FORREX Conservation Biology eNewsletter – August 2011

New FREP Report and Extension Note on Stand-level Biodiversity
The specific target audience for this extension note is natural resource management professionals and managers. The purpose of this report and associated extension note is to improve understanding of the stand-level biodiversity outcomes related to harvesting and retention forest practices at the regional level. The information presented here can facilitate discussions on biodiversity practices and highlight opportunities for continuous improvement. The analysis provides an overview of the Southern Interior Forest Region as a whole with a more detailed look at its predominant biogeoclimatic subzones.FREP Report #29 – Southern Interior Forest Region: Analysis of stand-level biodiversity results in six predominant biogeoclimatic subzones:http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/ftp/hfp/external/!publish/FREP/reports/FREP%20Report%2029.pdfExtension Note #20 – Southern Interior Region: Summary of stand-level biodiversity: http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/ftp/hfp/external/!publish/FREP/extension/FREP%20Extension%20Note%2020.pdf

Comprehensive Fuels Treatment Practices for Mixed Conifer Forests: California, Central and Southern Rockies, and the Southwest
“We are pleased to be able to share with you the latest in the Joint Fire Science Program’s series of guides to fuels treatment practices. […] The guide covers the definition of mixed conifer, past land use and management activities, fire regimes and historic conditions, and impact of altered fire regimes in mixed conifer forests. The second half of the guide discusses effectiveness and impacts of different fuels treatment techniques such as prescribed fire, silvicultural treatments, and combinations of cutting and burning in mixed conifer forests. The guide also draws on interviews with 75 managers and experts and includes a synthesis of their insights into specific impediments to effective management and ways of overcoming them. For example, smoke management and wildlife habitat protections are two common issues that can make treatments more complicated, though not impossible.”

Maintaining Populations of Terrestrial Wildlife through Land Management Planning: A Case Study
“Regulations and directives associated with enabling legislation for management of national forests in the United States require maintenance of viable populations of native and desired non-native wildlife species. Broad-scale assessments that address ecosystem diversity cover assessment of viability for most species. We developed an 8-step process to address those species for which management for ecosystem diversity may be inadequate for providing ecological conditions capable of sustaining viable populations. The process includes identification of species of conservation concern, description of source habitats, and other important ecological factors, grouping species, selection of focal species, development of focal species assessment models, development of conservation strategies, and designing monitoring, and adaptive management plans. […] The information generated from our approach can be directly translated into land management planning through development of desired conditions, objectives, and standards and guidelines to improve the probability that desired population outcomes will be achieved.”

Predators Choose Prey over Prey Habitats: Evidence from a Lynx–hare System
“Resource selection is grounded in the understanding that animals select resources based on fitness requirements. Despite uncertainty in how mechanisms relate to the landscape, resource selection studies often assume, but rarely demonstrate, a relationship between modeled variables and fitness mechanisms. Using Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) and snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus) as a model system, we assess whether prey habitat is a viable surrogate for encounters between predators and prey. […] Our study reveals an obvious but important distinction between selection and use that is applicable to all resource selection studies. We recommend that resource selection studies be coupled with mechanistic data (e.g., metrics of diet, forage, fitness, or abundance) when investigating mechanisms of resource selection.”

Improving Studies of Resource Selection by Understanding Resource Use
“Understanding the resource needs of animals is critical to their management and conservation. Resource utilization functions (RUFs) provide a framework to investigate animal-resource relationships by characterizing variation in the amount of resource use. […] Extensive global positioning system (GPS) data from 17 cougars (Puma concolor) demonstrate the utility and potential challenges of estimating RUFs within the home range for far-ranging species. […] Cougars were individualistic, but use was generally positively associated with the presence of regenerating forest and inversely associated with steep slopes.”

