Osoyoos’ Richard Walker will be talking about his new book Food Forestry North of the 49th when he speaks at the Osoyoos Desert Society’s Winter Program Series on Feb. 27. (Keith Lacey photo)
Starting next week through early April, the Osoyoos Desert Society will once again be hosting its popular Winter Program Series. This year’s series includes four programs, each featuring a documentary film and guest speaker or presentation.
The series kicks off on Saturday, Feb. 20 with a film and lecture about fire management and ecology. In the documentary Disturbance, biologists, fire managers, politicians and citizens discuss fire issues in the Northern Rockies. After the film, ecologist and noted author Don Gayton will take a closer look at local fire ecology research and management strategies.
A book signing, with a selection of Mr. Gayton’s books, will be held following the presentation.
The second program in the series, scheduled on Saturday, Feb. 27, features the film What Plants Talk About. The documentary seamlessly combines hardcore science with a light-hearted look at plant behavior and the surprisingly complex lives plants lead. Following the film, Richard Walker will discuss food forest gardening, a sustainable way of growing food and medicine plants using less water and trapping carbon. The gardening technique is based on nature’s systems and successful indigenous systems used over the ages.
The program will conclude with a book signing.
On March 12, the series continues with a special presentation on bats, one of nature’s most intriguing – and misunderstood – species.
Guest speaker Margaret Holm, with the Okanagan Community Bat Program, will share fascinating facts about our local bat species and what you can do to help them. Prior to the talk, a documentary will examine the life of bats and current threats to their survival.
The fourth and final program in the series will be held in late March/early April (date to be announced).
The program will feature Sagebrush Sea, a documentary exploring the immense sea of sagebrush that once stretched 500,000 square miles across North America.
The film tracks the Greater Sage-Grouse and other wildlife through the seasons as they struggle to survive in this rugged and changing landscape.
After the screening, the Desert Society will hold its annual general meeting, including a presentation highlighting the Society’s recent projects and programs and its plans for the coming year.
Admission to the Osoyoos Desert Society’s Winter Program Series is by donation.
Programs run from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Watermark Beach Resort.
For more information about the series, contact the Osoyoos Desert Society at [email protected] or you can call the Osoyoos office at 250-495-2470.
To stay up-to-date on all of the Desert Society’s events, visit the society’s website at www.desert.org and click on the News and Events page.
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