Conservation in the Kootenays
Monthly eNews

2017 promises to bring many exciting stewardship and conservation opportunities and events.  We hope you enjoy this monthly update!  Please  click here throughout the month to check in on current news and events. Also, please feel free submit any 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! 

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. 



Register for KCP's free webinar on Tuesday, January 10
Tools you can use for reaching landowners (Without breaking the bank!)
In this webinar, you will learn low-cost, low-tech tools for using targeted marketing to both reach and engage previously unengaged landowners in conservation programs. Specifically, you will hear about and practice techniques of getting to know your audience, defining your "product", and developing audience profiles to help you craft your message and determine your communication channels. By the end of this webinar you will be able to evaluate your current marketing strategies to improve them and develop new approaches to reaching landowners.  

KCP Job Posting: Administration and Communications Coordinator
Closes February 9
KCP is looking for a qualified contractor to provide administrative and communication support services. The primarily role of this position is to provide "behind-­-the-­-scenes" administrative support. The secondary role is to provide leadership in facilitating KCP communication activities.

Conservation on private land in the Golden area
February 8, Golden
Many important habitats and species at risk are found on private land and private land conservation is an important component of protecting clean water, maintaining wildlife habitat, and stewarding local ecosystems. Since 2002 the Kootenay Conservation Program (KCP) has helped to support partners in securement of private land for conservation, building capacity and funding sources, and coordinating stewardship activities. Join the KCP at 7pm on Wednesday, February 8th at the Lady Grey Library in Golden.  Juliet Craig, KCP Program Manager will provide an overview of the KCP and some of the tools used for private land conservation, as well as promote discussion of the interest of organizations in the Golden area to have KCP be more involved in the region.



Faces & Places Monthly Partner Feature
Candace Batycki: Yellowstone to Yukon
Candace Batycki is the BC and Yukon Program Director for the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative (Y2Y), a joint Canada-U.S. not-for-profit organization that connects and protects habitat from Yellowstone to Yukon so people and nature can thrive. Candace lives in Nelson, where she served as a city councilor from 2011 through 2014. She loves to hike, ski and kayak, and is deeply grateful to be given the opportunity to explore the vast and wild Y2Y geography.


Local Conservation Fund Feature Project
Water Quality and Quantity Monitoring Project
Through the generous support of the Columbia Valley Local Conservation Fund, the Lake Windermere Ambassadors are positioned to meet their goals for the Water Quality & Quantity Monitoring Project.  Through their community-based water monitoring program on Lake Windermere, the Lake Windermere Ambassadors are helping to build a database of water quality information in the Upper Columbia River. At the same time, weekly sampling events allow visitors and long-term residents of different age groups to be trained as citizen scientists. Fourteen new participants learned lake monitoring protocol this season alone! Notably, 50% of samplers this season were under the age of 35, providing a role model for youth to get engaged in water stewardship. Each volunteer was featured in a weekly "Pulse Check" column in the local newsletter with a description of notable sampling results.



Nature Conservancy of Canada
Round 3 of Other Qualified Organizations (OQO) Program  Announced
The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) is pleased to announce Round 3 of the Other Qualified Organizations (OQO) Program.  Funded by Environment and Climate Change Canada and administered by NCC, the program will provide up to $5 million in support of conservation in communities across Canada. Land acquisitions closing between April 1, 2017 and January 31, 2018 will be considered under Round 3 of the OQO Program, and applications will be accepted until 5:00pm EST on November 1.

Columbia Basin Trust
Innovative Water Conservation Model Proved Successful
After seven years of focused effort, 26 participating Water Smart communities in the Columbia Basin have made tremendous gains in water conversation skills and strategies, and most were successful in reducing overall water use, with local achievements ranging from 2 to 39 per cent.  Water Smart's collaborative, regional, data-driven model has been recognized as unique, and academics, utility professionals and water experts across Canada are taking note of the success and its transferability to other regions.

POLIS Project on Ecological Governance
Top 5 Water Challenges that will Define British Columbia's Future
Escalating water challenges in BC require a better understanding and coordinated work to avoid future crisis. Drawing on an extensive review of media, court and tribunal cases, and insights from attending over 100 recent events related to water issues, this report documents dozens of examples of why and where critical water issues exist in the province's watersheds. It focuses on 5 key issues: (1) Building resilience to droughts & floods; (2) Sustaining water for nature; (3) Understanding the state of B.C.'s watersheds; (4) Protecting water quality for drinking, swimming & fishing and (5) Reconciling the water-energy nexus. The report also suggests possible solutions to these five water challenges to create water security and sustainability over the coming years.

