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Conservation in the Kootenays
Monthly eNews
Spring is always a busy time in the Kootenays and 2018 is no exception. In this month's eNews, you will find a number of new career opportunities in conservation and lots of great upcoming events. Our KCP 2018 Winter Webinar series focusing on the theme of "Grasslands to Wetlands: Connecting Diversity" has so far been incredibly successful and continues this month with two more webinars remaining. Event details and links can be found below in the KCP News and Upcoming Symposiums & Workshops sections.
Please feel free to submit any photos, news or events you'd like us to share by the third week of each month to
communications@kootenayconservation.ca. As always, a big thanks goes out to our supporters!
Please click
here
throughout the month to check in on current news and events. You can click
here
for our KCP Partner list and click
here
to read more about some of the great organizations that support conservation in the Kootenays. You can also "like" us on
Facebook
to hear more news from partners throughout the month.
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KCP Winter Webinar Series
REMAINING WEBINARS: March 8 & 12
The first two webinars in KCP's Winter Webinar Series were held in February and presented fantastic learning opportunities. This four-part series is focusing on the 2017-2018 KCP theme of "Grasslands to Wetlands: Connecting Diversity" and features John Cathro, Albert Chirico, Deepa Filatow and David Poon, and Dr. Paul L. Hansen as presenters. See the Upcoming Events section below for details on the last two webinars.
KCP 10-year Anniversary Celebration for the Columbia Valley Local Conservation Fund
April 10, Invermere
It's been 10 years since the first Local Conservation Fund in Canada was established in the Columbia Valley. A community celebration to mark this historic achievement is being planned for Invermere in the new Columbia Valley Centre. Mark your calendars!
Click here for event details as they become available.
2018 KCP Fall Gathering
Save the Date! October 12-13, Nelson
Please join us in Nelson on October 12-13, 2018 for the 2018 KCP Fall Gathering! Please "Save the Date" by marking it in your calendars. We will be announcing the location in the coming weeks.
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Faces & Places Monthly Feature
As the Program Manager with the Friends of Kootenay Lake Stewardship Society. Avery Deboer-Smith coordinates restoration, research, citizen science, monitoring, education and outreach events and the annual Kootenay Lake Summit. Avery has also been involved in many other Kootenay-based climate and conservation projects and has received awards recognizing her work.
Click here to read about Avery's passion for water conservation and the environment.
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2018 Classrooms to Communities Conference
Call for Proposals now open!
The EECOM 2018 Classrooms to Communities Conference is now inviting proposals. This conference will take place
October 18-21 at St. Eugene Mission Resort near Cranbrook, B.C. This is scheduled to coincide with the B.C. provincial professional development day (
October 19). This Call for Proposals will close
March 30. Conference registration will open
May 15.
Click here for more information.
The Nature Trust of B.C.
Cherry Creek Wetland Ecosystem Restoration Project to expand
The Cherry Creek Wetland Ecosystem Restoration Project (one of the sites visited during the KCP Fall Gathering), led by The Nature Trust of B.C. (TNTBC) with funding from the Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program (FWCP), is restoring wetlands, once drained for agriculture, back to functioning ecosystems. This project at Cherry Creek will continue in 2018 and, with additional funds provided by the BC Wildlife Federation (BCWF), it is expected that the area restored to wetland habitat will expand significantly.
Arrow Lakes Environment Stewardship Society
Ecosystem Restoration
The Arrow Lakes Environment Stewardship Society is working with the Salmo Watershed Streamkeepers Society on a collaborative ecosystem restoration plan for the Arrow Lakes region.
Restoring a Wetland
One of the stops on KCP's West Kootenay Spring Tour last year, Terry and Michelle Halleran's Meadow Creek wetland project with the BC Wildlife Federation was featured on the Ocean Wise AquaBlog last month for World Wetlands Day on February 2.
Click here for the blog.
Kootenay Community Bat Project
Wanted: Reports of dead bats and of bats flying in the winter
The Ministry of Environment has contracted the BC Community Bat Program to collect dead bats for White-nose Syndrome testing. The typical first sign of this disease is bats flying during the winter, an unusual sighting at a time of year when bats are hibernating. Another sign of the presence of WNS is the appearance of dead bats as they succumb to the effects of WNS. In the Kootenay region, please report dead bats, and bats flying in winter, to the Kootenay Community Bat Program (email
kootenay@bcbats.ca or call 1-855-922-2287 ext. 14 or see
www.bcbats.ca for details).
