It’s official: Kootenay Connect receives three more years of funding

Original four-year project now extended

As part of extending the Community-Nominated Priority Places program, the Deputy Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) has recently approved additional funding to Kootenay Connect for the next three years (2024-2026). These additional funds will provide KCP and its current project partners continued financial support to bring existing restoration and conservation projects to the next phase as well as initiate several newly identified projects that support species at risk and habitat for federally-listed species at risk in biodiversity hotspots in the Kootenays. “This announcement has arrived at the perfect time as we move into the Thanksgiving weekend. On behalf of KCP and all of our project partners, we very much appreciate ECCC for its continued support of Kootenay Connect,” said Marcy Mahr, KCP’s Kootenay Connect Manager. “During the past four years, over 50 projects have been contributing to Kootenay Connect’s amazing legacy of conservation in local and regional landscapes surrounding communities in the Kootenays.”

Click here for more information on Kootenay Connect’s existing projects.

Learn about Local Conservation Fund Referendum in RDCK Area H

Information Session recording, short video and webpage available

Before heading to the polls on October 15 to decide by referendum if they want to establish a Local Conservation Fund service for their Area that will support clean water, wildlife, and habitats, Slocan Valley residents in Area H of the Regional District of Central Kootenay can learn more by checking out the following resources. Watch the recording of the Virtual Information Session that took place on September 27; watch the short video that KCP produced about local conservation funds; read this article in the Valley Voice on page 4; and visit the new Referendum webpage on the KCP website. 

Click here for the Referendum webpage. 

Columbia Valley Local Conservation Fund - Call for proposals now open! 

Deadline: October 28, 2022  

KCP in partnership with the Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) provides funding for projects that benefit conservation in the area from Spillimacheen to Canal Flats through the Columbia Valley Local Conservation Fund (CVLCF). Read the announcement here. The closing date for project submissions is 4:30 pm MT October 28, 2022.

Click here for more information and how to apply.

Kootenay Lake Local Conservation Fund - Call for proposals now open! 

Deadline: October 28, 2022

KCP in partnership with the Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK) provides funding for projects that benefit conservation in the rural areas around Kootenay Lake, specifically Electoral Areas A, D, and E (view the map) within the RDCK through the Kootenay Lake Local Conservation Fund (KLLCF). Read the announcement here. The closing date for project submissions is 4:30 pm PT October 28, 2022.

Click here for more information and how to apply.

Ministry of Land, Water and Resource Stewardship - Kootenay Boundary Region

Bull Mountain prescribed burn

Prescribed burning on Bull Mountain was successfully conducted on September 1, 2022 to enhance habitat for bighorn sheep. The burn was led by Habitat Biologists with the Ministry of Land, Water and Resource Stewardship and operationally conducted by BC Wildfire Service. Habitat enhancement goals included enhancing habitat in transitional ranges to improve linkages to escape terrain and improve line of sight to support the Bull River bighorn sheep herd. The project was funded by HCTF and the Wild Sheep Society of BC. Invasive plant control was completed by Crabbe Contracting, and helicopter services were provided by Bighorn Helicopters Ltd.

Click here to read more and for photos of the burn.

British Columbia Northern Leopard Frog Recovery Team

Endangered Northern Leopard Frog gets leap toward recovery

Over the last couple of months, a team of amphibian heroes have been helping the endangered northern leopard frog rediscover its home in Western Canada by releasing a total of 1,929 tadpoles into British Columbia wetlands, including at Creston and Kimberley. The Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo (WICZ) has been working alongside other conservation organizations, governments, and zoos & aquariums to breed, translocate, and release frogs in B.C. where there is only one extant wild population of northern leopard frogs.

Click here for the full article.

Columbia Basin Environmental Education Network

4 Seasons of Reconciliation

CBEEN acknowledges that Indigenous Knowledge and Perspectives are foundational to environmental education, and that we cannot engage in this without undertaking a personal and meaningful learning journey towards Truth and Reconciliation. From October 2022 – June 2023, CBEEN invites you to join this 4 Seasons of Reconciliation learning challenge in partnership with Rocky Mountain School District 6, the First Nations University of Canada and Reconciliation Education. This is an anti-racist learning opportunity that aligns with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action.