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


KCP Webinar: Tools you Can Use for Reaching Landowners (Without Breaking the Bank)
January 10, Online
In this webinar, you will learn low-cost, low-tech tools for using targeted marketing to both reach and engage previously unengaged landowners in conservation programs. Specifically, you will hear about and practice techniques of getting to know your audience, defining your "product", and developing audience profiles to help you craft your message and determine your communication channels. By the end of this webinar you will be able to evaluate your current marketing strategies to improve them and develop new approaches to reaching landowners.  

Webinar: Monitoring landscape change in Canada
January 12, Online
This webinar will present results from the monitoring activities within the Climate Change Geoscience Program (Earth Sciences Sector) with a focus on recent trends and rates of change to the Glaciers, Permafrost, and Snow cover. The implications of these changes with respect to feedbacks to the climate system and natural and human systems will also be discussed.

Restoring the Future: Native Plants and Climate Change Presentation
February 1, Nelson
The Kootenay Native Plant Society will be holding their AGM following a presentation from Richard Hebda. His talk is titled  "Restoring the Future: Native Plants and Climate Change."  Richard Hebda is a Curator of Botany and Earth History at the Royal British Columbia Museum and an adjunct faculty member in Biology and Earth and Ocean Sciences at the UVic. He studies the climate history of BC, Ethnobotany of BC First Nations, climate change impacts, restoration of natural systems, ecology and origins of Garry oak and alpine ecosystems and botany of grasses. He has a Ph. D. in Botany form the University of British Columbia. Tickets are available for purchase at Ellisons Market in Nelson, Crumbs Bakery in Castlegar and Bay Avenue Music in Trail. Tickets will also be available at the door.
For more information email lindsayhovde@gmail.com.

Conservation on private land in the Golden area
February 8, Golden
Many important habitats and species at risk are found on private land and private land conservation is an important component of protecting clean water, maintaining wildlife habitat, and stewarding local ecosystems. Since 2002 the Kootenay Conservation Program (KCP) has helped to support partners in securement of private land for conservation, building capacity and funding sources, and coordinating stewardship activities. Join the KCP at 7pm on Wednesday, February 8th at the Lady Grey Library in Golden.  Juliet Craig, KCP Program Manager will provide an overview of the KCP and some of the tools used for private land conservation, as well as promote discussion of the interest of organizations in the Golden area to have KCP be more involved in the region.

River Restoration Northwest Stream Restoration Symposium
February 7 - 9, Stevenson, Washington
River Restoration Northwest is gearing up for the 16th Annual River Restoration Symposium at Skamania Lodge in Stevenson Washington February 7-9, 2017.  They have issued a call for Session Proposals and Oral/Poster Abstracts.  

The Power of Positive, Inspiring Solutions Webinar with Guy Dauncey
February 20, Online
CBEEN is partnering with Green Teacher and the Canadian Network for Environmental Education and Communication to host this webinar. presented by Guy Dauncey, a futurist who works to develop a positive vision of a sustainable future, and to translate that vision into action.  The Power of Positive, Inspiring Solutions webinar will showcase the power of positive, inspiring solutions to the worries that cause people to lose hope, including the climate crisis and wider ecological crisis. It will show how, using a positive three-step approach, you can turn worry into hope, and then into action. 

Crown Managers Partnership Forum: Improving Drought Resilience - Forest to Valley Bottom
March 14 - 16, Choteau, Montana 
The Crown Managers Partnership seeks to demonstrate leadership in addressing the environmental management challenges in the Crown region by adopting transboundary collaborative approaches to environmental management. The voluntary partnership seeks to build common awareness of Crown interests and issues, shape relationships, and identify collaborative and complementary tasks that the various participating jurisdictions can pursue.

Avoiding Incidental Take of Bird Nests: From law to practice
April 26 - 27, Cranbrook
This Columbia Mountains Institute forum will provide an opportunity for dialogue between an environmental lawyer, industry, regulators, and biologists whose work involves the MBCA and relevant mitigation. Registration now open! 

Wings Over the Rockies Festival: Birds, Bats, Bears and Beyond
May 8 - 14, Invermere
In 2017 Canada will celebrate its 150th birthday. Canada was founded upon its nature and wildlife that remain symbols of our nation. The 21st Wings Festival appropriately explores the theme Birds, Bats, Bears and Beyond in recognition of Canada's interconnected but increasingly challenged wildlife international migratory birds; mysterious bats and grizzly bears, symbols of wilderness. The festival will bring in experts provide insights into the lives of these animals and the conservation challenges in protecting them. Danny Catt, an internationally known conservationist, photographer and environmental educator, will be the Keynote Speaker at the Gala.

