Conference Report

Columbia River Basin 2014 Conference

This conference provided a transboundary forum for participants to to share information and build understanding of current issues. Click on the links below for information coming out of the key themes:

• Ecosystem Function;
• Salmon Restoration & Fish Passage;
• Climate Change;
• Energy;
• Transboundary River Governance;
• the future of the Columbia River Treaty;
• challenges and opportunities with respect to Volume & Flow.

Ecosystem Restoration Planned for Columbia Lake - Lot 48

Nature Conservancy of Canada

The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) will be undertaking ecosystem restoration activities on Columbia Lake - Lot 48 throughout the month of December, Crews will be hand thinning trees and brush to improve forest health and further NCC's conservation goals. Accumulated slash will be burned using a sloop burner, a high-efficiency burner that limits smoke emissions and protects ground cover. Burning will occur over a 4 day period, weather permitting. Burn operations and smoke will be visible to motorists driving from Fairmont to Canal Flats on Hwy 93/95. The use of a high-efficiency sloop burner will reduce the amount of smoke that would otherwise be generated from an open burn pile. Access to Lot 48 in the work unit will be restricted during thinning and burning activities. The Nature Conservancy of Canada maintains a smoke notification list for those who are extremely sensitive to smoke and would like advance warning of prescribed burn operations. To be added to this list or for more information, please contact the Invermere office: Richard Klafki, Nature Conservancy of Canada, Invermere office: 250-342-5521 or canadian.rockies@natureconservancy.ca.

 

Wildlife Evaluation Workshop Report

Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation

In October, HCTF held its sixth annual project evaluation workshop. Fourteen grant recipients attended the workshop in Kelowna, sharing the results of their HCTF-funded conservation projects. HCTF Board and Staff learned about how simple changes in forestry practices may provide major habitat benefits for furbearers, the distinct challenges inherent to burn projects in different regions, how solving frog movement mysteries may change habitat conservation strategies, and much more. In the coming months, they'll be putting together a full report on the workshop, including feedback from participants on the workshop as well as on general HCTF administrative processes.

To see reports from previous workshops click here.  

December 2, Rossland - TBA

December 3, Castlegar - 11:00am & 4:00pm, Castlegar & District Community Complex

December 3, Jaffray - 4:00pm, Jaffray Community Hall

Click here for more information. 

Call for presentations closes December 15. Through a keynote address, two days of presentations, a poster session, dialogue opportunities, and field-trips, this conference will provide a cutting-edge opportunity for scientists and managers to share results of recent research on regulated river environments, processes, and operations in the Pacific Northwest and elsewhere. 

Click here for more information.

Building on the success of past international Forests and Water conferences (Beijing in 2006, Raleigh, NC in 2009, and Fukuoka in 2012), the fourth conference will focus on forest disturbance and hydrological processes in a changing environment. The goal of this conference is to provide a forum for experts specialising in forest hydrology, ecohydrology, geomorphology, watershed management and climate change in forested environments around the world to share research progress, exchange ideas, and develop international research collaborations.

Click here for more information.