STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

Learn how we can restore the dignity of our rivers Wednesday night when the Wood River Land Trust presents the second in its 2025 Think Globally, Act Locally speaker series.

The event will be held at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 19, at Ketchum’s Community Library.

Colin Thorne, chair of Physical Geography at the University of Nottingham, United Kingdom, will discuss how rivers hold value beyond their economic worth, using examples from across the globe. He will also explore the innate right of rivers to be valued, spurring Wood River Valley residents to think about whether our own rivers and riverscapes are treated with dignity.

He will be joined by Patrick Edwards, senior instructor in the Environmental Science and Management Department at Portland State University and a past speaker in the series, as they take a hyper-localized lens at measuring restoration success on a stream in Ketchum’s backyard.

Thorne is a leading expert in river restoration, known internationally for his work on the stream evolution model to promote healthier, more resilient riverscapes.

Though free, registration is required for those wishing to see it in person at https://thecommunitylibrary.libcal.com/event/12936435. The program also will be livestreamed and available to watch later at https://vimeo.com/event/4813240.