Community-based Social Marketing (CBSM) Institute
June 1 - 2, Castlegar
Learn how to foster sustainable behavior!  CBEEN has engaged Doug McKenzie-Mohr, world-renowned developer of Community-based Social Marketing (CBSM), to facilitate a 2-day CBSM Institute.  This Institute will provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of community-based social marketing and how it is being applied throughout the world, and in the Columbia Basin, to foster sustainable behaviour. Attendees will learn the 5 steps of community-based social marketing and be exposed to numerous case studies.

Field Soil Description & Classification Course
June 7 - 9, Revelstoke
Participants can expect to be able to describe and classify forest soils by the end of the course. They will have a couple of new field techniques to improve the quality of their soils data. They will be able to determine the % sand in the field to aid in soil texture determination, using the "spoon" method invented by the instructor. They will have applied soil properties to assess soil salvage, soil remediation, restoration and reclamation activities.

Introduction to the Wetland Plants of British Columbia
July 25 - 26, Revelstoke
This course will introduce students to the freshwater vascular plants of British Columbia, providing them with an overview of prominent and ecologically important groups as well as giving them the skills to identify many species in the field. The course will prioritize the identification of families and easily-identifiable species, but will also cover species-level identification within more challenging genera so as to introduce students to the process of species-level identification using dichotomous keys. 


Waneta Terrestrial Compensation Program (WTCP)
Deadline: January 31
The Waneta Expansion Limited Partnership (WELP), a partnership between Fortis Inc., Columbia Power Corporation and Columbia Basin Trust, is accepting applications for the 2017 Waneta Terrestrial Compensation Program (WTCP). This program will provide a total of up to $50,000 to projects in the Waneta area that promote conservation and restoration through research, physical works, and other on-the-ground or applied projects.

Alpine Club of Canada
Deadline: January 31
The Alpine Club of Canada maintains or administers permanent funds to which people may apply for financial support for their mountain-related projects and initiatives. Support is provided in the form of annual cash grants and scholarships to individuals and groups who are judged as best meeting the selection criteria. Each year the ACC grants over $10,000 through these grants.

Brink/McLean Grassland Conservation Fund
Deadline: February 17
This fund promotes applied research, habitat restoration and other stewardship activities that will assist in the management of the land, plants and animals of BC's native grasslands.

Great Northern Landscape Conservation Coorperative
Deadline: February 17
The Great Northern LCC is pleased to announce the FY17 funding opportunity. Proposals targeting the priorities and specific criteria described in the Funding Guidance will be accepted until  February 17, 2017 at 6pm MST  /  5pm PST . There will be two conference calls for questions about the Funding Guidance.

HCTF Acquisition  Fund
Deadline: March 31
HCTF accepts proposals for projects that acquire land or interests in land to secure the value of these areas for conservation of fish and wildlife habitats and populations.

HCTF Public Conservation Assistance Fund 
Deadline: May 16
HCTF 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.

Nature Conservancy of Canada  Round 3 of Other Qualified Organizations (OQO) Program
Deadline: Ongoing until November 1
The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) is pleased to announce Round 3 of the Other Qualified Organizations (OQO) Program.  Funded by Environment and Climate Change Canada and administered by NCC, the program will provide up to $5 million in support of conservation in communities across Canada. Land acquisitions closing between April 1, 2017 and January 31, 2018 will be considered under Round 3 of the OQO Program, and applications will be accepted until 5:00pm EST on November 1.

Grassland and Rangeland Enhancement Program
Deadline: Ongoing
Delivered for the Columbia BasinTrust 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. Currently accepting applications for projects for the 2016 funding. 

Columbia Basin Trust Small Grants Program
Deadline: Ongoing
If you have an idea that will address community priorities and encourage community development activities, including those that relate to the environment, you can apply for up to $5,000 through this program.

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. 


Kootenay Conservation Program
Administration and Communications Coordinator
KCP is looking for a qualified contractor to provide administrative and communication support services. The primarily role of this position is to provide "behind-­the-­scenes" administrative support. The secondary role is to provide leadership in facilitating KCP communication activities.

Columbia Basin Trust
Request for Proposals: Columbia Basin Rural Development Institute Evaluation
Columbia Basin Trust is seeking a qualified consultant to conduct an evaluation on how the Columbia Basin Rural Development Institute is contributing to increased usage of information and research in decision-making by key stakeholders in the Columbia Basin-Boundary region.

Columbia Basin Environmental Education Network
Wild Voices for Kids Community Educators
Are you conducting stewardship or conservation activities in the Columbia Basin region? CBEEN's Wild Voices for Kids program connects individuals who are involved with stewardship and conservation with teachers looking to share this with their students. CBEEN also finds funding for travel and offer an honoraria to presenters. 


K ootenay 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, the KCP has developed a webpage that complies some of the best conservation and stewardship resources available for our region. 

 

If you have news or announcements that you would like to share via our eNews, please email them to communications@kootenayconservation.ca by the 26th of each month.