
One Health Summer Institute 2025: Watershed Planning
Program Description
The One Health Summer Institute (OHSI) 2025: Watershed Planning is an 8-day class and field-based program exploring a One Health approach to watershed planning. Learn how human activity impacts the Bow River Basin, which begins in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta, and is a critical source of water supporting the basin’s human, animal, plant and ecosystem health and services as well as numerous economic activities in the region. Gain insight into the science, management strategies, and collaborative transdisciplinary skills necessary for sustaining the health and viability of the basin and the diverse ecosystems it contains.
About
Climate, human activities and environmental change collectively pose an accelerating and complex threat to water supplies. There is an urgent need for transformative change by all water users to preserve the quantity and quality of water in our watersheds. The fifth annual OHSI aims to provide a program for participants from diverse backgrounds to come together and advance their understanding of the challenges facing global watersheds. Participants will develop their understanding of watershed science, foster collaborative skills and capabilities, and build transdisciplinary professional networks. This program is delivered jointly by the following University of Calgary organizations:
The One Health Summer Institute 2025: Watershed Planning will explore the Bow River Basin. We respectfully acknowledge that the Bow River Basin is within the traditional territories of the people of the Treaty 7 region in Southern Alberta.
Program Details
- Identify how to select appropriate indicators to measure and / or describe key hydrological, physical, chemical, and ecological indicators of change within the Bow River Watershed
- Explore how human systems interact with the physical, chemical, and biological processes in watersheds
- Practice seeing the ecological relationships between human, animal, and environmental health
- Gain a more holistic understanding of watershed management principles
- Think critically about mitigation and adaptation responses to watershed change
- Gain perspectives on Indigenous ways of knowing and its relationship with the One Health approach
- Practice working collectively within a collaborative watershed governance scenario
- Date: June 25 – July 2, 2025
- Time: Everyday, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Format: In person, classroom sessions and field trips. All instruction and course materials will be in English.
- Credit Information: This is a non-credit course. There will be no grades or assessments. There will be a group-based project with group presentation on the last day of the course. All participants will receive a certificate of completion.
- Locations: This program is centered on the Bow River, from its source in the Icefields of the Rocky Mountains and following its course through Banff, the City of Calgary, and the surrounding prairie. 4 days will be held in Kananaskis area and 4 days in Calgary and area.
- Travel to Calgary: Each participant will be responsible for the cost and arrangements for their travel to Calgary. For participants from outside Canada, please consult the Government of Canada website to learn if you need to apply for a visa. If you need a visa to enter Canada, and do not currently hold a valid visitor’s visa, please be aware that you will not likely receive your visa in time to attend this course.
- Travel during the course: We will provide a shuttle bus from UCalgary to the Barrier Lake research Station in Kananaskis on Day 3, June 27th. All other travels during the program will be by coach bus and is included in the cost.
- Accommodation: For the Kananaskis portion of program (4 days and nights), classes and accommodation will be held at the Barrier Lake Research Station in Kananaskis. It will be dormitory-style accommodation with shared rooms, bunk beds and shared washroom facilities.
For those requiring Calgary accommodations, we have reserved a block of 2- and 3-bedroom apartments in UCalgary student housing on the main campus. A room will be available at no cost to each participant from June 25 - July 2. After registration closes, we will provide more information about how to reserve your bedroom.
