Province acknowledges destructive recreation: upped enforcement or flavor of the month?

(Editor's note: I was wondering how much had changed in a year. In time for May long weekend, the following article by Adam Driedzic from the Environmental Law Centre was published exactly a year ago. Have things changed? Please - You tell me! Responses and new guest blogs most welcome. Also, send the Oldman your BEAUTY & THE BEASTS shots from May long: What was wonderful - What was not!)

May 17, 2013

"There's no God-given right to mud-boggers"
 (Minister of Justice and Solicitor General, Nanton News, May 13, 2013)

May long weekend is here:  begin the bush parties, litter, trucks in the river. . .  I wish I could find last year's Sustainable Resource Development blog post about the perennial rotting couches. There will be liquor bans, fire bans, trail closures and check stops. 

Responsible recreationalists will understand.

Next time you head out, stop by the MD Ranchland Hall at Chain Lakes and check out "The New War Zone," a classic  newspaper feature about the efforts of rural municipalities to address destructive recreation.

The war's not over. In 2012 near every municipality on the Eastern Slopes met collectively with three ministers – Justice and Solicitor General, Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resources Development, and Tourism Parks and Recreation – to request action on public use of public land.

Enforcement is always a feature in recommendations to reform motorized recreation policy.  Examples include:

·         The Recreational Stakeholder Workshop (2005) convened by OHV user groups and environmental groups;
·         Watershed Protection on Public Lands, Agricultural Service Board Resolution #12, 2003;
·         The Voluntary Planning Off Highway Vehicle Task Force Report for Nova Scotia (Eastern Provinces may be ahead. They've had public land for longer);
·         Review of Access Management Strategies and Tools, Foothills Landscape Managers Forum, (2009).

This isn't just about OHV use.  Unruly "random camping" has come up in question period, and the response asks us to expect more boots on the ground this summer. Thus, when the Solicitor General traveled to Chain Lakes for an announcement on May 13th, the real question was whether this was just the annual summer kick-off spiel or something more?  We will see a new enforcement strategy for the Eastern Slopes, or is this simply seasonal issue awareness?

Try to look past the debate over access to public land under the pending South Saskatchewan Regional Plan (for the polarized version listen to Recreation or Conservation on CBC Radio "the 180″ with Jim Brown).  In reality, multiple ministries are trying to deal with the impacts of destructive recreation.

In 2011, the Public Lands Administration Regulation (PLAR) created new tools to address public use of vacant land.  PLAR showed excellent efforts by Sustainable Resource Development to fit the issue under an outdated Public Lands Act that barely considers recreational use. There has been little implementation, perhaps due partly to the next change.

In 2012, officers responsible for Fish and Wildlife, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement and Parks Conservation were consolidated under the Solicitor General. This makes sense if one considers that all 'peace officers' have a similar enforcement functions. The ministry's goal of consolidating enforcement services to "ensure effective specialized enforcement" could be helpful. Creating a specialized OHV enforcement force was a top recommendation from the Nova Scotia report (above).

The officer transfer creates new challenges.  All 'peace officers' have powers to enforce regulatory offenses but not all officers have all powers under every statute. Then there are other policing priorities.  If your job was to promote a safe Alberta, where would you put law enforcement resources?  Perhaps on Highway 63 to Fort Mac?  One can see why backroad rowdies don't top the list.

The Information Bulletin really doesn't promise more than the annual weekend blitz.  It does, however, give much attention to the health of public land. And it isn't alone. The Solicitor General is blogging about the outdoors. Nanton News quotes our political head of public security speaking the language more commonly used by land managers - asking users to "respect the land," to not abuse public resources and to leave it for the future. He acknowledges resistance to a "police state" but suggests that legislation dealing with OHV issues will be reviewed.

Now note the quotes from municipal councillors on further solutions: like a real trail system.  Moving recreation up the land use planning agenda could make enforcement a whole lot easier.

Enjoy the long weekend.


You can strengthen environmental decision-making in Alberta. Please give generously.

Adam Driedzic, Environmental Law Centre
Environmental Law Centre
    
1-800-661-4238




Calling all role models - YOU!

