KCP is excited to host a celebration of 20 years of partnership for the Kootenay Conservation Program! This event will showcase the achievements of KCP partner organizations in the past 20 years in conservation in the Kootenays in private land securement, landscape connectivity, local conservation funds and much more. It has been a few years since the KCP Fall Gathering has taken place in person and it will be an excellent opportunity to connect and re-connect KCP partners from across the region. Guest speakers will provide insights on looking forward into the next 20 years and preparing for conservation. The draft agenda can be viewed at the link below.

Nomination Deadline: September 2, 2022  

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 2. 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 September 23.

Want to contribute to a collaborative partnership aimed at promoting private land conservation by becoming a KCP Board member? The role of the KCP Board is to balance the desire for decision-making that is as inclusive as possible with the need to prioritize limited resources and the need to respond quickly to changing circumstances and emerging opportunities. KCP is currently seeking two individuals to join the Board. Board members must be part of a KCP partner organization or First Nation and be willing to stand for election at the KCP AGM on September 24th in Creston. Nominations must be received by September 1st. Please contact KCP Program Director Juliet Craig at juliet@kootenayconservation.ca for more information.

Click here for the Kootenay Connect highlights.

The Wild Sheep Society of BC is presenting a new film 'Transmission' created for the purpose of raising awareness about M. ovi. Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (M. ovi) is a bacterial species that is commonly found in the nasal cavity and sinuses of apparently healthy domestic sheep and goats. It is transmitted to wild sheep and goats (bighorn sheep, thinhorn sheep and mountain goats) via nose-to-nose contact and, less commonly, aerosol/droplet transmission. In bighorn sheep, M. ovi has been associated with large all-aged die-offs due to pneumonia, which is often followed by years of lower lamb birth and survival rates that can have devastating population impacts. The Wild Sheep Society of BC is a recipient of Columbia Valley Local Conservation Fund funding for a project in the Columbia Valley that is attempting to understand the prevalence of M.ovi by sampling as many domestic sheep as possible, to determine the level of risk to the bighorn population.

Living Lakes Canada recently co-hosted a LakeKeepers workshop with the BC Lake Stewardship Society (BCLSS) in the Columbia Valley, B.C. Participating groups included the Columbia Lake Stewardship Society, Lake Windermere Ambassadors, and Wildsight’s Kimberley-Cranbrook Youth Climate Corps. This 1.5-day workshop gave these groups the opportunity to learn more about lake health assessments and lake ecology.

Click here to learn more and register.

Voting has been extended to August 15 for Living Lakes Canada's Lake Biodiversity Photo Challenge. Help choose a Public Favourite in three different categories: Most Biodiverse, Most Impacted and Kids Category. Visit the Online Gallery and "heart" your favourite photo in each category. Instructions at the link below.

Bring the family and learn more about western toads and other species that call the region home. It’s a fun, free event! See the live aquatic insects, reptiles, and amphibians on display.

Enjoy kids’ activities View interactive displays on local wildlife and plants. And, if toadlets are present, help them across the road! Toadfest 2022 is organized by the FWCP, BC Parks, Ministry of Forests, and the Okanagan Nation Alliance. Special thanks to the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. On August 17 Toadfest will run from 4-7pm PT; on August 18 it will run from 9 am until noon PT.

2022 KCP Fall Gathering – Registration Now Open!

KCP is excited to host a celebration of 20 years of partnership for the Kootenay Conservation Program! This event will showcase the achievements of KCP partner organizations in the past 20 years in conservation in the Kootenays in private land securement, landscape connectivity, local conservation funds and much more. It has been a few years since the KCP Fall Gathering has taken place in person and it will be an excellent opportunity to connect and re-connect KCP partners from across the region. Guest speakers will provide insights on looking forward into the next 20 years and preparing for conservation. The draft agenda can be viewed at the link below. 

This is a 1.5 day workshop with Tyson Ehlers and Robert Macrae. The course will inspire appreciation for fungi, while providing practical identification and collection techniques. It'll be an expanded version of the popular workshop we delivered in 2019 that filled very quickly, so be sure to register right away.

Registration is now open for the C2C 2022 Conference. CBEEN is partnering with many C2C Partners to host the 2022 C2C Conference in Revelstoke. Join educators, change makers and community partners from across B.C. for this 2-day, in-person conference. The Classrooms to Communities (C2C) 2022 Conference aims to support the practice of learning connected to landscapes, waterways and communities. The conference will feature a variety of indoor and outdoor sessions, workshops, gatherings and other opportunities for professional learning, celebration and dialogue.

