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ALBERTA BIOLOGISTS' BIWEEKLY
JANUARY 1, 2025
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As of January 1, 2025
ASPB MEMBERSHIP FEES
are now due.
Late fees will apply
beginning February One.
Login to your Dashboard to pay your fees and renew your membership!
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Mentors Needed!
We are at the sign-up stage of the 2025 ASPB Mentoring Program, and while we are delighted to see interest building among our professional members, we do see a potential shortage of mentors to kick off the year.
The deadline to sign up for the 2025 Program is January 15, 2025!) Always remember that you can contact us by email through the ASPB website in the Mentoring Program section.
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NEW ON THE
JOB
BOARD
Conservation Associate
Student Wildlife Biologist
Senior Biologist
Field Biologist
Senior Advisor, Environment
Intermediate Field Biologist
Field Supervisor Environmental Consultant
Senior Fisheries Biologist
Intermediate Biologist
FIND INFORMATION
ON THESE AND OTHER POSITIONS
ON THE JOB BOARD
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SEMINARS, WEBINARS & CONFERENCES
JANUARY
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Deadlines are fast approaching:
Great Plains Fishery Workers
sets dates for annual workshop
The 2025 Great Plains Fishery Workers Association Workshop will be held in Fort Collins, Colorado, January 14, 2025 - January 16, 2025. A formal presentation schedule will be distributed as the conference gets closer, but if you are interested in presenting at this year's workshop, please contact alex.jouney@state.co.us or alexander.townsend@state.co.us.
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Aquality announces 2-day course:
Alberta Wetlands: From Classification to Policy
Course material includes wetland classification, the ecosystem roles and functions of wetlands, wetland hydrology, and an examination of characteristics of peatlands and mineral wetlands. Federal, provincial, and municipal policies, regulations, and legislations affecting wetlands in Alberta, particularly the Alberta Wetland Policy (2013), will be discussed. Wetland assessments including both desktop delineations and field assessments, ABWRET assessments, and economic valuation of wetlands will be examined. Wetland avoidance, mitigation, compensation/replacement guidelines, and WAIR/WAIF applications will also be addressed.
This 2-day course will be taking place online via Zoom on January 28-29, 2025. The course will run from 9:00 am – 4:30 pm both days. Register here: https://www.wetlandpolicy.ca/register
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Field Law Webinar
Important Regulatory Cases of 2024
Learn about the most important professional regulatory court and tribunal cases of 2024. Presented by Greg Sim. Jason Kully and James Casey of Field Law, this popular annual webinar is a comprehensive review of key cases from across Canada that address topics including Freedom of speech: the Jordan Peterson case and legislative initiatives, and Discipline for social media posts.
The webinar takes place on January 29, 2025 between noon and 1:30 MST; the cost is $100 per attendee.
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SEMINARS, WEBINARS & CONFERENCES
FEBRUARY
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Native Prairie Restoration/Reclamation Workshop
The 11th Native Prairie Restoration/Reclamation Workshop and the Prairie Fire Summit 2025 will take place February 11-13, 2025 in Regina. The theme is "Collaborative Approaches to Prairie Conservation", and here is the Draft Program . Registration is now open.
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NATURAL RESOURCES
TRAINING GROUP
NRTG’s courses for January 2025:
Fish Habitat Restoration — Primer on Stream Hydrology – Online – January 7th, 2025
Fish Habitat Restoration — Primer on Stream Hydrology – Online – January 7th, 2025 Natural Resources Training Group
Lake Management Techniques – Online, January 8th-9th, 2025
Lake Management Techniques – Online, January 8th-9th, 2025 Natural Resources Training Group
Avenza Maps for Planning, Navigating & Collecting Data for Environmental Use – Online – January 14th, 2025
Avenza Maps for Planning, Navigating & Collecting Data for Environmental Use – Online – January 14th, 2025 Natural Resources Training Group
Fish Habitat Restoration — Stream Morphology Assessment – Online – January 16th, 2025
Fish Habitat Restoration — Stream Morphology Assessment – Online – January 16th, 2025 Natural Resources Training Group
Advanced Electrofishing – Online – January 17th, 2025
Advanced Electrofishing – Online – January 17th, 2025 Natural Resources Training Group
Advanced Fish Sampling – Online – January 20th, 2024
Advanced Fish Sampling – Online – January 20th, 2024 Natural Resources Training Group
Wetland Assessment – Online, January 21st – 22nd, 2025
Wetland Assessment – Online, January 21st – 22nd, 2025 Natural Resources Training Group
Field Safety — Preparation – Online – January 22nd & 27th, 2025
Field Safety — Preparation – Online – January 22nd & 27th, 2025 Natural Resources Training Group
Drone Applications in Environmental Surveying – Online – January 23rd, 2025
Drone Applications in Environmental Surveying – Online – January 23rd, 2025 Natural Resources Training Group
Winning Proposals — Writing to Secure Funding – Online – January 28th, 2025
Winning Proposals — Writing to Secure Funding – Online – January 28th, 2025 Natural Resources Training Group
Fish Habitat Restoration — Groyne Design and Function in Rivers – Online – January 30th, 2025
Fish Habitat Restoration — Groyne Design and Function in Rivers – Online – January 30th, 2025 Natural Resources Training Group
Fish Habitat Restoration — Identification of Factors Limiting Fish Productivity – Online – January 31st, 2025
Fish Habitat Restoration — Identification of Factors Limiting Fish Productivity – Online – January 31st, 2025 Natural Resources Training Group
For the full calendar of upcoming courses, and course details, follow this link:
https://nrtraininggroup.com/schedule/
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COLUMBIA MOUNTAINS INSTITUTE
of Applied Ecology
Revelstoke BC
QGIS Level I & II – Online
Dates scheduled according to student schedules.