Dear Friend,

This May long weekend let’s start a new tradition

Instead of focusing on all the challenges we face in the headwaters, let’s focus on what we can do, personally, right now, to make a difference. Instead of lamenting the probable parties, disrespect for fellow users and damage to streams and habitat, let’s take this opportunity to do something. We’ll feel good knowing we took some sort of action rather than just watched from the sidelines and complained. Let’s see the May long weekend as the beginning of our opportunity to improve the watershed.

I know from several years of public input processes and community engagement sessions that people do care A LOT about the natural environment. Disagreement is only around how to best maintain the environmental goods and services we depend on to survive and how much maintenance is necessary.

So this weekend when you’re out there enjoying the scenery and slower pace of life, seize the opportunity to camp away from the water’s edge, pick up litter, talk to nearby campers about responsible use of the area and share with the people you are with, why you are so passionate about this unique place and what you hope the future of it looks like. If you’re an ATV’er make sure you know which trails are designated for use and which are not, use bridges and encourage others to do the same.

If you are not going to spend time in the headwaters there are still many things you can do, starting by just talking to people! Behavioural science has proven that people only change their behaviour through personal interaction with other people. And it takes time and encouragement for people to change, so keep the conversation going.

People are generally good and want to do what’s right. They may not know what the right thing is and you can help them connect their personal behaviour to the impact on the watershed.

I believe that real, lasting change only happens when a culture itself changes.

It starts when role models demonstrate what is acceptable behaviour and share their passionate stories of why they have chosen to act this way. Fortunately there are already role models in the headwaters doing this. The Crowsnest Pass Quad Squad is one example. They promote responsible riding (staying on trails, using bridges, wearing safety gear, no littering, etc.) and take action to build bridges and maintain trails – roles that no one else is currently filling.

If we all strive to be role models in our own behaviour and have the courage to speak to others about their behaviour, we can accomplish a lot without waiting for policies, funding structures, enforcement regimes, etc. to force change

Cultural norms can last for centuries and can impact many issues (equality, crime, health, etc.). Enforcement and incentives only last as long as they are maintained and people will revert back to their old behaviour if the program ends.

Each one of us who cares so passionately about the watershed is an individual agent of cultural change. It has to become "normal" and "positive" to have respectful conversations with strangers about watershed health.

Beginning with "shoulds" and "shouldn'ts"... "don't" ...and "you people" is shutting down the conversation before it can happen. Good conversations begin with you as an active listener. Share their passion and then you will find that conversation opening where you can share how changing a certain behaviour will enhance their outdoor experience. 

For example, many ATV enthusiasts are also avid anglers. Understanding how fish lay eggs in shallow waters (= right where it's convenient for an ATV to cross!!!) is an important connection.

Another example: many nature lovers are keen to "camp wild", perching tents close to water's edge or far away from "city slicker campers". Human presence will impede animals in their normal movements and in their ability to thrive  ... and encourage garbage picking.



The OWC is working hard to ensure that everyone has a wilderness to enjoy for many years to come. Currently, almost 80% of the headwaters area is suffering from human activity. 

Share your love of natural spaces ... calling all role models - YOU!

Happy camping!

With thanks,
Shannon



Botanist, Horticulturalist and Author June Flanagan's Guest Blog

PLANT YOUR GARDEN WITH CUES FROM NATURE



Watching the Oldman River watershed come alive with wildflowers is one of my favourite pastimes.  Despite our chilly spring this year, the coulees are already dotted with yellow bells and pale purple prairie crocuses, along with petite prairie townsendia daisies and patches of tiny white moss phlox flowers.  These four early-blooming native plants launch a parade of beautiful wildflowers that will continue until the first fall frost.

If you're interested in following wildflowers or garden flowers, you might like to participate in Alberta Plantwatch - a program that tracks plants as they break bud in spring (http://plantwatch.naturealberta.ca).  It includes native species like prairie crocus, saskatoon and poplar, as well as cultivated plants like the common lilac.  For almost three decades, people from all over the province have contributed bloom and leaf date observations that help researchers study how climate affects plants in Alberta.



Since rising temperatures determine when plants bloom and leaf out, and the timing varies year to year, cues from nature can also help you predict the best time to plant your garden.  Records show that when saskatoons burst into bloom, temperatures have likely warmed enough to sow carrots, beets and broad beans, and as poplars leaf out, it's time to plant potatoes.  One study proved that when the common lilac is in full bloom, green beans can be sown, and by the time lilac flowers fade, it's usually safe to set out squash and cucumber plants.

