Bring some colored pencils and paper, or your other favourite sketching supplies, and join kid book illustrator & author Carolyn Fisher, Okotoks’ Conservation Educator Avery Kaszas, and AWA’s Conservation Outreach Specialist Sara Heerema to discuss and visualize how waterways and native species shape our land and our lives.
For this nature sketchwalk, Carolyn will lead us through frequent stops to sketch and observe nature while taking a leisurely wander along the Sheep River in Okotoks. We’ll look at the ways that human activities affect watersheds and the connecting landscapes nearby, and how waterways shape our land and our lives. Avery will discuss Okotoks’ water conservation efforts, local wildlife, and how her work relates to the watershed. Sara will be there to give additional insights into native fish, and the threats our rivers are facing due to cumulative impacts both locally and upstream.
All ages and levels of experience welcome. Kids must be accompanied by an adult.
About your adventure leaders:
Award-winning artist/author Carolyn Fisher has illustrated nine picture books, four of which she also wrote. Her book Summer Feet (with writer Sheree Fitch) won the David Booth Prize at the Canadian Children’s Book Awards. In addition to teaching at art college for seven years, Carolyn has talked to thousands of kids and adults about writing, art, and making books. She investigates science and nature by sketchbook from her home in Calgary. See more at www.carolynfisher.com or follow her on social media (Instagram: @carolyn_fisher_illustration).
Avery Kaszas is a Conservation Educator for the Town of Okotoks, with a background in Renewable Resource Management from Lethbridge Polytechnic. Her work centers on environmental education and community engagement, with a focus on biodiversity and native habitat restoration – areas she has been passionate about since her studies. Avery’s experience includes developing and leading educational programs on pollinators, climate change, and fostering meaningful connections with the natural world for audiences of all ages
Sara Heerema is a conservation outreach specialist with Alberta Wilderness Association (AWA). Sara works on connecting people to wild Alberta, as well as looking at issues that impact some of our wildlife species at risk, such as native fish. Her passion lies in conservation advocacy and inspiring people to speak up for nature.