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GRASSLAND RESTORATION FORUM | |
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GRF Webinar:
January 13, 2025 12-13:00 Chris Helzer, Director of Science and Stewardship for The Nature Conservancy in Nebraska: The Nature Conservancy’s high-diversity prairie restoration efforts in central Nebraska
GRF Workshop:
Brush up on your grassland assessment skills before field season. The Grassland Restoration Forum are offering a one day course, "How to Use the Range Plant Community Guides and Recovery Strategies Manuals for Project and Reclamation Planning in Grasslands" - Thursday March 20th, 2025, 10:00 – 16:30 at the Glenbow Ranch Schoolhouse, Cochrane.
To learn more and register, contact:
Jane Lancaster - GRF Coordinator
janelanc@telusplanet.net
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PRAIRIE CONSERVATION
ACTION PLAN
Webinars and Conferences
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Ord's Kangaroo Rats
Speaker: Jessie Bainbridge, MSc Candidate,
University of Regina, Dept of Biology.
Thursday January 30th, 2025 at 12PM
Register Free
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Piping Plovers and the 2024 Prairie Canada Piping Plover Census Results
Thursday February 6th, 2025 at 12:00pm
Speaker: Ashley Vass, Habitat Stewardship Coordinator, Nature Saskatchewan
Register Free: https://shorturl.at/vEeb0
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The 11th Native Prairie Restoration/Reclamation Workshop
February 12-13, 2025 in Regina
Theme: "Collaborative Approaches to Prairie Conservation"
The workshop will include oral presentations, case studies, panel discussions, a trade show and a poster session.
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THE ALBERTA
NATIVE PLANT COUNCIL
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The ANPC is offering a new monthly lunchtime webinar mini-series for 2025, Elements of Permaculture. Join us for this 3-part mini-series where we’ll begin by learning the foundational elements of regenerative ecosystems and how to apply these concepts to any landscape.
The first webinar of the 3-part mini-series will be held January 21, 2025 at 12:00 PM MST. Jenn MacAusland will present on the Foundational Elements of Permaculture. You can register HERE.
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KEEPING TRACK
with
FIERA BIOLOGICAL CONSULTING
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Track & Sign OnLine – Study Session, Feb. 27, 2025.
6pm MST | 2-hours | Online via Zoom
The study session will focus on impactful tracking tips aimed at improving performance at a future Track & Sign Certification, or give you a jump start at one of our other in-person tracking workshops.
Open to anyone interested — you do not have to be signed up for a Certification or in-person workshop to participate.
Learn more and register here
Snow Tracking Field Essentials – Mar. 1, 2025, Edmonton, AB
Elk Island National Park | March 1, 2025 | Must be aged 18+
Snow Tracking Field Essentials is a one-day, field-based workshop focused on identifying tracks in snow. Learn to recognize key characteristics in track patterns, and apply your knowledge of the character and physical attributes of each species as a crucial first step to identifying the track-maker. Participants will reduce their dependance on footprint features to confidently match track makers to species. Perfect for ecology students, wildlife researchers, and environmental consultants with any level of tracking knowledge or experience. Ideal training for those working towards a Track & Sign Certification.
Difficulty is Intermediate to Advanced, but all abilities are welcome.
Learn more and register here
Track & Sign Certification – March 12 & 13, 2025, Edmonton, Alberta
Edmonton Area | March 12 & 13, 2025 | Ages 18+ | Register before February 26 | Limited Space
This 2-day field-based workshop offers the opportunity for participants to earn certifications in Track & Sign from Levels 1 to Professional (Level 4). Participants must obtain at least 70% during the evaluation — it won’t be easy!
All abilities welcome.
Learn more and register here
Track & Sign Certification – Sep. 9 & 10, 2025, Hinton, Alberta
Hinton Area | September 9 & 10, 2025 | Ages 18+ | Register before September 1 | Limited Space
This 2-day field-based workshop in Alberta’s wildlife rich foothills offers the opportunity for participants to earn certifications in Track & Sign from Levels 1 to Professional (Level 4). Participants must obtain at least 70% during the evaluation — it won’t be easy!
All abilities welcome.
Learn more and register here
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Field Law:
Labour and Employment;
Trends shaping your workplace in 2025
Historically, Field Law’s annual "Labour + Employment Year in Review" sessions provided key legal updates on topics like off-duty conduct terminations, employee privacy, and changes to the Canada Labour Code. For 2025, though, Field Law is taking a forward-thinking approach, focusing on how 2024's legal developments will shape your business in 2025.
These sessions are designed to help you anticipate challenges, adapt policies, and stay compliant; you are invited to join them for practical guidance on navigating recent case law and legislative changes, positioning your organization for success in the evolving labour and employment landscape.
There are several parts to the new “Year in Review” sessions this year:
Part 1: Labour, Employment, and Intellectual Property, and Part 2: Occupational Health + Safety, Privacy, Human Rights, and each is broken into in-person and/or webinar sessions.
For a closer look at these components, please go HERE for Part 1 , and HERE for Part 2.
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This week’s banner photo:
Lake Trout
This juvenile lake trout paused long enough for a photo-op, after being released in a sub-Arctic lake. (Taken with an iPhone14 pro by Sandra Scott, P. Biol.)
PROFESSIONAL BIOLOGISTS PROTECT THE PUBLIC INTEREST
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.
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.
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