KOW XII

Excerpt from article from the Alberta Wilderness Association by Conservation Specialist Nissa Petterson:

The main theme of the gathering was focused on water and attendees were asked to reflect on the question: ‘What does water mean to you?’ Initially, I thought the answer to this question was easy and fairly universal. Water is vital to life and all populations should have access to it. However, during the gathering I was introduced to a multitude of different perspectives on how we think about water. It’s much more than “just” a necessity for life.

By participating in the Keepers of the Water gathering, I learned much about how a disconnection from nature changes how we value it. How we use the land alters the importance of the values we have for nature. Some may be privileged while others may be diminished. While some people value Alberta’s wilderness for its beauty, recreational, or industrial opportunities, others regard it as a direct means to their survival both in terms of sustenance and self-determination.