Even though some garden vegetables require warm temperatures, there's no need to wait until the May holiday weekend to renew your enthusiasm for cultivating the earth.  Salad greens like spinach, lettuce, mesclun greens and herbs such as parsley, dill, chervil and cilantro prefer cool weather for germination and growth.  It's best to sow these greens as soon as your soil dries out enough to be worked, because heat and long summer days can cause some varieties to bloom prematurely and taste bitter.  Late spring snows or cold spells usually don't harm the seeds or sprouts if they are sown directly outdoors.

See my Plants page at www.juneflanagan.ca for more growing tips.

Enjoy spring!
June
June Flanagan is a Lethbridge botanist, environmental horticulturist and author.  She has published five regional books including local gardening guides, Edible Plants for Prairie Gardens and Native Plants for Prairie Gardens, and the newly revised plant guide Common Coulee Plants of Southern Alberta.  Find garden tips and what's in bloom - "like" her Facebook Author Page: facebook.com/pages/JuneFlanagan/616537095101785 and follow her on Instagram: www.instagram.com/juneflanagan

 


Today is the last day to renew your OWC Membership





OWC MEMBERSHIP

RENEWAL DEADLINE

Wednesday, April 30

Renew Your Membership online today!
Visit http://oldmanbasin.org/getinvolved/ to renew your membership online. 

Go to the tab "Get Involved" and click on "Membership Forms".  There are now four categories to choose from:  Individual, Organization, Municipal or Irrigation.


Click on the correct form for you and fill in all of the details - the ones marked with an asterisk is information that Alberta Corporate Registry requires us to keep on file.  Hit submit and it's done!

Why be a member of the OWC?
  • Receive discounts on OWC activities and events
  • Run as a member-at-large on the OWC Board of Directors
  • Vote for who you want to represent you as a member-at-large on the OWC Board of Directors
  • Be a part of the OWC community by choosing to be involved in a project or by volunteering.  Contact us if you're interested or want more information.   

There is no membership fee but voluntary donations make a big difference!


If you are unable to complete the renewal form online, please phone Bev
(403-381-5145) or by email and I'll register you manually.


Your membership is important to us - thanks for renewing it.  If you are not a member but would like to be, please register online or if you have questions, please call or email us.   

This email was sent to oldmanwatershed.newsletter@blogger.com by bev@oldmanbasin.org |  

Oldman Watershed Council | 100, 5401 - 1st Avenue South | Lethbridge | Alberta | T1K 4V6 | Canada

Anglers, ATVs, and baby fish ...

By Richard Burke, Director, OWC

In this part of the world, as it no doubt does elsewhere, the natural order does its best to ensure survival of the various species. You will have noticed the changing of Oldman River colours from deep green awhile ago to muddy brown now. It may lighten a bit for a short time, depending on the weather. But, you can be certain there won’t be many days between now and early July, if things go as they often do, when the river will be considered anything but off.

Off is a term used by anglers to describe water that’s not really fishable, except for the very dedicated. But, that combined with some fishing regulations help minimize interference with fish spawning. Rainbow and Westslope Cutthroat Trout, for example. spawn this time of year -– generally May to July. They find gravelled-bottomed stretches of streams. Females swish their tails to clear a bed where they can drop their eggs for the males to fertilize. On days when the water’s clear and low, you can see the redds (Editor's note: "redds" are "fish nests") – they appear as cleaned gravel and are areas to be avoided by wading fishers.

But, that tends to be moot anyway, because few anglers want to wade in muddy water caused by spring runoff, which generally runs from early to mid-May in the Oldman drainage, and usually ends in early July. That’s when lakes are good places to take your pontoon boat and drop a nymph or water boatman for stocked rainbows. (Just don’t find yourself at the east end of the lake when a west wind is blowing and all you have is a paddle!)

Last year, runoff dragged on a little longer and this year, well, who knows: the snowpack that feeds the runoff is higher than normal  – from 121 percent of average at South Racehorse Creek in the Upper Oldman to 229 percent at Lee Creek, a main St. Mary River tributary. The averages vary from 21 to 45 years, depending on how long recording stations have been active.