Click here for more details and to register.

Friends of Kootenay Lake Stewardship Society

Harrop Wetland Community Meeting recording available, volunteers needed

If you didn’t get a chance to attend the Harrop Wetland Community Meeting in early September to learn more about the wetland and FOLKSS’ plans for 2022, you can watch the full recording of the webinar at the link below. FOLKSS are also looking for volunteers to help with stake and seed collection and planting in the fall. If you'd like to lend a hand, email outreach@friendsofkootenaylake.ca to be added to the volunteer list. 

Click here to watch the recording.

Nature Conservancy of Canada

Finding a home in unexpected places

Every May, the piercing mating call of the male Lewis’s woodpecker can be heard in the southern interior of British Columbia. With fewer than 1,000 individuals that migrate to Canada to breed, Lewis’s woodpecker populations are under threat from habitat loss. On the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC)’s Kootenay River Ranch Conservation Area, veteran trees and naturally decaying trees are left on the land to provide future nesting habitat for at-risk birds.

Click here for the full article.

Wildsight Golden

Leave barn swallow nests intact over winter

The barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) is one of the most widely distributed birds globally, but it is also a species at risk in Canada - its population facing a steep decline in recent decades. Did you know that barn swallows often reuse their nests from year to year? Also, many barn swallows have two sets of chicks (or broods) a year and will often use the same nest for both. Conflicts with swallows occur when the birds nest close to humans, primarily because of their poop and other debris they leave behind. In order to coexist with barn swallows there are strategies that can be used.

Click here to read the full article.

Every Child Matters 2022-2023 Year-Long Learning Challenge

Starting October 2022, 10 monthly modules

CBEEN acknowledges that Indigenous Knowledge and Perspectives are foundational to environmental education, and that we cannot engage in this without undertaking a learning journey towards Truth and Reconciliation. From October 2022 - June 2023, they invite you to join them on this 4 Seasons of Reconciliation learning challenge in partnership with Rocky Mountain School District 6, the First Nations University of Canada and Reconciliation Education. Through this partnership CBEEN is pleased to offer an anti-racist learning opportunity that aligns with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action.

Click here for more information and to register.

Save Cottonwood Lake campaign celebration

October 8, Cottonwood Lake

Join Cottonwood Lake Preservation Society on Saturday October 8th at Cottonwood Lake between 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. as they unveil our new donor kiosk, and officially celebrate the closing of the Save Cottonwood campaign. Check the website (savecottonwood.com) or contact CLPS for a bus schedule or to sign up for a rideshare to help celebrate this significant milestone.

Click here for more information.

Local Data for Local Climate Action

October 12, Online

Climate adaptation and mitigation strategies for watershed security need to be local, and local strategies require local water and climate data. Join Living Lakes Canada, Columbia Basin Climate Source and Selkirk Innovates for a 1.25-hour Virtual Panel Discussion profiling different perspectives on how local data can inform climate action. Expert Panelists include: Mark Thomas, Columbia River Salmon Reintroduction Initiative Technical Lead; Shuswap Band Councillor; Paris Marshall Smith, Regional District of Central Kootenay Sustainability Planner; Herb Hammond, Forest Ecologist; Nature-Directed Planner; Silva Forest Foundation Founder; and John Cathro, Registered Professional Forester; Independent Resource Professional. From 9:30 - 10:45 am PT / 10:30 -11:45 am MT. 

Click here for more information and to register.

CMI Researchers' Forum

October 17-18, Radium Hot Springs - Registration now Open

Columbia Mountains Institute of Applied Ecology is excited about the return of their annual Researchers' Forum where they gather with ecologists (of various descriptions!) to provide updates on ecological projects taking place in southeastern British Columbia, such as research, field trials, new ecological projects and their associated community initiatives. These updates cover a wide range of topics and species. This is an informal atmosphere and everyone is invited to attend. This year the emphasis will be the theme of restoration, although all proposals for ecological projects in the area are welcome.

Click here for more information and to register.

