Jim Cooperman

Author of the local best seller, Everything Shuswap, Jim Cooperman moved to the Shuswap in 1969 as a war resister and a back-to-the-lander, after receiving his BA from the University of California at Berkeley. Over the succeeding years, Jim taught school, worked in construction and log building, operated a sawmill, and edited a provincial environmental journal, the BC Environmental Report. His local environmental work led to the protection of over 25,000 hectares of new parks in the Shuswap, which is documented in the book, Big Trees Saved, by Deanna Kawatski. He has researched and written about local history and helped initiate and edit the local history journal, Shuswap Chronicles I and II. In 1993, he wrote the Chapter on Canada in Clearcut – The Tragedy of Industrial Forestry. And in 1998, he wrote Keeping the Special in Special Management Zones, A Citizens’ Guide, published by BC Spaces for Nature. Jim lives with his wife, Kathleen, in a log home they built on 40 acres above Shuswap Lake, where they raised five children. His column, “Shuswap Passion,” appears every two weeks in either the Shuswap Market News or the Salmon Arm Observer. Additionally, his YouTube channel has over 100 videos, including many that showcase live music, skiing and Shuswap geography.

Apr 7 2021April 8, 2021

The many potential benefits of the Shuswap North Okanagan Rail Trail

Recreation, Shuswap

The Shuswap is poised to reap substantial benefits from the Shuswap North Okanagan Rail Trail once it is completed. The 50-kilometre-long, 3 to 4.6-metre-wide non-motorized …

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Mar 24 2021March 28, 2021

A Monashee Mountain camping adventure eighty years ago

History, Shuswap

One of the most fascinating sections in Erskine Burnett’s scrapbook album, The Shuswap Country, is the description and photos of his camping trip into the …

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Mar 13 2021March 31, 2021

An 80-year-old scrapbook provides an insightful look at Shuswap history

History, Shuswap, Uncategorized

[Featured image caption: “Charlie Chong was a well-known resident of the Grindrod district and his wagonload of fresh vegetables was a daily sight on the …

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Feb 11 2021February 23, 2021

The pandemic should reset Canada’s priorities to reap the benefits of demilitarization

Commentary, Shuswap

One might think that the pandemic, which has so far resulted in the death of over 20,000 Canadians along with major health complications for thousands …

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Feb 2 2021March 4, 2021

Remembering the famed Lee Creek Harvest Festival

Culture, Memoirs, Shuswap

Imagine you and your friends spending three, joyful days every fall filled with fun, including much laughter, music, dancing, skits, games, feasts and even a …

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