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THE BIWEEKLY
OCTOBER 15, 2025
Published by the Alberta Society of Professional Biologists
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Voting Platform Open
For Board Elections
The ASPB's Annual Meeting will be held on the morning of Nov. 28, 2025, in conjunction with the society's Evolution of Biological Practice Conference at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. Ballots & voting will be electronic and closes Nov. 1, 2025 at 1700.
Voting procedures are published on the ASPB website HERE, along with the names of the nominees and the positions for which they have been nominated. The successful candidates will be announced at the AGM.
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Reaching out to the future
The ASPB would like to build a province-wide roster of potential speakers who would be willing to speak to students (secondary or post-secondary) who have expressed an interest in learning more about the study and practice of biology.
The ASPB will work with schools and colleges to develop and host panel discussions or even “speed-networking” sessions at school events. We are looking for professional biologists who are passionate about their choice of occupation and who delight in sharing that passion, in the spirit of growing a broader connection between youthful enthusiasm and professional dedication. Please contact the ASPB’s Regulatory Manager Jessica Koehli to learn more.
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ASPB JOB BOARD
Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control
Intermediate Biologist
Technical Lead: Landscape Ecologist Restoration Specialist
Wildlife Programs Coordinator
Environmental Manager
Intermediate Environmental Planner
Junior & Intermediate Environmental Specialists
FJMC Resource Biologist
Site Investigation & Remediation
Senior Environmental Scientist - Risk Assessment
FIND INFORMATION ON
THESE AND OTHER POSITIONS ON THE
JOB BOARD
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ASPB Graduate Scholarship
University of Calgary PhD student Naomi Chege has received the ASPB Graduate Scholarship ($2,000). She writes: "It is not every day you wake up to a 'congratulations' message, so when I get one, I pin it on my email to act as a daily motivation and reminder that anything is possible! When I received the news that I was the recipient of the prestigious ASPB Graduate Scholarship, I was very excited, particularly because the many research questions I had for my project would no longer remain ideas. This scholarship was very timely because It has allowed me to spend more time in the lab by foregoing the need for multiple teaching assistantships. The scholarship has allowed me to further incorporate a new and very powerful technique, RNAscope, into my studies which would have been financially out of reach for my supervisor had I not received a scholarship. This technique has allowed me to localize and visualize the genes (and their products) that facilitate host-pathogen interactions in the small intestines. I am focusing on parasites which have a big impact on Albertan livestock and infect over one billion people worldwide, the impact of which I have experienced first-hand. These new targets help me identify how the parasites are manipulating our immune systems and provides new ideas on how to combat them. For these many reasons I want to say thank you, 'Asante sana,' for considering me for this scholarship. I cannot thank you enough."
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Get Your Green Regs Tickets by October 17th
Don't miss the Environmental Law Centre's (ELC) reboot of Green Regs and Ham, where we tackle the major environmental law and policy issues.
The ELC and an expert panel (Lars De Pauw from the Orphan Well Association, Keely Cameron, insolvency lawyer and Brenda Heelan Powell, staff counsel with the ELC) will examine the current state of orphan wells, insolvency laws and oil and gas liability.
Get your tickets now: Green Regs and Ham, Calgary 2025 - Canadahelps
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SEMINARS, WEBINARS & COURSES
OCTOBER
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Environmental law in focus
Join this three-part webinar series on habitat law and management, and water law, in Alberta. Each part will consist of a short webinar dealing with a specific aspect of the law, followed by a question-and-answer portion where you can ask an ELC lawyer your questions related to this topic. The Environmental Law in Focus mini-webinar series targets key environmental law and policy issues with a focus on building understanding, exploring the possibilities, and promoting law reform. The fall series focuses on habitat and water: two ongoing areas of environmental challenges. Join us for our bite-sized webinars (to go along with lunch).
HABITAT:
Webinar 2: Habitat Management on Public Lands – October 23, 2025. Register Now
Webinar 3: Habitat Management on Private Lands – November 27, 2025. Register Now.
WATER:
Webinar 2: Water Law Basics: Approvals & Licences – October 30, 2025. Register Now.
Webinar 3: Water Management Planning – November 20, 2025. Register Now.
