ALBERTA BIOLOGISTS' BIWEEKLY |
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BIOS BRIEF FEATURES THIS WEEK:
- Environmental monitoring programs
- Make better use of your spreadsheets
(Scroll down to visit BIOS BRIEF)
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CONFERENCE COUNTDOWN
The annual conference is only 90 days away! The ASPB 2022 Fall Conference will be held November 30 - December 2 at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise.
ASPB 2022 Annual Conference
Sponsorship Opportunities
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AER issues geothermal
development rules
The Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) has issued the regulatory framework for geothermal resource development in Alberta through the publication of the Geothermal Resource Development Rules (by the Alberta Queen’s Printer) and the Alberta Energy Regulator’s release of Directive 089: Geothermal Resource Development. On December 8, 2021, the Government of Alberta proclaimed the Geothermal Resource Development Act (GRDA), under which the AER has the authority to regulate the safe, efficient, and responsible development of Alberta’s deep geothermal resources. As the regulator for geothermal development in Alberta, the AER implements government policy, rules, and regulations associated with the GRDA.
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AEP releases new guidelines
Alberta Environment and Parks has announced that it has released the 2022 edition of the Alberta Tier 1 Soil and Groundwater Remediation Guidelines and the Alberta Tier 2 Soil and Groundwater Remediation Guidelines. The information release says that while the 2022 editions of the Alberta Tier 1 and Tier 2 guidelines may be used immediately, they don’t formally come into effect until January 1, 2023. Alberta Environment and Parks and the Alberta Energy Regulator will continue to accept applications for reclamation certificates and remediation certificates that are compliant with the 2019 edition of the Alberta Tier 1 and Tier 2 guidelines, provided that laboratory analytical data reports from Phase 2 environmental site assessments or confirmatory sampling events are dated on or before January 1, 2023. Laboratory analytical data reports dated January 1, 2023 or later must be compliant with the 2022 edition of the Alberta Tier 1 and Tier 2 guidelines. The updated guidelines are available at: https://www.alberta.ca/part-one-soil-and-groundwater-remediation.aspx
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NEW
on the
JOB BOARD
Environmental Biologist
Project Manager
Environmental Inspector
Aquatic Biologist
Environmental Analyst
Environmental Analyst
Intermediate/Senior Env.Specialist
Senior Vegetation Ecologist
Intermediate Biologist
Intermediate Aquatic Biologist
Senior Wildlife Biologist - Lead
Senior Ecosystem Biologist
Wetland Biologist
Senior Vegetation Ecologist
Principal Ecological Planner
NRTG Administrative Assistant
FIND
INFORMATION ABOUT THESE POSITIONS
AND OVER 40 MORE
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EVENTS OF INTEREST
SEPTEMBER
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Online course:
Environmental Site Assessment
UCalgary Continuing Education online course on September 20, 2022. Theory and practical application of the principles of environmental site assessment (Phases I and II)... Read more
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EVENTS OF INTEREST
OCTOBER
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Half-day workshop:
The Stories Told By Springs
The University of Calgary is offering a half-day ecosystem assessment workshop and lecture on “The Stories Told By Springs” on October 20, 2022. The lecturer, Dr. Abe Springer, is a world renowned expert on spring hydrology and ecology, and is thoroughly familiar with the springs in Alberta. He will guide how to inventory springs using the Level 2 inventory protocol of the Springs Stewardship Institute. There will be no charge to attend the workshop which will be held at an urban spring in a residential area in NW Calgary. For more information, please contact Misaki Hayashi at https://https://hayashi@ucalgary.ca. or by phone at 1-403-220-2794.
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Seeking Workshop Volunteers
The University of Calgary is offering a half-day ecosystem assessment workshop and lecture on “The Stories Told By Springs” on October 20, 2022. The lecturer, Dr. Abe Springer, is thoroughly familiar with the springs in Alberta and he has requested assistance during the workshop from a botanist and an aquatic ecologist who are also familiar with springs in Alberta. There will be no charge to attend the workshop; to offer your voluntary services, please contact Misaki Hayashi at https://https://hayashi@ucalgary.ca. or by phone at 1-403-220-2794.
