The Columbia Basin Rural Development Institute (RDI) at Selkirk College is conducting research on behalf of the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (RDKB) to help local government better understand how prepared local residents are for the impacts of climate change.
Residents of RDKB Electoral Area ‘A’ are invited to complete a short survey about backyard food production and emergency preparedness at https://jointheconversation.rdkb.com.
The survey will remain open until August 30, 2019.
Results from the survey will provide data to measure and assess the status of two important indicators of climate adaptation specific to RDKB residents – local food security and emergency preparedness.
Growing food in backyards is an important aspect of self-sufficiency and local food security. Having an emergency preparedness kit is an effective way to ensure basic supplies and important documents are together and ready to go in case of an emergency due to climate-affected events such as forest fires or floods.
“This information will help us get a snapshot in our region that shows the level of local backyard food production and self-sufficiency and the level of emergency preparedness in Area ‘A’,” said Janine Dougall, General Manager of Environmental Services with the RDKB.
“Once we have more data from the research the RDI is doing for us, we can plan next steps to help residents become more resilient to the impacts of climate change.”
In addition to completing the Area ‘A’ Climate Adaptation Project through the RDI at Selkirk College, the RDKB is now recognized as having achieved Level 3 - Accelerating Progress on Charter Commitments in the Green Communities Committee Climate Action Recognition Program, and is working to toward a longer term goal of achieving Level 4 - Carbon Neutrality.
~ The RDKB serves more than 31,000 residents in eight incorporated municipalities and five unincorporated electoral areas. The district stretches across 8,200 square kilometres from Champion Lakes in the east all the way to Big White in the west. Services include recreation and culture, planning, building inspection, environmental programs, economic development and public safety services for fire and other emergencies.