Mathew Appelbaum

Something significant has been quietly growing along with the trees on the slopes of Hwmetʼutsum (Mt. Maxwell) for the past four years — and it just took a big step forward. The Climate Adaptation Research Lab, known to most people on Salt Spring simply as CARL, has officially registered as an independent Society. The CARL team is greatly appreciative for the support and collaboration from Transition Salt Spring and North Salt Spring Water Works, two organizations which helped catalyze this growth of CARL. Starting in 2021, the Maxwell Creek Watershed Project (not yet known as CARL) stemmed from a pressing question arising from the community: what is the true condition of the forests above Maxwell Lake, and how vulnerable are they to fire? These questions are important for those who rely on the water from Maxwell Lake, which is nearly half of the residents on Salt Spring. It is also a question on the minds of communities across our region. Leading the science is Dr. Ruth…