By Madeline Baker, Times Chronicle

The fourth Nk’Mip Osoyoos Lake Water Science Forum, “The Heart of the Watershed: Bridging Indigenous and Western Approaches to Knowledge, Science and Management,” will finally be presented this month after several re-schedules due to COVID-19 restrictions.  

Described as a “cross-border gathering connecting residents and researchers, policy-makers and water managers with a shared interest in the health of the lake,” these water forums were also held in 2007, 2011, and 2015, and the fourth installment has been highly anticipated, according to the Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB).

This year’s water forum is a joint project between the Osoyoos Indian Band, Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA), the International Joint Commission (IJC), OBWB, and the Town of Osoyoos.

It will feature topics such as management of lake water levels, Indigenous knowledge about lake health, and the impacts of climate change, with speakers from the Syilx nation, IJC Commission, and United Nations University. 

“I’m looking forward to weaving our syilx knowledge systems – our ways of learning, into the discussion,” said Kelly Terbasket, program director of IndigenEYEZ and co-facilitator of the forum, who called it “a very important step” to building relationships between policy makers and citizens who care about the lake’s well-being.

“Our people have been here since time immemorial and have knowledge systems, principles and practices that have helped ensure a sustainable water supply,” she said. “Yet, we have not been included in discussions that affect the water. You can build a great strategy, but you won’t go anywhere without relationship.”

OBWB Executive Director and conference chair Anna Warwick Sears has seen how direct action follows the conversations held at past forums, and she believes that they are “the best opportunity for folks to speak directly to the people who manage the lake.”

The Nk’Mip water forum takes place from October 27 to 29, opening with a reception at the Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre. Registration ranges from $20 to $35 for residents of Oliver, Osoyoos, and Oroville and includes the reception, breakfasts, lunches, and snacks. First Nations members and students attend for free.

More information and a link to registration can be found at www.obwb.ca/olwsf.