Conservation in the Kootenays
Monthly eNews

Online registration is now open for the  2018 KCP Fall Gathering in Nelson from October 12-13 - don't miss this amazing free event!   There is also still time to nominate someone for our annual  Conservation Leadership Awards will be presented as part of the Fall Gathering; plus there will be 3 Kootenay Lake Local Conservation Fund Open Houses taking place this month. See our "KCP News" section below for details on all these items and more.
 
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.

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.
 
As always, a big thanks goes out to our supporters!
 


KCP Conservation Leadership Award 
Nomination Deadline: September 10, 2018 
Do you know someone who deserves to be recognized for their conservation work in the Kootenays? The annual KCP Conservation Leadership Award recognizes individuals who are proven leaders and contribute to the field of conservation in the Kootenays. Nominees must be affiliated with a KCP partner organization ( click here for our partner list ) and they must show a demonstrated commitment toward the KCP vision. The deadline for nominations is  Monday,  September 10, 2018.

KLLCF Open Houses
September 18, 26 & 27, Kootenay Lake Area
To learn more about the Kootenay Lake Local Conservation Fund (KLLCF), how to apply, and conservation priorities from the new Kootenay Lake Guidance Document, come to one of the open houses taking place from 7-9 p.m. on the following dates: September 18 at the Kokanee Creek Park Visitor's Centre, September 26 at Argenta Hall, and September 27 at the Boswell Memorial Hall. For phone or email inquiries, please contact KCP Program Manager Juliet Craig at 250-352-2260 or juliet@kootenayconservation.ca.

Lower Columbia Land Managers Conservation Action Forum
October 2, Trail
This event will provide a setting for Land Managers to engage with Science Experts on identifying priority needs and actions that will contribute to maintaining species at risk and their habitats in the Lower Columbia River Valley. The Forum will include presentations, small group strategy sessions, full-group discussions, and a field trip to the Lower Columbia and Pend d'Oreille River Valleys.  This is an Invitation-Only Event - if you would like to attend, please contact KCP Stewardship Coordinator Adrienne Shaw at adrienne@kootenayconservation.ca.

2018 KCP Fall Gathering: Conservation in the Context of Climate Change
October 12-13, Nelson 
Join us in Nelson on October 12-13, 2018 for the 2018 KCP Fall Gathering! This year's theme is Conservation in the Context of Climate Change. Day 1 will take place at the Prestige Lakeside Resort in Nelson and Day 2 will comprise of a field tour with visits to local restoration sites, species at risk habitats, and climate change resilience projects. All KCP Partners and members of the public are invited to this free event and we offer the choice to attend either Day 1 or Day 2, or the full two days. Seats do fill up quickly - especially on the field tour - so be sure to register soon. The Prestige Lake Resort is offering a special rate for KCP Fall Gathering guests until October 1 on a limited number of rooms. Call 250-352-7222 and let front desk know you are booking from the Kootenay Conservation Room Block. 

Columbia Lake Local Conservation Fund - Call for Proposals now open 
Deadline: November 1 
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). 

Kootenay Lake Local Conservation Fund - Call for Proposals now open 
Deadline: November 1 
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 ( click here for map ) within the RDCK through the Kootenay Lake Local Conservation Fund (KLLCF). 



Faces & Places Monthly Feature
Suzanne Bayley 
Currently the president of the Columbia Wetlands Stewardship Partners, Dr. Suzanne Bayley has focused on the ecology and management of wetlands and shallow lakes throughout her career, with a primary focus in applied ecology and enhancing the understanding of the value, health and ecological processes of wetlands. Her fieldwork locations have included: estuarine locations in Chesapeake Bay, Mississippi Delta and Florida; marsh locations in the Columbia Valley, Maryland, Florida, Rocky Mountain Parks, and prairie and parkland regions of Alberta; and peatland locations in Boreal Alberta, Manitoba and NW Ontario.
 


