The KCP Fall Gathering & AGM serves as one of the primary venues to connect and re-connect KCP partners from across the region. This year the Fall Gathering will be a one-day virtual conference due to the increase in COVID-19 cases in the Kootenays. Rather than planning small field tours in this time of uncertainty, we will aim for large spring tours as part of the 2022 Stewardship Committee meetings. The organizing theme for this year’s Fall Gathering is “Partnerships in Conservation”. We will showcase examples of Indigenous-led restoration and conservation projects, and explore considerations for planning and implementing restoration projects. We’ll take advantage of this opportunity to have a short (1 hour) Annual General Meeting for KCP Partners as well. Highlights will include the following presentations:

Nomination Deadline: September 17, 2021  

Do you know someone who deserves to be recognized for their conservation work in the Kootenays? The annual KCP Conservation Leadership Awards recognize individuals who have demonstrated leadership, innovation and dedication to conservation in our region. Nominees must be affiliated with a KCP partner organization (see our Partner Profiles booklet or contact us if unsure) and they must show a demonstrated commitment toward the KCP vision. We welcome your nominations on or before September 17. All nominees must have three nominators. Nominations will be valid for three years unless otherwise specified. Award winners will be announced at the KCP Fall Gathering on October 15.

Deadline: October 29, 2021  

KCP in partnership with the Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) provides funding for projects that benefit conservation in the area from Spillimacheen to Canal Flats through the Columbia Valley Local Conservation Fund (CVLCF). Read the announcement here. The closing date for project submissions is 4:30 pm PDT October 29, 2021.

KCP in partnership with the Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK) provides funding for projects that benefit conservation in the rural areas around Kootenay Lake, specifically Electoral Areas A, D, and E (view the map) within the RDCK through the Kootenay Lake Local Conservation Fund (KLLCF). Read the announcement here. The closing date for project submissions is 4:30 pm PDT October 29, 2021.

This media release summarizes the progress to date of Kootenay Connect, the four-year project (2019-2023) administered by the Kootenay Conservation Program and funded by Environment and Climate Change Canada through the Canada Nature Fund with equal matching funding from local partners. Over the past two years, Kootenay Connect’s work has focused on reducing threats and enhancing the sustainability of a spectrum of species including 31 federally-listed species at risk and 35 species of concern such as the Northern Leopard Frog, Western Painted Turtle, Western Toad, Lewis’s Woodpecker, Great Blue Heron, Northern Myotis (plus 12 other species of bats), American Badger, American Beaver, Mountain Goat, Grizzly Bear, and Wolverine. This release was published by media across the Kootenays in August.

The RDCK Watershed Governance Initiative is a multi-year initiative with the overall goal of creating the conditions for regional collaborative decision making that supports the long term protection of watersheds where drinking water sources are at risk. The RDCK has completed Phase 2 of the Watershed Governance Initiative (WGI) - Data Collation and Mapping, including  the creation of the Watershed Governance Initiative Web Map to collect and display existing data; and the creation of the Watershed Governance Initiative Story Map to demonstrate how the web map data can be used by local community groups. The success of this pilot leads to Phase 3 of the Watershed Governance Initiative with a focus on continued relationship building and planning, mapping and monitoring.

The Western Painted Turtle (WPT) - Intermountain - Rocky Mountain Population (Chrysemys picta pop. 2) is B.C.’s only native freshwater turtle species and is provincially blue-listed. In 2021, the Lake Windermere District Rod & Gun Club engaged in a part of the Columbia Wetlands Stewardship Partners (CWSP) Western Painted Turtle Project and placed basking logs in ponds where basking logs were lacking or in short supply (determined through CWSP inventory work in 2020). A deficiency of basking sites in certain areas of the Columbia Valley could force turtles to compete with predators or other larger animals such as skunks or dogs that are also more aggressive than turtles, for basking sites.

This summer at the Snk'mip Marsh Sanctuary located at the north end of Slocan Lake, in addition to previous work restoring the main wetland water body to its full extent, six new ponds (large and small) were installed using amphibian-safe synthetic pond liners. Mother Nature’s response was swift and joyful.

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Webinar Series: Indigenous-led Water Relationships within the Columbia Basin – Postponed

The “Indigenous-led Water Relationships within the Columbia Basin” webinar series hosted by Living Lakes Canada that was originally planned for August has been postponed. Summer 2021 has been unprecedented for most Indigenous Peoples within B.C., not only with COVID vaccinations and roll out, but also Residential school announcements, and forest fires on top of usual cultural practices and responsibilities. Once new dates are finalized, details will be made available on the Living Lakes Canada website complete with speaker information and online registration.

Join an online discussion on September 9th or 14th to review potential projects aimed at maintaining and improving ecological health and native biodiversity. Your input will help inform which landscape-scale projects could be supported through Year 5 of the Trust's Ecosystem Enhancement Program.  

Learn more and RSVP at: ourtrust.org/ecosystems

Several regional agencies and organizations in the Northwest have partnered to create the Northwest Regional Invasive Species and Climate Change (NW RISCC) Network. The goal of the Virtual Symposium is to bring together managers, scientists, and other practitioners to discuss the nexus of climate change, extreme events such as wildfires and droughts, and invasive species management in the Northwest including Washington, Oregon, Idaho, British Columbia, and neighboring states and provinces. This is a free event.

Are you ready to learn R in a supportive online environment and use it to streamline your data analyses? This 3-day course will teach you how to use R and its user-friendly R Studio interface to create appealing data visualizations and perform basic statistical analyses. You can take this course on its own or in conjunction with the proceeding Intermediate R Course. This course will be held virtually over Zoom. Registration is now open.

