Episode Details

This episodes is the second conversation of a podcast mini-series on Water in Southern Alberta focused on The Impacts of Resource Extraction. Co-host Bob Morrison and I are joined by experts Dave Mayhood, an aquatic ecologist; Dr. Younes Alila, a professor specializing in forest hydrology; and Jason Unger, executive director at the Environmental Law Centre. Key topics include the ecological effects of gravel extraction, the hydrological impacts of clear-cut logging, the pollutive and destructive uses of freshwater in oil and gas development, and the legal frameworks surrounding water management. The conversation highlights the need for regulatory innovation, cumulative effects analysis, and the importance of federal intervention in environmental protection. The podcast encourages listeners to find common ground and engage in meaningful discussions about the future of water and resource management.

Introductions to David Mayhood, Jason Unger, and Dr. Younes Alila

Jenny:

Welcome to The Gravity Well Podcast. I am Jenny Yeremiy. I host the Gravity well to celebrate and share the stories of people looking to empower others with knowledge and skills required to reestablish stability in our communities and ecosystems. Our mission is to work through heavy issues in conversation and process in order to lighten the load. I acknowledge that I live on the traditional territories of Treaty 7 and Metis districts 5 and 6. The treaties and self-governance agreements established by indigenous peoples were created to honour the laws of the land, maintain balance with nature by giving back and uphold reciprocal relationships. This knowledge and intention are what guide The Gravity Well conversations I ask for genuine dialogue, real hearts, and openness to different perspectives. This is your invitation to find common ground with me. This podcast is dedicated to the natural world, our children, nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and all future generations.

The Gravity Well is on YouTube and streaming wherever you get your podcasts. If you like what you see and hear, remember to like and subscribe. Welcome everyone. I’m very glad to have a number of people with us today, which I’ll get into in a minute. For anybody following along with the gravity, well, we’re still in the first half of season two if you’re a subscriber. This is episode 10 in season two, but for today’s purposes, this is episode two in a mini podcast series that I’m hosting with Bob Morrison. This one is on the impacts of resource extraction on water in Southern Alberta, and we have three guests with us here today. First, Dave Mayhood. He holds a master’s of limnology. He’s an aquatic ecologist. Bob Morrison and I have been collaborating with a woman by the name of Susan Ellis who’s been telling us you need to have a limnologist in this conversation.

Welcome Dave, and now I see why we would potentially need you in several conversations. I hope you have a good experience today and are ready to do that again. And to that end, we also are welcomed by Dr. Younes Alila. Younes is a professor in the Department of Forest Resource Management at UBC, that’s the University of British Columbia, and he’s here to speak on the impacts of clear-cut logging and other resource extraction activities. I should say the same for Dave. Dave’s going to focus on gravel for us and some other water transfer type situations in Alberta, and then we’re also joined by Jason Unger. Jason is an executive director at the Environmental Law Centre here in Alberta. He’ll speak to law and policy around these various issues and not necessarily on the impact side, but we’ll contribute where he can there.

Welcome everyone. Like I said, we hope to have you participate in more of these. Why are we talking about Water in Southern Alberta? Just to back up a bit, this series of podcasts is for the general public. First and foremost, we want people involved in water to also