Columbia Basin Trust
Ecosystem Enhancement Program
In December 2017, the Trust launched its Ecosystem Enhancement Program, which will help maintain and improve ecological health and native biodiversity in a variety of ecosystems, such as wetlands, fish habitat, forests and grasslands. The program will run for five years with a budget of $10 million and focus on large-scale, on-the-ground projects that have meaningful and measurable ecosystem enhancement, restoration and conservation benefits. The Trust is identifying project opportunities by seeking input from community groups, First Nations representatives and government experts, and reviewing regional plans and research. The program aims to implement approximately 10 to 15 projects across the Basin, focusing on two sub-regions during each year of the program.

Columbia Mountains Institute of Applied Ecology
Annual Researchers' Forum: deadline for presentation submissions is September 4
CMI's Annual Researchers' Forum is coming up Friday, September 28 (9 a.m. - 5 p.m.) in Nakusp. This event is a great opportunity to get together in an informal way to catch up on ecological news in southeast B.C. People are encouraged to submit an idea for a poster, talk (15-20 mins.), or a field trip. There is no theme/topic for the forum; updates on a project such as local research, field trials, new initiatives in southeastern British Columbia, etc., are welcome. The deadline for presentation submission is September 4.

Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program
New Public Representative joins Columbia Board
The Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program (FWCP) is pleased to welcome Moss Giasson as the newest Public Representative on its 10-member Columbia Region Board. Moss will be a great asset to the FWCP, having worked as an environmental specialist and professional agrologist for over 15 years, with a focus on ecosystem restoration and environmental planning. The FCWP would also like to extend its sincere gratitude to Dave White, who stepped down as a Public Representative earlier this year. Dave has been a tremendous strength to the FWCP, since he joined the Board in 2012. 

British Columbia American Kestrel Nest Box Program
Seeking locations to install nest boxes
The British Columbia American Kestrel Nest Box Program is a Citizen Scientist initiative that involves the installation of nest boxes in B.C. to help kestrels find safe and secure places to nest and to facilitate observation and monitoring by citizen scientists.  The program is seeking suitable locations in southeast B.C. to install kestrel nest boxes in October. The preferred habitat for kestrels is pasture, hay land and orchards. However, the habitat can also be a mix including some agriculture.  If you would like to volunteer to have a kestrel nest box installed on your property and/or to observe/monitor any nest box(es) please contact Mitchell Warne at info@warneinthewild.com .
University of Northern British Columbia
BCPARF Conference - Call for Presentations, Posters & Workshops
The BC Protected Areas Research Forum (BCPARF) is a bi/tri-annual gathering of British Columbia (and neighbours) parks and protected areas managers and researchers from government, First Nations, academia (faculty and students), industry, non-governmental organizations and private sectors involved and interested in the ecological and social dimensions of protected areas planning and management. Call for presentations, research and management snappers, posters, workshops, and special sessions and side-meetings is now open with an online submission form. Submission deadline is September 30, 2018. Registration will open after Labour Day.

Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy
Launch of the Species-at-Risk Legislation Engagement 
The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy has been given the mandate to develop stand-alone species at risk legislation. One opportunity to join the discussion is through the govTogetherBC website where the Province has just launched a series of moderated blogs. This website will be the main communication portal where all the feedback received will also be posted to the site. 
Go to  https://engage.gov.bc.ca/bcspeciesatrisk/  to join the discussion. Input can also be provided directly to  Species.At.Risk.BC@gov.bc.ca.

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The KCP encourages partners to take advantage of our eNews - send your content to  communications@kootenayconservation.ca.   


Open House
September 8, Meadow Creek Spawning Channel
The Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program and the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development are hosting a free, family-friendly Open House at the Meadow Creek Spawning Channel (4 kilometres west of Meadow Creek at the north end of Kootenay Lake) on Saturday, September 8 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Talk to biologists to more about Kokanee, the Kootenay Lake Nutrient Restoration Program, co-existing with Grizzly Bears, and more.