Of course, man’s engineering efforts, particularly damming rivers, most notably the Oldman, St. Mary and Waterton, can affect fish spawning downstream of the structures. Incubating eggs need a minimum flow, so dam operators have been asked to try to maintain that for the sake of spawning, as only one of their roles when they release water. They also need to maintain the integrity of the dam itself during times of high runoff as well as to maintain levels in the reservoirs to release later when it’s needed for irrigation. Other organisms, such as cottonwood trees native to our river valleys, also require a constant water flow later in the year to assure their survival.

In the headwaters, the OWC’s Headwaters Action Plan has as one of its objectives completing a fine scale cumulative effects assessment of fish populations and habitat streams. The Partnership Advisory Network participants that helped craft the HAP generally accepted the findings of the Alberta Westslope Trout Recovery Plan which, among other conclusions noted, as an example, the effect of sediment from runoff along logging roads on cutthroat and bull trout spawning areas. The next step is to determine what can be done about it to protect redds.


So, in the grand design, it should all work together, sometimes with man’s help and sometimes to encourage man to tread more softly on a delicate ecosystem.

(Editor's note: We are hoping to have a productive dialogue with ATV fans - "All-terrain vehicles/quadders"-  this weekend, out in the Crowsnest Pass at the RV and OUtdoor Show. We would like to encourage these enthusiasts to be aware of who they are driving over when they cross stream beds - and encourage other practices that are safe for all beings. The sediment that is churned up adds to the problems Richard describes above, in addition to a host of other environmental challenges.) 
Photo courtesy Andy Hurly, Director, OWC

Funny-lookin' thing!


Q: What's got a long bill like a straw and backward-bending bandy legs?

A: The long-billed Curlew

The long legs of shorebirds are basically adaptations for wading in water and finding food where most birds cannot go. Although curlews are shorebirds, they breed quite far from water in prairie grassland and possibly in cultivated fields. Unusually, males share the job of incubating the eggs and they stay with the young longer than the females do.

If you are missing warm springtime outings because of the weather, learn about what to watch for once you're out there, in the meantime! You can find more about curlews here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long-billed_Curlew

Enjoy!

Andy Hurly
Lodgepole Environmental: Consulting and Photography

(Editor's note: 
You will probably recognize its lovely call when you hear it in some of the videos below.
Here's an interesting science project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCs0lhF5Gmk
And here is a ton of curlew videos - some great quality, others are DIYs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNAuLaqxQ8Q&list=PLrtVlWWdpvqImwR0AUOBuklST07fVFUR2 )




Photo courtesy Andy Hurly, Director, OWC

2014 OWC Membership Renewal Deadline - April 30





OWC MEMBERSHIP

RENEWAL DEADLINE

Wednesday, April 30

Renew Your Membership online today!
Visit http://oldmanbasin.org/getinvolved/ to renew your membership online. 

Go to the tab "Get Involved" and click on "Membership Forms".  There is now four categories to choose from:  Individual, Organization, Municipal or Irrigation.


Click on the correct form for you and fill in all of the details - the ones marked with an asterisk is information that Alberta Corporate Registry requires us to keep on file.  Hit submit and it's done!

Why be a member of the OWC?
  • Receive discounts on OWC activities and events
  • Run as a member-at-large on the OWC Board of Directors
  • Vote for who you want to represent you as a member-at-large on the OWC Board of Directors
  • Be a part of the OWC community by choosing to be involved in a project or by volunteering.  Contact us if you're interested or want more information.   

There is no membership fee but voluntary donations make a big difference!


If you are unable to complete the renewal form online, please phone Bev
(403-381-5145) or by email and I'll register you manually.


Your membership is important to us - thanks for renewing it.  If you are not a member but would like to be, please register online or if you have questions, please call or email us.   

This email was sent to oldmanwatershed.newsletter@blogger.com by bev@oldmanbasin.org |  

Oldman Watershed Council | 100, 5401 - 1st Avenue South | Lethbridge | Alberta | T1K 4V6 | Canada

Will we have to boil water AGAIN?




From OWC's Executive Director, Shannon Frank: 

The recent boil water advisory in Lethbridge has brought into focus two things: how dependent we all are on upstream users to do a good job  - and how connected we are in a watershed. A watershed is the area of land that drains into a water body – as seen in the map, all that land drains into the Oldman River. And you can also see that Lethbridge is a little ways downstream.

