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THE BIWEEKLY
MAY 1, 2026
Published by the Alberta Society of Professional Biologists
| | 'Tis the season - again! Setting up a field lab for Lake Pulse projects! | | |
Correction:
ASPB Salary Survey opens
May 1, 2026, closes June 1, 2026
The ASPB Salary Survey (covering 2025) opens May 1, 2026, and will be available through the Member Dashboard. The survey is short and anonymous and will remain open for member response until June 1, 2026.
Participation in the survey is open to most registration categories, including Temporary Withdrawn and Associated members, but excluding Students. We encourage all eligible members to participate so the ASPB can gather accurate and meaningful data on member compensation across the profession.
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Membership Application
Process Update
As part of recent updates to the application process, applicants for membership in the ASPB are now required to enter their work experience, as well as their academic courses and credits, directly within the online application format.
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ASPB CONFERENCE SPONSORSHIPS
ARE NOW AVAILABLE!
As always, it is our valuable sponsors who provide the power
to drive the standard of excellence
for which our conferences are known.
For full information, please go to 2026 Sponsorship Packages
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Calgary is updating its Biophysical
Impact Assessment Framework
The City of Calgary is updating its Biophysical Impact Assessment (BIA) Framework to improve clarity, consistency, and implementation, addressing gaps in the current 2010 framework which no longer aligns with contemporary policies and practices.
Stephanie Findlay, P. Biol., Parks Ecologist at the City's Natural Environment & Adaptation Planning & Development Services, told the ASPB that, as part of this update, "we are circulating a survey as part of our public engagement phase of the project. Feedback will inform revisions, supporting a framework that better meets user and organizational needs; we estimate survey completion time to be 10 minutes, and will be open from May 1, 2026 until May 15th, 2026. Providing personal information is voluntary and will be kept confidential. Please access the survey here: Biological Impact Assessment Framework Update Survey – Fill out form
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University of Calgary to host eighth annual
Together | Ensemble Conference
on May 19 and 20, 2026
Together | Ensemble is Canada’s leading national conference for collaborating and accelerating progress on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It brings together inter-generational Indigenous Peoples, youth, academia, government, business, and community leaders to turn global goals into local action and address Canada’s toughest sustainability challenges.
For more information and registration, please HERE.
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Edmonton Regional Science Fair Council
Appreciates ASPB support of project-based science
In a letter received by the ASPB's Jessica Koehli on April 14, 2026 from Michele Moscicki, ERSF VP & Awards Chair, the ERSF Council would like to take this opportunity to thank you and the Alberta Society of Professional Biologists for its ongoing support of the fair and for encouraging youth participation in project-based science.
The 2026 Edmonton Regional Science Fair and a public viewing event were held on Saturday March 14th. We had 171 projects register – the most we have had in 15 years! The following students have been recognized with the Professional Biologists’ Award due to your sponsorship:
Award Winner: Students Bishmeet Singh Sangar & Jeffraj Singh Arora, for the project titled ”How Does Acid Rain Affect Plant Growth?”
An Honourable Mention was also awarded to Student Shukrana Kaur Ghumman for her project titled “Aquaponics”.
Sincerely,
Michele Moscicki
ERSF VP & Awards Chair
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At the ASPB, we regularly receive notifications from Google Scholar and other sources, which we select and share below in the BIWEEKLY. Here is the latest batch (the links are HOT):
‘Invisible’ birds are brought to the light
An-asteroid-extinguished-all-the-dinosaurs-except-for-birds-heres-why/
Bioresource Technology Reports
A code of practice for wildfowl quarry species
Behavioral and demographic effects of open‐pit mining on Central Mountain Caribou in British Columbia
Quaking aspen short-term regeneration response to mechanical roller-felling
Enhancing wildfire spread scale prediction with explainable AI: a hist gradient boosting and SHAP-based approach
Municipal effluent on endocrine disrupting potentials of samples from the Frank Lake wetland complex in Alberta
Microtopographic and Hydrological Response to Repeated Seismic Line Disturbance in a Boreal Fen of Northern Alberta, Canada
Rapid expansion of genotype D1. 1 A (H5N1) influenza viruses in wild birds across North America during the 2024 migratory season
Vulnerability of Canadian forests to invasive insects under climate change
Separating crested wheatgrass using field hyperspectral data in the native prairie of southwestern Saskatchewan
Energy-sector footprints, subsequent disturbances and footprint reclamation determine the direction and rate of landbird community trajectories in boreal forests
Disappearing Peace: The Mountain Meadows of Alberta's Rockies
Post-disturbance projections of forage habitat for caribou, moose, and bears following timber harvest and wildfire
Does space-for-time substitution capture soil carbon recovery in restored dry grasslands of Canada?
