Scout Island continues to thrive as Williams Lake’s wildlife sanctuary, although it’s not without the effort of countless volunteers.
Whether weeding invasive species in the blistering hot sun or organizing programs for children, volunteers have been the heart of Scout Island for over four decades.
As another example, after the 2020 floods devastated the nature sanctuary, destroying many boardwalks, it took fundraising and volunteer time to rebuild what was damaged. The last boardwalk is expected to be completed this fall.
“It takes a lot of work,” said Sue Hemphill, Scout Island’s executive director, who has been working there in various roles, including volunteering, for the last 20 years. Hemphill is currently training Dr. Megan Taylor as the new executive director as she retires from her position.
“She has so many ideas and so much energy,” said Hemphill.
Located in the heart of traditional Williams Lake First Nation territory, Scout Island began as privately owned land that was later taken over by the city of Williams Lake to be a campsite during the 60s. When part of the property was going to be turned into a parking lot, community members stepped in.
One of them, Anna Roberts, complained to city council and eventually, the National Century Fund of B.C. purchased the property, requiring a nature centre to be built and the land to remain a nature sanctuary.
Hemphill, with two master’s degrees, one in education and one in biology, developed several programs for Scout Island, while working as an educator for the centre. Later, she became the executive director.
Passionate about the work, Hemphill never took a salary as the executive director, though she did when she was an educator for the centre.
To this day, most people working for Scout Island are volunteers, with over four thousand hours put in every year.
“The amount of volunteer work people put in is so inspiring and infectious,” said Taylor, who called Scout Island the city’s hidden gem.
One project Scout Island is involved with is the Air Quality Roundtable, which consists of individuals working to educate people on air quality, upholding the principles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).
Scout Island gets a small contract for air quality education, which Erin Hitchcock provides.
With the recent wildfires these last few years, more people have started to think about air quality.
“If you’re having a hard time breathing, think about a tiny bird’s lungs,” said Hemphill.
The Air Quality Roundtable is comprised of industry and the community and meets twice a year. While the group works hard in advocacy, it has no legal say in decision-making. Thus, Scout Island is dedicated to educating people and raising awareness.
“We can only give knowledge, and that’s what we aim to do,” said Hemphill.
Scout Island also supports the Marie Sharpe Nature Kindergarten, which takes place at the nature centre. Young learners enjoy the benefits of outdoor learning while still being able to warm up in the indoor classroom.
Scout Island is actively working with other schools, too. They host an annual salmon trip for grades 9-12 for three days in September. Students head to Gavin Lake, where they can enjoy hiking and learn about fish, including doing DNA samples.
Hemphill said the program helps expose kids to the different types of careers in the field with hands-on interactive learning.
“The goal is outdoor nature education. We do it in whatever fashion we can.”
Hemphill said that Scout Island focuses on what people can do to preserve and enhance nature, as opposed to making people feel helpless about the aging world.
Of course, the best education is done through modelling, she said, and encourages parents to actively participate in their children’s learning.
Though Hemphill will be leaving her position as executive director, she’ll never be far from Scout Island. Taylor is particularly grateful for the mentorship Hemphill has provided her.
In the future, Taylor hopes to get the bee-keeping program back up and running. A bee and insect enthusiast, she received her Ph.D. in entomology from Washington State University before moving to Williams Lake in 2022.
“I’ve loved insects, science and nature since I was a kid,” said Taylor.
Initially working within the private industry, she left, wanting to find a position that would allow her to give back. Once she heard that Scout Island was looking for a new executive director, she applied.
Taylor also wants to develop an insect-related program for youth to learn to collect, identify and preserve insects.
“Every kid is a mini scientist. We have to nurture that stuff,” she explained.
The Scout Island Nature House is open on weekends from noon until 3 p.m. until Thanksgiving. After that, it’s closed so staff and volunteers can focus on the school programs.
Hemphill asked those visiting Scout Island to be mindful of the signs, respecting the wildlife sanctuary.
“Wildlife gets first choice. It’s our job to protect and enhance the habitat,” she said, noting that people can enjoy the scenic space around them, escaping through the trails overlooking the lake.
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