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NABC bird banding workshop
and certification in Belize
This ecotourism and learning event to be held between October 15-22, 2022 is hosted by Toucan Ridge Ecology and Education Society at the TREES Research Center in Belize’s Maya Mountains. For more information please go HERE or contact Nick Bartok, P Biol at nbartok@west-ulc.ca
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COLUMBIA MOUNTAINS TRAINING INSTITUTE
https://cmiae.org/event/intermediate-r-course-online/
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NATURAL RESOURCES TRAINING GROUP
Electrofishing Certification – Kamloops, BC – September 13 & 20, 2022
Electrofishing Certification – Terrace, BC – September 13 & 23, 2022
Avian Nest Sweeps and Monitoring Methods (Online) – September 20 – 21, 2022
Wetland Assessment (Online) – September 28 – 29, 2022
For the full calendar of upcoming courses the link is here:
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GRASSLAND RESTORATION FORUM
HANDS-ON COURSES AND EVENTS
The Grassland Restoration Forum’s hands-on courses and events for 2022 are listed below. You can check out their website for details and registration on all events HERE.
September 14th, 2022: How to Use Range Plant Community Guides and Recovery Strategies Manuals for Project and Reclamation Planning in Grasslands at Cassils Hall, near Brooks. This one-day, classroom-based course teaches participants how to use the Range Plant Community Guides and introduces the Recovery Strategies for Development in Native Grassland Manuals planning process. These tools will provide valuable context to interpret results of data collected for NEW AEP Conservation Assessments
September 15th, 2022: Hands on! Grassland Assessment Training at Antelope Creek Ranch, near Brooks. This one day, field-based course offers training on common plant identification, use of soils and landscape mapping (AGRASID and GVI) in relation to Alberta’s Range Plant Community Guides and Range Health Assessment Manuals.
October 4th, 2022: A Walking Tour of the Stavely Research Ranch – west of Stavely, Alberta in the Porcupine Hills. This tour will be led by Barry Adams, Rangeland Management Specialist - AEP (retired). A unique and valuable demonstration of long-term effects of land management on foothills fescue grassland ecosystems in southwest Alberta.
November 17th, 2022: Our Perennial Gathering! GRF Fall Information Session at Claresholm. The one day Fall Information Session gathers a variety of industry and grassland stakeholders to exchange current information on grassland restoration and conservation through a variety of presentations and mini updates.
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SALMTEC
SALMTEC has announced new courses and training programs:
Alberta Wetland Policy Basics Online Course
Alberta Soil Information Viewer Online Course
Understanding ACIMS Tools Online Course
Navigating the Alberta Soil Information Viewer Video Short (free)
Wetland Water Cycle Video Short (free)
Interactive classes comprise the final learning component of a Blended/Online course.
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An Australian perspective:
Environmental monitoring programs:
A group of Australian scientists have outlined eight things they suggest that should never be done in environmental monitoring programs, including the following: don’t start environmental management initiatives without also committing to a monitoring program; don’t start a monitoring program without clear questions; don’t implement a monitoring program without doing a proper experimental design; don’t ignore the importance of matching the purpose and objectives of a monitoring program; don’t change the way you monitor something without ensuring continuity between old and new methods; never try to monitor everything; don’t collect data without planning to report it, and make sure you have the necessary resources to conduct the monitoring program. The full abstract is available HERE.
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Make better use of your spreadsheets
- Keep your raw data raw: make your original spreadsheet a read-only document and work on copies, so that you can start over if necessary.
- Avoid digital ‘bling’: do not encode data with colour or formatting, which can be easily lost and might be opaque to future users. Instead, create another column that can be sorted or filtered.
- Be consistent: decide on one approach to things such as date formats and stick to it.
- Document your work: designate a spreadsheet (or tab) as a ‘code book’ for details such as abbreviations, the calculations being performed and how data were collected.
- Cross-check your data: build in simple cross-checks to ensure that calculations are functioning as they should, and consider data validation to check values as they are entered.
- Think ahead: if possible, work out what you hope to do with your data before creating your spreadsheet in the first place.
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We post on Twitter every day...
here is a sample of our tweets over the last two weeks:
(LINKS ARE HOT)
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Banner Image:
Wetland near Hafford, SK (photo by PGK)
The ASPB regulates the professional practice of biology in the disciplines of Botany, Zoology, Environmental Biology and Microbiology, and all sub-disciplines below them. The ASPB is the only organization for biologists in Alberta that is registered under Provincial Legislation with a mandate to protect the interests of the public of Alberta. The society is governed by a Board of Directors elected by its registrants.
You are probably receiving this newsletter because you are an ASPB Registrant. This newsletter provides relevant information about professional development opportunities for our members and essential member-related society business; if you are a registered member of the Alberta Society of Professional Biologists, please DO NOT unsubscribe. For more information about the Society or to contact the administration, please visit the website: https://www.aspb.ab.ca
Opinions and general news published in this e-newsletter
do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policy of the Society or its Board of Directors.
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