Phylogeographic Analysis of Lodgepole Pine (Pinus contorta) Reveals Limited Subspecies Differentiation and Evidence for Glacial Refugia
The past is prologue: contemporary and historical genetic variation in a bighorn sheep metapopulation
Fish need to breath, too
Integrating traditional practices, livelihoods, and conservation with Indigenous‐led furbearer camera trapping
Woodland caribou habitat restoration using lichen transplants: insights from a 24‐year trial
Outdoor roaming of owned cats elevates risk of zoonotic pathogen exposure: A global synthesis
https://thetyee.ca/News/2026/03/20/Australian-Mining-Billionaire-Sues-Canada/
Observation of predatory infanticide by a solitary female brown bear
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/25/california-wildlife-crossing-construction
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/alberta-energy-regulator-maga-9.7176266?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-cafailure to meet its commitments’
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/federal-force-of-nature-30x30-alberta-protected-land-9.7162358
Diversity of perennial forage species influences soil quality in Northwestern Alberta
Trembling aspen biomass equations and carbon estimations for southern Saskatchewan copses
Bill 28 and gravel pit regulation
Swath-Grazing in Western Canada: A Survey of Practices, Motivations, and Challenges Among Cow-Calf Producers
Quantifying insecticide exposure across an agricultural landscape gradient using barn swallows as a wildlife indicator
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Action Plans posted for
National Parks in Canada
On April 15, 2026, Parks Canada posted on the Species at Risk Public Registry the multi-species action plans for Banff, Yoho and Kootenay national parks of Canada [proposed].
The recovery planning documents can be found at:
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Field Law looks at:
What Does It Mean to Be “Ungovernable”?
"Ungovernability" arises when a professional demonstrates an unwillingness or inability to comply with regulatory oversight, often through repeated misconduct, lack of cooperation, or disregard for governing processes.
Courts assess multiple contextual factors, but place particular weight on whether the professional engages with and follows regulatory directions. While cancellation remains a last-resort sanction, it becomes appropriate where a professional cannot be effectively governed and therefore poses an ongoing risk to the public.
READ MORE
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Updates:
Projects Near Water website
DFO is pleased to announce that three new interim standards have been developed to guide project proponents in the design and implementation of mitigation measures considered critical to the protection of fish and fish habitat. The following are now published on Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s Projects Near Water website and they can be accessed here.
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CONFERENCE 2026
CALL FOR ABSTRACTS:
The theme of the ASPB 2026 Conference (November 4-6, 2026) is Supporting Biologists: in the Field and Beyond
and the call for abstracts is now open and will close on June 1, 2026.
For details please go to 2026 Conference Abstract Info
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SEMINARS, WEBINARS & COURSES
MAY
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Sessions for heavy equipment operators
and site managers who work in or near water
The DFO partnerships team from the Ontario & Prairie region will be offering these two sessions. The sessions will not be recorded and will be delivered in English only. The same presentation will be delivered on both dates.
Session Dates and Times:
Topic: Operating Safely in and Around Water: Navigating Legislation and Protecting Fish and Fish Habitat
Date: Friday, May 8, 2026
Time: 12:30 – 2:00pm Eastern Time Zone
Microsoft Teams meeting
Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/248905911025722?p=q4t2mCtwH5ioXK7IZq
Meeting ID: 248 905 911 025 722
Passcode: Ut7e58Bw
Date: Thursday, May 14, 2026
Time: 12:30 – 2:00pm Eastern Time Zone
Microsoft Teams meeting
Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/258765680457944?p=QtSRUHCQsGj8qOZvTB
Meeting ID: 258 765 680 457 944
Passcode: LQ65227W
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Fishes of Alberta
Field Identification Workshop
May 2, 2026 (Calgary)
This popular workshop is delivered by Shona Derlukewich (“School of Fish”) and guides participants through the fundamental morphological traits, geographic distribution, and habitat preferences of fish found in Alberta.