KLLCF Open Houses
September 18, 26 & 27, Kootenay Lake Area
To learn more about the Kootenay Lake Local Conservation Fund (KLLCF), how to apply, and conservation priorities from the new Kootenay Lake Guidance Document, come to one of the open houses taking place from 7-9 p.m. on the following dates: September 18 at the Kokanee Creek Park Visitor's Centre, September 26 at Argenta Hall, and September 27 at the Boswell Memorial Hall. For phone or email inquiries, please contact KCP Program Manager Juliet Craig at 250-352-2260 or  juliet@kootenayconservation.ca.

Roundtable on the Crown of the Continent
September 18-20, Standoff (9/18) and Fort Macleod, AB (9/19-20)
The Roundtable on the Crown of the Continent is an ongoing forum to bring together people who care about the Crown of the Continent ecosystem. Save the date for the 9th annual Roundtable on the Crown of the Continent with the theme of Living Under the Same Sun: Culture and Nature in the Crown. Details will be posted on the event website as they become available.

CSISS Special Workshop and Annual General Meeting
September 25, Sicamous
The Columbia Shuswap Invasive Species Society (CSISS) is holding their AGM and a Special Workshop in Sicamous on September 5 with an optional indoor/outdoor workshop from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. and the AGM including Board Election from 12:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. The workshop, "Invasive Species Site Rehabilitation Workshop: What to do after you remove the weeds", will be led by Barb Stewart, Boundary invasive species expert with over 20 years experience.

CMI's 2018 Annual Researchers' Forum
September 28, Nakusp
Every year, Columbia Mountains Institute of Applied Ecology members get together to provide updates on their projects such as local research, field trials, new initiatives in southeastern British Columbia. This event "travels" around the Columbia Mountains area to small communities. This year's forum will take place in Nakusp on Friday, September 28. It's an informal atmosphere and non-CMI members are encouraged to join. The cost is $40 + tax for everyone (presenters and attendees alike) and includes refreshments, lunch and field trips.
Central Kootenay Invasive Species Society AGM & Field Tour
September 29, Salmo
Save the date for the CKISS AGM & Field Tour taking place in Salmo on September 29. Event details will be posted on the CKISS website as they become available. 

Columbia Wetlands Waterbird Fall Survey
September 29, October 5 & 15   
Wildsight Golden's 2018 Fall Waterbird Surveys will take place on September 29, October 5, and October 15 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. each day. There will be free bird ID training sessions and a limited amount of optical equipment lent to volunteers in need. If you're interested in being part of this citizen-science project or would like to learn more about the fall surveys, please contact the program biologist at racheldarvill@gmail.com or call 250-344-5530. 

Fungus Friday
October 5, Midgeley Conservation Area (Creston)
This is a special event for all you fungis and fun-girls who have a passion for mushrooms. Join mycologists (mushroom experts) Tyson Ehlers and Larry Evans, along with Nature Conservancy of Canada stewardship staff, for an engaging mushroom walk and talk in the Midgeley Conservation Area in Creston from 1 - 5 p.m. If you'd like to carpool to the event, please click here to add your car or join a ride going to the event. There is also a wait list feature if there isn't a ride there yet that works for you.
Click here for full event details.
2018 KCP Fall Gathering: Conservation in the Context of Climate Change
October 12-13, Nelson 
Registration is now open for the 2018 KCP Fall Gathering in Nelson! This year's theme is Conservation in the Context of Climate Change. Day 1 will take place at the Prestige Lakeside Resort in Nelson and Day 2 will comprise of a field tour with visits to local restoration sites, species at risk habitats, and climate change resilience projects. All KCP Partners and members of the public are invited to this free event. Seats do fill up quickly - especially on the field tour - so be sure to register soon. The Prestige Lake Resort is offering a special rate for KCP Fall Gathering guests until October 1 on a limited number of rooms. Call 250-352-7222 and let front desk know you are booking from the Kootenay Conservation Room Block. 

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. 

Wild & Scenic Film Festival 2018
November 24, Invermere
The planning of the 5th Annual Wild & Scenic Film Festival in Invermere is in the works. Stay tuned for more details.


