ALBERTA BIOLOGISTS' BIWEEKLY
MARCH 1, 2023
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ASPB 2023 AGM and Conference
The ASPB 2023 Annual Conference will be on November 22, 23, and 24 at the Red Deer Resort and Casino in Red Deer, Alberta;
This year’s theme is straightforward:
Transition!
Moving forward and growing from one of our best attended conferences ever, in 2022, we are looking to expand and make our conference bigger and better. With the conference in a central location, this conference will be more accessible and allow us to reach more members with Government updates, industry presentations and technical talks.
We will have:
- Sponsor booths
- One full day and 2 half-days of presentations
- Breakout rooms for presentation options
- Networking opportunities
- Wedesnday and Thursday evening receptions
- Student recognition
- ASPB AGM
Notice for Call for Abstracts
Open: March 1
Deadline: April 30
Topics: We are looking for abstracts focused on wetlands, wildlife, aquatics, rec/rem, sustainability, renewables, and advancements in the field of biology.
Since our conference topic this year revolves around transition, we would like to hear how your specialty has experienced - or is experiencing - transition.
The review of abstracts will take approximately 1-2 weeks. At that time the authors or presenters of potential abstracts will be contacted for a short online interview.
Notice of Call for Workshops
The ASPB is considering hosting biology focused workshops after the conference is complete on the afternoon of Friday, November 24. There will be an official call for workshops soon; at the moment we are looking to generate some interest. If you are interested in hosting a workshop or have a suggestion about a course you would like to see delivered, please send us an email at regulatory@aspb.ab.ca.
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30 days left to renew your ASPB registration:
Renewal fees are payable through the member portal on the ASPB website.
Late fees now apply; registrants who have not renewed by March 31
will be suspended.
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BUILDING YOUR
CAREER?
See what's new on the
BIOLOGISTS'
JOB BOARD
Environmental Monitor
Conservation Coordinator - Seasonal
Wildlife Discipline Lead
Junior Environmental Scientist
Junior / Intermediate Environmental Specialist
Senior Fisheries Biologist
Fish Habitat Restoration/Offsetting Specialist
Intermediate Aquatic Specialist
Terrestrial/Wildlife Lead
Practice Area Lead, Natural Sciences
Intermediate Environmental Consultant
Environmental Scientist (Junior)
Vegetation Ecologist
Fisheries Biologist
Wildlife Field Biologist
Environmental Impact Assessment Manager
FIND INFORMATION ABOUT THESE POSITIONS
AND OVER 40 MORE
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ASPB attends CLRA conference as a Gold Sponsor... |
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ASPB board member Matt Koehli and executive director Dean Falkenberg talked to students and professors attending the Canadian Land Reclamation Association (CLRA) conference in Edmonton last week, outlining the requirements and opportunities for regulated biologists-in-training and regulated professional biologists . |
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SEMINARS, WEBINARS & CONFERENCES
MARCH
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Wild Bird Webinar:
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza
Jolene Giacinti, BHSc, DVM, PhD, Wildlife Health Specialist at ECCC will deliver a webinar on avian influenza in wild birds on March 2, 2023 between 11:00h and noon, MST. Register here!
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Introduction to Soil Science (SOIL220 Wi23)
March 4 to 19, 2023 (Saturdays and Sundays online with one-day in-person practicum) This 39-hour introductory soil science course led by Dr. Konstantin Dlusskiy includes an overview of soil formation and soil classification with emphasis given to soils of Western Canada:
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GRF WEBINAR
Restoration of Annual-Brome
Invaded Mixedgrass Prairie
Anabel Dombro (University of Alberta) will discuss the containment and restoration of Annual-Brome Invaded Mixedgrass Prairie Using the Herbicide Indaziflam, on March 14, 2023, 12:00 - 13:00. Registration will be active mid-January through the Grassland Restoration Forum website HERE.