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Strengthening Resilience and
Shaping Healthier Workplaces
Join APEGA’s Building Mental Health Together webinar series, where professionals explore practical ways to support well-being in the workplace. Through expert-led sessions, you’ll gain tools and strategies to foster resilience and create a culture of connection across teams and organizations. This series is designed to help navigate the unique challenges of the professions while building strategies that strengthen resilience and foster supportive, productive workplaces.
This series, brought to you by Canada Life, is free and open to everyone.
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Wetland Knowledge Exchange Webinar
Katerina Sofos will present Road Impact Wetland Health Assessments in Northern British Columbia. This event on October 21 2025, is part of the Wetland Knowledge Exchange’s monthly webinar series, which aims to help increase information sharing and foster collaboration amongst diverse stakeholders interested in wetland management, conservation and reclamation. Registration for this free webinar can be found HERE.
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Bioengineering Workshop
The Town of Devon presents an opportunity to learn about ecological restoration using soil bioengineering to restore and stabilize steep slopes and eroding stream banks. This is a free one-day event on October 25, 2025 between 9:30 am and 4:00 pm, intended to support community watershed resiliency and to offer-hands-on training for those interested in learning about the fundamentals and field techniques for soil bioengineering.
Workshop instructor Kristen Andersen, P. Biol., is a certified professional in erosion and sediment control and restoration ecologist with 28 years of experience in stream and wetland restoration. For more information and to register for the workshop, she may be reached at kristen@sweetflag.ca
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SEMINARS, WEBINARS & COURSES
NOVEMBER
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DFO
Fall Learning Series:
Projects Near Water
There will be four presentations delivered in the Fall Learning Series, each one unique while building from the previous session. To attend any of the sessions, click on the respective date link and allow the link to open in your web browser (please use Chrome or Edge).
These sessions will not be recorded and will only be presented in English. Each session in the series will have a presentation by DFO, followed by a question and answer period. The time of the presentation is based on the time zone you are in; all sessions will all start 12:30 – 2:00 pm Eastern time, please adjust based on the location/time zone you are in.
1. DFO’s organization, legislation, and an in-depth review of DFO’s Project’s Near Water Website highlighting resources/tools available
October 22, 2025 Join the meeting now
2. Thorough overview of the Request for a Project Review form and information requirements
October 29, 2025 Join the meeting now
3. Detailed review of the Application for Authorization/Permit form and Application Process
November 5, 2025 Join the meeting now
4. Duty to consult
November 12, 2025 Join the meeting now
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NATURAL RESOURCES
TRAINING GROUP
Our courses for October 2025:
Sampling Fish in Lakes — Methods to Increase Your Catch – Online MicroCourse – October 16th, 2025
https://nrtraininggroup.com/events/sampling-fish-in-lakes-methods-to-increase-your-catch-online-october-16th-2025/?datetime=845
Water Safety for Environmental Fieldwork – Online MicroCourse – October 17th, 2025
https://nrtraininggroup.com/events/water-safety-for-environmental-fieldwork-online-october-17th-2025/?datetime=912
Fish Habitat Restoration — Instream Techniques – Online, October 20th-21st, 2025
https://nrtraininggroup.com/events/fish-habitat-restoration-instream-techniques-online-october-20th-21st-2025/?datetime=841
Interpreting Fish Habitat Assessment Information – Online MicroCourse – October 20th, 2025
https://nrtraininggroup.com/events/interpreting-fish-habitat-assessment-information-online-october-20th-2025/?datetime=886
Species at Risk – Online, October 21st -22nd, 2025
https://nrtraininggroup.com/events/species-at-risk-online-october-21st-22nd-2025/?datetime=875
Avenza Maps for Planning, Navigating & Collecting Data for Environmental Use – Online MicroCourse – October 21st, 2025
https://nrtraininggroup.com/events/avenza-maps-for-planning-navigating-collecting-data-for-environmental-use-online-october-21st-2025/?datetime=860
Fish Habitat Restoration — Stream Morphology Assessment – Online – October 24th, 2025
https://nrtraininggroup.com/events/fish-habitat-restoration-stream-morphology-assessment-online-october-24th-2025/?datetime=846
Fish Habitat Restoration — Prescription Development – Online, October 27th, 2025
https://nrtraininggroup.com/events/fish-habitat-restoration-prescription-development-online-october-27th-2025/?datetime=840
Amphibian Survey and Collection Methods – Online MicroCourse – October 28th, 2025
https://nrtraininggroup.com/events/amphibian-survey-and-collection-methods-online-october-28th-2025/?datetime=904
Fish Habitat Restoration — Groyne Design and Function in Rivers – Online MicroCourse – October 31st, 2025
https://nrtraininggroup.com/events/fish-habitat-restoration-groyne-design-and-function-in-rivers-online-october-31st-2025/?datetime=847
For the full calendar of upcoming courses, and course details, follow this link:
https://nrtraininggroup.com/schedule/
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KEEPING TRACK
with
FIERA BIOLOGICAL CONSULTING
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Track & Sign Certification — Feb. 7 & 8, 2026, Prince Albert National Park, Saskatchewan
Ages 18+ | Register by Jan. 18 | Limited space
Join us for this exploration of Saskatchewan’s boreal forests, frozen lakes, and snow-covered wetlands through the lens of wildlife track & sign identification and interpretation. This 2-day field-based workshop offers participants the opportunity to earn certifications in Track & Sign, ranging from Level 1 to Professional (Level 4). All abilities welcome.