Real Estate Foundation of BC General Grants
Next Deadline: September 6
The REFBC General Grants can fund projects in all five of REFBC's interest areas (sustainable land use, built environment sustainability, freshwater sustainability, and local and sustainable food systems, professional excellence in real estate.) The Foundation has two intakes per year. Applications are open to any non-profit organization doing work related to land use and/or real estate in B.C.
Click here for more information and how to apply. 

Columbia Basin Trust Environmental Grants
Deadline: September 13
Does your organization have a project that will benefit the Basin's environment? Projects requiring more than $5,000 should address the categories of: ecosystem diversity and resiliency, climate change, water resources and healthy waterways, and environmental education. Eligible applicants include registered non-profits, public organizations, municipalities, regional districts and Indigenous organizations. Businesses may be considered depending on the project and its broad community impact. 

Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program Grants - Columbia Region
Deadline: October 26
The Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program is now accepting grant applications for fish and wildlife projects that align with FWCP's Columbia Region Action Plans. The FWCP's Columbia Region Board is encouraging grant applications for proposed projects that result in "on-the-ground" or "in-stream" restoration and enhancement. Priorities for 2019-2020 projects include: stream habitat restoration and enhancement activities; riparian and wetland restoration and conservation activities; and work being implemented in the North Columbia. Submit your online application by Friday, October 26, 2018 by 5 p.m. The info kit for grant applicants can be found here. 
Columbia Basin Trust Environment Small Grant
Upcoming Deadlines: October 31, January 31
Environment Small Grants funds projects that take place within the Columbia Basin Trust region requesting up to $5,000 that will strengthen the environmental well-being and address one of the following four categories: ecosystems, climate, water and environmental education. 

Columbia Lake Local Conservation Fund
Deadline: November 1 
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). 

Kootenay Lake Local Conservation Fund
Deadline: November 1 
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 ( click here for map ) within the RDCK through the Kootenay Lake Local Conservation Fund (KLLCF). 

Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation Enhancement and Restoration Grants
Deadline: November 2
HCTF's online application portal will be opening in mid-September, with a proposal deadline of Friday, November 2nd, 2018. The HCTF website is being updated to ensure that guiding information on ineligible activities, the example proposal, and application instructions are easy to find. There will also be some changes to the proposal questions this year, particularly for Continuing projects, and for New projects conducting physical work on the land base. Updated MS Word Worksheets and Budget Template documents will be available in early September.

Columbia Basin Trust Career Internship Program
Deadline: First-come, first-served basis
CBT's new Career Internship Program provides wage funding for employers to hire college and university graduates in permanent, career-focused positions. Eligible employers are businesses, registered non-profits, municipalities, regional districts and Indigenous organizations within the Columbia Basin Trust region that have a demonstrated fiscal and organizational need for an intern and wage funding. The funding is up to 50 per cent of the new employee's wage over the first seven to 12 months, to a maximum of $25,000. The intern position must include a training plan that provides structured learning to the new employee and transitions to full-time, permanent employment at the end of the internship.

Vancouver Foundation Systems Change Grants - Develop Grants
Deadline: Ongoing
Systems Change Grants support projects that take action to address the root causes of pressing social, environmental or cultural issues by influencing the behaviours of populations, organizations, and institutions. Short-term grants (Develop grants) are a one-time application that can be submitted any time throughout the year and decisions are made the following month. The next granting cycle for multi-year grants (Test and Scale grants) opens January 2, 2019. 

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. 
 

Elk River Alliance
Executive Director
The Elk River Alliance is seeking a talented individual to fill the position of Executive Director. This is an opportunity to lead important initiatives aimed at connecting people to the Elk River watershed and to work with a small, dedicated team, an experienced Board, and a wide variety of funders on a diverse array of projects. 

