Listen to the Freshwater Stream podcast!

September 15, 2022

By: Meghan Rooney

We just wrapped up season 2 of the Freshwater Stream, our new podcast about B.C.’s watersheds and the people who care about them. We are taking a break to recharge and plan for season 3. Get in touch if you have any story ideas for us.

About the Freshwater Stream

Freshwater Stream logoWe have a myth here in British Columbia that our rivers and lakes provide limitless, clean water. While that may have once been the case, unfortunately, due to resource extraction, poor water management and climate change, many communities face serious water shortages in the coming years.

For the Freshwater Stream, our host, Danielle Paydli, interviews people all over British Columbia about challenges in their local watersheds and what is being done to solve them.

The Freshwater Stream begin as a collaboration between Watershed Watch Salmon Society and the former Canadian Freshwater Alliance and is available wherever you listen to podcasts.

Episodes

Season 2

Listen to season 2, episode 1 with Lina Azeez

In the first episode of season 2,  Danielle talks with Watershed Watch’s Lina Azeez about the devastating flooding in the Fraser Valley in November 2021, digging into how we can better manage for floods in ways that protect communities and wild salmon.

Listen to season 2, episode 2 with David Slade

In season 2, episode 2, Danielle speaks with David Slade, a water well driller in the Cowichan Valley.

Listen to season 2, episode 3 with Toni Boot, Brodie Guy, Russell Myers Ross and Coree Tull

In this episode, Danielle asks: what would our future look like if the provincial and federal governments invested in a Watershed Security Fund? She speaks with Mayor Toni Boot from the District of Summerland, Brodie Guy, CEO of Coast Funds, Russell Myers Ross from Yunesit’in First Nation, and Coree Tull, co-chair of the BC Watershed Security Coalition.

Listen to season 2, episode 4 with Arzeena Hamir

In season 2, episode 4, Danielle speaks to Comox Valley farmer, Arzeena Hamir, about the importance of access to freshwater for agriculture and the role farmers could play in protecting our watersheds.

Listen to season 2, episode 5 with Bruce Gibbons, Annette Letterman, Jamie Fletcher and Deborah Curran

In this episode, Danielle speaks with four water champions who are speaking out against water bottling in their communities: Bruce Gibbons, founder of the Merville Water Guardians on Vancouver Island, Annette Letterman of the Golden District Water Protection Committee, counselor Jamie Fletcher from High Bar First Nation and Deborah Curran, executive director of the Environmental Law Center at the University of Victoria.

Listen to season 2,  episode 6 with Tim Kulchyski, Tom Rutherford and Tanis Gower

For this episode, guest host Anna Kemp spoke with Vancouver Island biologists Tim Kulchyski, Tom Rutherford and Tanis Gower about the impacts of low flows on salmon and how we can manage our watersheds to give wild salmon the best chance at survival in a changing climate.

Season 1

Listen to season 1, episode 1 with Dr. Shannon Waters

In episode 1, Danielle sits down with Dr. Shannon Waters, medical health officer for the Cowichan Valley region, a member of Stz’uminus First Nation and Cowichan Watershed Board member.

Listen to season 1, episode 2 with Shannon MacPhail

In episode 2, Danielle interviews Shannon McPhail, executive director of Skeena Watershed Conservation Coalition, an organization she co-founded to create a sustainable environment rooted in culture and a thriving wild salmon ecosystem.

Listen to season 1, episode 3 with Mark Angelo

In episode 3, Danielle meets with Mark Angelo, river conservationist, writer, speaker, teacher, paddler and Order of British Columbia recipient. He is the founder and chair of B.C. Rivers Day and World Rivers Day, and star of the upcoming film Last Paddle? 1000 Rivers, 1 Life.

Listen to season1, episode 4 with Lauren Terbasket

In episode 4, Danielle interviews Lauren Terbasket from the Okanagan Nation and a member of the Lower Similkameen community, to learn about her work for and her connection to the Similkameen watershed.

Listen to season 1, episode 5 with Tara Marsden and Trixie Bennett

In episode 5, Danielle talks with Tara Marsden and Trixie Bennett, two indigenous women who live on separate sides of the Canada-USA border, linked by their fight to protect their local watersheds from mining. These iconic rivers and their watersheds have been centers of culture, commerce, and biodiversity for thousands of years supporting numerous communities and nineteen federally recognized tribes of the region.

Listen to season 1, episode 6 with Jennifer Houghton & Stan Swinarchuk

In our final episode of season one of The Freshwater Stream podcast, host Danielle Paydli talks with Jennifer Houghton and Stan Swinarchuk about the recent devastating flooding in Grand Forks and its connection to large-scale clear-cut logging in the watershed. Learn how these residents are standing up to industry and helping to re-shape forest policy to foster healthy watersheds.

