The fight against invasive weeds and shrubs in a popular park has earned an outstanding award.
The Invasive Species Council of BC (ISCBC) presents six Together in Action (TIA) Award winners at the Invastives 2025 Forum Feb. 25.
Coldstream's own Friends of Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park are the recipients of the Outstanding Organization Award.
The non-profit society is completely volunteer-run and has been operating in the Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park for 20 years.
These dedicated stewards work to minimize the impacts of invasive species, increase awareness, and facilitate accessible, hands-on learning opportunities.
They facilitate and attend regional events, help with weed pulls, and share promotional materials through their networks.
"The Together in Action Awards are a testament to the incredible work being done in our communities every day to safeguard biodiversity in B.C.," said ISCBC executive director Gail Wallin. 鈥淭he significant contributions being made in research and innovation, and the level of conviction to not only take action but to advocate and inspire others to make a difference is truly commendable. The winners of these awards are remarkable role models with such a strong stewardship focus.鈥�
While these annual awards are typically presented to two individuals during Invasive Species Action Month in May, these additional awards will be presented in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the ISCBC Forum.
The TIA Awards recognize and celebrate individuals and groups who show outstanding leadership and innovation in preventing, managing, and educating about invasive species.
An additional award, the Lifetime Achievement Award - honouring an individual who has demonstrated outstanding dedication, leadership, and impact in invasive species management throughout their lifetime 鈥� will be awarded at the end of 2025.
The recipient of the Student Impact Award is Lauren Mckenna, a student at Trinity Western University and a member of The Knotweed Lab, studying environmentally conscious solutions for knotweed management and generating awareness.
The recipient of the Rising Star Award is Hunter Jarrett, the communications wizard behind @invasivespeciesguy on Instagram, promoting invasive species prevention, management, and ecological stewardship.
The recipient of the Inspiring Educator Award is Amelita Kucher, a Science and Environmental Leadership teacher, head of the Science Department, and EcoClub founder at Mount Douglas Secondary School in Victoria.
The recipient of the Leadership Excellence Award is Carrie Reid, a member of the Qualicum First Nation where she serves as a prevention worker and coordinates annual spring break weed pulls and leads efforts to manage invasive species in her community. ork.
The recipients of the Indigenous Leadership Award are the Witwaak (Ka:yu:'k't'h' / Che:k'tles7et'h' First Nations (KCFN)) Stewardship Officers. The Witwaak are eight community members that protect natural and cultural resources within the territory for present and future generations. Actively preventing the rapid increase of European green crabs (EGC) into territorial waters, the Witwaak are helping to ensure that culturally significant species forming the foundation of the traditional food systems are preserved.
