Meet the Winlaw Watershed Committee Board of Directors

Lesley Mayfield

(she/her)

My husband and I built a house in Winlaw, and have lived here since 1989. From past experiences, I arrived with a strong appreciation for water. - for 10 years in the rural North Peace country, we (and thousands of others) BOUGHT ALL OUR HOUSEHOLD WATER from fleets of tanker delivery trucks. The ground water there is so sulphurous. - before that, years of backpacker international travel meant carrying water from dubious sources, with subsequent consequences to health - before that, I had a hand pump outside in the yard Yes, I appreciate water. Of course water is not just for humans and livestock. I’ve camped and marvelled at nature from southern deserts to the wilds of the Yukon. Everywhere water, or lack of it, shapes entire ecosystems. Joining the WWC in the early ‘90s, I became part of the active campaign to prevent industrial scale logging of the Winlaw drainage. Thank you to all the others who also spoke at Ministry meetings, went on field trips, wrote proposals, raised funds, and made the Water Monitoring Program happen. (I think my favourite volunteer hours were the Wednesday afternoons with Jen and the Passmore Laboratory microscopes, identifying those tiny stream-bottom critturs from our samples!) Eventually those years of campaigning achieved the Community Forest License we have today, which gives us control over forestry in our own watersheds. SIFCo, (Slocan Integral Forestry Cooperative) was created to hold that license. I currently hold a seat on the SIFCo Board, one of two from the WWC, and am proud to do so. It’s been a long journey.

Josée Corrigan

(she/her)

Joselin is a Metis, West Kootenay family, civil and child protection mediator with an MA in Dispute Resolution, JIBC mediation certificates, and roster membership with Mediate BC and Hear the Child. She and her family have lived in Winlaw since 1998. She feels fortunate to be serving the Winlaw community, where she loves to be, through watershed activities.

Ashley Emery

(he/him)

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Tyler Abbott

(he/him)

Tracy Barkman

(she/her)

Tracy is committed to the health and wellness of our community watershed. She has lived in the Slocan Valley since 2011, and brings over 2 decades of experience in early childhood education. Her work for the Early Childhood Pedagogy Network focuses on fostering relational and place-based engagements with children, educators and communities. Tracy is committed to deepening connections with our local watersheds, exploring how young children build relationships with water and land. She is particularly interested in how these connections shape our collective responsibilities to these lands and watersheds, and their complex histories, ecologies and futures.

What we do

The board members of the Winlaw Watershed Committee play a crucial role in guiding the organization’s efforts to preserve and protect our local watershed ecosystems. They oversee the implementation of our constitution, which includes preserving water sources, enhancing fish and wildlife habitats, and promoting local stewardship. The board is responsible for strategic planning, fostering cooperation among community members and government entities, and supporting educational activities related to watershed management.

Their dedication ensures that we can effectively monitor, restore, and advocate for the health of Winlaw and Dumont Creek watersheds, benefiting both current residents and future generations.

Contact Us

First & Last Name

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Our History

1992

Title of Event

Local residents organized in concern over MoF’s developing plans for large-scale logging in the watershed. Society Incorporation registered in 1995.

1996-2000

Title of Event

Building a knowledge-based defence: From Terrain Stability studies to the Slocan Valley Water Monitoring Program, we commissioned, helped with and insisted upon accurate information in all negotiations.

1994 & 1998

Title of Event

Lobby for creation of a Riparian Corridor, a buffer between private lots and the creek, in the new subdivision.

Build a flood control berm in the Corridor, since massive (natural) deposits of rocks had raised the creekbed almost level with Paradise Valley Rd.

2004 onwards

Title of Event

Create and organize the MayDay fundraiser to support the Water Monitoring Program.

Begin the work with EACT and RMRA water user groups that would eventually lead to obtaining a Community Forest Licence, and the creaton of SIFCo, the entity to hold and manage it.

Become a Member

We welcome new members who are interested in better understanding our watershed – what has happened in the past, conditions at present, and possible future endeavours.

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