Toads, Marmots, Bats… Check out what’s new with FWCP
“This newsletter is a chance for the Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program (FWCP) to share the stories and achievements of the projects, partnerships and research that have taken place in the Coast, Columbia and Peace regions of British Columbia. For example, the Jordan River Wetland Mitigation project on Vancouver Island is a great demonstration of creativity in design and solid delivery partnership, while keeping the focus on increasing biodiversity and improving ecosystem function. […] We look forward to sharing our project success stories with you in future issues of FWCP NEWS.“

Case Study – Restoring Stream Flows and Habitat: Lessons from the Blackfoot River Watershed in Montana
“The Blackfoot River is located in western Montana and flows 132 miles from its headwaters atop the Continental Divide to its junction with the Clark Fork River near Missoula. Likely climate change impacts in the region include increased temperatures, changes in precipitation, and declining river flows. To help buffer native trout populations from the impacts of climate change and make trout streams more resilient, the Big Blackfoot Chapter of Trout Unlimited is working to restore in-stream habitat and riparian vegetation as well as improve in-stream flows.“

Biodiversity Loss: Prevention is Cheaper than Cure
“A proactive approach to biodiversity loss – where conservation of a species starts before it becomes endangered – could save millions of euros compared to the cost of recovering a population already in serious decline, according to new research.”

Comparison of Fixed and Focal Point Seed Transfer Systems for Reforestation and Assisted Migration: a Case Study for Interior Spruce in British Columbia
“In forestry, science-based seed transfer systems, the foundation of effective reforestation programs, will likely be used in some form to mitigate the negative effects of climate change. In this study, we developed fixed and focal point seed transfer systems for interior spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss, Picea engelmannii Parry ex Engelm., and their hybrids) in British Columbia, Canada, and compared the effectiveness of both systems. […] Changes in climate observed over the past 100 years and predicted in the next one third of a rotation were used to calculate appropriate assisted migration distances and develop methods for incorporating assisted migration into a focal point seed transfer system.”

The Temporal Development of Old-growth Structural Attributes in Second-growth Stands: a Chronosequence Study in the Coastal Western Hemlock Zone in British Columbia
“One of the key issues facing forest resource planners is the conservation and recruitment of old-growth characteristics in managed forests. The paucity of long-term data sets in many regions has limited our ability to project the temporal patterns of structural development in second-growth forests. […] Here we conduct a chronosequence study consisting of second-growth and old-growth stands in the coastal forests of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, to identify structural attributes that are suidiv for quantifying and monitoring the progressive development of old-growth characteristics. […] The use of quantifiable measures of old–growth structure will help forest managers plan for the continued protection and recruitment of old-growth structure within managed forest landscapes.”

BC Butterfly Atlas project
Following on the success of the Breeding Bird Atlas, the BC Butterfly Atlas will be a multi-year effort to inventory and assess the status of butterflies in British Columbia. The BC Butterfly Atlas is aimed at promoting butterfly conservation in BC and collecting valuable information to support butterfly conservation efforts. Like the Breeding Bird Atlas, participation from a broad range of volunteer observers, from amateurs to experts, will be key to the success of the project. BC-specific butterfly atlassing methods (based on the same 10 km x 10 km squares as the bird atlas) and a network of participants are being developed in 2011. Full atlassing efforts will begin in 2012. A website is also being developed to provide more information on survey methods, butterfly identification, and to show the results graphically. Whether you currently know your butterflies or not, count yourself in to participate! To join the BC Butterfly Atlas, request more information, or submit your interesting butterfly records and photos, from the 2011 field season, contact Patrick Lilley at: patrick@raincoastappliedecology.ca

An Integrated Monitoring Plan for the Oil Sands
“On December 16, 2010, the Independent Oil Sands Advisory Panel presented its report to the Minister of the Environment with recommendations for the development of a world class monitoring plan for the oil sands region. In response to this report and other concerns, the Minister of the Environment committed the Government of Canada to lead, in collaboration with Alberta, the development of an environmental monitoring plan for the oil sands. The first phase of this was entitled “A Water Quality Monitoring Plan for the Lower Athabasca River,” and was released in March. Building on that, the second phase of the plan was announced on July 21, 2011. The integrated approach added air and biodiversity monitoring in addition to an expansion of the water component announced in March. This Plan will provide the scientific foundation necessary to detect problems in the region and provide governments and industry with the information that they need to ensure the environmentally sustainable development of this important resource.”

