Art Carson is a throwback. He’s a true mountain man, relying heavily on his own skills to live at the edge of an unforgiving wilderness. Art is a forester – he’s worked in sawmills since he was young and it’s probably why he built his own in his backyard. Art’s an innovator – he’s not only established his own hydro-electric station to power his off-the-grid property, but also designed tools to help improve access to power in remote locations. Art is also a small business owner, having run an electronics store for years in the community of Valemount on the west edge of Mount Robson. And he’s a passionate historian who is the definitive voice on the complex history of people and parks – economy and nature – in the Robson Valley.
Art invited us to his one-of-a-kind home, up a long gravel road from nowhere, to learn about the history of his backyard and what lessons we need to learn from the past to better balance people and nature in the future.
What do you think?
- What do you think about Art’s perspectives?
- What lessons do we need to take to heart as we try to balance jobs and nature, rural aspirations and global pressures?
- Are his views on forestry as relevant today as ever? Or is there more to the equation that now needs to be considered?
- Do we do a good enough job of listening to the quiet, measured elders in our midst, like Art?
- Given the complex history and changing times, what might the future hold for the Robson Valley and for other regions like it?
- What stories might you want to tell about your home when you’re Art’s age?
More on Art
Websites: Mountain Mania, Carson Electronics