Wood River Land Trust Talk to Measure Success of Area Restoration Efforts
“This exploration will get us thinking about our own watershed, and whether its rivers and riverscapes are treated with dignity.” Cory McCaffrey Wood River Land Trust River Program Director | The nonprofit Wood River Land Trust’s 2025 “Think Globally, Act Locally” speaker series will continue this month with a talk by Colin Thorne, a professor of physical geography at the University of Nottingham. Thorne is set to deliver a free presentation titled “Restoring the Dignity of Our Rivers” on Wednesday, Feb. 19, from 5:30-6:30 p.m. at The Community Library in Ketchum. Thorne is known internationally for his work on the “stream evolution model,” used to promote healthier, more resilient riverscapes. |
The stream evolution model is “a new approach to understanding stream evolution, and hence the context for river restoration, that recognizes biology as a co-equal driver alongside geology and hydrology,” Thorne and a co-author stated in a paper on the subject authored for the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
“What restoration should avoid is locking a disturbed stream into an artificially stabilized form,” they wrote.
Wood River Land Trust River Program Director Cory McCaffrey said Thorne “will explore the concept of dignity—defined as the innate right to be valued—and share how rivers hold value beyond their economic worth, using examples from across the globe.
“This exploration will get us thinking about our own watershed, and whether its rivers and riverscapes are treated with dignity.”
Thorne will also be joined by environmental scientist Patrick Edwards, and they will use a “hyper-localized lens" to judge the success of Big Wood River restoration efforts, the library stated in an event description.
This free event is open to the public, but registration is required due to limited seating. To reserve a seat, visit thecommunitylibrary.libcal.com/event/12936435.
The “Think Globally, Act Locally” speaker series is intended to “promote environmental awareness and encourage local action within our community," the Land Trust stated in a news release.
Each talk in the series includes a Q&A session, allowing participants to “deepen their understanding and connect with fellow attendees who share a commitment to conservation," the Land Trust said.
The first talk, in January, focused on landscape-scale conservation. The next talk, in March, will cover community planning. For more information, email caroline@woodriverlandtrust.org.