Speaker: Larissa Holman, Director of Science and Policy, Ottawa Riverkeeper
Title: Watershed Health Assessment and Monitoring of the Ottawa River
Date and time: February 28, Friday, 12-1 pm,
Location: ME (Mackenzie) 3444, Carleton University
RSVP: banu.ormeci@carleton.ca
ABSTRACT:
How do you know how healthy a river is? This is a challenging question to answer, especially for a system as complex as the Ottawa River watershed. It is also why Ottawa Riverkeeper has begun the Watershed Health Assessment and Monitoring project, a multi-year project that includes partnering with Indigenous communities to co-design projects, working with communities throughout the watershed to understand local issues, and engaging citizen scientists to participate in community based monitoring projects. Come learn how, by collecting and analysing data throughout the watershed and identifying data gaps, we hope to answer some of the questions surrounding the health of the watershed. Our work also includes sharing this information and empower people as they learn more about the health of the watershed to take actions to protect the incredible Ottawa River.
SPEAKER BIO:
As Ottawa Riverkeeper’s Director of Science and Policy, Larissa investigates the numerous issues facing our watershed and oversees our community-based water monitoring initiatives. She works with many different groups and volunteers, including the Riverwatch network, throughout the Ottawa River watershed, learning first-hand from the people invested in caring for this river and finding ways to support their efforts. Larissa has a B.Sc. in Environmental Science from Concordia and a Masters in Resource and Environmental Management from Dalhousie University. She has worked with communities to advocate for renaturalisation projects along urban waterways and has encouraged the adoption of practices that protect freshwater lakes and rivers.