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Conservation in the Kootenays
Monthly eNews
We hope everyone is having an enjoyable summer and finding time to take in some of the great conservation-related events in the Kootenays that have been organized by KCP Partners! Check our events section below (titled Upcoming Symposiums & Workshops) to discover what's coming up in the month of August.
We're excited to announce that online registration for the 2018 KCP Fall Gathering & AGM will open September 1. This year's Fall Gathering will take place in Nelson October 12-13. The KCP Fall Gathering & AGM serves as one of the primary vehicles to connect and re-connect KCP partners from across the region. The organizing theme for this year's Fall Gathering is
Conservation in the Context of Climate Change. We will explore habitats and species of the Kootenays and how to work together for ecosystem resilience.
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.
We offer the choice to attend either Day 1 or Day 2, or the full two days. All KCP Partners and members of the public are invited,
and there is no charge to attend, but seats do fill up quickly so be sure to book your spot. The live link to online registration will be included in the September KCP eNews. Click here for the event page and to see coverage of past Fall Gatherings.
Part of the Fall Gathering each year is the
KCP Conservation Leadership Award, which recognizes individuals who are leaders in conservation in the region.
We are accepting nominations for this award until September 10. Details are in the KCP News section below.
Last but definitely not least,
the
call for proposals is opening August 15 for the Kootenay Lake Local Conservation Fund and Columbia Valley Local Conservation Fund. Again, details are in the KCP News section below.
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!
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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.
To nominate someone, please email their name, KCP partner organization affiliation and a brief summary (100 words max.) of why they are a suitable candidate to
manager@kootenayconservation.ca
by Monday,
September 10, 2018.
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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! Please "Save the Date" by marking it in your calendars. 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. Online registration will open September 1.
Columbia Lake Local Conservation Fund - CALL FOR PROPOSALS OPENING AUGUST 15
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 OPENING AUGUST 15
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).
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Faces & Places Monthly Feature
Gerry is a West Kootenay fisheries professional who has been the long-term coordinator of the Salmo Watershed Streamkeepers Society, which promotes awareness of threatened fish and wildlife in the Salmo watershed and beyond, produces scientific studies, monitors water resources, and more. After earning a degree in cultural anthropology from the University of Western Ontario, Gerry completed a post-graduate Environmental Management program at the University of Calgary before relocating to the West Kootenay and establishing a career in conservation that has been recognized locally, provincially and nationally.
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Stewardship Centre for British Columbia
Registration now open for Stewardship Roundtable 2018
Join the Stewardship Centre of British Columbia on August 24th for a full day of conversations and actions assisting birds and wildlife. From 8:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., the Roundtable will be devoted to learning and sharing ideas for action on pressing issues in ecological stewardship. Panel presentations, World Café style discussions, storytelling, and networking will all contribute to the development of next step action plans on six theme topics. More event details can be found below in our Events section.
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 late summer.
Wildsight Golden
Columbia Wetlands Waterbird Survey Summer 2018 newsletter
The CWWS Summer 2018 newsletter is full of interesting facts, figures, project news and more. Don't forget about the fall survey dates coming up: September 29, October 5 and October 15. Details on the fall survey can be found below in our Events section.
Living Lakes Canada
Soft launch of new website
The new Living Lakes Canada website has a vibrant new look featuring their water stewardship work, complete with pictures and full profiles of the Living Lakes Canada extended team and advisors, updated projects and events, an easy-to-navigate project library and sorting tool, new "Get Involved" and "Donate Today" sections, and more.
Columbia Valley Community Foundation
New volunteer website launched
Are you a group operating in the Columbia Valley that needs volunteers for your conservation work? The Columbia Valley Community Foundation has developed an online platform to help non-profit organizations to connect with volunteers in the Valley. Once you have created your basic profile, you can upgrade to advertise volunteer positions and upcoming events and recruit volunteers.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Consultation on proposed Shorthead Sculpin Management Plan
The document Management Plan for the Shorthead Sculpin (Cottus confusus) in Canada will be open for public consultation on the SAR Public Registry for a 60-day comment period. Fisheries and Oceans Canada will review comments and integrate them as appropriate, after which the final version will be posted on the Public Registry. The consultation closes August 11.
Municipal Natural Assets Initiative (MNAI): Watershed-level pilot implementation in B.C.
Call for Expressions of Interest
The Municipal Natural Assets Initiative (MNAI) offers a methodology and support for local governments to integrate natural assets into core asset management and financial processes using the same systems as for engineered assets. MNAI is now offering a watershed-level program in BC focussed on the needs and capacities of smaller / rural local governments, in a single geographic region. Deadline for Expressions of Interest is August 17, 2018.
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.
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August 11, Invermere
Lake Windermere Ambassadors and the Stewardship Centre of BC are offering a one-day Level 1 workshop in Invermere to introduce participants to the Green Shores program, including its rationale, benefits, and application. The content is of interest to elected officials, landowners, municipal staff, conservation organizations, real estate agents, and others who have a general interest in shoreline ecosystem protection. This workshop is free of charge. Register by phone at 250-472-4747 or online.
BC Parks: Mr. Zebra Mussel on Trial
August 11, Moyie Provincial Park/August 19, Kikomun Provincial Park
The East Kootenay Invasive Species Council (EKISC), in a bid to educate tourists and locals alike on aquatic invasive species, is bringing the family-friendly interactive performance of Mr. Zebra Mussel on Trial to two regional provincial parks in August. The event at both parks runs from 7 to 8 p.m.
