BEHIND CAMP MOOSE TRAIL
What is regenerative accommodation?
Regenerative tourism aims to leave a destination healthier through the visits it hosts. It sees each place as a living system, with nature, local communities and cultural heritage connected. For accommodation, that means working towards restoring ecosystems, supporting local people and respecting the stories and traditions that belong to a place.
Inspired by Regenerative Travel’s explanation of regenerative tourism.
We have re-engineered camp practices to turn waste into resources that help heal local soils and grow forests.
A camp. A living experiment.
Three years ago, we started looking hard into regenerative practices we could use at camp. That got us asking bigger questions about what happens after the dishes are done and everyone’s gone home.
Today, we’re turning organic materials into natural soil enrichment, helping build healthier soils here in the valley. Our Kootenay River reforestation project is already underway, with trees growing at camp, nurtured by the systems we use to manage organic materials.
Next comes a deeper experiment: connecting biological energy, water, and nutrients. Here’s what we’re working on, and what we still need to learn.
01 / Biological energy
Heat from a living process.
Thermophilic microbes release energy as they break down organic material. Our question is how much of that energy we can collect and put to useful work while keeping the biological process healthy.
In Winston’s Cabin, we’re developing a system that uses a heat exchanger to transfer energy from locally sourced organic materials into the cabin’s heating system.
Generating biological heat is only the beginning. We need to learn how it responds when we draw heat out, how long useful warmth lasts, and how moisture, airflow, and the mix of materials affect its performance.
What we want to measure
Biological material temperatures, fluid temperatures going in and out, circulation rate, useful heat delivered, and the electricity needed to move it. These measurements will help us understand what the system can actually do through a heating season.
02 / Water and nutrients
What happens after the water leaves the sink?
We’re exploring how cabin water reuse could become part of the same biological system, keeping water and nutrients useful for longer and working towards eliminating wastewater.
One question is whether suitable water from the cabin could support the moisture needs of the microbial process. Another is how to manage that water without upsetting the biology or creating problems elsewhere.
This part of the project is still being developed. Water quality, treatment, storage, and the needs of the receiving system all matter. A closed loop is the goal we’re investigating; we’ll share what testing shows.
03 / Local soils
There’s more to the story than heat.
This part of the experiment is already happening. We’re turning organic materials generated at camp into natural soil enrichment and supplying it to Winter Roots Farm here in the valley.
The biological heating work builds on that practice. We want to understand how collecting useful heat can fit into a process that also produces material with value for the land.
Following the material matters as much as following the energy: where it comes from, how it changes, and where it goes next.
04 / Growing forests
Reforestation starts before planting day.
Our Kootenay River reforestation project is already underway. Trees earmarked for that work are growing at camp and being cared for as part of our regenerative practices.
Growing and nurturing those young trees is the first stage. Getting them established in the burn area, with a mix of species suited to local conditions, is the next part of the work.
We’ll share progress as the project moves from nursery care to planting and follow-up. The story continues after a tree goes into the ground.
05 / The next questions
Could the same heat do the laundry?
Over time, we also want to test on-site laundry and drying using biological heat. It’s a way to explore whether the same system could reduce the energy and transport involved in caring for camp linens.
That work starts with understanding the heat source: how much useful energy it provides, at what temperature, and for how long. It’s a future experiment, with plenty still to learn.
Measure. Document. Share. Try again.
We plan to document the build with dated photos, measurements, and honest updates. That means sharing the limits and the things that need another go, as well as the successes.
The aim is to build something useful here and make the learning useful to other people too.
Be part of the experiment.
When you stay here, you take part in these systems. We want to show you where those materials go, what we’re learning, and what actually happens next.
Bring your curiosity. Ask questions. Follow along as we build, test, and refine.
We have questions and a willingness to admit when something needs another go. Come geek out with us.