Meet our team

Host

Danielle Paydli (she/her)

Gratefully living on Stz’uminus First Nation land in the Stocking Lake Watershed.

Danielle (Danni) lives in Saltair, BC. She loves her community watershed and is excited to hear from other folks across the province about their local challenges, successes and connection to their watersheds. She has worked with the Canadian Freshwater Alliance and is currently on contract with the BC Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund.

Production Team

Brenden MacDonald (he/they)

Living on Coast Salish Territory in the China Creek Urban Watershed.

From rural Vancouver Island, Brenden grew up with a deep respect for “nature”, though he recognizes this land looked a lot different and was in fact much healthier prior to Canadian colonization and the legacy of extractive industry. Brenden graduated from VIU (philosophy major, English minor) and focused on deep ecology, linguistics, and First Nations literature. He also has a trade diploma from PAVI in Audio Engineering and Production. Watch Brenden’s videos about living with schizophrenia or listen to his electronic music at nednednerb.com.

Anna Kemp (she/her)

Gorge Creek watershed, on Songhees and Esquimalt territories.

As communications manager for Watershed Watch Salmon Society, Anna tells stories that profile the importance of wild salmon for the ecosystems, cultures and economies of B.C. On her time off, you can find her dragging her son out for walks in the forest or curled up on the couch with a good book.

Coree Tull (she/her)

Living on the unceded and traditional territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil Waututh) and sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) Coast Salish people in Vancouver’s China Creek urban watershed.

Coree is the Director of Government Relations and Engagement at the BC Freshwater Legacy Initiative. Coree loves spending time in nature, playing sports and exploring her urban watershed by bike with her family.

Ashley van der Pouw Kraan (she/her)

Living on the unceded and traditional territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil Waututh) and sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) Coast Salish people in Vancouver’s Balaclava urban watershed.

Growing up on the rural side of an already small town allowed Ashley to spend her childhood outdoors, exploring the local woods and waterways. Ashley is currently on maternity leave!

Meghan Rooney (she/her)

Meghan lives on the unceded territory of the Kwikwetlem and Katzie First Nations in the Pitt River watershed.

When Meghan isn’t working she enjoys puttering around in her garden and spending time with her partner and pets.

Share This Story!

Listen to the Freshwater Stream podcast!

September 15, 2022

By: Meghan Rooney

We just wrapped up season 2 of the Freshwater Stream, our new podcast about B.C.’s watersheds and the people who care about them. We are taking a break to recharge and plan for season 3. Get in touch if you have any story ideas for us.

About the Freshwater Stream

Freshwater Stream logoWe have a myth here in British Columbia that our rivers and lakes provide limitless, clean water. While that may have once been the case, unfortunately, due to resource extraction, poor water management and climate change, many communities face serious water shortages in the coming years.

For the Freshwater Stream, our host, Danielle Paydli, interviews people all over British Columbia about challenges in their local watersheds and what is being done to solve them.

The Freshwater Stream begin as a collaboration between Watershed Watch Salmon Society and the former Canadian Freshwater Alliance and is available wherever you listen to podcasts.

Episodes

Season 2

Listen to season 2, episode 1 with Lina Azeez

In the first episode of season 2,  Danielle talks with Watershed Watch’s Lina Azeez about the devastating flooding in the Fraser Valley in November 2021, digging into how we can better manage for floods in ways that protect communities and wild salmon.

Listen to season 2, episode 2 with David Slade

In season 2, episode 2, Danielle speaks with David Slade, a water well driller in the Cowichan Valley.

Listen to season 2, episode 3 with Toni Boot, Brodie Guy, Russell Myers Ross and Coree Tull

In this episode, Danielle asks: what would our future look like if the provincial and federal governments invested in a Watershed Security Fund? She speaks with Mayor Toni Boot from the District of Summerland, Brodie Guy, CEO of Coast Funds, Russell Myers Ross from Yunesit’in First Nation, and Coree Tull, co-chair of the BC Watershed Security Coalition.

Listen to season 2, episode 4 with Arzeena Hamir

In season 2, episode 4, Danielle speaks to Comox Valley farmer, Arzeena Hamir, about the importance of access to freshwater for agriculture and the role farmers could play in protecting our watersheds.

Listen to season 2, episode 5 with Bruce Gibbons, Annette Letterman, Jamie Fletcher and Deborah Curran

In this episode, Danielle speaks with four water champions who are speaking out against water bottling in their communities: Bruce Gibbons, founder of the Merville Water Guardians on Vancouver Island, Annette Letterman of the Golden District Water Protection Committee, counselor Jamie Fletcher from High Bar First Nation and Deborah Curran, executive director of the Environmental Law Center at the University of Victoria.