The water quality problems in the river are complicated and there is not one obvious source, that if cleaned up, would ensure Lethbridge a clean water supply for the long term. What we have is a whole range of land uses that all contribute different types of contaminants – sediment, nutrients, pesticides, bacteria, pharmaceuticals, etc.

Recently in Lethbridge, the main problem was sediment overload, basically mud clogging filters at the water treatment plant. But where did all this mud come from?

Recreational use and forest harvesting in our mountain headwaters certainly contribute sediment, as does agriculture, oil and gas and urban communities that change the landscape. Every decision has a trade-off and many of the decisions we make create sediment and allow it to run off into our streams.

In the past, healthy wetlands and riparian zones (green zones along the water’s edge) had an important job - capture and filter run-off before it reached a creek or river. But we’ve removed wetlands and degraded riparian zones to the point where they can no longer do their job. So we try to replace that job with water treatment plants and that comes at an ever-increasing cost.

Having learned this lesson, there is a quiet push to put wetlands back, reclaim riparian zones and be more careful about what we put next to our rivers. Many landowners and local governments are leading this charge but it is yet to become a "mainstream" priority.

OWC and many other groups are working to change that. We are all contributing to the problem and can also all be part of the solution. That is what the OWC is all about – working together to find practical solutions to big challenges like water quality.

So will we have to boil water AGAIN? Most certainly. 

We can't expect to continue to do what we're doing - and even expand land uses - and maintain water quality. There will be consequences. 

There are plenty of opportunities to get involved. Whether you are a social media fan, a gardener or an outdoor enthusiast, the OWC needs your voice and hands. Several exciting initiatives are happening  - we'd love you to be part of them.

All best wishes,
Shannon Frank



Introducing OWC Blogger Barbara Amos


Hello - my name is Barbara Amos and this is my story of how I am connected to the Oldman Watershed and the OWC.

I am an artist and after many years of working a studio in the urban centre, I felt a need to reconnect to the land. The insistence of the urban grid was beginning to feel overwhelming.   I spent a month in the Crowsnest Pass. When I was there, I felt as if something invisible but powerful was having a  soothing effect on me. I began to understand the power of place. While this was a long way from where I grew up, and in many ways a foreign land to me, the sense of being in the right place was quite profound. Six months later, I had found a way to move my studio to the edge of the Pass. I look out onto a horizon that can both humble and awe the spirit.

To paint the landscape is to study it visually and perceptually. Artists study it with a sense of history, as we look back on how other artists have voiced their interest in the land. We try to add something new to that conversation, and in doing so, we ask how we make our work relevant to the world  today. The artistic effort is one of inquiry, one of curiosity - a series of questions about our place in the world and our effect upon it.

As I work, I am gathering information about the area and I become more engaged with the local community. Their concerns become mine. I find myself amazed at the amount of work that a small group of people are doing to try to create a voice for the watersheds and the wild lands that they sustain. I learn about the headwaters and how their degradation has enormous impact. All land use issues eventually come back to the watershed.  This land is so striking, so huge and yet it is also silent.  The land does not have a voice that is heard easily in the urban setting.  We have to create that voice.

As I studied the traditions of Canadian landscape painting, I began to ask: How does an artist today create a voice for the land for the watershed, for all that it supports? Perhaps there are other artists who would like to consider this as an opening for a conversation?

I share an image of an oil painting of part of our watershed: "Fields and Sky"... and look forward to this new conversation.