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Workshop:
Cool-season invasive grasses
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Online Wildlife Tracker Conference
The 2023 North American Wildlife Tracker Conference is being held online on March 18 & 19, 2023. The conference will bring together certified wildlife trackers, wildlife professionals and tracking enthusiasts for two days of virtual presentations, panel discussions, and community-building. For more information and to register, visit Tracker Certification North America
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ANPC webinar:
The Basics of Vascular Plant ID
The Alberta Native Plant Council is hosting the third lunchtime webinar in
the Back to Botany Basics series. Donna Cherniawsky will introduce the basics of vascular plant identification on March 21, 2023 at 12:00hrs MST. You can register on the ANPC website or HERE.
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GRF Workshop
How to Use Range Plant Community Guides
This one-day, classroom-based course in Cochrane, AB on March 23, 2023, 10:00-16:00 will teach participants how to use the Range Plant Community Guides and introduce the Recovery Strategies for Development in Native Grassland Manuals planning process. These tools will provide valuable context to interpret results of data collected for AEP Conservation Assessments – Strategic Siting and Pre-disturbance Site Assessments for Industrial Activities on Native Grassland. Registration will be active mid-January through the Grassland Restoration Forum website HERE.
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Soil Classification (SOIL410 Wi23)
March 29 and 30, 2023 (online) This one-day advanced soil science course led by Dr. Konstantin Dlusskiy focuses on: Common landforms and parent materials associated with soils on the Prairies.
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SEMINARS, WEBINARS & CONFERENCES
APRIL
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Soil Mapping (SOIL420 Wi23)
April 5 and 6, 2023 (online) Two-day course on soil mapping and survey procedures provided online:
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Spring SST Training Course
Equilibrium Environmental has scheduled a full 4-day SST Version 3.0 certification course (online) for April 18 to April 21. It is not mandatory for practitioners who are already certified in a previous version of the tool to retake the full certification course / exam, though it is highly recommended to have taken at least a 2-day update course or to audit the full course as a refresher (but with no exam) if certified prior to Version 3.0. For further information, please email SSTInfo@eqm.ca or contact Equilibrium Environmental at 403-286-9374 or visit www.eqm.ca for a copy of the registration form.
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SEMINARS, WEBINARS & CONFERENCES
MAY
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School of Fish Workshop:
Fishes of Alberta - Field Identification
This fish ID course will be instructed by Shona Derlukewich, B.Sc., P. Biol., at Mount Royal University in Calgary on Saturday, May 6, 2023, from 1300h to 1630h. The cost per student is $100; pre-payment by etransfer to hold seat, non refundable after April 22, 2023. Field guides are included in the workshop cost and will be provided to participants upon arrival. Additional details (map for parking and room number) will be supplied to registered participants. To register, email Shona Derlukewich and for more fishy details check out the WEBSITE.
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Responsible Recreation:
Pathways, Practices and Possibilities
Recreation and adventure tourism opportunities and activities are expanding globally. However, empirical measures of impacts are often difficult to obtain. This two-day conference hosted by the Columbia Mountains Institute will be an excellent opportunity to network and learn about current thinking on increasing outdoor recreation activities and the effect on wildlife and ecosystems. This event on May 9 and 10, 2023 will be a hybrid event, with both in-person and online participation. The call for proposals is open until February 3, 2023; go HERE for more information.
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Pedology Field School (SOIL230 Sp23)
May 29 to 31, 2023 (in-person in the Edmonton area) This 24-h introductory soil science course is fully field-based. The 3-day field school led by Dr. Konstantin Dlusskiy focuses on hands-on experience with application to industry standards.
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UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY
CONTINUING EDUCATION
BMC252 - Environmental Issues in Indigenous Communities
Start Date: April 18, 2023
BMC265 - Environmental Impact Assessments
Start Date: June 30 2023
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COLUMBIA MOUNTAINS INSTITUTE
2023 CREDtalks
Foundations of Resilience.