Environmental Planning and Assessment Caucus: New Environmental Assessment Documents Available
“The Environmental Planning and Assessment Caucus has recently posted on its website a number of new environmental assessment-related documents, including a new report developed by the Northwest Institute comparing the British Columbia and Federal Environmental Assessment processes for the Prosperity Gold-Copper Mine project.”

Management of Interactions Between Endangered Species Using Habitat Restoration
”Commonly used conservation strategies may be insufficient when deleterious interactions between co-habiting endemic species occur. The decline in the population size of the endangered Leon Springs pupfish, Cyprinodon bovinus, in Diamond Y Spring, Texas has been partially attributed to egg-predation by the endangered Pecos gambusia, Gambusia nobilis. This interaction is related to changes in habitat availability; therefore, we aim to manage the conflict via restoration of the breeding habitat. We hypothesized that altering the habitat to expand shallow breeding areas would result in a decrease in the number of gambusia preying on the eggs of spawning pupfish pairs and an increase in the number of males defending territories. In 2 years following the habitat modification, we observed resurgence in the pupfish breeding population and a decrease in egg-predation pressure around spawning pupfish pairs.”

Potential for Interference Competition between Barred and Northern Spotted Owls
“The northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) is a controversial species in the Pacific Northwest that is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The barred owl (Strix varia), a species historically restricted to eastern North America, has recently expanded its range to completely overlap that of the northern spotted owl. Recent evidence suggests that barred owls may compete with northern spotted owls and may be one cause for recent declines in some northern spotted owl populations. Our focus was to examine whether barred owls have the potential to competitively exclude northern spotted owls from their territories through interference competition. […] Our results suggest that […] interference competition is a plausible mechanism by which barred owls could contribute to observed population declines of northern spotted owls in areas where the species co-occur.”

Temporary Conservation for Urban Biodiversity
“Urban habitats, particularly wastelands and brownfields, maintain rich biodiversity and offer habitat for many species, even rare and endangered taxa. However, such habitats are also under socio-economic pressures due to redevelopment for housing and industrial uses. In order to maintain urban biodiversity, it is currently unknown how much open area must be preserved and whether conservation is possible without complete exclusion from economic development. In this study, we applied a simulation model based on species distribution models for plants, grasshoppers, and leafhoppers to investigate planning options for urban conservation with special focus on business areas. […] we recommend integrating the concept of ‘temporary conservation’ into urban planning for industrial and business areas. […] This maintains a spatio-temporal mosaic of different successional stages ranging from pioneer to pre-forest communities.”

Traditional Knowledge in Context
“This briefing reflects on IIED’s work to assist indigenous and local communities to protect their rights over traditional knowledge. It showcases how ‘biocultural heritage’ offers a framework for protecting community rights and biodiversity.”

Invasive Plant Council of British Columbia Announces Release of Provincial Aboriginal Toolkit to Improve Management of Invasive Plants on Traditional Aboriginal Lands
“Through a partnership between the Williams Lake Indian Band, Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC), formerly known as Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC), and the Invasive Plant Council of British Columbia, a new provincial Aboriginal Toolkit is now available to assist Aboriginal communities across BC reduce the impact of invasive plants on traditional, reserve, and adjacent lands.”

Revision of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan
“The waterfowl management community is in the process of revising the North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP). The revised Draft was released in July and the comment period is open till mid-September.”

Habitat Selection by a Focal Predator in a Multiprey Ecosystem of the Northern Rockies
“Large predators respond to land cover and physiography that maximize the likelihood of encountering prey. Using locations from global positioning system–collared wolves (Canis lupus), we examined whether land cover, vegetation productivity or change, or habitat–selection value for ungulate prey species themselves most influenced patterns of selection by wolves in a large, intact multiprey system of northern British Columbia. […] Our findings corroborate the biological linkages between wolves and their habitat related to ease of movement and potential prey associations.”