- Meals: For the Rocky Mountain portion of the program, all meals are included in the cost with the exception of one supper in the town of Banff where the participants will have free time for the evening and will be responsible for their own supper.
For the Calgary portion of the program, lunches will be provided but you will be responsible for your own breakfast and supper.
- Step 1: Fill out the application questionnaire: As spots in the program are limited, filling out this application is a crucial step. It helps us to understand your skills and competencies, enabling us to form a diverse group of participants and ensuring a meaningful and enriching experience for everyone involved.
- Deadline to submit your application: April 11, 2025. We review the applications as we receive them.
- Step 2: We will review your application and aim to communicate our decision to you via email by April 25, 2025, provided that you meet the criteria and are accepted. We appreciate your patience and understanding.
- Step 3: Once we accept your application, you will receive the registration link from us.
- Cost: $750 for each participant.
This cost includes all learning materials, accommodation for entire duration of the program in Calgary and Kananaskis, all travels during the week of the program, food (except for two suppers in the town of Banff and Canmore and breakfast and supper for the Calgary portion).
- Contact: For questions regarding registration and payment, please contact Dr. Michele Anholt, rmanholt@ucalgary.ca.
Details are subject to change
Day 1: Wednesday June 25 – UCalgary
- Morning: Meet at UCalgary. Introductions, overview of the week, discussion on One Health
- Afternoon: Introduction to watersheds and the Bow River Basin including history, issues, and integrative management.
Day 2: Thursday June 26 – Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park
- Full day: Travel to Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park and experience authentic Blackfoot culture and history through performances, exhibitions, and conversations.
Day 3: Friday June 27 – Staying in Kananaskis
- Morning: Meet at UCalgary and travel by bus to Kananaskis
- Afternoon: Travel by bus to Bow Lake and Glacier. How do we assess the health of a water system. Continue on to Banff with a walking tour of Banff and water-related issues in this busy tourist town.
- Evening: Free time, dinner in Banff.
Day 4: Saturday June 28 – Staying in Kananaskis
- Morning: Classroom presentation and discussion on water and environmental justice
- Afternoon: Class and field studies, biological and ecological indicators of stream ecosystem health
Day 5: Sunday June 29 – Staying in Kananaskis
- Morning: Classroom presentations on water extremes and predictive modelling
- Afternoon: TBD
Day 6: Monday June 30 – Staying in Kananaskis
- Morning: Travel by bus to Canmore, walking tour of water-related issues in Canmore
- Afternoon: Tour Spray Lakes Water Treatment Facility and discuss watershed management from EPOR’s perspective
- Evening: Free time, dinner in Canmore
Day 7: Tuesday July 1 – Return to Calgary
- Happy Cananda Day!
- Morning: Return to Calgary by bus with one stop to visit a cattle rancher to discuss how he manages his water to meet his and the needs of future generations
- Afternoon: TBD
Day 8: Wednesday July 2 – At UCalgary
- Full day: Classroom time for group work on project and project presentations
Students, postdoc fellows and working professionals from all disciplinary backgrounds who are interested in:
- Learning about the implications of climate change and environmental degradation on global watersheds
- Learning about the science supporting watershed management
- Understanding how water users, communities, and governments can come together to make decisions, develop policies and improve watershed governance
- Contributing to the discussions with their expertise, knowledge, and lived experience
- Expanding their professional network of individuals working in diverse fields but with an interest in a One Health approach to complex problems
Testimonial

