We ask Veronica Woodruff, whose instagram snaps of local flora and fauna are already a WellnessAlmanac favourite, a few questions.

What makes a steward and how do you know if you are one?

Veronica Wooodruff: Have you ever heard a bird call and wondered, ‘What is that? I hear it all the time?’Or have you thought, someone should really pick up that litter’, and then gone back and picked it up yourself?

Basically, if you care, you are a steward.

It could be caring about trees, animals, streams, air or even your food. And if you care, and are inspired to share your caring with others, than that makes you a purveyor of stewardship.

If you cared enough to participate in the Earth Day garbage clean-up, or if you care enough to tell your friend ‘I found out that bird making that call is a varied thrush, isn’t it beautiful!” then you are engaging in stewardship.

What is the nature of our regional eco-system? Can you give us a run-down as to what bio-geo-climactic zones we’re in, and how that affects the wildlife that lives and travels through here?

Veronica Woodruff: As far as biogeoclimatic zones, if you stood at the top of Mt. Currie you could see six if you consider all four valleys – south to Whistler, west to Meager volcanic complex, east to Lillooet-Harrison Lakes and north to Birkenhead/Anderson Lake.

Within these four valleys you will encounter six BEC zones including Coastal Western Hemlock, Interior Douglas Fir, Mountain Hemlock, Englemann Spruce-Subalpine Fir, Alpine Tundra and non-tidal wetlands.

That is what makes Pemberton unique, we are in a transitional zone both upwards and outwards, and it is these transitional zones that you find the greatest diversity.

This is true at this landscape scale and also the local level. The areas that border our lakes and wetlands, upland into the forest have the highest biodiversity which is why it is important to maintain this local connectivity.

For a more in-depth Q+A with Veronica about Stewardship Pemberton,visit here.