Placing Linkages among Fragmented Habitats: Do Least-cost Models Reflect How Animals Use Landscapes?
“The need to conserve and create linkages among fragmented habitats has given rise to a range of techniques for maximizing connectivity. Methods to identify optimal habitat linkages face trade-offs between constraints on model inputs and biological relevance of model outputs. Given the popularity of these methods and their central role in landscape planning, it is critical that they be reliable and robust. […] LCP modelling and similar approaches to linkage design guide connectivity planning, yet often lack a biological or empirical foundation. Ecologists must clarify the biological processes on which resistance values are based, explicitly justify cost schemes and scale (grain) of analysis, evaluate the effects of landscape context and sensitivity to cost schemes, and strive to optimize cost schemes with empirical data. Research relating species’ fine–grain habitat use to movement across broad extents is desperately needed.”

Recent Ecological Responses to Climate Change Support Predictions of High Extinction Risk
“Predicted effects of climate change include high extinction risk for many species, but confidence in these predictions is undermined by a perceived lack of empirical support. Many studies have now documented ecological responses to recent climate change, providing the opportunity to test whether the magnitude and nature of recent responses match predictions. Here, we perform a global and multitaxon metaanalysis to show that empirical evidence for the realized effects of climate change supports predictions of future extinction risk. […] These results suggest that predictions are robust to methodological assumptions and provide strong empirical support for the assertion that anthropogenic climate change is now a major threat to global biodiversity.rdquo;

Animal Species Large and Small Follow Same Rule for How Common They Are in Ecosystems
“Animal species all follow the same rule for how common they are in an ecosystem, scientists have discovered. And the rule is simple.Everything from birds to fishes, crabs to snails to worms, and the parasitic animals that live inside or on them, follows it.”You can predict how common something might be just by knowing its body weight–how big an individual is–and how high up the food chain it is,” says biologist Ryan Hechinger of the University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB), lead author of a paper in this week’s issue of the journal Science. The research was funded by the joint National Science Foundation (NSF)-National Institutes of Health (NIH) Ecology of Infectious Diseases (EID) program. “This comprehensive study has revealed a very simple rule that underlies a complex system,” says Sam Scheiner, EID program officer at NSF. “Extracting such simplicity from complexity will allow scientists to better understand and manage all natural systems from forests, to lakes, to ocean fisheries,” Scheiner saysrdquo;

Can We Manage for Resilience? The Integration of Resilience Thinking into Natural Resource Management in the US
“The concept of resilience is now frequently invoked by natural resource agencies in the US. This reflects growing trends within ecology, conservation biology, and other disciplines acknowledging that social-ecological systems require management approaches recognizing their complexity. In this paper, we examine the concept of resilience and the manner in which some legal and regulatory frameworks governing federal natural resource agencies have difficulty accommodating it. We then use the U.S. Forest Service’s employment of resilience as an illustration of the challenges ahead.”

Dispersal Constraints for Stream Invertebrates: Setting Realistic Timescales for Biodiversity Restoration
“Biodiversity goals are becoming increasingly important in stream restoration. Typical models of stream restoration are based on the assumption that if habitat is restored then species will return and ecological processes will re–establish. However, a range of constraints at different scales can affect restoration success. […] We review knowledge of dispersal pathways and explore the factors influencing stream invertebrate dispersal. […] This process of constraints identification and timescale prediction is proposed as a practical step for resource managers to prioritize and appropriately monitor restoration sites and highlights that in some instances, natural recolonization and achievement of biodiversity goals may not occur.”