Dirty Teaching Workshop: A Practical Guide to Getting Outside with Juliet Robertson (sold out)
August 21, Sparwood
Join Juliet Robertson at this unique 1-day workshop that will provide elementary and early years educators with a range of open-ended possibilities for developing great literacy and math experiences outside. Juliet Robertson is a world-renowned Scottish-based education consultant who specializes in learning and playing outdoors.
Click here for more information and to register.
Bring A Weed: Pull and Tell
August 22, Marysville Eco Park (across from Marysville Falls)
Wildsight and the
East Kootenay Invasive Species Council (EKISC)
is inviting the public to bring samples of weeds they've found to this event, which begins at 7 p.m. The Weed Warriors from the EKISC will take a look at the weed samples, and discuss how to manage invasive weeds. Participants will then walk the park and help with a weed pull. Snacks and drinks will be provided, as will extra gloves for those who don't bring their own.
Click here for the event web page.
Toadfest
August 22-23, Summit Lake Provincial Park (Nakusp)
The Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program will be hosting Toadfest at Summit Lake in Nakusp on August 22-23. This free, fun, family event raises awareness of the Western Toad and the other species that call the area home. Learn about the toad's natural history, life cycle, and habitat needs, and check out the other local live animals on display.
Community Weed Pull: Beat back the burdock at Summit Lake - Volunteers wanted
August 22-23, Summit Lake Provincial Park (Nakusp)
The Central Kootenay Invasive Species Society (CKISS) will be attending Toadfest this year with an outreach booth and they will be hosting a Community Weed Pull during the event to improve wildlife habitat by beating back the burdock located near the front entrance of the gate. Shovels and gloves will be on hand to borrow. Please note that this portion of Toadfest may be postponed if there are toadlets in the restoration site.
Click here for event details.
Stewardship Roundtable 2018
August 24, Vancouver
The Stewardship Centre for BC and Bird Studies Canada, in collaboration with the 27th International Ornithological Congress, the Vancouver International Bird Festival, and partners, are convening a Stewardship Roundtable on Friday, August 24, 2018. A forum and showcase of innovative practices championed in B.C. and beyond, this is a chance for birders, researchers, and members of the community to meet and discuss best practices for improving habitat for birds and reducing their mortality rates.
Click here for event details and to register.
RedFish Festival
August 26, Kokanee Creek Nature Centre at Kokanee Creek Provincial Park
The seventh annual RedFish Festival presented by the West Kootenay EcoSociety will be celebrating the annual return of the Kokanee salmon at Kokanee Creek Park on Sunday, August 28. Guided tours
along the Kokanee Salmon spawning channel will run hourly throughout the day and the festival will also offer live music, food vendors, and kids' activities. The Central Kootenay Invasive Species Society will be there this year with an outreach booth with valuable resources, fun kids activities, stickers and tattoos.
Click here for event details.
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.
Click here for the Roundtable website.
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 & October 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.
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.
Click here for the event web page.
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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
Deadline: October 26
The Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program (FWCP) conserves and enhances fish and wildlife in watersheds impacted by BC Hydro dams. The FWCP is funded annually by BC Hydro and funds projects in the Coastal, Columbia and Peace Regions, which fulfills BC Hydro's water license obligations and voluntary commitments to compensate for fish and wildlife impacts. In the Columbia Region for 2018-2019, the FWCP Board approved $6.1 million for 55 fish and wildlife projects. Grant applications for 2019-2020 are due Friday, October 26, 2018.
Click here for information and how to apply.
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 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.
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Grasslands Conservation Council of British Columbia
Executive Director
The Grasslands Conservation Council of British Columbia (GCC) is seeking an Executive Director to successfully manage and deliver the organization's programs according to the strategic direction set by the GCC Board of Directors. This is currently a part-time contract position with full-time potential dependent on success of fundraising programs. The location is flexible with strong preference for Kamloops, B.C. This position is open until filled.
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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.
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.
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.
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.
Columbia Basin Trust & Living Lakes Canada
Community Engagement in Water Governance report now available
Produced by KCP partners Columbia Basin Trust and Living Lakes Canada in partnership with the University of Victoria's POLIS Water Sustainability Project, the Community Engagement in Watershed Governance: Case Studies and Insights From the Upper Columbia River Basin report highlights how community-based organizations in the Basin are supporting watershed health. The following four watershed groups are featured: Kootenay Lake Partnership, Lake Windermere Ambassadors, East Kootenay Integrated Lake Management Partnership and Elk River Alliance.
Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy
Kootenay Boundary Wildlife Habitat Features Order effective July 1
In the fall of 2016, the Province initiated a project in the Kootenay Boundary region to establish a Wildlife Habitat Feature Order and assess the implementation process. On May 29, 2018 the Minister of Environment & Climate Change Strategy signed the Order identifying 14 wildlife habitat features in the Kootenay Boundary region. The protections cover the nests for bald eagles, osprey, and great blue herons, the burrows for American badgers, the dens of the grizzly bears, bat hibernation sites and several other wildlife features. The effective date of the Order was July 1, 2018.
Columbia Basin Watershed Network
Spring Meeting recordings
The CBWN Spring Meeting and AGM took place on April 20th in Creston. Video recordings of member group presentations at the Spring Meeting are available on the CBWN website.
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 the 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.
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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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