As you enter the forests of the West Kootenays, be on the lookout for a new addition to the landscape. 

The ‘Koots’ are concrete sculptures added by the Koots Artist Collective to help visitors interact with their surroundings in a playful way. It’s a project that was inspired by similar large scale works in Europe, but with a lasting material. There are five sites where people can find the Koots, each with different themes. 

Petersen said the artists hope people will visit each of the Koots, adding several small communities to their itinerary, and showcasing their natural beauty: