| |
Conservation in the Kootenays
Monthly eNews
Spring has most definitely sprung and May is going to be an active month for KCP and partners!
Coming up at the start of the month for KCP is the West Kootenay Spring Tour in Balfour on May 3. Join us for a tour discussing stewardship solutions on private land and a collaborative approach to landowner outreach in the Balfour Area on Thursday, May 3 from 1 to 4 p.m. Our tour will include a shoreline walk to talk about Landowner Outreach for herons, osprey and water quality, guided by Marlene Machmer (Pandion Ecological Research) and Avery Deboer-Smith (Friends of Kootenay Lake). We will then visit a bat colony on private land, guided by Juliet Craig (on behalf of the Kootenay Community Bat Project).
Please register by emailing KCP Stewardship Coordinator Adrienne Shaw at
adrienne@kootenayconservation.ca. Stay tuned for details on the East Kootenay Spring Tour in our next eNews.
On May 12, KCP is partnering with the Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program to bring back "Critter Day" to Trail. See the KCP News section below for event details.
The Columbia Valley Local Conservation Fund 10-year Anniversary Celebration organized by KCP in Invermere on April 10 was a great success! The milestone event attracted over 40 people who were treated to numerous display booths and a series of compelling presentations about local conservation projects funded by the CVLCF, the first local conservation fund ever established in Canada. Click here for coverage of the event including photos courtesy of Pat Morrow and a list of all the participating organizations.
KCP is also pleased to announce there is a new shared events calendar on our website that links to the calendars of other Columbia Basin Environmental Networks. Bookmark http://kootenayconservation.ca/calendar/ to ensure you stay up-to-date on all conservation-related events in our region.
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.
|
|
|
2018 KCP West Kootenay Spring Tour
May 4, Balfour
Join us for a tour discussing stewardship solutions on private land and a collaborative approach to landowner outreach in the Balfour Area on Thursday, May 3 from 1 to 4 p.m. Our visits will include a shoreline walk to talk about impacts and how Landowners can help mitigate them, heron rockery, osprey nesting site and a bat colony.
Securing Private Land for Conservation in the Kootenays
FAQ document now available online
KCP has prepared a Frequently Asked Questions document to provide an overview of conservation securement in the Kootenays. This is a living document that may be updated regularly to reflect the evolving and variable securement process.
Click here for the online PDF.
Critter Day
May 12, Trail
The Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program (FWCP) and 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.
2018 KCP East Kootenay Spring Tour
June 7, Fernie
Join us for a tour discussing stewardship solutions on private land and a collaborative approach to landowner outreach in the Fernie area on Thursday, June 7 from 1 to 4 p.m.
Please register by emailing KCP Stewardship Coordinator Adrienne Shaw at
adrienne@kootenayconservation.ca.
2018 KCP Fall Gathering
Save the Date! October 12-13, Nelson
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.
|
|
Faces & Places Monthly Feature
Joe Strong, the new Kootenay Conservation Land Coordinator for The Nature Trust of BC, has a passion for wildlife and fisheries, and has spent time working with both the Ontario and British Columbia provincial governments in their respective fish and wildlife branches. He has worked in the Kootenay region for over 10 years, and has a true appreciation for the conservation values and opportunities in the area.
Click here for the full story.
|
|
Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program
55 Columbia Region projects approved for 2018-2019
Columbia Basin Watershed Network
CBWN seeking Directors
The Directors of the Columbia Basin Watershed Network invite interested members to join the Board as Directors and help guide the organization. CBWN is seeking people with a range of skills, including a commitment to peer-to-peer learning and collaboration, the ability to see the big picture, and an interest in helping strengthen watershed stewardship across the Columbia Basin. Current Board members are spread throughout the Basin and alternate online and in-person meetings.The time commitment is two to eight hours per month.
Canadian Environmental Education Conference
Early bird registration opens May 16
The Columbia Basin Environmental Network (CBEEN) is co-hosting the EECOM 2018 Canadian Environmental Education Conference taking place October 18-24 at St. Eugene Mission Resort. With over 100 workshops, sessions, field studies and activities,this event will sell out early so save the date and secure your spot on
Monday, May 16
.
Click here for more information.
May is BC Invasive Species Month
What's In My Back Yard? Photo Contest
Throughout May 2018, during Invasive Species Action Month, enter the "What's in my Back Yard?" Photo Contest and youth groups or classes could win up to $350. As a youth group or class, spot and photograph as many invasive species in your local area and either post your photos on social media using #BCinvasivescontest or enter using the online form. Enter as many photos as possible for the chance to win. The group with the most photos will win $350 for a group field trip and the runner-up group will win $200 towards a field trip.
East Kootenay Invasive Species Council
Community Weed Pulls
The East Kootenay Invasive Species Council has had a program in place for many years to assist with Community Weed Pulls all over the region. Community weed pulls provide an excellent opportunity for a group of people to get outdoors, learn about invasive plants and control the spread of these destructive species.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
|
Interdisciplinary Approaches to Managing Health of Fish and Wildlife
May 1-2, Kimberley
The expanding footprint of humans increasingly alters the complex dynamics of wildlife health and disease. An unprecedented rate of emergence and re-emergence of infectious disease has been enabled via transport of organisms, environmental degradation, and by other factors that compromise ecological stability, including climate change. To ensure proactive conservation of wildlife populations, there is a need for cross-discipline sharing of information on current disease issues by stakeholders from all sides. This upcoming Columbia Mountains Institute of Applied Ecology conference will provide an opportunity for improved dialogue among experts.
Introductory and Second Level QGIS
May 3-4, Cranbrook
The free, open source QGIS program is used and supported by a world-wide array of developers. Sign up for one or both days of this Columbia Mountains Institute of Applied Ecology workshop with instructor Richard Johnson. Day one will be an introduction to QGIS, with students learning to produce high quality maps for print or digital presentation. Day two will be a Second Level QGIS course, where participants will expand their capabilities, working with raster, vector and satellite/air-photo imagery to become proficient using QGIS to solve more complex problems.
Click here for more information.
Dutch Creek Hoodoo Trail Opening
May 5, Fairmont Hot Springs
The Nature Conservancy of Canada is holding a trail opening event at the Dutch Creek Hoodoos Conservation Area south of Fairmont to celebrate trail upgrades and interpretive signs. Refreshments will be provided. The event will run from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. with opening remarks starting at 10:30 a.m. followed by a short guided nature walk.
Click here for event details.
Wings Over the Rockies Festival
May 7-13, Columbia Valley
The 22
nd Wings Over the Rockies Festival explores the theme Webs & Roots: Talk About Networking! in recognition of Keynote Speaker ecologist Dr. Suzanne Simard who while researching her doctoral thesis discovered that trees use a network of soil fungi to communicate their needs and send each other nutrients through a network of roots and web-type fungi buried in the soil. With over 100 events to choose from over 7 days, there is a variety of hikes, paddles, presentations and field trips hosted by a large cross-section of educators, wildlife experts, conservationists, ecologists, historians, biologists and more.
Click here for event details and to register.
Map our Marshes
May 10, Salmo
BC Wildlife Federation's Wetlands Education Program, with funding from the FWCP, is hosting a "Map our Marshes" workshop on
May 10 in Salmo. It's a great opportunity to learn about different types of wetlands and how to map them using GPS receivers, Google Earth, and B.C.'s Community Mapping Network.
Click here for event details.
Creston Valley Bird Fest
May 11-13, Creston Valley
The celebration of the birds, art, and the agriculture returns to the Creston Valley. The 2018 Creston Valley Bird fest will feature
Keynote Speaker James Duncan who will address address the ecology of the Great Gray Owl and why many refer to it as the Phantom of the Boreal Forest.
Online registration opens April 3 at www.wildsight.ca. In person registration is taking place at College of the Rockies, Creston Campus, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Fishes of British Columbia Identification Course with a focus on the Columbia River Basin - REGISTRATION CLOSES MAY 3!
May 14-15, Revelstoke
The fresh waters of the world house spectacular diversity of freshwater fishes, accounting for over 40% of all described taxa in less than 0.01% of aquatic habitat by surface area. British Columbia has a relatively small number of described native species (69), yet contains a considerable wealth of un-described diversity and endemic species. This Columbia Mountains Institute of Applied Ecology course taught by instructor Eric B. (Rick) Taylorbull serves as an introduction to the biogeography, evolution, and identification of native and introduced freshwater fishes found in British Columbia. Two lecture sessions focus on the biogeography, evolution of our fauna, as well as the morphological and molecular genetic techniques used in fish identification. Two afternoons focus on morphological-based identification of fishes, particularly those found in the Columbia River Basin.
Click here for more information.
Pesticide Applicator Course
May 14-16, Cranbrook
The Invasive Species Council of BC is holding a Pesticide Applicator Course in Cranbrook May 14-16. Register now to book your spot on the course.
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.
Spring 2018 Invasive Plant ID and Management Training Workshops
May 16 - Revelstoke/May 23 - Golden
The Columbia Shuswap Invasive Species Society (CSISS) is hosting its annual Invasive Plant ID and Management Training workshops. These workshops cover identification of key invasive plants in your area and best management practices in the field to prevent the spread of invasive species. This workshop is applicable to industry, forestry, First Nations, municipal and regional staff, stewardship groups and other interested individuals. Beginner and advanced workshops are available.
Click here for more information and to register.
East Kootenay Invasive Species Council 2018 AGM
May 17, Cranbrook
The EKISC Annual General Meeting is a time for the East Kootenay Invasive Species Council to reflect on the previous year and lay out plans moving forward. It is a meeting open to the general public and is taking place at the Manual Training Centre in Cranbrook from 1 - 4 p.m. on Thursday, May 17.
Click here for more information.
Invasive Species Plant ID Course
May 24 - Invermere/May 30 - Fernie/May 31 - Cranbrook
These courses offered by the East Kootenay Invasive Species Council cover identification of key invasive plants in the RDEK, best management practices in to remove them, and how to report large infestations. They are applicable to stewardship groups, other organizations, and interested individuals. Location is TBD.
Click here for the EKISC events page for more information.
Forest Industry Training
June 6 - Invermere/June 7 - Cranbrook
An East Kootenay Invasive Species Council course designed for forest industry professionals (operational staff and management), licensees, and other interested organizations. This course introduces participants to invasive plant management at the field level. Instruction will include invasive plant ecology; road, trail, and right-of-way maintenance and its influence on the introduction and distribution of invasives; mapping and monitoring invasive plants using IAPP and Report-A-Weed; invasive control and disposal methods; the proper and safe use of recommended equipment; and applicable regulations and best management practices. EKISC Certification of Completion will be awarded on completion.
Click here for the EKISC events page for more information.
2nd Annual Laird Environmental Education Fair
June 12, Invermere
Environmental groups are invited to join the Laird Environmental Education Fair as either a display or guest to share their expertise with the over 400 students that will be visiting the fair throughout the day. Setup will be between 8:45 a.m. and 9:45 a.m. and the fair will run from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at JA Laird Elementary School in Invermere.
Click here to contact Dylan Dainard for more information.
Wetland Classification
June 21-22, Revelstoke
The classroom portion of this Columbia Mountains Institute of Applied Ecology course taught by Ryan Durand will be spent learning about wetland classification, with a focus on using the provincial Biogeoclimatic Ecosystem Classification (BEC) system. Federal wetland classes will be discussed, as well as the physical and biological characteristics that can be assessed in the field in order to describe and classify wetlands. A day and a half will be spent visiting local areas to practice the wetland classification process in the field.
Click here for more information.
Wildfire and Climate Change Conference
June 26-28, Nelson
The Wildfire and Climate Change Conference will share the latest scientific research and initiatives from the Kootenays and from the international arena on climate change, wildfire behavior and why this leads us toward a need to take action at a landscape scale for a more resilient ecosystem. The target audience is: forest licensees (small woodlots to large companies), local government, emergency services, and community members. The two-day conference will be followed by one day of workshops for the forest licensees and a separate workshop for community members in order to identify barriers and opportunities to engage in wildfire risk mitigation and carbon effective forest management.
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.
|
 |
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.
|
 |
There are no opportunities listed for this month.
|
 |
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 2018 KCP Winter Webinar Series or would like to revisit any of the webinars, the recordings are available on the KCP website.
Click here for the link to the recordings.
Columbia Basin Watershed Network (CBWN)
CBWN Spring Webinar Series recordings now available
Recordings of the CBWN Spring Webinar 4-part Series are now available on the CBWN website. The four webinars are: Healthy Communities, Economies and Ecosystems: Advancing collaborative freshwater solutions in BC, Sharing the Kettle: The Kettle River Management Plan and Authority, from Idea to Implementation, Technology for Watershed Stewardship Non-profits, and Mapping Your Watershed with the CBWN Mapping Program.
Forests, Lands & Natural Resource Operations Invasive Plant Program
The mobile Report-a-Weed BC app is available free of charge for both iPhone and Android platforms. It lets you report invasive plant sites anyw here in B.C., in just a few simple steps.Your report will go to one of B.C.'s invasive plant specialists, who will coordinate follow-up activities with the appropriate local authorities.
Click here for more information and to download the app.
Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program
Searchable project list updated
The FWCP updated its searchable list of all FWCP project reports on April 20, 2018. All FWCP reports and data are posted on Province of BC databases so everyone can benefit from the projects the program funds.
Click here to access FWCP Reports.
Idaho Department of Fish and Game
New slug species discovered in Cabinet Purcell Mountain Corridor
Michael Lucid, Wildlife Regional Biologist with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, has written a blog about a new slug species discovered in the Cabinet Purcell Mountain Corridor titled
Skade's Jumping Slug: Idaho's Newest Wildlife Species.
Click here for the blog.
Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative
Cabinet Purcell Mountain Corridor films on YouTube
The Cabinet
-Purcell Mountain Corridor
(CPMC) is one of only two remaining areas in the Yellowstone to Yukon region where grizzly bears can move back and forth between Canada and the U.S. The video series featuring conservation in this region, called
Conservation Films of the Inland Northwest, are available online on YouTube.
Click here for the playlist.
BC Government
BC Soil Information Finder Tool (SIFT)
Wondering what type of soil is at your restoration site? The BC Soil Information Finder Tool map application provides a user friendly interactive way to access historical soil survey data and agricultural capability data for British Columbia. Farmers, consultants, nutrient management planners, and other agrologists can easily access this soil information to support decisions about acquisition of land, management and conservation of soil and water resources, and optimizing crop growth while minimizing environmental impacts. For any data requests, the contact email is
TEI_Mail@gov.bc.ca
.
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.
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
Local Government Planning
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.
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.
|
|
| 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. |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