Prey Use and Selection in Relation to Reproduction by Peregrine Falcons Breeding along the Yukon River
“Determining whether raptors are generalist or specialist predators is important for understanding the degree to which fluctuations in their population sizes are influenced by individual responses to changes in prey availability. We assessed diet components based on prey remains collected at nest ledges to determine whether Peregrine Falcons breeding along the Yukon River in northern Canada were specialist feeders or, conversely, whether they took prey according to its relative abundance. We also examined whether the use of certain types of prey had consequences for reproductive success. […] We conclude that Peregrine Falcons in the Yukon are selective predators and that some of the variation in reproductive rates in this population may be attributed to variation in the types of prey available to and utilized by individual pairs.”

Risk of Agricultural Practices and Habitat Change to Farmland Birds
“Many common bird species have declined as a result of agricultural intensification and this could be mitigated by organic farming. We paired sites for habitat and geographical location on organic and nonorganic farms in Ontario, Canada to test a priori predictions of effects on birds overall, 9 guilds and 22 species in relation to candidate models for farming practices (13 variables), local habitat features (12 variables), or habitat features that influence susceptibility to predation. […] Our results provide support for alternative farmland designs and agricultural management systems that could enhance select bird species in farmland.”

Why the Public Thinks Natural Resources Public Participation Processes Fail: A Case Study of British Columbia Communities
“This study examines the experiences and opinions of a “public” which became involved in a government driven comprehensive land use and natural resource planning exercise in British Columbia, Canada during the 1990s. While it is generally assumed to be an inherently good thing, or at least a politically necessary thing, to involve the public in natural resources or land use planning, few studies have examined the experiences of the public or examined perceived failures from the public’s perspective. This study examines British Columbia’s CORE and LRMP planning processes, their successes and failures, as determined by residents of six communities that participated in these processes. Lessons on improving public processes from the viewpoint of that public are discussed.”

Leaders’ Perspectives in the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative
“The Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative (Y2Y) was created in 1993 to advance conservation in a 1.2 million km2 portion of the North American Rocky Mountains. We assembled 21 people with influence over Y2Y in a workshop to elucidate perspectives on challenges and solutions for this organization at a key point in its evolution, and used Q method to define four perspectives on challenges and three on solutions. […] We recommend that leaders in Y2Y and similar organizations focused on large-scale conservation to create and maintain an open system&ndas’philosophically and operationally–that capitalizes on the diverse perspectives and skills of individuals who are attracted to such efforts. We also recommend that the Y2Y initiative be followed closely to harvest additional lessons for potential application to large-scale conservation efforts elsewhere.”

The Implementation Crisis in Conservation Planning: Could “Mental Models” Help?
“Core to the planning–implementation gap in conservation is the failure to achieve the necessary shared vision and collaboration among typically diverse stakeholder groups to translate conservation assessments and plans into sustained on-ground outcomes for conservation. We suggest that a process of describing and sharing mental models–the cognitive frameworks that people use to interpret and understand the world–provides promising and as yet underutilized techniques for conservation planners to improve implementation success. […] Conservation planners have much to gain by eliciting and sharing mental models in conservation planning processes.”

Social Network Dynamics in Collaborative Conservation
“Our research explored patterns in the development of social networks serving as the foundation for collaborative conservation. We conducted four case studies of conservation efforts associated with State Wildlife Action Plans in the United States. Data were collected on conservation objectives, key players, and their roles and interactions. Networks evolved through identifiable phases, which we labeled: organizational loyalty, reconsideration, partnership formation, and partnership utilization. […] Our results can inform efforts to foster collaborative conservation.”

New Report – The Impacts of Climate Change on the Alpine Environment and Glaciers of Southern Alberta and British Columbia
In this report, twelve of Canada’s most well-known mountaineers and guides provide their observations and anecdotes about changes they have witnessed in the mountain environment. A select group of scientists then respond to the observations of those mountaineers. Do the mountaineers’ stories line up with scientific research to this point?.

July 12, 2011 – Urban Sprawl Has Hurt Biodiversity, Ottawa Warned
“Biodiversity is deteriorating at an “unprecedented rate” due to urban and industrial development that’s putting Canada’s economic and ecological health in jeopardy, Environment Minister Peter Kent was warned in newly released briefing notes. …“Biodiversity contributes to essential ecosystem goods and services, such as the production of food and fibre, carbon sequestration, clean air and water, disease and pest control, pollination of food crops and recreational, esthetic and spiritual benefits,” said the briefing notes. “Healthy and resilient ecosystems are one of our best defences to a changing climate.”

July 21, 2011 – War of Words Erupts over How Best to Save Woodland Caribou
“By the end of summer, the federal government is expected to deliver a plan on preserving woodland caribou populations in the Boreal forest but opinions on land use between environmentalists and the forestry industry differ greatly on what form protection should take. American conservation group the PEW Foundation released a 12–page document to the federal and effected provincial governments Tuesday outlining declining and receding caribou numbers. …The Ontario Forestry Industries Association fired back with a study from the National Council for Air and Stream Improvement that found 71 per cent of caribou herds are increasing in numbers”

July 22, 2011 – Re–Introducing Chinook To Okanogan Basin
“NOAA Fisheries on Tuesday published in the Federal Register a proposal to allow the reintroduction of upper Columbia spring chinook salmon in the Okanogan River basin in north–central Washington as an experimental population under Endangered Species Act regulations. […] The Okanogan is outside the upper Columbia spring chinook ESU’s current range, although the species was found there historically. The Okanogan population was extirpated in the 1930s because of overfishing, hydropower development and habitat degradation.”

July 22, 2011 – Whitebark Pine Put On ESA Candidate List; USFWS Says Keystone Species Facing Extinction
“The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said this week it has determined the whitebark pine warrants protection under the Endangered Species Act, but that adding the species to the federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants is precluded by the need to address other listing actions of a higher priority. Roughly 44 percent of the species’ range occurs in the United States in Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Nevada, California, Oregon, and Washington. The remaining 56 percent of the species range occurs in British Columbia and Alberta, Canada.”

July 22, 2011 – How Long Will Canada’s Final Frontier Stay Wild?
“There is a tendency to assume that the northern wilderness remains inviolate, as immense and unalterable as the Pacific. That no matter how badly we mess up our lands to the south, there is an Eden waiting. That if bears or falcons or wolverines are forced from their habitats down here, they still have a home in the bountiful and limitless North. That is not the case. We are running out of frontier.”

July 26, 2011 – Study: Saving Owls and Salmon also Stores Carbon
“A new study finds that court-ordered logging cutbacks to save spotted owls and salmon from extinction have also helped the climate by storing more carbon. Researchers from the U.S. Forest Service and Oregon State University found that reducing timber production by more than 80 percent on national forests in western Washington, Oregon and Northern California since 1994 turned those forests into a carbon sink for the first time in decades”

July 26, 2011 – Conservation Remains the Keyword in Planning for the Future of the Peel Watershed
“The Peel Watershed Planning Commission released its Final Recommended Plan to the public late Monday afternoon. Now, it’s up to the Yukon government to decide what to do. The final blueprint, which the commission has been working on for four months, recommends that 80 per cent of the watershed be protected under a Conservation Area.”

July 26, 2011 – Nakusp Council Hears VWS Caribou Park Presentation
“Efforts to secure a network of wilderness areas in the region for Mountain Caribou and other species got a closer look from the Nakusp Village Council. Anne Sherrod, chair of the Valhalla Wilderness Society, presented an impassioned park proposal to the council in their July 12 meeting. […] The estimated 156,000 hectares singled out for parkland is set in the central Selkirk Mountains, in between Glacier National Park, Bugaboo Provincial Park and Goat Range Provincial Park, in a long triangle formed between the communities of Nakusp, Revelstoke and Golden”

July 26, 2011 – Ecosystem Markets Conference: Innovative Ideas Drive Ecosystem Markets Forward
“Using markets to protect and restore ecosystems – and the many services they provide – is gradually becoming a reality. Market-based systems have already protected hundreds of thousands of acres of land while still meeting human economic and development needs. They can help ensure that environmental benefits, from wildlife habitat to water purification, will be preserved for future generations. But what are the critical elements for success? What progress has been made? What are the innovative ideas that will push these markets forward? The World Resources Institute and the American Forest Foundation recently convened some of the world’s leading experts on ecosystem markets in Madison, Wisconsin to address these questions.”