The number of projects employing camera traps to understand ecological phenomena is growing rapidly – as are the number of statistical tools to analyze the resultant data. Consequently, the management and analysis of camera trap data can seem complex and overwhelming. This course aims to guide participants in effective ways to store, manipulate and analyze camera trap data within the R statistical environment. To be added to the waitlist, contact office@cmiae.org with the course (1 or 2) to which you would like your name added.

Does your organization have a large-scale, shovel-ready project to help the Basin become more Climate Resilient? This Climate Resilience Program helps communities in the Basin become more climate resilient by supporting large-scale, multi-year, shovel-ready climate mitigation, adaptation, and resilience projects that address sources of climate change or manage the risks of climate change impacts. If you have questions or a project that isn’t shovel ready but you want to talk about an idea for your community, reach out the Program Coordinator at climateresilience@ourtrust.org.

Do you have a new project, big or small, that helps improve ecological health and native biodiversity in the Basin? If so, the Trust wants to hear from you. Does your new project enhance a terrestrial and/or aquatic ecosystem, such as wetlands, fish habitat, forests or grasslands? Implement on-the-ground action? Have a small local scale? Take less than two years to implement? If your project meets these criteria, email Natasha Jmaeff, Delivery of Benefits Manager, at njmaeff@ourtrust.org to discuss your project further.

Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative (Y2Y)

Y2Y is seeking an experienced professional to be their next Conservation Scientist. This individual should have a passion for communicating science, collaborations, and ensuring the practical application of science to serve conservation. The purpose of this position is to work within Y2Y and with external entities to ensure that multidisciplinary science and knowledge are guiding Y2Y work; informing how to solve vexing conservation challenges; and monitoring progress. This is a Canmore-based position. Position will remain open until filled.

The Invasive Species Council of BC is a provincial non-profit organization working to protect and restore BC’s landscapes and habitats from the devastating impacts of invasive species. Action Team Members are part of a 4-person crew involved in field survey, management and restoration of BC’s landscapes and habitats from the impacts of invasive species. Reporting to the Action Team Supervisor, this role requires self-motivation and high levels of organization from individuals who enjoy learning new skills and working on a team. Position will remain open until filled.

Recycling & Waste Educators screen recycling material or waste at a recycling facilities and sites to ensure only acceptable material is accepted, and to redirect unacceptable materials. Recycling & Waste Educators also maintain the cleanliness of sites and perform basic site maintenance. Positions available in Nakusp/New Denver/Roseberry/Slocan, Ootischenia, Crescent Valley/Winlaw, Slocan, Balfour/Nelson, Creston. Positions will remain open until filled.

Want to contribute to a collaborative partnership aimed at promoting private land conservation by becoming a KCP Board member? The role of the KCP Board is to balance the desire for decision-making that is as inclusive as possible with the need to prioritize limited resources and the need to respond quickly to changing circumstances and emerging opportunities. KCP is currently seeking two individuals to join the Board. Board members must be part of a KCP partner organization or First Nation and be willing to stand for election at the KCP AGM on September 24th in Creston. Nominations must be received by September 1st. Please contact KCP Program Director Juliet Craig at juliet@kootenayconservation.ca for more information.

This strategy strengthens B.C.’s capacity to anticipate, prepare for and respond to the changing climate. This includes sudden events like wildfires, floods and heatwaves as well as changes that happen more slowly like receding glaciers, rising sea-levels and shifting ecosystems. Actions fall under four key pathways that work to strengthen our foundations for success, build safe and healthy communities, foster resilient species and ecosystems and advance a climate-ready economy and resilient infrastructure. Learn more about the strategy by visiting: www.gov.bc.ca/BC-Adapts.

Living Lakes Canada's Foreshore Inventory Management Planning (FIMP) program is mapping or re-mapping priority lakes in the Columbia Basin to assess the rate of change in ecological and urban development parameters. The FIMP findings for two of the lakes re-surveyed in 2021 are now available on the Columbia Basin Water Hub: Slocan Lake and Columbia Lake.

In 2019, KCP launched Stewardship Solutions, an easy-to-access stewardship resource for landowners and land managers in the Kootenays available both in print and online. In late 2021, we completed a full review of the toolkit and updated all the available stewardship "solutions" (i.e. services and resources) available in each of the 14 Conservation Neighbourhoods. Visit the website, select your location on the homepage map, and you'll be brought to the growing list of stewardship options available in your region.

KCP's “Case for Conservation” trifold brochure 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 Director Juliet Craig at: juliet@kootenayconservation.ca.