The course is designed to benefit anyone interested in fisheries, at all experience levels, from those just getting started to seasoned experts. The Alberta Field Guide is included in the workshop.
This course will be held at Mount Royal University on Saturday afternoon May 2, 2026. Specific details will be provided for paid participants; the cost is $175 per student, and payment is due BEFORE the workshop. Credit cards are subject to a 3.5% service charge; you can also E-transfer to derlukew@ualberta.ca. Cell phone: 780-722-9884. Email: derlukew@ualberta.ca
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The 2026 Alberta Soils Tour:
Exploring Palliser's Triangle
The Alberta Soils Tour, presented on May 27 through May 29, 2026 by the Alberta Soil Science Workshop Organizing Committee, is an excellent training opportunity for those working with soils, whether the focus is soil conservation, land reclamation, or agronomy. Experts will provide background on soil formation and the various soil profiles for each of the landscapes encountered during the tour. The tour provides hands-on field opportunities for professional development, learning, and collaboration.
The 2026 Alberta Soils Tour would require two or three overnight stays in Medicine Hat, AB. To book your accommodation, or to see the tour poster, please visit http://www.soilsworkshop.ab.ca/tour.html
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: May 01, 2026
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ANPC Annual Workshop
Join us on Saturday, May 2, 2026 at the Wild Rose Brewery in Calgary, Alberta as we highlight the works of inspiring people and organizations making a difference for native plants and their habitat in our province. Register on the ANPC website or using the QR code. The Early Bird rate ends April 4!
Our presentation schedule is jam packed with four speaker sessions with topics ranging from plant rescues to rough fescue restoration to citizen-led seed collection projects and so much more! Attendees can also expect vendor tables including ALCLA Native Plants, CPAWS and Grassland Restoration Forum, a book sale, silent auction and door prizes. On Sunday May 3rd, we are organizing a morning walk in a nearby nature reserve to learn about local native plants.
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Don't Forget!!
The 2026 Prairie Conservation and Endangered Species Conference
takes place May 5 - 7, 2026 in Saskatoon, SK.
Make sure to check out the tours and workshops that are also available.
www.prairiecesc.ca/
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Track & Sign Specialist Certification
May 23 & 24, 2026, Lardeau Valley, British Columbia
This 2-day field-based workshop offers participants the opportunity to earn a Track & Sign Specialist Certification, the highest level of Track & Sign certification available within the CyberTracker system.
Sage Raymond and David Moskowitz will lead the workshop.
(This workshop is meant for expert trackers)
Learn more here
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Vertex Professional Training
Bryophyte and Wetlands Courses
COURSE 1 May 25 -26 – Wetland Bryophyte Identification
COURSE 2 May 27-28 – Upland Bryophyte Identification
Details and links to register: Vertex - Professional Training 2026
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SEMINARS, WEBINARS & COURSES
JUNE
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Vertex Professional Training
Bryophyte and Wetlands Courses
COURSE 3 June 1-2 – Wetland Bryophyte Identification
COURSE 4 June 3-5 – Boreal Wetlands Field Course
Details and links to register: Vertex - Professional Training 2026
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SEMINARS, WEBINARS & COURSES
JULY
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Whitebark Pine Ecosystem Foundation Events
The Whitebark Pine Ecosystem Foundation of Canada has upcoming events that are relevant to Alberta Society of Professional Biologists. Please get in touch if you require more details.
