Reflections on Mountain Resilience
The editors of the 2021 State of the Mountains Report share their thoughts on how 2021 has reminded us that we are stronger when we face environmental challenges together.
A scenic summer on Mt Revelstoke. Photo: Tom Poole courtesy of Tourism Revelstoke.
Resilience. That word may well sum up our collective state of mind in 2021. Resilience to face the public health and personal challenges of a persistent COVID-19 pandemic. Resilience to take the actions necessary to address the global crisis resulting from increasing greenhouse gas emissions and continuing climate change. Resilience to reverse the worrying decline of natural habitats and biodiversity. Perhaps this year has also reminded us that we are stronger when we face these challenges together.
This 4th annual State of the Mountains Report, produced by the Alpine Club of Canada (ACC), continues our commitment to providing accessible, current, and accurate information about the forces that are influencing Canadian mountain places, ecosystems, and communities. This report is a collaborative effort between the ACC, mountain researchers, community members, and partner organizations, and once again we are grateful to the many experts who have generously provided their insights and perspectives. Mountains provide critical natural and economic resources like water, biodiversity, forests and recreational opportunities. They are also home for many people living in small and remote communities. Yet both local and global changes influence these places in ways that are still not well understood.
“Canada’s mountains are resilient landscapes, and so are the people who reside among them, but more than ever we all need to be stewards of these special places.”
Our feature story this year chronicles a year in the life of the community of Revelstoke, British Columbia, a year where the global pandemic exposed vulnerabilities and inequities, but also increased the need to be compassionate and caring. Jill Zacharias and Simon Hunt describe the adaptation, resilience, and change experienced by this mountain town, and the opportunities that have emerged to plan for an even better future.
The importance of utilizing different ways of knowing, and particularly Indigenous knowledge, in documenting the state of Canada’s mountains is also growing. Andrew Trant and colleagues describe the extensive environmental changes occurring in the Torngat Mountains of northern Nunatsiavut, Labrador, documented through scientific studies and the sharing of Inuit Knowledge. Bill Snow provides an overview of Stoney Cultural Monitoring activities that the Stoney Nakoda First Nations in Alberta have initiated to inform science and management in the Rocky Mountains, while also preserving and enhancing Traditional Knowledge. And Mary Sanseverino and Geoff Bennett tell the stor y of collaboration behind the new ACC hut on Vancouver Island that was honoured with an Indigenous name: Hišimy̓awiƛ (Hi-SHIM-ya-wit).
Documenting knowledge of mountains and mountain places also has a unique literary heritage within the mountaineering community. David Jones reflects on some of the attributes of alpine and mountaineering guidebooks, which have provided climbers with useful information on possible climbing objectives for decades. But he also foreshadows their likely demise as new-fangled technology replaces paper.
We were unable to meet in person this year, but the editors of Volume 4 enjoyed many productive Zoom meetings. Top (L-R): Lael Parrott and David Hik; Bottom: Zac Robinson.
In previous years, we have covered the rapid demise of mountain glaciers across western Canada, and in this volume Brian Menounos summaries recent analyses showing that glacier mass loss from British Columbia glaciers has accelerated over the last decade (2009-2019). He also outlines some of the new methodologies that are being developed to improve the monitoring of glaciers.
We also take a closer look at the ecology and conservation of several mountain species and their environments. Rolf Vinebrooke discusses some of the ecological surprises associated with the ‘clarification’ of glacial mountain lakes, as reduced sediment inputs as glaciers recede leads to a shif t in lake colour from a milky turquoise to translucent blue. Colleen Cassady St. Clair describes effor ts by researchers, Canadian Pacific Railway and Parks Canada to reduce train-caused mortality of grizzly bears in Banff National Park. And continuing with our theme of resilience, Adam Taylor and Cheyney Jackson provide an update on the status of the Vancouver Island Marmot, an alpine species that has been successfully recovering from the brink of extinction, but only with significant effort on the part of numerous conseravation organizations.
Finally, Liza Piper provides a timely summary of the ongoing threats of increased industrial activity in mountains, and more specifically the potential for new surface mine operations in the Alberta Rocky Mountains and foothills.
We hope you find these contributions insightful and thought provoking. Canada’s mountains are resilient landscapes, and so are the people who reside among them, but more than ever we all need to be stewards of these special places. This volume, and all volumes of the State of Mountains Report, can be found on the ACC website. Check them out, and please let us know if there is some aspect of Canada’s mountains that you would like to see included in future reports.
Stay safe, keep resilient, and see you in the mountains.
Lael Parrott is the ACC Vice-President for Access & Environment, Professor of Sustainability, and Director of the Institute for Biodiversity, Resilience, and Ecosystem Services at the University of British Columbia, Okanagan.
Zac Robinson is the ACC Vice-President for Mountain Culture, and an Associate Professor of history in the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation at the University of Alberta.
David Hik is an ecologist and Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, and Associate Dean (Academic) in the Faculty of Science at Simon Fraser University.