October 2014 eNews

 

KCP partner representatives attended KCP's Annual Gathering & AGM in Creston on September 26-27. The focus was on Biodiversity Offsets and an excellent panel of experts shared their knowledge of this innovative conservation tool. To read more about this topic and the panelists click here. In order to show how this concept actually works on the ground, participants enjoyed a tour of the Nature Conservancy of Canada's 'Darkwoods' property. As the largest conservation property in Canadian history, Darkwoods has piloted a carbon project. To read more about this unique and innovative project click here and to view photos of the tour click here.

As part of the event, KCP presented the annual Conservation Leadership Awards. Jennifer Yeow and Nancy Newhouse were recognized for their outstanding efforts as leaders in conservation in the Kootenays. Read the full story and see photos from the award ceremony by clicking here.

At our AGM we elected the 2014-2015 KCP Executive Committee. This year we said goodbye to Nancy Newhouse and welcomed Adrian Leslie who is part of Selkirk College's Rural Development Institute. Adrian joins Derek Petersen, Rob Neil, Ken Brock, Crystal Klym and Dave White on this committee. Click here to see photos and bios of the KCP's 2014-2015 Executive Committee.

On September 27 the KCP partnered with the Friends of Kootenay Lake and the Friends of Lardeau River to coordinate a Shoreline Clean-up on Kootenay Lake. Click here for the full story and photos.

We hope you enjoy your monthly conservation update! You can click here at anytime during the month to check out current news and events on our blog.

As always, please submit any news you'd like to share with our network by the 26th of each month to duncan@kootenayconservation.ca.

KCP welcomes new partners!

The KCP would like to welcome the following organizations which have officially signed on as KCP Partners:

 

Rural Development Institute

The Rural Development Institute (RDI) is a regional centre of excellence in applied research and information provision focused on strengthening rural communities in the Columbia Basin Boundary region of British Columbia. Click here to read more.

 

Eastshore Freshwater Habitat Society

The Eastshore Freshwater Habitat Society (EFHS) is a newly formed Society on the Eastshore of the Kootenay Lake. Their goal is to strive for the protection and remediation of all rivers, creeks, streams and lakes on the Eastshore that is tributary to the Kootenay Lake. Click here to read more.

 

Kootenay Native Plant Society

The Kootenay Native Plant Society (KNPS) is a group of West Kootenay residents who work to promote knowledge, appreciation, conservation and restoration of native plants and natural habitats through education, research and on-the-ground activities. Click here to read more.

 

Blue Lake Forest Education Society

The Blue Lake Forest Education Society is the non-profit organization responsible for the operation of Blue Lake Centre. The Society consists of concerned local individuals, educators, businesses and industries dedicated to providing balanced resource education for all ages. Click here to read more.

 

BC Hydro

BC Hydro is a provincial Crown corporation with a mandate to generate, purchase, distribute and sell electricity. Discover who we are and how we plan, and deliver power to meet B.C.'s electricity needs. Click here to read more.  


Nancy Newhouse and Jennifer Yeow

Winners of the 2014 KCP Conservation Leadership Awards!

 

Jennifer Yeow: Jennifer has dedicated herself relentlessly for over 20 years towards protecting our water courses and furthering environmental knowledge, education and understanding of water. She has worked on spearheading bank stabilization and re-vegetation projects and has played a leading role in water monitoring throughout the Kootenays. Click here to read more.

 

Nancy Newhouse: Nancy began working for The Nature Conservancy of Canada in September of 2009 in the role of Canadian Rocky Mountains Program Manager. Prior to this she was the Program Manager for the East Kootenay Conservation Program from 2007 to 2009 and was EKCP Executive Committee Chairperson from 2009 through 2013. Nancy continued on as Past Chairperson of the KCP during 2013. Click here to read more.


Shape How We Support You and Your Community

Columbia Basin Trust

Tell us where you think the Trust should focus its efforts so we can best support residents and communities in the Basin now and into the future. We're kicking off a year-long Basin-wide public engagement process with a series of drop-in community workshops and an interactive engagement website. Called "Our Trust, Our Future," this process will connect us with residents to find out what's important to you and build on the input you may have provided in the past.
Click here for the full story. 