Click here for the full press release.
Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation (HCTF)
Expanded HCTF and FESBC Partnership
Last September, the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation (
HCTF) announced that the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (
FESBC) had committed up to $1 million for wildlife conservation projects using HCTF's grant application process. Following this announcement, HCTF received a record number of wildlife funding applications, requesting double the amount that has historically been available. The HCTF is therefore thrilled to announce that FESBC has decided to double their investment for 2018-19 and commit up to $2 million dollars to wildlife conservation projects that meet both agencies' wildlife enhancement objectives. Applications submitted in November 2017 are currently being reviewed by HCTF technical committees to identify those that are technically sound, address important wildlife conservation issues, and have a high likelihood of success. A list of projects meeting these criteria will be provided to FESBC, who will then identify the projects they wish to invest in. Grants will be administered by HCTF, who will notify successful applicants by March of 2018.
For more information, please contact Shannon West at
shannon.west@hctf.ca or call 250-940-9789.
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KCP Winter Webinar Series - BC Soil Information Finder Tool: Because what's underground matters
March 8 (online)
Join Deepa Filatow and David Poon from the BC Government on Thursday, March 8, 10am-11am PST/11am-noon MST to learn more about the SIFT tool that can help identify restoration sites and opportunities. This webinar is relevant for many sectors including agriculture, restoration and natural resource management.
KCP & CBWN Winter Webinar Series - Lentic and Lotic Riparian Assessment: A standardized approach
March 12 (online)
Did you miss the lentic and lotic workshop in the Kootenays last summer? Did you attend and would like a refresher? Join Dr. Paul Hansen on Monday, March 12, 10am-11am PST/11am-noon MST to learn about a set of tools for collecting standardized site inventories and for assessing functional health of riparian and wetland sites. Since 1988, Dr. Hansen and his team have worked with a large number of North American organizations in a collaborative effort to create standardized forms for lotic and lentic wetland assessment. Learn about each of the seven forms, which have corresponding user manuals with discussions on proper application and explicit itemized instructions for their use. The information from this work is used extensively in riparian and wetland mitigation throughout North America and in parts of Europe. This webinar will be co-hosted by KCP and the Columbia Basin Watershed Network (CBWN).
Click here for registration details.
Okanagan Basin Water Board Webinar - Getting to Know the Guides and Toolkits for Sustainable Land and Water Use Planning
March 13 (online)
On March 13, 11 a.m. - 12 noon PST, the Fraser Basin Council and OBWB are co-hosting a webinar, "Getting to Know the Guides and Toolkits for Sustainable Land and Water Use Planning" to introduce the online hub and provide information on a long-term strategy to help local government staff access and use these resources. This webinar will be of particular interest to local government and consulting planners, engineers, biologists, parks staff, environmental consultants, conservationists, elected officials and NGOs. Any questions, please contact Kellie Garcia, OBWB Policy and Planning Specialist at
kellie.garcia@obwb.ca and/or 250-469-6321.
Click here to register.
Farmland Advantage Webinar hosted by Grasslands Council of BC
March 14 (online)
Ecosystem Services are any beneficial natural process arising from healthy ecosystems, such as purification of water and air, pollination of plants and decomposition of waste. Dave Zehnder with Farmland Advantage will speak about how the Farmland Advantage project complements Ecosystem Services by helping farmers identify their farmland's natural values and developing recommendations and plans to preserve them. These plans can include actions such as water or stream setbacks, strategic fencing, reforestation, or rangeland enhancement.
Click here to register for the Ecosystem Services: Protecting Nature Naturally webinar.
2018 Crown Managers Partnership Forum: "Action on Recovery - Native Salmonid Recovery in the Crown"
March 20-22, Lethbridge (AB)
The 2018 Forum will bring together managers, tribes, First Nations, NGOs, industry, researchers and community members interested in working together. Objectives include assessing and prioritizing watersheds and identifying key actions for recovery of native salmonids; discussing challenges and opportunities for implementing actions; and brainstorming evaluation and reporting currently underway. Registration by March 13 is requested.
Click here for more information, the 2018 CMP Forum Agenda and to register.
Columbia Wetlands Waterbird Spring Survey (CWWS)
April 3,10 & 16, Golden
The CWWS is a coordinated bird count that uses citizen scientists to gather baseline data with the goal of having the Columbia Wetlands designated as an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA). The 2018 spring waterbird surveys are set for April 3, 10 and 16 (8 a.m. - 11 a.m.). If you are keen to get involved in these surveys, please contact CWWS Program Biologist Rachel Darvill at
racheldarvill@gmail.com, or call 250-344-5530.
CVLCF 10-Year Community Celebration
April 10, Invermere
Celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the Columbia Valley Local Conservation Fund. The first of its kind in Canada and a model for other regions in B.C., the CVLCF has supported valuable conservation initiatives since its inception. Don't miss this engaging evening to learn more about the CVLCF and its achievements in the past decade.
Click here for event details as they become available.
CBWN Spring AGM and Member Meeting - Save the Date
April 20, East Kootenay (Location TBA)
The Columbia Basin Watershed Network will be holding its Spring AGM and Member Meeting in the East Kootenay. Last year's event included a live stream webcast for those who couldn't attend in person.
Turtle Day
April 24, Cranbrook
The Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program will be hosting Turtle Day at Elizabeth Lake in Cranbrook on April 24. More details about this annual outreach event will be made available on the FWCP website but save the date in the meantime.
Click here for the FWCP Columbia Region website.
Critter Day
May 12, Trail (TBC)
The Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program (FWCP) and Kootenay Conservation Program (KCP) are organizing another "Critter Day" this year on May 12 at Beaver Creek Park near Trail. This free, fun family event for the general public is aimed to increase awareness of the special ecosystems in the Trail and Pend D'Oreille region and share information about the unique and at-risk plants and animals that call them home.
Wetland Design Course
May 14-July 26 (online)
Dr. Tom Biebighauser has been actively involved in wetland construction and restoration in the Kootenays and provides his expertise to many KCP Partners. This online course provides an opportunity to deepen that knowledge. Wetland Design is a graduate-level, online class taught by Dr. Tom Biebighauser through the University of Louisville Speed School of Engineering that shows how to design and build naturally appearing and functioning wetlands. The detailed lessons clearly explain the values of wetlands, how wetlands were drained, factors affecting site selection for restoration, construction techniques, and how non-functioning wetlands may be repaired. Assignments are completed independently and require working outdoors. Engineering, biology, hydrology, and landscape architecture students are welcome to register. The course has been developed and improved over a 5-year period by Dr. Tom Biebighauser, receiving numerous high reviews.
Click here for more information.
Toadfest
August 22-23, Nakusp
The Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program will be hosting Toadfest at Summit Lake in Nakusp on August 22-23. More details about this annual outreach event will be made available on the FWCP website but save the date in the meantime.
EECOM 2018 Conference: Classrooms to Communities
October 18-21, St. Eugene Mission Resort
From coast to coast, over 300 educators will have the opportunity to gather to learn, share and connect at this made-in-Canada environmental education conference. The theme for the 2018 Conference is Classrooms to Communities (C2C) which envisions learners and educators being deeply connected to place, community and planet. EECOM 2018 will be hosted as a partnership between EECOM, the Columbia Basin Environmental Education Network (CBEEN), the BC Environmental Educators Provincial Specialist Association (EEPSA) with the support of the BC Classrooms to Communities (C2C) Network. Registration will open in May 2018.
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2018-2019 Call for Proposals for Environment and Climate Change Canada funding programs in British Columbia
Extended deadline: March 23 (Expressions of Interest due March 2)
EEEC EcoAction Community Funding Program
Deadline: March 21
Environment and Climate Change Canada's (ECCC) EcoAction Community Funding Program is now accepting applications for funding until March 21, 2018 for projects beginning summer 2018. Funding is available for new projects that engage Canadians and clearly demonstrate measurable, positive environmental results related to cleanwater or climate change.
Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation Acquisition Grants
Deadline: March 29
HCTF accepts proposals for projects that acquire land or interests in land to secure the value of these areas for conservation of fish and wildlife habitats and populations. The deadline for submitting an HCTF Acquisition Proposal is March 29, 2018 at 4:30 PM PST.