I attended One Health Summer Institute 2022 which was an incredible experience! We learnt about the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration to help address the complex problems we face today. The wide variety of expert speakers combined with the systems thinking approach opened my mind to the opportunities available when we work together. The experience enlightened me about the beautiful lifestyle of the Indigenous Peoples of Canada and the knowledge the Elders and community have to offer.
Heleen de Wit, International Student from the Netherlands
INSTRUCTORS

Michele Anholt, DVM, PhD
Consultant and Program Lead, University of Calgary
Dr. Michele Anholt completed her DVM at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in 1985. Most of the next 22 years was spent in companion animal practice in British Columbia and Alberta. Deciding on a midlife career change, she returned to school and completed a PhD in Veterinary Epidemiology at UCVM. For the following 6 years, she worked with government, non-governmental, and industry organizations tackling a range of research questions in beef, poultry, wildlife, and people. In 2019, she returned to the University of Calgary as the manager of One Health at UCalgary to help develop and advance transdisciplinary research approaches to complex human and animal health issues, as well as biodiversity, conservation, and sustainability challenges. She is now mostly retired but is happy to back helping to coordinate the OHSI2025.

Kerry Black, PhD, P.Eng.
Assistant Professor, Schulich School of Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Calgary
Kerry Black is an Assistant Professor and Canada Research Chair (Integrated Knowledge, Engineering & Sustainable Communities), in the Center for Environmental Engineering Research and Education (CEERE) and the Department of Civil Engineering, at the University of Calgary. She received her PhD from the University of Guelph with research focused on sustainable water and wastewater management in Indigenous communities. Her focus is to engage in a cross-disciplinary research platform, incorporating technical civil and environmental engineering principles and research, with policy and socio-economic components, focusing on sustainable infrastructure for healthy and resilient communities.

David Blair
External Relations, Bow River Trout Foundation
David started fishing as soon after he learned to walk. He spent his youth on the banks of the Bow and has been fortunate enough to travel overseas and fish for many of the world’s prime gamefish.
Along with his wife Nancy, together they have been involved in the fly fishing industry in Calgary for over two decades after starting Fish Tales Fly Shop in 1997.
During his college and university days, he lived in Lethbridge, Alberta and Missoula, Montana. Both areas are veritable fly fishing havens. He spent four summers guiding fly fishing for pike, lake trout, grayling and walleye in Canada’s North before getting into the retail and outfitting business.

Martyn Clark, PhD
Professor, Hydrology and Schulich Research Chair in Environmental Prediction, University of Calgary
Martyn is a Professor of Hydrology and Schulich Research Chair in Environmental Prediction at the University of Calgary. He is elected Fellow of the American Geophysical Union (in 2016) and is the previous Editor-In-Chief for Water Resources Research (2017-2020). Martyn’s research focuses in three main areas: (i) developing and evaluating process-based hydrological models; (ii) understanding the sensitivity of water resources to climate variability and change; and (iii) developing the next generation streamflow forecasting systems. Martyn has authored or co-authored over 200 journal articles since receiving his PhD in 1998.

Claire Jackson, M.Sc., MBA, P.Eng.
Chief Operating Officer, WaterSMART Solutions
claire.jackson@watersmartsolutions.ca
Claire Jackson is the Chief Operating Officer at WaterSMART Solutions. Claire has over 10 years of experience working in sustainable water management, she holds degrees in Chemical Engineering, Environmental Systems Engineering, and an MBA. Throughout her career, Claire has led numerous initiatives addressing pressing water challenges and is a strong advocate for collaborative efforts to safeguard this essential resource. Her work focuses on innovative and sustainable solutions to ensure water security for future generations.

Matt Kumlin, DVM
Associate Veterinarians, Veterinary Agri-Health Services Ltd. (VAHS)
Matt was raised on his family’s ranch in Jumping Pound, AB. He earned his Animal Science degree from the University of Saskatchewan in 2010 and his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from University of Calgary, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in 2014. Following graduation, Dr. Matt joined Bow Valley Livestock Health and Bow Valley Genetics in Brooks, AB where he provided advanced reproductive services to cow-calf clients. In 2017, he returned home to manage the family ranch and joined Veterinary Agri-Health Services as a part-time veterinarian. Since that time, Dr. Matt and his wife, Angela, have grown the operation to 300 head of Red Angus crossbred mother cows and 700 head of grass cattle by focusing on regenerative agriculture and management-intensive grazing practices. They enjoy family time and ranching with their children, Wade, Bennett, and Rachel. In his spare time, Dr. Matt also enjoys roping at brandings, hunting, and fishing.

Kelly Munkittrick, PhD
Professor, Faculty of Science, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary
Kelly Munkittrick received a B.Sc. in Fish and Wildlife biology in 1980 and a M.Sc. in environmental physiology in 1983, both from the University of Guelph. He completed his PhD in 1988 in Aquatic Toxicology at the University of Waterloo.
Most recently, he was the Executive Director of Cold Regions and Water Initiatives at Wilfrid Laurier University. Prior to Laurier, he was the Director of Monitoring at Canada’s Oil Sands Innovation Alliance (COSIA; 2013-2017), where he worked to help the oil sands industry adjust to a new regional environmental monitoring framework, and to align monitoring across oil sands companies. Kelly previously also held a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Ecosystem Health Assessment at the University of New Brunswick (2001-2013), and 11 years as a Research Scientists with the Canadian Federal Government (6 at Fisheries and Oceans and 5 at Environment Canada).

