Youth Climate Corps B.C. and Wildsight are launching another summer of climate-action work in the East and West Kootenays, with crews returning to communities across the region for a sixth year.
The program, which began in the Kootenays in 2020 through Wildsight, has grown into a provincewide initiative connecting young people with local governments, organizations and residents to support community-based climate projects. Wildsight continues to lead the East and West Kootenay crews.
This summer, crews led by Tim Chapman and Melissa Lavery will work alongside municipalities and community partners on projects aimed at strengthening local resilience and supporting environmental stewardship.
The two teams of five will focus on wildfire risk reduction, ecosystem restoration, local food systems, water stewardship, youth leadership development and community education and outreach.
One of the season’s major projects will bring both crews together in Creston later this month to support wildfire risk reduction efforts through forest-management practices designed to reduce open burning. The project will also explore the use of biochar as a way to connect climate action with local economic opportunities.
The work builds on projects completed by crews in 2025. Last year, East and West Kootenay participants contributed 925 climate-action days to projects that included invasive-species removal, native-plant restoration, water-source mapping, forest-fire prevention and food recovery initiatives.
“We’re excited to launch our 13th and 14th crews in the Kootenays this summer,” said Graeme Lee Rowlands, Wildsight’s director of water and climate and staff lead for YCC. “Working alongside YCCBC to create productive and purposeful employment opportunities for young adults has been such a rewarding experience, and we’re anticipating another incredible season for our crews here in the Kootenays and across B.C.”
Wildsight and Youth Climate Corps B.C. said the program continues to expand into more communities as demand grows for local climate adaptation and youth employment opportunities.
Brittny Anderson, B.C.’s minister of state for local governments and rural communities, said the program is helping young people become leaders in their communities while supporting climate resilience across the region.
“It’s incredibly encouraging to see young people across the Kootenays stepping into leadership roles and making a tangible difference in their communities. Youth Climate Corps is creating pathways for youth to build skills, find purpose, and contribute to a stronger and more climate-resilient future for British Columbia. I have been a champion of the Youth Climate Corps program since its inception, and have seen the impact over the past 6 years. I am excited to see the province of BC continue to fund and support young people in the Kootenays.”
