First awarded in 2015, the Together in Action Awards recognize individuals and organizations making meaningful contributions to invasive species prevention, management, education, and collaboration across the province.
This year’s recipients are Gerald Michel of the Xwísten community, part of the St’át’imc Nation, and James Littley of the Okanagan Basin Water Board.
“Protecting communities, waterways, and landscapes from invasive species takes collaboration, persistence, and people who care deeply about the places around them,” said Gail Wallin, Executive Director of ISCBC. “Through education, stewardship, and strong partnerships, Gerald and James have helped communities respond to invasive species challenges.”
Gerald Michel receives Indigenous Leadership Award
Gerald Michel is receiving the Indigenous Leadership Award for more than four decades of advocacy and stewardship in invasive species management.
An Elder of the Xwísten community, Gerald has been involved in invasive species management efforts since the early 1980s. He is a founding member of the Lillooet Regional Invasive Species Society (LRISS) and has served on its board since the organization’s establishment in 2011.
Over the years, Gerald has supported restoration efforts, invasive plant management, and early biocontrol initiatives throughout the region. His work has included advocating for invasive plant management along the main highway through Xwísten, supporting restoration efforts along salmon spawning habitat on the Bridge River, and helping identify invasive parasitic dodder that had established in the community.
Gerald traces his involvement in invasive species management back to collaborative meetings in the early 1980s focused on addressing the spread of knapweed throughout the region.
“It started in 1982, with a meeting that brought people and organizations together to address knapweed, which was spreading along roads into our ranches. Then again, in the early 1990s, there was another seminar and biocontrol agents to help address knapweed and other invasives.”
One of the things Gerald is most proud of is seeing how invasive species management efforts and partnerships with First Nation communities have grown over time.
“I am a founding member of the Lillooet Region Invasive Species Society, was the only First Nations at the time, and am pleased to see what has been done since the start and to see the growth in partnerships with First Nations.”
Looking ahead, Gerald says continued learning and new management tools give him hope.
“Each year, there is new information available and more to learn and more invasive species to address. The growing information, especially with biocontrol, is important to help address invasive species that are of concern, from knapweed, burdock, to Russian olive.”
James Littley receives Leadership Excellence Award
James Littley is receiving the Leadership Excellence Award for advancing invasive species preparedness and prevention efforts in the Okanagan and beyond.
Since joining the Okanagan Basin Water Board in 2012, James has helped advance practical, collaborative approaches to invasive species prevention, particularly for aquatic invasive species such as mussels.
His work has included public education initiatives, partnership development, and the creation of practical tools to help communities prepare for potential impacts from invasive mussels before they arrive.
One notable example is the Preparing for Invasive Mussels: Vulnerability Assessment Guide for Raw Water Infrastructure, a first-of-its-kind resource in North America that helps water utilities assess vulnerabilities and improve preparedness for invasive zebra and quagga mussels.
A strong connection to water and the outdoors helped guide James toward invasive species prevention work.
“My love for the water and the beauty of B.C., and understanding the impacts invasive species can have on our environment, economy, and way of life, really led me into this work,” he said.
Over the years, that passion has grown into a career focused on helping protect communities, infrastructure, and ecosystems from the impacts of invasive species.
One accomplishment James is especially proud of is the partnerships that have helped advance prevention efforts over the years.
“Working with partners to produce the first Vulnerability Assessment Guide for Raw Water Infrastructure was a big milestone, especially as a first for North America. I’m also proud of the partnerships we’ve built around taking action to prevent invasive species.”
For James, those partnerships have been key to turning awareness into coordinated action and long-term progress. Looking ahead, James says collaboration continues to give him hope.
“The level of collaboration between the province, ISCBC, OBWB, and many other partners, and the progress we’ve made together over the past 14 years, is really encouraging.”
Whether through local stewardship, education, preparedness efforts, or partnerships, both recipients demonstrate how individual contributions can help support broader invasive species prevention and management efforts across B.C. Their work reflects the important role that people, communities, and organizations continue to play in protecting waterways, landscapes, and communities from invasive species impacts.
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