Mike Murray
Executive Director, Bow River Basin Council
Mike has been working with the BRBC since 2003 coming from a background in ecology. He grew up in the Bow Basin exploring the headwaters, foothills and prairies and developing a keen appreciation for the natural environment and the importance of stewardship of this precious resource. The challenges are many, but Mike enjoys working on these issues with all of the partners and members of the BRBC towards solving complex issues together. He has a firm belief that working together in an inclusive and collaborative fashion we can find solutions and help our ecosystems to flourish and ultimately sustain our future and those who will come after us.

Christine O'Grady
Executive Director, Advancing Canadian Water Assets (ACWA)
Christine is the Executive Director for Advancing Canadian Water Assets (ACWA), University of Calgary, which provides the place and opportunity for the integration of research, education, science, innovation and informed policy for environmental and public health. Christine has worked with the public and private sectors in areas including biotechnology development, laboratory management, environmental consulting and small business ownership. She most recently was the project lead for the first potable water reuse project in Alberta.

Robert Sandford
Senior Government Relations Liaison, Global Climate Emergency Response, United Nations University, Institute for Water, Environment and Health
Robert (Bob) Sandford has 45 years of experience interpreting natural and human history for general audiences. In the last two decades Robert Sandford focus has been on translating scientific research outcomes into language the average person can understand and that decision-makers at all levels can use to craft timely and durable public and private sector policies. To this end, Bob is also senior advisor on water issues for the Interaction Council, a global public policy forum composed of more than thirty former Heads of State including Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien, U.S. President Bill Clinton and the former Prime Minister of Norway, Gro Brundtland.

Corinne Schuster-Wallace, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Saskatchewan
Research Area(s)
- Local Water Security for Health: Developing practical solutions and community-based tools for evidence-informed decision-making in rural, remote, and marginalised communities, particularly in low resources settings
- Water, Disease, and Climate Change: Identifying and spatially analyzing burdens of disease associated with water-related diseases, understanding both social and physical dimensions affecting these patterns, and exploring climate change impacts.
- Water and Sustainable Development: a macroscopic view of the water-health nexus demonstrates the need to account for the interconnectedness of water for life, nutrition, and livelihoods to ensure positive health and wellbeing.

Dr. Frederick John Wrona, PhD
Professor, Faculty of Science, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary
frederickjohn.wrona@ucalgary.ca
Dr. Fred Wrona received a B.Sc. in Environmental Biology in 1977 and a PhD in Aquatic Ecology in 1982 from the University of Calgary. He has >30 years of experience leading or contributing to numerous environmental research and monitoring programs addressing regional, national and international environmental issues related to: climate impacts on freshwater ecosystems; cold regions hydro-ecology; multiple stressor and cumulative effects assessments; ecotoxicology; and environmental monitoring program design. Most recently, he was the inaugural Chief Scientist and Assistant Deputy Minister (Environmental Monitoring and Science Division) for the Department of Alberta Environment and Parks and was previously the Vice-President and Chief Scientist at the Alberta Environmental Monitoring and Evaluation Agency. He also served as the government co-chair for the joint Canada-Alberta Oil Sands Monitoring Program.
Questions?
If you have any questions regarding the One Health Summer Institute, or need any assistance in this regard, please contact us at onehealth@ucalgary.ca and we will assist you as soon as we can.
Thank you!
How can you support this program?
We are seeking donors to provide money for student scholarships. If you are interested in donating please contact Dr. Michele Anholt, Program Lead, at rmanholt@ucalgary.ca.