A Prince George academic and outdoor enthusiast has been named to a national think-tank on conservation issues.
Dr. Pamela Wright, a researcher and professor at UNBC, has been named one of 75 members of the Women For Nature roundtable. She joins such other high-profile nature advocates as Green Party of Canada leader Elizabeth May, MP Joyce Murray (former BC Minister of Environment), senator and former skiing superstar Nancy Greene Raine, national broadcaster Leanne Cusack, novelist Margaret Atwood, etc.
The group is under the auspices of Nature Canada. It was launched this year in honour of Nature Canada's 75th anniversary.
"This is an opportunity to celebrate a diverse group of accomplished Canadian women who have chosen to join Nature Canada in championing nature conservation," said Ian Davidson, Nature Canada's executive director. "These women are a driving force in Canadian society and they are at the heart of our efforts to engage and empower Canadians to advocate for nature, save species and protect habitats and connect children to nature."
Wright is an associate professor in UNBC's Outdoor Recreation and Tourism Management and Ecosystem Science and Management programs. The group of 75 is heavily comprised of deep-study academic figures. According to Nature Canada, these women in particular have a body of experience, knowledge, and a personal passion for nature. Their input will go cut across emotional or political rhetoric while guiding the efforts of governments and non-governmental agencies in the preservation of natural values across Canada.
"I enjoy teaching, especially engaging students actively in the outdoors," said Wright. "Students are incredibly inspiring. They are passionate about conservation even if they don't yet know the detailed questions to ask, or how to mobilize their passion. Whether it's a two-week field course in the Northern Rockies by horseback, a class project to analyze the ecological boundaries of a proposed park, or guest lectures by Canadian conservation leaders, finding ways to engage students in the science and practice of conservation is incredibly rewarding."
According to UNBC officials, some of Wright's intellectual highlights at the local unveristy include:
Developing and implementing a long-term ecological change monitoring program with BC Parks.
Working on ecological integrity management challenges in national parks.
Organizing the BC biannual research forum on protected areas.
Investigating approaches to connect northerners to nature.
