldick is enthusiastic about presenting insights gained from the Project: “This is the first opportunity I have had to talk about our learnings, work and approaches, I am very excited about this!”
Conditions in the Watershed have changed dramatically over time, but not all of this is due to changes in climate. This presentation shows that the story is more complicated. By looking at the watershed’s history—including past land use, disturbances, and management decisions—we see how these factors have interacted with climate change to shape today’s conditions.
Ruth will show the importance of understanding and action in order to help communities focus on practical solutions – even in a changing climate.
Dr. Waldick is an ecologist and climate scientist with over 25 years of experience leading hands-on projects across Canada. In recent years she has focused on weather extremes at the local and regional scale to understand how how climate change will impact communities and local ecosystems. She is the Lead Scientist, and Project Coordinator, for the Climate Adaptation Research Lab (C.A.R.L.) Project, now playing a central role in an emerging Salish Sea-wide network of restoration efforts.
Join us on Thursday, February 19, 2026 at the Library Program Room to learn about her team's work on 'nature-based' approaches for restoring ecological resilience, and to learn how you might become involved. The talk is FREE and open to the public. Sponsored by Nature Salt Spring and the SSI Public Library.