Take Me Outside Day & Week

October 17-21, Everywhere

Take Me Outside Week helps to raise awareness about outdoor learning by encouraging teachers to take their students outside. Last year 8,900 educators and nearly 400,000 learners joined in on the activities and learning opportunities provided. CBEEN is looking forward to working with their partners to host a full week of speakers, activities and events for students. They will provide resources and opportunities to deepen connections with Indigenous perspectives, strengthen health and well-being, and increase knowledge on climate change and the environment. All participants will be eligible to win prizes from The Outdoor Learning Store.

Click here to register.

BC Community Forest Association 2022 Conference and AGM

October 19-21, Nakusp

Join the BC Community Forest Association to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the BCCFA. Conference includes a field trip, special workshop, evening reception, plenary sessions, the annual banquet and awards night, and more. Check the website for details and to register. Hosted by the Nakusp and Area Community Forest.

Click here for the conference webpage.

Classrooms to Communities: Reconnecting Ourselves with Landscapes, Waterways and Each Other

October 21-22, Revelstoke

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 with the theme Reconnecting Ourselves with Landscapes, Waterways and Each Other. The conference will convene at the Revelstoke Community Centre and nearby community spaces for two days of diverse and dynamic activities.

Click here for more information, the schedule and to register.

Celebrate Larry Halverson’s National Award

October 22, Invermere

You are invited to honour one of our own, a naturalist’s naturalist who, because of the amazing contribution Larry has made to wildlife and connecting people to nature, has been awarded the Lifetime Achievement Laureate for 2022 Nature Inspiration Award by the Canadian Museum of Nature. This is a jury-selected award that recognizes individuals who have gone above and beyond and shown a lifetime dedication to preserving and protecting the natural world. From 2 to 4 pm at the Pynelogs Cultural Centre, 1720 4th Ave, Invermere.

RSVP to barb@buoyantsee.com by Monday, October 17.

An Introduction to Camera Trap Data Management and Analysis in R

October 26-28/October 31-November 2, Revelstoke (full - waitlists available)

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.

Click here for more information.

Intro to R Software: Course Description 

November 22-25, Online (full - waitlist available)

An introduction to the programming language R. This course hosted by the Columbia Mountains Institute of Applied Ecology will include installation of R and RStudio, installation of R packages and libraries, introduction to base R objects and data types, the power of variables, exposure to functions, for loops and conditional statements, reading data from common file types (csv/xlsx), and how to do mathematical operations and linear regression. 9am - 12pm PT. This course is now full. Email office@cmiae.org if interested in being put on the waitlist.

Click here for more information and to register.

Data Manipulation & Visualization. 

November 29 - December 2, Online

Taught by Alya Pearson over 4-half days (slightly longer days than the Intro to R). This Columbia Mountains Institute of Applied Ecology course will provide students with the tools they need to effectively tidy, transform and visualize their data in R. This course will teach the theory behind tidy data, setting up a reproducible data pipeline, introduction in the tidyverse suite of packages, importing data, tidying data, transforming data, dealing with missing data, summary statistics, exploratory data analysis, data visualizations and writing reports in R markdown. 

Click here for more information and to register.

Beneficial Management Practices Policy and Descriptions (2022-2023) Program

Deadline: October 27

Additional funding is being made available to farmers through the Beneficial Management Practices program. The funding is part of the Province’s CleanBC program and will help meet the goals of the new Climate Preparedness and Adaptation Strategy. A special fall intake is opening from October 13 - 27 for water management, waste management, grazing, climate adaptation and more. Farms must have an up to date Environmental Farm Plan and GST number.

Click here for more information.

Columbia Valley Local Conservation Fund

Deadline: October 28  

KCP in partnership with the Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) provides funding for projects that benefit conservation in the area from Spillimacheen to Canal Flats through the Columbia Valley Local Conservation Fund (CVLCF). The closing date for project submissions is 4:30 pm MT October 28, 2022.

Click here for more information and how to apply.

Kootenay Lake Local Conservation Fund 

Deadline: October 28

KCP in partnership with the Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK) provides funding for projects that benefit conservation in the rural areas around Kootenay Lake, specifically Electoral Areas A, D, and E (view the map) within the RDCK through the Kootenay Lake Local Conservation Fund (KLLCF). The closing date for project submissions is 4:30 pm PDT October 28, 2022.

Click here for more information and how to apply.

Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program Annual Grants

Deadline: October 28

All grant applications are due on Friday, October 28, 2022, 4 p.m. PT / 5 p.m MT and must align with a priority action in any of FWCP’s regional action plans. The FWCP Columbia Region board is working to strengthen engagement of First Nations and is encouraging grant applicants to take part in an optional Notice of Intent (NOI) process that supports early engagement with interested First Nations. The optional NOI is a short description of your proposed project due Friday, September 9, 2022 by 4 p.m. PT / 5 p.m MT.

Click here to learn more and apply.

Vancouver Foundation LEVEL BIPOC Grant 

Deadline: November 2

The LEVEL BIPOC Grants Program offers flexible, operating grants of up to $50,000 to BIPOC-led charities and other qualified donees to cover costs that will contribute to their stability and capacity to advance racial equity and racial justice within their communities and programs. Addressing racial inequities and injustices is important systems change work and racialized communities are at the forefront of solutions by and for their communities. These grants are intended to be used at the discretion of these organizations based on their need and priorities to ultimately support the aspirations and hopes of BIPOC leaders in their work to advance racial justice.

Click here for the LEVEL BIPOC Grants page.

Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation Stewardship Grants

Deadline: November 4

For 2023-24, HCTF will only accept Continuing Stewardship proposals in Fall 2022 (Continuing New Phase proposals will also be accepted). The Stewardship grant is undergoing an update to better integrate with other HCTF grant programs. This will improve clarity and criteria for proponents as well as streamline the application process.

Click here for more information.

Support Available to Improve Ecological Health

Deadline: Ongoing

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.

Grassland and Rangeland Enhancement Program

Deadline: Ongoing

If you have an idea that will maintain or enhance grassland resources while meeting conservation, environment and recreation objectives, this program could help support it. This program is delivered by the Kootenay Livestock Association.

Click here for more information and how to apply.

Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program Community Engagement Grants

Deadline: Ongoing

Community Engagement Grants are typically $500 to $1,000 and help stewardship groups and others take action to benefit local fish and wildlife.

Click here for more information and how to apply.

Columbia Basin Trust Career Internship Program

Deadline: First-come, first-served basis

The Columbia Basin Trust Career Internship Program provides eligible employers with up to 50 per cent of an intern’s salary (up to $25,000 over a seven to 12 month term) for full-time, career-focused positions that lead to permanent employment. Eligible employers are businesses, registered non-profits, municipalities, regional districts and Indigenous organizations within the Columbia Basin Trust region.

Click here for more information and how to apply.

Columbia Lake Stewardship Society

Program Coordinator, Columbia Valley

The Program Coordinator will work alongside trained scientists, citizen scientists and a summer intern. They will be the face of the organization, take on administrative tasks, find unique and secure funding opportunities, receive guidance from the Board of Directors, provide guidance to volunteers and employees, assist or lead in the collection of water quality and quantity samples and measurements, provide educational materials to community members and tourists through community outreach, promote CLSS initiatives at various community events, and provide education to boaters about invasive species. Deadline to apply is October 8.

Click here for the job posting.

Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area

Office Administrator, Creston

CVWMA is looking for a driven, passionate, and reliable candidate to administer our office located west of Creston, BC. This position will offer the successful candidate the opportunity to work and collaborate with a small, friendly, and knowledgeable staff and apply work experience and skills to make the office life function smoothly and efficiently. Working with the Head of Conservation Programs, the Office Administrator will have responsibilities around administrative, managerial, and specialized financial tasks, including front desk services (interacting with the public), human resources and payroll support, accounting (payables/receivables), filing and records management, office organization, and systems administration. Deadline to apply is October 14.

Click here for the full job posting.

BC Wildlife Federation

Aquatic Biologist, Remote

The BCWF is seeking a Senior Aquatic Biologist with expert knowledge and project managing experience to join their Conservation Stewardship team. Working with BCWF staff, Indigenous communities, landowners, and project partners, this role will help identify and fill knowledge gap, provide mentorship and advisory leadership to promote a long-term management and educational awareness of B.C.'s fish habitats. Posting open until the position is filled.

Click here for the job posting.