A picture perfect day for the Columbia Salmon Festival
Canadian Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fisheries Commission 

Several hundred people made it to the festival site during the day to take part in the events. Salmon lovers were able to sample some delicious varieties of fish once common in the Columbia River.

Click here for the full story. 

 

A first step in prioritizing riparian corridors for climate adaptation planning 

Great Northern Landscape Conservation Cooperative

Riparian areas are key targets for conservation efforts aimed at promoting biological resilience to climate change. However, few methods are available to managers to prioritize specific riparian areas when developing climate adaptation strategies. Current methods typically use riverine connectivity as a coarse proxy for riparian connectivity and do not account for variability in habitat quality, which should influence species range shifts and availability of refugia.

Click here for the full story. 

 

News from the NCC Canadian Rocky Mountains Office

Nature Conservancy of Canada

NCC is pleased to welcome two new staff to our Canadian Rockies team.  Richard Klafki, MSc., will serve as our Stewardship Coordinator, and Roslyn Johnson, B.Sc. will serve as our Stewardship and Administrative Assistant.  Hillary Page, M.Sc., will continue to work with NCC from the Invermere office, but she is now the Director of Conservation Planning and Stewardship for NCC-BC. 

 

Launch of Basin website to showcase local experts

Basin Expertise

This website was in part designed to showcase the depth of expertise that is hidden in the Columbia Basin to ensure that companies buy from local experts instead of shopping for expertise outside the region. It is also designed to facilitate your collaboration with other experts in the area to complete larger jobs you could not bid on as a sole contractor. This sites search bar and expertise listing can also be hosted on any website wishing to promote the awesome depth of talent here to support economic development through local procurement as well as attraction and retention by demonstrating there is an amazing community of skilled folks here. 

Click here for the full story.

 

Slocan Valley Directed Fund

Slocan Valley Economic Development Commission 

The Slocan Valley Directed Fund is an initiative of the Columbia Basin Trust in partnership with the Slocan Valley Economic Development Commission, a body of RDCK. The fund will provide financial support for social, environmental, and/or economic strategies beneficial to the entire Slocan Valley. In order to identify valley-wide priorities, the Economic Development Commission is hosting a series of public meetings over the coming weeks.  

Click here for the full story.


Columbia Basin Trust - Communications Coordinator

Deadline: October 15

The Communications Coordinator coordinates the production and delivery of a wide range of communications and public involvement materials, including media buying, purchasing promotional merchandise, writing for various collateral materials, and coordinating and supporting public events.
This is an 11-month, full-time position based in one of our four offices (Castlegar, Cranbrook, Golden or Nakusp) and reports to the Director, Communications.

Click here for more information.  

Columbia Basin Trust Environmental Grants

Deadline: October 22

CBT's Environment Grants support community-initiated and community-supported projects that help meet program goals in the areas of Ecosystems, Climate and Environmental Education. 
Click here for more information.
 

Columbia Valley Local Conservation Fund

Deadline: October 31

The Kootenay Conservation Program (KCP) and Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) are seeking proposals for projects that will benefit conservation in the area from Spillimacheen to Canal Flats utilizing the Columbia Valley Local Conservation Fund (CVLCF). 

Click here for more information. 


Environment Canada Eco-action Community Funding Program
Deadline: November 1

This funding program encourages action focused projects that will protect, rehabilitate or enhance the natural environment, and build the capacity of communities to sustain these activities.

Click here for more information.


Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation Enhancement and Restoration Grants

Deadline: November 3

Funding for projects that focus on freshwater wild fish, native wildlife species and their habitats, have the potential to achieve a significant conservation outcome, while maintaining or enhance opportunities for fishing, hunting, trapping, wildlife viewing and associated outdoor recreational activities.

Click here for more information. 

 

Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program Project Funding

Deadline: November 14
The Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program (FWCP) supports local stewardship groups, First Nations, agencies and others to deliver fish and wildlife projects in alignment with its Action Plans. Your idea for a project could be eligible for funding. This year the FWCP is offering three funding options.
Click here for more information. 

 

Upper Kootenay Ecosystem Enhancement Plan Funding 

Deadline: November 14

The Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program, in partnership with the Columbia Basin Trust, led the development of the Upper Kootenay Ecosystem Enhancement Plan for the upper Kootenay River watershed including the Koocanusa Reservoir. This new plan will guide fish and wildlife funding in the watershed. The plan recommends actions to conserve and enhance lakes, streams, uplands/drylands, wetlands and species of interest. Review the plan, and then apply to FWCP for funding to deliver on one of the many recommended actions. 