July 28, 2011 – Famous Grizzly Sow defies Odds
“She struggles to survive on a daily basis trying to make a living – and now she has the added pressure of raising her young ones in the busy Bow Valley. The celebrity 22–year-old grizzly bear 64 constantly defies the odds in the Rocky Mountain park where bears continue to die at the hands of humans.”

August 3, 2011 – B.C. Declares Open Season on Wolves of the Chilcotin
“The B.C. government has declared open season on wolves in the Cariboo region to benefit cattle ranchers, a move that critics contend is unjustifiable and based on politics, not science. Under new wildlife regulations, there is no closed season and no bag limit on hunting wolves in 10 management units in the Cariboo region, which ranges to 100 Mile House, Williams Lake, Quesnel and the Chilcotin.”

August 4, 2011 – Where the Caribou Roam
“Most Canadians will never see one in real life, but everyone who has ever held a 25–cent coin knows what caribou look like. While the image on the Canadian quarter is not going anywhere, the same can’t be said of the thundering herds of caribou that have roamed Canada’s north for generations.”

August 4, 2011 – USDA Forest Service Booklet Touts Value of Native Bees
“The USDA Forest Service, along with Pollinator Partnership, has produced a booklet called Bee Basics: An Introduction to our Native Bees to educate the public and encourage people to help protect these essential insects. The 40-page booklet primarily focuses on bees native to North America, of which there are 4,000 species, found in forests, farms, cities, wildlands and deserts. Although honey bees may be most noted for producing honey, the booklet explains that native bees are valued for pollinating plants.”

August 8, 2011 – B.C.’s Pink Salmon Receive ‘Green’ Label
“Pink salmon from B.C. have received the “green” label after being certified for sustainable management. The fishery is the sixth in the province to receive the certification from the Marine Stewardship Council – an independent, global, non-profit organization based in London that uses United Nations guidelines for its certifications.”

August 8, 2011 – Toadlets Cross Busy Roads in Great Numbers
“For the fourth consecutive year, the Fraser Valley Conservancy has set up road blocks in the morning and evening during peak western toadlet migration days to help hundreds of thousands of the creatures travel safely from the wetlands, where they were born, to the forest habitat they’ll call home. Lisa Fox with the Conservancy estimated 10,000 toads made the trek on Friday. The group hopes to raise funds for open-top culverts under the road so toads can cross without traffic disruptions.”

August 14, 2011 – Living with Spirit Bears: Great Bear Rainforest
“You may have read about the Spirit Bears of the Great Bear Rainforest in Kermode Bears or in Pipeline Through Paradise both featured in the August 2011 National Geographic Magazine. […] See what it takes to capture stunning imagery in this wild landscape with a behind the scenes footage and interview with Paul Nicklen here and an eyewitness account of this amazing ecosystem and the people and wildlife that call if home with photographer and conservationist Ian McAllister.”

August 16, 2011 – NOAA Fisheries Status Review: 13 Columbia Basin Salmon, Steelhead Stocks To Retain ESA Listing
“Based on a recently completed review, NOAA Fisheries Service has determined that all 13 Columbia River basin salmon and steelhead stocks now listed under the Endangered Species Act will retain their listing classification as either threatened or endangered.”

