Wildsight Invermere Presents Award Wining Film: Flathead Wild

The Wildsight Invermere Branch invites residents and visitors to attend the first Columbia Valley screening of the award wining film: Flathead Wild. The film will be shown as part of a multi-media presentation by Wildsight’s Flathead – Southern Rockies Program Manager, Casey Brennan.

“B.C.’s Flathead River Valley is a window to our past. Tucked into B.C.’s southeast corner, the Flathead is a modern-day Noah’s Ark for many species whose habitat has vanished due to human activity”, said Brennan.

National Geographic magazine calls this area “one of the most diverse and ecologically intact natural ecosystems in the temperate zones of the world.” Never settled, the Flathead River Valley teems with many species that are threatened elsewhere, including grizzlies, lynx, fishers, wolverines and gray wolves.

The Flathead, with the greatest diversity of plants in all of Canada, is compared to Africa’s Serengeti for its richness of plant species—more than 1,000 wildflower species alone. Water in the Flathead River is so pure that scientists use it as a benchmark by which to measure water quality in rivers around the world.

Last year a great first step was taken to ensure one of the most important wilderness corridors on the planet stays intact. The BC government declared the entire Flathead River Valley off limits to inappropriate mining and oil and gas development. This declaration must be made permanent through legislation to help secure Flathead protection.

Two more steps are necessary to embrace the opportunity we have in British Columbia to become part of one of the greatest stories of peace and protection on the planet. BC must complete the world's first Peace Park by adding one third of the Flathead River Valley to Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. Waterton-Glacier is a UN World Heritage Site as are Canada's Rocky Mountain Parks. The connection for wildlife between these two parks must be maintained. BC can ensure this wildlife corridor is protected by establishing a Wildlife Management Area along the spine of the Rockies.


Mr. Brennan’s presentation will focus on the efforts to protect and connect the Flathead River Valley and BC's Southern Rockies. It will take place on Monday, January 10th at 7:00pm at the David Thompson Theatre in Invermere. Admission is by donation.


For more information on the Flathead Wild project, and to sign up as a Friend of the Flathead please visit www.flathead.ca