For Tzeporah Berman, coming to speak at the Meadowlark Nature Festival is a welcome change of pace.

含羞草研究社淲hat I have been trying to figure out for 25 years now, if you care about a place or an issue, what do we do about it?含羞草研究社� asked Berman. 含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檝e explored a lot of different things over the last couple of decades, from blockades to boardrooms and everything between. I want to share some stories of my own journey and my hope, inspire.含羞草研究社�

Berman, one of Canada含羞草研究社檚 most influential environmentalists, has an impeccable record of fighting to protect our natural spaces, all the way back to the 含羞草研究社淲ar in the Woods含羞草研究社� in the early 90s, starting with her first protest at Clayquot Sound. In her early 20s, she faced nearly 1,000 criminal charges and six years in prison for her role in organizing blockades.

Berman, now an adjunct professor at York University, spends most of her time lately speaking at energy policy and political conferences. Coming to Meadowlark as the keynote speaker on May 19 gives her a chance to connect in a different way.

含羞草研究社淚 have such a big love of nature and I want to encourage people to engage in the protection of not only wild places but also the ecosystems services that nature provides,含羞草研究社� said Berman. 含羞草研究社淲hen the festival asked me to speak, I was so glad to see people doing this work, just to connect people with nature and what an incredibly beautiful province we are all so lucky to live in.

含羞草研究社淚 hope I can contribute to the festival, by talking a little about how we address these challenges that are facing our province and our wild places.含羞草研究社�

Berman will draw on her book, This Crazy Time: Living our Environmental Challenge, to share stories about more than two decades of activism. Sometimes, she said, it feels like an endless battle and can be overwhelming.

含羞草研究社淩ight now, I work most of my time on climate change and there is not a lot of good news on climate change, but at the same time, I feel like I am so lucky to be able to get up every day and work on the issues that keep me up at night,含羞草研究社� she said. 含羞草研究社淚 think these are the challenges of our age, and what we do now to address climate change, to ensure that we have clean water and clean air, and the future affects everything.含羞草研究社�

Berman said part of what drives her is the successes over the years and the passionate and dedicated people she has been able to work with. But as a mother, she doesn含羞草研究社檛 feel she really has a choice.

含羞草研究社淜nowing what I know, I just look at my kids and say I have to do everything I can,含羞草研究社� said Berman. 含羞草研究社淚 got engaged because of a love for big trees and bears. And now these are really the moral and economic issues of our age. They will affect what kind of world are kids live in.含羞草研究社�

Berman said this is an incredible time to be an environmentalist, hearkening back to her early protests in Clayquot Sound, where 10,000 people came out to protest.

含羞草研究社淭his is one of the most exciting times to be working on these issues, There are more people engaged than ever before,含羞草研究社� said Berman, referencing pipeline proposals, fracking and other issues of the day. 含羞草研究社淚nstead of letting people decide behind closed doors, we are all talking about it around our kitchen table. That is really important.含羞草研究社�

Another change Berman has seen over the years is corporate outlook.

含羞草研究社淲hen I first started doing this work, when you talked to a corporate leader about sustainability, about environmental issues, they looked at you a little bit like you were crazy. Now they all have massive sustainability departments and environmental scientists working for them,含羞草研究社� said Berman. 含羞草研究社淭he world has changed so much and I think that含羞草研究社檚 exciting.

含羞草研究社淎t the same time, the cumulative impacts on our environment have also increased, so the challenges are also greater but we are getting better at figuring out solutions, so I still have hope.含羞草研究社�

Berman said she hasn含羞草研究社檛 had much chance to experience the South Okanagan and is excited about the chance, and the opportunity for a family adventure.

含羞草研究社淚 am bringing my husband and my two boys and we are going to spend the whole long weekend. We are going to sign up for some of these great hikes Meadowlark Festival has,含羞草研究社� said Berman. 含羞草研究社淏esides which, I love B.C. wines 含羞草研究社� I am going to have to go visit some of those as well.含羞草研究社�

The 20th anniversary Meadowlark Nature Festival takes place from May 18 to May 22, with 81 different events from Princeton to Penticton.

Find out more about the festival at .