Click here for more information and how to apply.
Environment and Climate Change Canada
Environmental Damages Fund
Deadline: April 6
On February 1, 2018, Environment and Climate Change Canada announced new funding through the Environmental Damages Fund. $2.85 million in funding is available for the purposes of the conservation and protection of fish and fish habitat, or the restoration of fish habitat in the Columbia River or Kootenay River watersheds. The deadline to apply is April 6, 2018. For more information and detailed eligibility criteria, please visit the Environmental Damages Fund website.
Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation Public Conservation Assistance Fund
The Public Conservation Assistance Fund provides small grants to organizations and individuals who have a conservation project in mind but need financial help to make it happen. Projects must be of a conservation nature, with priority given to projects that focus on activities that maintain, conserve or restore native (indigenous) fish and wildlife species and their habitats. PCAF will fund eligible expenses up to $10,000 in any one year. The annual application deadline is May 16th at 4:30 PM PST.
Grassland and Rangeland Enhancement Program
Deadline: Ongoing
Delivered for the Columbia Basin Trust by the Kootenay Livestock Association, the Grassland and Rangeland Enhancement Program supports efforts to maintain and/or enhance grassland resources while meeting conservation, environmental and recreational objectives. Objectives include promoting the stewardship of the grassland resource, striving to maintain and enhance biodiversity and long-term fish and wildlife productivity in public grassland ecosystems and improving compatibility between livestock management and recreation use.
Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program Community Engagement Grant
Deadline: Ongoing
The goal of the Community Engagement Grant is to provide an opportunity for FWCP stakeholders (e.g. environmental groups, rod and gun clubs, non-profits, stewardship organizations, government, and First Nations), to apply for small amounts of funding to support their conservation and enhancement work.
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Central Kootenay Invasive Species Society
Invasive Species Technicians
Are you curious as to the issue and impacts of invasive species in the Central Kootenay region? Do you want to minimize the impacts of invasive species on the ecosystems, communities, and economy of the Central Kootenay region? The CKISS is looking for 2 go-getters with strong communication skills who love physical work in an outdoor setting to fill the role of Invasive Species Technicians. Application deadline is March 9 by 4:00 pm PST
Nature Conservancy of Canada
Stewardship Technicians (2 positions)
Every summer, NCC hires post-secondary students or recent graduates of a biological or ecological program to perform stewardship work on lands conserved by NCC. In 2018, the BC Region will be hiring two Stewardship Technicians to work primarily in the Kootenays, with travel to the Southern Interior and West Coast. Extensive travel and independent fieldwork are important elements, as is liaising with landowners, staff, volunteers and partner organizations. Theses positions will be based in Invermere and the application deadline is Friday March 9th.
Rocky Mountain Trench Natural Resources Society
Trench Society Coordinator
The Rocky Mountain Trench Natural Resources Society (Trench Society) is seeking a full-time coordinator. The successful applicant: must have related natural resource management qualifications and experience suitable for promoting and delivering grassland ecosystem restoration and conservation activities. Please provide a resume outlining applicable qualifications, experience, and relevant references on or before March 16, 2018, by email to dgmurphy@telus.net.
Click here for the full job description.
East Kootenay Invasive Species Council
Career Opportunities
The EKISC is hiring for 6 positions. Friday, March 16 is the closing date for Invasive Species Technician and Field Operations Coordinator. Friday March 23 is the closing date for Invasive Species Field Assistant (two positions), and Invasive Species Education Assistant (two positions).
Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program
Columbia Region Public Rep
The FWCP is looking for a new Board member to join the Columbia Region who can bring a regional perspective to the table, represent a broad range of public interests, and make a three-year commitment. Application deadline is Thursday, March 29.
Columbia Outdoor School & Blue Lake Camp
Joseph Creek Educator/Project Coordinator
Columbia Outdoor School & Blue Lake Camp is seeking an Educator/Project Coordinator for their Joseph Creek restoration project. This position could lead to full time work. The role will be promoting and facilitating the East Kootenay Regional Science fair throughout the region, develop and coordinate the first-ever Bioblitz on the creek and work with the schools in that data collection process and then provide classroom and field study-based programs on the creek for school in the spring. This posting will close when a candidate has been found.