Live webinars in March
Salish Fire Keepers
March 2, 2023. 1200h PST
Presenter: Joe Gilchrist, Fire Keeper, Turtle Island Consulting (TIC), Salish Fire Keepers
Climate adaptation in action in the Harrop-Procter Community Forest
March 9, 2023. 1200h PST
Presenter: Erik Leslie, RPF, Forest Manager, Harrop-Procter Community Co-operative
Tales of taking evidence through to conservation action for two iconic mountain dwellers: caribou and grizzly bear
March 16, 2023. 1200h PST
Presenter: Clayton Lamb, Wildlife Scientist, Biodiversity Pathways, Universities of British Columbia & Montana
Thanks to the generous support of the Columbia Basin Trust and KCP, we are able to offer this series free of charge. For full details and registration please go
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NATURAL RESOURCES
TRAINING GROUP
Environmental Field Skills Program (EFS) – Self Paced – February 13 – June 12, 2023
Snorkel Survey Techniques March 7th (Courtenay)
Technical Writing for Professionals: Proposals – Online, March 2, 2023
Technical Writing for Professionals: Report Writing – Online, March 3, 2023
Fish Habitat Assessment Level One – March 8th (Online), 9th, 10th (Courtenay)
Wildlife Survey Field Methods: Ungulates – Online, March 8-10, 2023
Electrofishing Certification – Online (self-paced) & North Vancouver, March 9, 2023
Fish Habitat Restoration – Prescription Development – Online, March 14, 2023
Fish Habitat Restoration – Instream Techniques – Online, March 15-16, 2023
Avian Nest Sweeps and Monitoring Methods – Online – March 16-17, 2023
Wetland Assessment – Online, March 28-29, 2023
For the full calendar of upcoming courses the link is here:
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SALMTEC
COURSES AND TRAINING PROGRAMS
Winter 2023 Registration Now Open! Blended Course: Biophysical Foundations Online Content+Live Streaming Class.Field Course near Bragg Creek, AB
Understanding ACIMS Tools Online Course
Alberta Soil Information Viewer Online Course
Alberta Wetland Policy Basics Online Course
Navigating the Alberta Soil Information Viewer Video Short (free)
Wetland Water Cycle Video Short (free)
THE SALMTEC CONNECTOR is a compilation of applied science and land management event listings, across a variety of sectors and disciplines, published monthly.
You can find the SALMTEC website HERE.
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ANNUAL
ASPB CONFERENCE SPONSORS
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Broken Windows Theory
an essay by Lorne Fitch, P. Biol.
The house had stood, longer than most people could remember. Solid it was, built with care, attention to detail, and pleasing to the eye. Saskatoon bushes rubbed up against one wall and the intensity of the wind was muted with a buffer of spruce and aspens. Grouse sheltered under the spruce canopy, swallows nested under the eves, and a robin took possession of an alcove over one of the doors. Moose occasionally browsed the saskatoons.
Inside the house was shelter—by design it was comfortable and efficient. You could tell from the fit and finish how the place was integrated, complex but coordinated, every piece having purpose and adding to the overall design.
Visibility from a new well-site road attracted people to the place, some with less than honourable intentions. The first indignity was a broken window, then two, and finally all of them. With gaping holes, where once windows had signalled occupancy and care, a trend started. Doors were wrenched open, slamming in the breeze.
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We regularly receive notifications from Google Scholar Alerts and other sources which we share below in the BIWEEKLY. Here is the latest batch (the links are HOT):
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Banner Image:
Surviving the winter...
Photo courtesy ABMI
The ASPB regulates the professional practice of biology in the disciplines of Botany, Zoology, Environmental Biology and Microbiology, and all sub-disciplines below them. The ASPB is the only organization for biologists in Alberta that is registered under Provincial Legislation with a mandate to protect the interests of the public of Alberta. 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 about professional development opportunities for our members and essential member-related society business; if you are a registered member of 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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