Barbara Amos



Introducing OWC Guest Blogger Stephanie Vehnon

My name is Stephanie Vehnon and I currently live in Lethbridge, Alberta. I moved from Yorkton, Saskatchewan, pursuing Diploma in Environmental Monitoring and Protection at Lakeland College in 2009. At Lakeland College, I was the Environment Club President and initiated a recycling program for the Vermilion and Lloydminster campuses. It was here that I learned my passion for the environment. My major was in air, soil and water monitoring and management – I realized that water quality management is the area of most interest to me. It fascinates me how a resource such as water can mean so much to the survival of living organisms.
After Lakeland College, I decided to continue on and obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree, majoring in Environmental Science, at the University of Lethbridge in 2013. When I moved to Lethbridge in 2011, I discovered the Oldman Watershed Council and wanted to get involved. I contributed as much as I could, while a full time student at the University of Lethbridge. In May 2013, I obtained a summer student position as the Environmental Program Assistant at the City of Lethbridge. This was a great experience that lasted until December 2013. Here I learned the value of storm drain pollution and the effects that pollution has on our Oldman River. In February 2014, I obtained a full time position with the City of Lethbridge as the Environmental Program Assistant, and continue to be a part of the Oldman Watershed Council.
Water management is a vital part of the future of our planet and all life forms. I take a keen interest in ways we can monitor and manage this necessary resource. I take a strong interest in the Oldman Watershed Council, how far it has come, and the future directions and goals of this non-profit organization. I learn more and more each time I connect with this group. A main reason I became a part of the OWC’s Communications and Outreach Team is to allow the message to be spread to the community and establish a connection with people, so they understand how valuable our watershed is. Many people do not realize that we are just a small portion of a larger picture – it fascinates me to spread this message to others and engage them in water education. Water connects us all, from the mountains in the West Coast, to the Hudson Bay in Ontario, and beyond! Watersheds are where we live, and they all flow into one another. Water quantity and quality is what we strive to maintain in order to secure the future of our water supply. Groups such as the Oldman Watershed Council help us monitor, manage and maintain water quality and quantity within our watersheds. From mind to body, to the physical and chemical atmosphere, water education and awareness allows communities to be aware and help to preserve the future of our water! One thing I have realized recently is if we just sit back, take a deep breath, and enjoy the natural environment for even just 10 minutes a day, it is amazing how relaxed, and connected with nature, we can be! I am pleased to be a part of the Oldman Watershed Council and look forward to being a part of many projects and future goals!

We’d like to tell you about a Field Notes Collective hosted event coming up on Wednesday, March 26th. Dr. Brad Stelfox will be visiting Lethbridge to present his lecture and visualization titled, The Transformation of Southern Alberta. Dr. Stelfox is a well-known Landscape Ecologist and passionate about land use in Alberta. Since this presentation is to the public, please invite others who may be interested! Wednesday, March 26th 6 pm AH 118 (Anderson Hall) University of Lethbridge

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Introducing one of our contributing bloggers Debby Gregorash

My name is Debby Gregorash and I live in Lethbridge. I tell people I was accidentally born and raised in Montreal because I dreamed of being a cowgirl in the west. After I received my Diploma of Agriculture, I worked on various dairy farms until I found my dream job on a ranch in Wyoming. Eventually I moved to Alberta and worked on a ranch, a dry-land farm, another dairy farm, and then a feedlot. I met Frank in 1978 and we married and raised two children. We are now grandparents and find that role much more relaxing. When my youngest started grade one I volunteered at an environmental resource centre. I took part in various environmental endeavors such as the Special Places project, the Green Clean Home classes, Red Wiggler worm demonstrations, environmental puppet shows, and took part in many other events. I have belonged to S.A.G.E. for at least 15 years and the Lethbridge Naturalists off and on for many years. When we lived in Coaldale I formed the Coaldale Ecology Club and gave classes on composting and water conservation. In 1995 I finished writing “Just Add Water: The History of the Lethbridge Northern Irrigation District”. I have written for several magazines over the years and am into my twenty-fifth year of writing an opinion column in the Sunny South News. I joined the predecessor to the Oldman Watershed Council, the Oldman River Basin Water Quality Initiative, back in 1998. I helped out where I could over the years between childrearing and the exploration of life. I’ve always appreciated the talented teams who have worked so hard to identify problems in the watershed and discovered creative solutions. My husband Frank and I own 240 acres of Foothills Parkland region next to Police Outpost Provincial Park southwest of Cardston. I named this place Setaspell (as in the closing verse of The Beverly Hillbillies – set a spell, take your shoes off, y’all come back now, y’a hear?) Setaspell, which is part of the Oldman Watershed, is both a school and a sanctuary. My mind is stretched as I study nature’s secrets and learn the ecology of this enchanting place. It lifts my spirit when I venture into sundrenched wild flower meadows and energizing forests. As a whole, this watershed and its creeks and rivers make up 75% of my body. There you have it. The Oldman Watershed is good for the body, mind, and soul! My greatest desire is to share this essential blend of awe and appreciation with everyone. I am honoured to be able to do this via the OWC’s Communication and Outreach Team.