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2-day field competency - Survey Methods and Health Training July 8-9, 2026, at Golden, BC.
https://whitebarkpine.ca/our-work/training/
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Science and management conference - Collaboration for Recovery: Active Management in a Changing Climate October 14-15, 2026, Radium, BC.
https://whitebarkpine.ca/conferences/
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BSc & MSc degrees in Ecological Restoration
at
THE BC INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
If you’re passionate about helping ecosystems recover and thrive, the BSc & MSc Programs in Ecological Restoration at BCIT are worth exploring. The programs blend scientific knowledge with practical, field-based experience and offer both part-time and full-time options. Learn more about how the programs can support your career goals:
https://www.bcit.ca/programs/ecological-restoration/
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NATURAL RESOURCES
TRAINING GROUP
Electrofishing Certification – Online (self-paced) & Prince George – May 1st, 2026
Fish Habitat Assessment – Theory (Online) May 1st & Cochrane - May 7th & 8th, 2026
Interpreting Fish Habitat Assessment Information - Online - May 1st, 2026
Environmental Project Management – May 4th-6th, 2026 – Online
Habitat Restoration Technician Program — Aquatic Ecosystems and Lake Restoration – May 4th -7th, 2026 – Online
Land Guardian Program - May 4th - June 5th, 2026
Construction Monitoring — Wildlife Mitigation - Online - May 5th, 2026
Bird Nest Surveys — Beyond Standard Approaches - Online - May 7th, 2026
Electrofishing Certification - Online (self-paced) & Terrace - May 7th, 2026
Electrofishing Certification - Online (self-paced) & West Vancouver - May 8th, 2026
Winning Proposals — Writing to Secure Funding - Online - May 8th, 2026
Ecological Land Classification for Southern Ontario - Online & Cambridge - May 11th - 15th, 2026
Electrofishing Certification - Online (self-paced) & Merritt - May 12th, 2026
Electrofishing Certification - Online (self-paced) & Saskatoon - May 12th, 2026
Habitat Restoration Technician Program — Terrestrial/Riparian Ecosystems and Invasive Plant
Restoration – May 12th – 15th, 2026 – Online
Native Prairie Restoration - Online - May 13th, 2026
Avian Nest Sweeps and Monitoring Methods - Online - May 21st - 22nd, 2026
Electrofishing Certification - Online (self-paced) & Winnipeg - May 22nd, 2026
Technical Writing for Professionals - Online - May 25th - 26th, 2026
Wetland Assessment - Online - May 26th - 27th, 2026
Electrofishing Certification - Online (self-paced) & Courtenay - May 29th, 2026
Electrofishing Certification - Online (self-paced) & Terrace - May 29th, 2026
For the full calendar of upcoming courses, and course details, follow this link:
https://nrtraininggroup.com/schedule/
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COLUMBIA MOUNTAINS INSTITUTE
Columbia Mountains Institute of Applied Ecology
Revelstoke BC
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Intro to Coding in Bayesian Models. Online course, Wed mornings, May 6 - June 10
Field Ornithology: Improving Bird ID and Survey Skills through Sound. In-person course, Revelstoke BC. May 25-28.
Field Soil Description & Classification Course. In-person course, Revelstoke BC. May 25-28.
Introduction to Describing Wetlands in the Field. In-person course June 15-17.
QGIS Mapping. Online, flexible dates.
Plant Families from an Alpine Wildflower Perspective. Intro-level plant family ID, but in the Alpine! July 27-28, Revelstoke BC
Willow Identification, an Introduction. Willows can be tricky, this course will certainly help! July 29-30, Revelstoke BC
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This week’s banner photo:
Lake Pulse - prepping for summer field labs!
In Alberta, Professional Biologists are registrants of the Alberta Society of Professional Biologists (ASPB), and are subject to a code of ethics, continuing competency requirements, and a disciplinary process. The ASPB is a self-regulated organization under legislation in the Province of Alberta, meaning its purpose is to protect the public of Alberta by ensuring biologists are qualified to practice biology in accordance with that legislation. The society is governed by a Board of Directors elected by its registrants.
PROFESSIONAL BIOLOGISTS PROTECT THE PUBLIC INTEREST
You are probably receiving this newsletter because you are an ASPB Registrant. This newsletter provides relevant information and professional development opportunities for our members, as well as essential member-related society business; if you are registered with the Alberta Society of Professional Biologists, please DO NOT unsubscribe.
For more information about the Society or to contact the administration, please visit the website: https://www.aspb.ab.ca
Opinions and general news published in this e-newsletter
do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of the Society or its Board of Directors.
Communications from the ASPB may include AI generated content.
2026
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