Click here for more information or contact the Program Manager at trevor.oussoren@bchydro.com or 250-365-4551. 

Solving Wicked Problems: Using human dimensions to inform natural resource management

September 30 - October 1, Kimberley

During this Columbia Mountains Institute (CMI) conference, participants will examine how to use human dimensions research and methods to help resource practitioners resolve "wicked problems" in southeastern BC. 

Click here for more information.  

 

Public Participation for Natural Resource and Environmental Assessment Managers 

October 2 - 3, Kimberley  
This Columbia Mountains Institute facilitated course is designed as an introduction to public participation basic concepts and skills. Despite the demonstrated benefits of effective public participation, few resource and environmental assessment managers have formal training or professional development in planning for and implementing participatory processes. 
Click here for more information.

Funds to Fuel Your Mission: Going Beyond Grants
October 7, Golden
Learn about the various methods that high-functioning organizations use to raise money, each method's pros and cons, and which methods will work best for your group. This fun, lively, and thought-provoking workshop is presented as part of the REACH program of the Kootenay-Boundary Community Services Co-operative.
Click here for more information.

Social Marketing: Encouraging Behavior Change
October 8, Golden
The workshop unravels some of the deep-seated and sometimes contradictory motivations behind human behaviour and presents a suite of tools for stimulating behaviour change at the individual and community level.   You will learn concepts from various social change methodologies. 
Click here for more information.

Real Estate Foundation of BC Land Awards Gala
October 17, Vancouver
The Land Awards will be presented in the categories of Public Sector, Private Sector and Non-profit Sector as well as the individual Land Champion Award.
Click here for more information.  

Voices for Sustainability Symposium
October 17 - 19, Golden
The Columbia Basin Environmental Education Network's (CBEEN) popular annual gathering of environmental educators will take place at Quantum Leaps Lodge in Golden. Registration is now open.
Click here for more information.

Kootenay Lake Summit
October 18, Kaslo
There will be presentations, breakout sessions, live music, and free lunch. The Kootenay Lake Summit will engage community members to identify main challenges for the lake and potential solutions to these problems. Themes will include fisheries, First Nations history, shoreline restoration techniques, and water level management. The event will encourage a broader and deeper understanding of the lake's ecosystem and build cooperative relationships among Kootenay Lake communities.
Click here for more information.

Columbia River Basin International Conference
October 21 - 23, Spokane
Conference Theme: Learning from Our Past to Shape Our Future. 
Click here for more information. 

Water Stewardship in the Columbia Basin
November 6, Kimberley
This event hosted by the Columbia Basin Watershed Network will be used as a networking and learning opportunity for watershed stewards located throughout the Canadian portion of the Columbia Basin. 
Click here for more information. 

History of salmon in the Columbia basin and challenges for restoring salmon to the headwaters 
November 20, Webinar
This is the first webinar in the Winter Webinar Series hosted in partnership between the Kootenay Conservation Program and the Columbia Basin Watershed Network. This first webinar will give a description of the historic distribution of salmon in the Columbia Basin in Canada and their role in the ecosystem. 
Save the date! Registration information coming soon. 

Trends Analysis & Environmental Impact Assessment
November 18 - 20, Revelstoke
Environmental impact assessments want to know if trends over time differ between control and impact sites. Statistical methods for the analysis of trends over time use many of the same methods as the analysis of experimental data (e.g. ANOVA, regression) but must now deal with problems such as autocorrelation and process error.
Click here for more information.

Regulated Rivers: Environment, Ecology and Management
May 6 - 7, Castlegar
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.
Decision-Makers' Brief: A Blueprint for Watershed Governance in B.C.

Report offers strategic path forward for governance in B.C.

This brief was specifically timed to follow the passage of B.C.'s new Water Sustainability Act, which is expected to come into force in April 2015. It informs decision-makers across B.C. about a number of decisions that must be made to ensure fundamental changes to the current model of governance in the province, and offers what is arguably the strategic path forward to ensure the new Water Sustainability Act is implemented to its fullest potential.

Click here to read this brief.

 

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