BC Wildlife Federation

Grant Writer and Coordinator, Remote

The Grant Writer and Coordinator will contribute to the BCWF's objectives of ensuring a long-term management and educational awareness of B.C.'s fish, wildlife, park, and outdoor recreational resources. This role will manage, secure and coordinate grant & contract documents in partnership with the program leads. Strong writing and communication skills and organizational abilities to meet tight deadlines are essential aspects of this work. Posting open until the position is filled.

Click here for the job posting.

Columbia Valley Local Conservation Fund

Technical Review Committee Member, Columbia Valley Region

The Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) in partnership with the Kootenay Conservation Program (KCP) are seeking qualified members for the Columbia Valley Local Conservation Fund (CVLCF) Technical Review Committee (TRC). The role of the TRC is to make recommendations on allocating annual funding for conservation projects for the area from Canal Flats to Spillimacheen. Applications will be received on an ongoing basis.

Click here for the full posting.

Connecting people, plants and place: A native plant society's journey towards a community of practice

Brenda R. Beckwith, Eva M. Johansson, Valerie J. Huff

Native plant gardening is promoted in popular media and the scientific literature as an easy way for people to protect biodiversity, support pollinators, conserve water, and maintain healthy ecosystems. There are, however, significant obstacles for people wanting to connect with native plants, in their home gardens and in nature. The Kootenay Native Plant Society has been working to address these barriers and strengthen people-plant connections for the past ten years. 

Click here for the full article.

Strategic Plan for Kootenay Boundary Region

Ecosystem Mapping to Support Wildlife and Habitat Stewardship

The Province has worked with Madrone and other ecological consultants to produce a comprehensive review of existing mapping tools and specifically identify gaps in mapping in the Kootenay Boundary Region. One of the outputs from this project is an Ecosystem Mapping Decision Tree, which would be applicable to local government considering how to approach mapping. 

Click here for the report.

US-Canada Transboundary and Indigenous-led Conservation of Nature and Culture Priority Recommendations

Summary report available (KCP’s Kootenay Connect is featured in Figure 1 on page 8)

As the longest international land border in the world, the terrestrial boundary between the US and Canada represents a tremendous opportunity for increasing landscape and cultural connectivity, improving the efficacy of existing conservation efforts, and helping both Canada and the US reach ambitious national conservation targets. To that end, in 2021 representatives from conservation organizations, Indigenous communities, government agencies, and civil society working near or across this boundary came together in a series of virtual events to explore common opportunities, challenges, success stories, and the future needs around transboundary conservation. This document represents a summary of three core recommendations for consideration by federal agencies in both countries.

Click here for the report.

IPCA Knowledge Basket to the Environmental NGO Community

Webinar recording and slides available

A legacy initiative of the Conservation through Reconciliation Partnership, the IPCA Knowledge Basket is a digital platform for reciprocal knowledge-sharing and collaborative learning in the spirit of ‘We Rise Together’. It was designed through a Two-Eyed Seeing approach to weave a diversity of resources and knowledge together in one place, while elevating Indigenous knowledge systems and supporting Indigenous-led conservation. Join IISAAK OLAM Foundation to learn about how this exceptional resource came into being and how it can support Indigenous nations and their allies in their conservation efforts.

Click here to access the recording.

Report on Stewardship and Protection of Private Conservation Lands 

Centre for Land Conservation

Two key challenges identified by land conservation non-government organizations are the capacity to effectively steward private conservation lands and agreements over the long term, and the wherewithal to legally defend and protect these lands and agreements. To better understand the nature and extent of these long-standing challenges and how to move forward in addressing them, the Centre for Land Conservation completed the report: FOREVER PROTECTED? The Potential for Sector-wide Approaches to Stewardship and Legal Defence of Private Conservation Lands.

Click here for the report.

KCP Stewardship Solutions Toolkit

Resource updated with growing number of stewardship listings

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.

Visit the Stewardship Solutions website.

A Case for Conservation

KCP brochure promoting private land conservation available

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.

Click here to view the brochure and download the PDF.

Kootenay Conservation Program

Conservation Resources for our Region

The Kootenay Conservation Program helps partners to coordinate and facilitate conservation efforts on private land, and in an effort to support this, KCP has developed a webpage that compiles some of the best conservation and stewardship resources available for our region.

Click here for more information.