COTR International Students Visit the Kimberley Nature Park

On September 1, six KNPS members teamed up with the College of the Rockies International Program to lead 40 international students from the College of the Rockies (COTR) on a walk in the Kimberley Nature Park. The students are from a variety of countries: India, Nigeria, Kenya, Peru, Mexico, Maldives, and others. They are here in the East Kootenay for two years, taking courses at the COTR.

As part of their orientation, the COTR brought students to the Kimberley Alpine Resort for a look at the broader community. KNPS was asked if they would take the students on a venture in the Kimberley Natural Park to introduce them to some of the natural features of the East Kootenay. KNPS responded by designing a walk in the KNP and splitting the students into four groups, each led by an experienced KNPS member.

Since most of these students were from large cities, the exposure to areas with few people and rough trails and roads was a new experience for many of them. They were introduced to the concepts of ecosystems being communities of interacting organisms, some of the plants and animals found here, the differences to what is found in their home countries, the threat of wildfires, and the idea of interface forest thinning to protect the community from wildfire. In return, the students shared information and stories about their home countries.

Support from Simply Kimberley in transporting students to and from the walk made this event

possible.