Learn more and register here
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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GRF
Grassland Restoration Forum
Website grasslandrestorationforum.ca
GRF Fall Information Session
"Home on the Range: Our Commitment to Grassland Restoration"
The one day Fall Information Session gathers a variety of industry and grassland stakeholders to exchange current information on grassland restoration and conservation through a variety of presentations, panel discussions and mini updates. - November 20, 2025 8:30 – 16:30 at the Claresholm Community Hall.
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Alberta’s Biology Legends:
OUR PEOPLE
AND A HALF-CENTURY OF EXCELLENCE
In 2025, the Alberta Society of Professional Biologists proudly celebrates 50 years of advancing the profession of biology in Alberta and beyond. What began in 1975 with a small group of visionary founders, determined to see biology recognized as a profession, has grown into a vibrant community of more than 3,000 members. Since securing exclusive use of the Professional Biologist (P. Biol.) designation in 1991, the ASPB has continually championed integrity, accountability, and excellence in biological practice. With labour mobility across Western Canada and the upcoming transition to the Professional Governance Act, the ASPB remains firmly committed to protecting the public interest while celebrating the lasting contributions of its members to science, society, and the environment. This milestone year will be marked with special highlights and celebrations at our 50th Anniversary Annual Conference in November, hosted at the Banff Springs Hotel.
And of course, as we celebrate this fiftieth anniversary, we want to celebrate our profession and its people. In each edition of THE BIWEEKLY, through December 2025, we will publish short personal reflections of some of those who have served the society over many years . (They will be presented in no particular order!)
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Lawrence Levinson
Now based in Toronto, Lawrence finds himself often missing Alberta: the people, the places, the food, and the music that made it home. He writes: “Life is full with three teenagers, including one heading off to study Biomedical Sciences this summer, while the other two are all-in on their love for basketball. This is a busy, joyful chapter in my life, rooted in family, memories, and a deep appreciation for where it all began.”
Lawrence is Vice President of Customer Experience at Wave HQ. He is a Certified Customer Experience Professional (CCXP), an MIT Sloan Design Thinking alumnus, and is the outgoing President of CXPA Toronto. He has served on boards for CSPN, Corinium Global Intelligence, and the ASPB, noting that his time with ASPB (2016-2019) holds a special place in his heart:
“It was one of the most rewarding and meaningful chapters of my career, and I am so grateful for the privilege of serving alongside such a passionate and dedicated board. The friendships and connections formed during those years continue to mean a great deal to me. Dean (Falkenberg), especially, brought such heart and vision to our work -- he inspired so much of what we achieved together. I miss those moments of close collaboration and can’t wait to catch up with you all this fall!”
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Julie Oxtoby
Julie Oxtoby is the Director of Technology, Emissions Services at Montrose Environmental Group, working with novel technology and drones to identify and locate environmental issues in water, soil and air. Of her service on the ASPB Board, she writes: “During my time on the board I have really enjoyed getting to know members and directors, working with our amazing Executive Director and staff, and watching provincial regulations evolve. And, most notable for me, was the privilege of initiating and fostering relationships between the ASPB, ESAA and the CLRA.