Faye O’Neil is Ktunaxa and a member of ʔaq'am just outside of Cranbrook, BC. Her career in Aboriginal Education spans 22 years. Explore Faye’s perspective around outdoor learning related to her understanding and knowledge of her Ktunaxa roots and being born to the land. She will discuss the resources offered in the Indigenous section Canada’s Outdoor Learning Store and offer her point of view on how you can braid these resources into your classroom and livelihood. A Columbia Basin Environmental Education Network and partners webinar.

The KCP Fall Gathering & AGM serves as one of the primary venues to connect and re-connect KCP partners from across the region. This year the Fall Gathering will be a one-day virtual conference due to the increase in COVID-19 cases in the Kootenays. Rather than planning small field tours in this time of uncertainty, we will aim for large spring tours as part of the 2022 Stewardship Committee meetings. The organizing theme for this year’s Fall Gathering is “Partnerships in Conservation”. We will showcase examples of Indigenous-led restoration and conservation projects, and explore considerations for planning and implementing restoration projects. We’ll take advantage of this opportunity to have a short (1 hour) Annual General Meeting for KCP Partners as well.

Once you start learning R, there is so much more you can learn in order to take your R skills to the next level. This 3-day course will help you expand your current R skills so they include the ability to perform a range of data preparation, R programming and automated reporting tasks. This course may be taken on its own or in conjunction with the preceding Introductory R Course. Registration is now open.

New to R? The purpose of this 1/2 day workshop is to give participants an introduction to R/RStudio so that you can take full advantage of the subsequent 3-day course: Stats Refresher for Biologists in “R”. This course may also be taken on its own.

Environmental impact assessments want to know if trends over time differ between control and impact sites. Statistical methods for the analysis of trends over time use many of the same methods as the analysis of experimental data (e.g. ANOVA, regression) but must now deal with problems such as autocorrelation and process error. This course is primarily for students using R software. If you are using JMP software and have interest in this course contact Hailey to discuss: office@cmiae.org.

Deadline: October 29, 2021  

KCP in partnership with the Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) provides funding for projects that benefit conservation in the area from Spillimacheen to Canal Flats through the Columbia Valley Local Conservation Fund (CVLCF). Read the announcement here. The closing date for project submissions is 4:30 pm PDT October 29, 2021.

KCP in partnership with the Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK) provides funding for projects that benefit conservation in the rural areas around Kootenay Lake, specifically Electoral Areas A, D, and E (view the map) within the RDCK through the Kootenay Lake Local Conservation Fund (KLLCF). Read the announcement here. The closing date for project submissions is 4:30 pm PDT October 29, 2021.

The Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK) is inviting applications for this position Supervisory and Operational Leadership position in solid waste management. The Resource Recovery Team and Operations Supervisor oversees day-to-day Resource Recovery service delivery at RDCK locations, including landfills, transfer stations, and recycling depots. The primary role of this position is to lead the RDCK Resource Recovery Customer Service Team and ensure service delivery is meeting the needs of the RDCK and its constituents through optimizing customer service in accordance with policies, guidelines, bylaws, standards and regulations. Deadline to apply is September 9.

The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) and University of Guelph are seeking a researcher to help support work emerging from the Indigenous land trust working group of the Conservation through Reconciliation Partnership (CRP). The successful candidate will work with members of the CRP and NCC to undertake research related to the overall concept including through literature reviews, critical analyses, and interviews. Candidates can be based anywhere in Canada and work remotely. Deadline to apply is September 10.

Shuswap Band is looking for a Research Scientist or Biologist to support their growing organization in the conservation and management of natural resources. The position will primarily involve supporting the Shuswap Band and its Territorial Stewardship department with research, development, planning, management, and implementation of environmental projects associated with various stewardship programs. The position will also be responsible for assisting the Director of Territorial Stewardship and Shuswap Band with the management of cultural and natural resources. Deadline to apply is September 30.

The Invasive Species Council of BC is looking for an individual with exceptional interpersonal skills to be an Action Team Supervisor. As an Action Team Supervisor, you will lead a team of three people in field survey and management of invasive species. The Action Team Supervisor is knowledgeable, outgoing, and confident. Successful candidates are self-motivated and highly organized individuals who enjoy being responsible for and work well with a team. Start date is ASAP. Applications will be received until positions are filled.

The Invasive Species Council of BC is looking for Action Team Members. Action Teams are 4-person crews involved in field survey and management of invasive species. Successful candidates are enjoy learning new skills and working on a team. Action Teams will receive training while working to protect and restore BC’s landscapes and habitats from the impacts of invasive species. Start date is ASAP. Applications will be received until positions are filled.

The Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) in partnership with the Kootenay Conservation Program (KCP) are seeking qualified members for the Columbia Valley Local Conservation Fund (CVLCF) Technical Review Committee (TRC). The role of the TRC is to make recommendations on allocating annual funding for conservation projects for the area from Canal Flats to Spillimacheen. Applications will be received on an ongoing basis.

KCP has created the “Case for Conservation” tri-fold brochure, which details 9 different reasons why conserving private land is so crucial to the health of the region’s ecosystems that support a myriad of plant, fish and animal species — many of which are currently rare or endangered or at risk of becoming so. The brochure opens up into an attractive poster that can be easily posted in offices, public spaces and homes. Printed brochures are available for distribution. If you would like copies, please contact KCP Program Manager Juliet Craig at manager@kootenayconservation.ca.