Listen to season 2,  episode 6 with Tim Kulchyski, Tom Rutherford and Tanis Gower

For this episode, guest host Anna Kemp spoke with Vancouver Island biologists Tim Kulchyski, Tom Rutherford and Tanis Gower about the impacts of low flows on salmon and how we can manage our watersheds to give wild salmon the best chance at survival in a changing climate.

Season 1

Listen to season 1, episode 1 with Dr. Shannon Waters

In episode 1, Danielle sits down with Dr. Shannon Waters, medical health officer for the Cowichan Valley region, a member of Stz’uminus First Nation and Cowichan Watershed Board member.

Listen to season 1, episode 2 with Shannon MacPhail

In episode 2, Danielle interviews Shannon McPhail, executive director of Skeena Watershed Conservation Coalition, an organization she co-founded to create a sustainable environment rooted in culture and a thriving wild salmon ecosystem.

Listen to season 1, episode 3 with Mark Angelo

In episode 3, Danielle meets with Mark Angelo, river conservationist, writer, speaker, teacher, paddler and Order of British Columbia recipient. He is the founder and chair of B.C. Rivers Day and World Rivers Day, and star of the upcoming film Last Paddle? 1000 Rivers, 1 Life.

Listen to season1, episode 4 with Lauren Terbasket

In episode 4, Danielle interviews Lauren Terbasket from the Okanagan Nation and a member of the Lower Similkameen community, to learn about her work for and her connection to the Similkameen watershed.

Listen to season 1, episode 5 with Tara Marsden and Trixie Bennett

In episode 5, Danielle talks with Tara Marsden and Trixie Bennett, two indigenous women who live on separate sides of the Canada-USA border, linked by their fight to protect their local watersheds from mining. These iconic rivers and their watersheds have been centers of culture, commerce, and biodiversity for thousands of years supporting numerous communities and nineteen federally recognized tribes of the region.

Listen to season 1, episode 6 with Jennifer Houghton & Stan Swinarchuk

In our final episode of season one of The Freshwater Stream podcast, host Danielle Paydli talks with Jennifer Houghton and Stan Swinarchuk about the recent devastating flooding in Grand Forks and its connection to large-scale clear-cut logging in the watershed. Learn how these residents are standing up to industry and helping to re-shape forest policy to foster healthy watersheds.

Meet our team

Host

Danielle Paydli (she/her)

Gratefully living on Stz’uminus First Nation land in the Stocking Lake Watershed.

Danielle (Danni) lives in Saltair, BC. She loves her community watershed and is excited to hear from other folks across the province about their local challenges, successes and connection to their watersheds. She has worked with the Canadian Freshwater Alliance and is currently on contract with the BC Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund.

Production Team

Brenden MacDonald (he/they)

Living on Coast Salish Territory in the China Creek Urban Watershed.

From rural Vancouver Island, Brenden grew up with a deep respect for “nature”, though he recognizes this land looked a lot different and was in fact much healthier prior to Canadian colonization and the legacy of extractive industry. Brenden graduated from VIU (philosophy major, English minor) and focused on deep ecology, linguistics, and First Nations literature. He also has a trade diploma from PAVI in Audio Engineering and Production. Watch Brenden’s videos about living with schizophrenia or listen to his electronic music at nednednerb.com.

Anna Kemp (she/her)

Gorge Creek watershed, on Songhees and Esquimalt territories.

As communications manager for Watershed Watch Salmon Society, Anna tells stories that profile the importance of wild salmon for the ecosystems, cultures and economies of B.C. On her time off, you can find her dragging her son out for walks in the forest or curled up on the couch with a good book.

Coree Tull (she/her)

Living on the unceded and traditional territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil Waututh) and sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) Coast Salish people in Vancouver’s China Creek urban watershed.

Coree is the Director of Government Relations and Engagement at the BC Freshwater Legacy Initiative. Coree loves spending time in nature, playing sports and exploring her urban watershed by bike with her family.

Ashley van der Pouw Kraan (she/her)

Living on the unceded and traditional territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil Waututh) and sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) Coast Salish people in Vancouver’s Balaclava urban watershed.

Growing up on the rural side of an already small town allowed Ashley to spend her childhood outdoors, exploring the local woods and waterways. Ashley is currently on maternity leave!

Meghan Rooney (she/her)

Meghan lives on the unceded territory of the Kwikwetlem and Katzie First Nations in the Pitt River watershed.

When Meghan isn’t working she enjoys puttering around in her garden and spending time with her partner and pets.

Share This Story!

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One Comment

  1. Ray Bewza September 10, 2021 at 1:46 pm - Reply

    I don’t see any mention of the devastating effects of fish farms.

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