One does not need a college degree to be a naturalist, and indeed, some of our greatest discoveries in natural history have been made by people not trained in natural sciences. Of course, natural history is well informed by professional scientists of ecology, biology, forestry, icthyology (the study of fish) and other natural sciences. But to be a naturalist, one needs curiosity and time. You need an enquiring mind, driven by a fascination with sights, scents and sounds of nature. And you need time outdoors. Hike a mountain. Swim a lake. Meander a meadow. Wade a stream. Carry a guide book, and a notebook. Identify birds and butterflies. Name trees and flowers. Unravel mysteries of the natural world, not from book or lectures, but from what you see outside.

This website provides an introduction to the natural history of the Columbia River Basin in southeastern British Columbia, Canada. It traces biological diversity through time, from the earliest beginnings that can be seen in fossils, through the diversity of forest, grassland and aquatic ecosystems, to the fish and wildlife that live here. It also touches upon the consequences of changes caused by human settlement and our use of natural resources, from inventories of species at risk of extinction, to the decline of sports fishing, and the introduction of alien species.

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