Aq'am Community
Lands and Resources Project Coordinator
The Aq'am Community is seeking a Lands and Natural Resources Project Coordinator. The individual in this role will be responsible for developing and overseeing special projects that are Aq'am lands and natural resources-based, according to natural law and Aq'am values and principles for the use and benefit of all Aq'amnik. The Lands and Natural Resources Project Coordinator is also responsible for supporting Community development activities. This position provides assistance to the Lands and Natural Resources Department, playing a role in the development and implementation of Aq'am's strategic plan and the Aq'am Community Land Use Plan. The deadline to apply is September 17 at 4:30 p.m. MT. Any applications received after this time will not be considered.
Wildsight
Student position: Communications Intern
Wildsight is looking for a Communications Intern to work during the school year in Wildsight's Kimberley office. The work will be varied, including social media and website, local events, writing, editing and proofreading, helping with fundraising and communicating with donors, and generally helping out. Applicants should be enrolled in a full-time post secondary program for 2018-19. Flexible schedule with opportunity to work from home.

The Nature Trust of British Columbia
Director of Conservation Land Management/ Director of Conservation Land Securement 
The Nature Trust of British Columbia has 2 openings based in TNTBC's Vancouver office: (1) Director of Conservation Land Management offers the successful candidate the opportunity to lead The Nature Trust of British Columbia's Conservation Land Management team and implement NTBC's landscape-scale conservation efforts on NTBC holdings across the province; and (2) Director of Conservation Land Securement is a unique, new position that offers the successful candidate the opportunity to lead The Nature Trust of British Columbia's conservation land securement in order to acquire land with ecosystems that have high biodiversity values and are at the greatest risk of being lost. The deadline to apply for both positions is September 7. 


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. 

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 for all four webinars are available on the KCP website. 

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.   

Bird Studies Canada
East Kootenay Long-billed Curlews featured in  Bird Watch Canada
The Summer issue of Bird Studies Canada's (BSC) magazine  Bird Watch Canada highlights local Long-billed Curlews (kt̓anuqⱡuk in Ktunaxa) on the cover. A research project started at Skookumchuck Prairie last summer by BSC's BC Program Director Dr. David Bradley is the feature article in the organization's quarterly magazine.
Click here for the complete article.

Stewardship Centre for BC
New Stewardship Practices guides now available
The Stewardship Centre of BC has recently released two new guides that will be of interest to the Species and Ecosystems at Risk Local Government Working Group. They can be accessed for free at the following links: Lands Near Water: Riparian Restoration and Enhancement and  Agricultural Waterways: Drainage Maintenance and Stewardship.
If you're interested in obtaining a printed copy, please contact Stewardship Centre for BC Executive Director DG Blair at dg@stewardshipcentrebc.ca.

Trans-border Grizzly Bear Project
Important new grizzly report now available
A new report by Michael Proctor et al titled  Resource Roads and Grizzly Bears in British Columbia and Alberta  represents the best available science to date on the topic of grizzly bear management.
Click here for the report.

Society for Conservation Biology
Optimizing corridor designs for financial costs and for multiple species connectivity jointly
A study ( Trade-offs and efficiencies in optimal budget-constrained multispecies corridor networks   accessible through the Wiley Online Library)  highlights advantages to optimizing connectivity in corridors used by grizzlies, wolverines and other wildlife when working with tight budgets.

Association of State Wetland Managers
ASWM-NRCS Wetland Training Webinar Series
This webinar series has been designed to provide participants with a general level of knowledge about wetlands and wetland restoration options and considerations. Participants will come away from trainings with key knowledge, the ability to be more conversant about wetland issues, knowing what questions to ask when looking at restoration opportunities, and knowing when to contact or bring in an expert.
Click here for past and upcoming webinars in the training series.

Columbia Basin Rural Development Institute (Selkirk College) 
A 'Made in the Basin' approach to climate adaptation
Columbia Basin-Boundary communities, like other parts of rural Canada, are highly vulnerable to climate change. With the overall goal of building capacity and resilience to climate change, the State of Climate Adaptation Pilot Project, which ran from fall 2016 to spring 2018, helped to better understand community level vulnerabilities and refine a suite of indicators to help measure progress on adaptation. 

BC Flood and Wildfire Review
Final report is now complete
The BC Flood and Wildfire Review final report, "Addressing the New Normal: 21st Century Disaster Management in BC", and its corresponding Executive Summary are available for download. The report includes 108 recommendations to improve flood and wildfire emergency management in B.C.
Click here for the results of the independent review and public engagement process.
 

 

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.