Click here for the full job posting and how to apply.
East Kootenay Invasive Species Council
Pesticide Applicator
The East Kootenay Invasive Species Council (EKISC) will be seeking pesticide applicators in the coming months.
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Kootenay Conservation Program
Conservation Resources for our Region
The Kootenay Conservation Program (KCP) helps partners to coordinate and facilitate conservation efforts on private land, and in an effort to support this, KCP has developed a webpage that compiles some of the best conservation and stewardship resources available for our region.
Click here for more information.
Kootenay Conservation Program
KCP Winter Webinar Series Recordings
If you missed the first two webinars in the 2018 KCP Winter Webinar Series, the recordings have been made available on the KCP website.
Click here for the link to the recordings.
BC Ministry of Environment
Fish and Fish Habitat Information
This document describes some of the commonly used specific or broadly applied tools, applications, websites, and online document catalogues that can be applied to accessing and capturing fish and fish habitat information.
Click here for the information sheet.
BC Ministry of Environment
Wildlife Species Inventory and Habitat Information
This document was developed to help direct environmental professionals, industry and the public to provincial government tools and products that are available for submitting, accessing, and interpreting wildlife inventory and habitat information
Click here for the information sheet.
Living Lakes Canada
Water Data Hub Conference proceedings available
On November 29 and 30, 2017 in Invermere, a two-day conference attended by 120 water experts, residents and guests was convened by Living Lakes Canada, Columbia Basin Trust, the Columbia Basin Watershed Network and Selkirk College to explore solutions in response to a February 2017 Columbia Basin Trust report by Dr. Martin Carver (titled
Water Monitoring and Climate in the Upper Columbia Basin, Summary of Current Status and Opportunities) that revealed inadequate Columbia Basin water data for managing and protecting the region's water resources in response to climate change.
Click here for the full press release with links to the Conference Summary as well as the three-page Executive Summary.
Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program
FWCP Final Project Reports
The FWCP is a partnership between BC Hydro, the Province of B.C., Fisheries and Oceans Canada, First Nations and Public Stakeholders to conserve and enhance fish and wildlife in watersheds impacted by BC Hydro dams. The FWCP updates its report list often, as new reports are finalized.
Contact the FWCP if you can't find what you're looking for.
Okanagan Basin Water Board
Planning Guides and Toolkits
Since early 2016, the Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB) has been working with various partners to identify planning guides and toolkits that provide legal mechanisms, policies, and best practices for climate change adaptation and sustainable land and water use. Now we are working to improve the uptake of these valuable and important documents. We're excited to announce that the OBWB and CivicInfo BC have joined forces and created a new online hub that brings more than 60 resources together into one searchable database.
Click here for the database.
University of Alberta
Closing roads counters effects of habitat loss for grizzly bears
From the Journal of Applied Ecology: "In a recent study examining a long-term DNA dataset of grizzly bear activity in British Columbia, Clayton Lamb and his colleagues conclusively determined what scientists have long suspected: higher road density leads to lower grizzly bear density."
Columbia Basin Trust
Non-Profit Essentials Webinar Series
The Trust has partnered with Vantage Point, experts in learning opportunities for volunteers and non-profits, to develop and deliver the webinar series that explores important topics non-profit societies face today. Combining online videos with slide notes and workbooks, the series offers tools to expand the knowledge and build capacity in non-profit organizations across the Basin.
Click here to read more.
BEC (Biogeoclimatic Ecosystem Classification) for the Kootenays
LMH#70 A Field Guide to Ecosystem Classification and Identification for SE British Columbia - Volume 1: South-Central Columbia Mountains
This field guide presents an updated and expanded site classification for the South-central area of the southern interior area, British Columbia.
Stewardship Centre of BC
Stewardship Practices Guides
The Stewardship Centre of BC offers a diverse and comprehensive set of resources for the stewardship community of B.C., including four Stewardship Practices Guides on the following topics: Drainage Maintenance in Agricultural Waterways; Guidance for Restoration Activities in Riparian Areas; Riparian Areas in Settled Landscapes; and Reducing Domestic and Feral Cat Predation.
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| If you have news or announcements that you would like to share via our eNews, please email them to communications@kootenayconservation.ca by the 25th of each month. |
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