You Matter. I’d Like To Hear From You

I am proposing a backcountry tenure near nelson, and want to work with you

I want to connect with you and share my experience and intentions, and make sure that you are heard and respected in this process. I mentioned being fair to the public is important to me in our application, so it might as well start here, right?

I will be completely transparent with you, and invite you to connect with me personally about our proposal.

Who am i?

Values that guide me

community

I believe in supporting my community. Whether its providing meaningful jobs and career development to our team, or supporting local businesses, or helping to protect the rights and enjoyment of the public, supporting my community is important to me. I feel a strong sense of community to the people and businesses of Nelson, and to other backcountry users.

sustainability

I spent a lot of my childhood at our family cottage, which is really remote and in a very sensitive environment. This was my favourite place on Earth, and become a huge part of who I am. The bird calls, the smell of the rain in the rich moss, the lapping of the water are so important to me and whenever I am there I feel complete peace. I would be crushed if even the smallest thing changed, and so I grew up respecting the environment, and feeling like a part of it.
I feel much the same with the BC mountain wilderness. I believe strongly in acting in a sustainable way, that won’t negatively impact us or our surroundings in the future. Our tours always practice leave no trace, and we reduce our impact as much as possible. Throughout this project we will be working on bringing in new ways to become better stewards of the environment, not just because it makes sense, but because there is no other acceptable way.

Integrity

I’ve learned over the years that acting completely in integrity is always the best way forward. I am honest with my peers, and make sure that I act in ways that I can be proud of. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have a long way to go, and much I can improve on, but I am working on improving all the time. I believe that this will only work if we work together. I want your ideas, concerns, fears and feedback so I can make sure I do my very best to make this project work for everyone.

What am I proposing?

I am proposing a backcountry multi-use tenure near Balfour. The proposed area is currently 9600 hectares, adjacent to the South border of Kokanee Glacier Park.

In the summer I would like to be able to organize and guide small groups on backpacking trips in this area, using a basecamp and doing some day trips. I envision a focus on connection to nature, a reprieve from the hustle of everyday life, and opportunity to relax, do some yoga, and explore the wilderness.

In the winter I envision guided ski touring day trips, and multiday, ski touring camps, based at a low impact wilderness basecamp.

With the area I have proposed, I believe that I can help provide meaningful wilderness experiences for small groups of people, while remaining out of the way of the public. This area would allow us to rotate our usage to minimize our impact on any one area, and also provide flexibility to move our daily operations to avoid impacting the public.

Click here to view the application details on the NRS website.

positive outcomes I hope to achieve

• Job Creation: I am hoping for this project to create between 6-10 amazing jobs in the winter and the same in the summer

• Becoming a leader in sustainable tourism- I have much to explore here, but I plan on being carbon positive, helping to raise awareness for key environmental initiatives and working with Nature Conservancy Canada to help protect meaningful wilderness areas in the Kootenays.

• Outdoor Mentorship: I would love this to be an opportunity to help youth develop important skills to enjoy and work in the outdoors.

• Support For Local Business: From sourcing local food, to transportation, accommodation and dining, this project has the potential to help support and build a resilient local economy.

• Becoming a leader in Public/ Tenure Relations: I really want this project to work well with the community of Nelson and surrounding backcountry users. I am a backcountry user too, and I know what it is like to interact with most tenure holders. I think it is really important to remember that this is public land, and that being allowed to be here is a privilege. All too often does that get forgotten and the public are abused. Fresh Adventures doesn’t come from a background of tenures and exclusive privileges. We operate in the parks and have never had any special treatment. We are always very courteous and helpful to the public. Let’s get together and find a way to make this work really well- for everyone!

Negative Outcomes I Will do everything to avoid

• Public Access: This is public land and the public has every right to be here. Using this area is a privilege for us, and we won’t forget that. I promise that every one of our interactions with the public will be friendly and welcoming. We will be doing everything we can to reduce our impact on the public, including selecting terrain that is less travelled, confining our tracks and rotating our terrain to reduce overuse of any one area. I envision the public not even knowing we are operating in the area.

• Wildlife Impacts: We will be doing everything we can to ensure that we don’t impact local wildlife. Any wildlife sightings will be reported and we will adjust our area selection to ensure we don’t disturb wildlife. We will not be affecting any trees or plants. Any waste will be packed out or dealt with to ensure there is zero watershed contamination.

• Large Scale Exposure Of Locally Treasured Areas: If you are concerned about a favourite powder stash blowing up, I totally get it and will be making sure this doesn’t happen. I will not be including any specific information about the location of this area in any publications. Our guests will know that they are somewhere in the Selkirk Mountains near Nelson.

• Negative Impacts On Other Backcountry Operators: I don’t see why this would happen, but I will be working to help support my community. I am looking forward to seeing all the creative and supportive collaborations and partnerships that are possible in the area.

To summarize

I just want you to know that I am here through this process to hear your voice. I don’t want you to feel like you are being negatively impacted by a nameless corporation.

I invite you to call or email me anytime. I will do my best to make time to chat with you, and I would love to hear your views, concerns and feedback. I’d be happy to have the opportunity to make this work perfectly for everyone.

My Cell: 778-871-2539

Thanks for taking the time to connect with me!

Alex