KCP Faces & Places: Georgia Peck

By Megan Jamison

Kootenay Conservation Program

Georgia Peck, Lakes Program Manager with Living Lakes Canada, is the third generation in her family to work in conservation. Inspired by her ornithologist grandfather and father, who dedicated his career to shorebird conservation, she found her own passion in aquatic ecosystems.

“I grew up spending a lot of time on shorelines with my dad,” she laughs. “He was often looking up, and I was far more interested in what was down at our feet: the snakes, frogs and fish. I always had such a love for water.”

After earning a degree in Conservation Biology from Trent University, Peck moved to B.C. and joined Living Lakes in 2020.

Today, she manages the Foreshore Integrated Management Planning program (FIMP), a shoreline assessment methodology used by environmental professionals across the province. Between 2019 and 2023, Living Lakes partnered with Fisheries and Oceans Canada to update and test FIMP on 10 high-priority Columbia Basin lakes.

Most of the lakes had been surveyed 10 to 15 years earlier, allowing researchers to assess shoreline changes over time. “The change in foreshore dynamics really does act as a cumulative impact assessment tool,” Peck explained. “This data is then used by local communities including First Nations.”

The project also revealed opportunities to strengthen Indigenous participation in shoreline assessments.

“This gap was an opportunity for FIMP to be more inclusive and holistic by including cultural assessments,” she said. “By ensuring that Indigenous knowledge is interwoven into FIMP, by co-leading these surveys with First Nations, we’re improving the likelihood that decision-making thereafter will be far more inclusive than it was in the past.”

The lessons learned in the Kootenays led to a broader collaborative project co-facilitated with Syilx Okanagan Nations. Peck also co-authored the ‘Local Indigenous Knowledge and Values Framework’ with colleagues Claire Armstrong and Brian Holmes of the Upper Nicola Band.

Peck says collaboration remains central to her work.

“It’s so important to collaborate and hear everyone’s views. I think trust is an essential pillar in environmental work. It is always worth the time and effort to meet in-person on the land and on the water, to have that boots on the ground connection with the work we’re doing and with the individuals that it’s influencing or impacting.”

Despite her enthusiasm, Peck acknowledges the emotional challenges of environmental work.

“I’m sure this is the case for all environmental work, but for water specifically it can sometimes feel so discouraging. I remember attending the United Nations water conference in 2023 in New York City, and ending up feeling the most negative I’ve ever felt about the work that we do; it was heartbreaking to hear about water issues that are experienced around the world.”

She says reconnecting with colleagues and conservation partners in the Kootenays, including through Kootenay Conservation Program (KCP) gatherings, helps restore her sense of hope and purpose.

“There’s such a sense of connection and closeness within KCP’s partnership, and reconnecting with people always reminds me why I do this work. There’s hope that shines through in KCP gatherings and reminds us why we put in the time and effort to care for this beautiful place we all call home. It’s inspiring to hear about the projects people are leading and the work they’re dedicating their lives to. It’s an honour to be part of KCP—it’s really special to share both the challenges and the wins we experience together.”

This article is part of Kootenay Conservation Program (KCP)’s monthly ‘Faces and Places’ series. KCP is a diverse network of over 95 organizations working together for connected habitats and landscapes in the Kootenays that sustain biodiversity and naturally functioning resilient ecosystems that, in turn, support community well-being. Learn more at www.kootenayconservation.ca.

Lead image: Georgia supporting invasive yellow perch removal efforts with the Upper Nicola Band on Douglas Lake, BC. Photos submitted

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