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Doug Collister
I am currently retired but busy with involvement in two non-profits. I am the current President of the Calgary Bird Banding Society which operates Inglewood Bird Observatory (IBO) at Inglewood Bird Sanctuary in Calgary. IBO has been monitoring Neotropical migrant birds since 1995 and is a member station of the Canadian Migration Monitoring Network. My other non-profit involvement is as Treasurer of Legacy Land Trust (LLTS) Society in Olds. LLTS helps landowners conserve their properties primarily using conservation easements.
I have two noteworthy memories of my relationship with ASPB. I was the first to successfully appeal, using the “equivalent to” criteria in the By-Laws, the Registration Committee’s refusal of my initial P. Biol application. (I have an undergraduate degree in engineering and an M. E. Des. (Ecological Management). The other memory of note is working with the registration committee, including serving as chair, to refine eligibility criteria as well as processing applications.
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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):
Hunters Willing to Pay? Evidence From Public Testing, Private Testing, and Increased Surveillance Scenarios for Chronic Wasting Disease Management in Alberta …
An adaptive management framework for environmental substances of concern in wastewater
Pasteurized milk is safe from bird flu
Microlightning causes eerie lights of lore
Investigation on the Impacts of Smart Curtailment for Bat Fatality Mitigation in Alberta
A multi-criteria approach to identify priority regions for freshwater biodiversity conservation
Low temperatures reduce establishment of new populations of invasive plants in a subarctic treeline environment
DATA SUMMARY REPORT Arctic grayling recovery.
Hybrid Blue Jay https://edition.cnn.com/2025/09/29/science/blue-jay-green-jay-hybrid?utm_source=Live+Audience&utm_campaign=bbd5fc774a-nature-briefing-daily-20251003&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-33f35e09ea-50458140
Analysis of Perspective Species of the Genus Arnica for Landscaping Arctic Cities
Detection of Sulfur from Industrial Emissions Across a Complex Mountainous Landscape: An Isotope Approach Using Plant-Based Biomonitors in Winter
CONSERVATION IN FARM COUNTRY: What makes a good farm environmental scheme?
How well do evapotranspiration partitioning approaches perform in moss-covered wetlands?
Beyond the Edge: Reconciliation, Reconnection, Regeneration
Affirming Indigenous data sovereignty in collaborative wildlife conservation in the era of open data
Native aspen carbon cache: quantifying carbon differences under copses in the black soil zone of the Canadian Prairies
Modeling Ungulate Population Parameters Across Human-Modified Landscapes
Phenological Variation in Native Mixedgrass Chemical Composition, In Vitro Fermentation, and Methane Production
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) Detected in 41 Species at Risk in Canada
The avian influence: examining the impact of birds on house prices
Urban Wildlife in Your Backyard: Community Experiences With Coyotes and Outdoor Cats
The three C’s – culture, commerce and conservation of bison as part of sustainable food systems
Understanding the role of biophysical setting in aspen persistence
Most carbon offsets are ‘junk’
To protect or forget? Comparing species at risk legislation across Canada's common-law provinces
Can Forestry Mitigate Effects of Climate Change for Moose?
BIRDBASE_A_Global_Database_of_Avian_Biogeography_Conservation_Ecology_and_Life_History_Traits
Birds, seals, bandicoots on the red list
Synthetic biology ban divides scientists
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A NOTE ABOUT THE ASPB JOB BOARD:
The ASPB provides a "job board" on its website as a service to connect biologist employers with our membership. While postings are periodically reviewed for relevance, the ASPB does not guarantee the accuracy, legitimacy, or suitability of any employer or position and does not endorse or promote any company, organization, or opportunity listed. Always conduct your own due diligence as it is the sole responsibility of job seekers to research and verify the legitimacy of employers in whom they are interested.
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This week’s banner photo:
Endangered on the Prairies
Natalie Vieira-Lomasney says, "I was lucky to encounter a Chestnut-collared Longspur on the lookout for a mate, while I was conducting breeding bird surveys in Saskatchewan." Camera: Nikon D5500
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.
2025
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