Keepers of the Water VI began last night with an opening fire ceremony by our hosts, the Ft. Nelson First Nations. With yellowing trees and honking geese against a blue sky for a backdrop (plus the occasional rumbling of an 18-wheeler) we encircled a fire as drummers played and elders made offerings.
With a registration of around 200 people and climbing, we enjoyed a great meal and introductions last night. Slated to speak this morning is Wade Davis, the renown anthropologist currently explorer-in-residence at National Geographic. Then there will be a panel on the State of the Arctic Ocean Basin and an introduction to hydrogeology. These sessions will lay the ground work for the conference, where it is already apparent that clear conflicts loom over hydraulic fracturing (the world’s largest single frack took place not too far from here using a baffling amount of water).

With this knowledge in hand, the final panel today will look at key issues and solutions and have representatives from First Nations, B.C.’s Oil and Gas Commission and the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

Looking forward to it!