Call For Papers   Call For Abstracts   New Additions

ConferencesOctober 18–19, 2011. Responding To Invasive Species. Richmond, BC.
The Invasive Plant Council of BC invites you to join them for their 2011 Research Forum. The Council’s Research and Development Committee is now inviting abstracts for research that could be showcased either during plenary presentations or poster sessions at the conference. Abstracts should be submitted online. For additional information email Pam Jorgenson or call (250) 3921400.November 28–December 2, 2011. 25th International Congress for Conservation Biology (ICCB 2011). Christchurch, New Zealand.
The Society for Conservation Biology International Congress for Conservation Biology (ICCB) is recognized as the most important international meeting for conservation professionals and students. ICCBs are a forum for addressing conservation challenges. They are the global venue for presenting and discussing new research and developments in conservation science and practice. Most importantly, they connect our global community of conservation professionals and serve as the major networking outlet for anyone interested in conservation. The 2011 congress theme is Engaging Society in Conservation. Biodiversity around the world continues to decline at an ever–increasing pace, yet much of society carries on business as usual. How can conservation biologists engage with society to achieve positive outcomes for conservation without compromising our scientific rigour or integrity?

June 11 – 15, 2012.IAHS-ICCE International Conference on Wildfire and Water Quality: Processes, Impacts and Challenges. Banff, AB.
The International Committee on Continental Erosion (ICCE) of the International Association for Hydrological Science (IAHS) is pleased to announce the “Wildfire and Water Quality: Processes, Impacts and Challenges” conference focused on bringing together researchers and practitioners from diverse fields of hydrology, sediment transport, water quality and watershed management to improve knowledge of the impacts of large scale landscape disturbances by wildfire on freshwater ecosystems and better elucidate processes that influence the source, transport and fate of contaminants in the environment. A key goal of this conference is to enable key stakeholders to utilize this information to better model, plan and manage wildfire impacted watersheds. The deadline for abstract submission for oral presentation is November 31, 2011. Submit abstracts to Mike Stone (mstone@uwaterloo.ca).

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August 14–18, 2012. Fifth North American Ornithological Conference. Vancouver, BC.
The University of British Columbia and the city of Vancouver will host the 5th North American Ornithological Conference 14 to 18 August 2012. Vancouver, with its magnificent setting on the Pacific Ocean, offers a wealth of marine, coastal and terrestrial biodiversity, scientific resources and entertainment. NAOC–V will be a wonderful opportunity for ornithologists to experience the rich natural and cultural biodiversity of Canada’s west coast and meet with their colleagues from all over North America. Field trips will be offered before and after the scientific program. The 4 day scientific program (15–18 August) will begin each day with an address by a distinguished NAOC Plenary Speaker and presentation of Society Awards. The remainder of the daily academic program will consist of symposia, contributed papers, poster sessions and scientific and ENGO workshops. The deadline for submission of proposals for Symposia or Workshops (Word file or PDF) is June 15, 2011.

August 28–31, 2012. Second International Conference on Biodiversity in Forest Ecosystems and Landscapes. Cork, Ireland.
This conference will provide an international forum for researchers, practitioners and students to discuss the challenges of maintaining and enhancing biodiversity in forests, and consider emerging trends in the sustainable management of forest ecosystems and landscapes. This conference will build on the success of the first IUFRO International Conference on Biodiversity in Forest Ecosystems and Landscapes which was held in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada in 2008.

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WorkshopsSeptember 16, 2011. Aquatic Invasive Species Workshop. Castlegar, BC.
The Central Kootenay Invasive Plant Committee is hosting an Aquatic Invasive Species Workshop to present information on aquatic invasive species in our region and at our borders; how to identify, monitor and report them; and how to reduce their spread. The workshop will include indoor presentations as well as outdoor demonstrations and hands-on activities. This workshop is highly recommended for boaters, paddlers, anglers, fisheries biologists and technicians, members of stewardship groups and any other individuals who spend time on the water in the Central Kootenay. The cost is $10 and includes lunch. Pre-register by emailingcoordinator@kootenayweeds.com or calling 250-352-1160.September 21–23, 2011. Society for Range Management Annual Meeting. Cranbrook, BC.
The Pacific Northwest Chapter of the Society for Range Management is hosting a fall workshop and tour in Cranbrook on September 21, 22, and 23. The event promises to be interesting and informative; it is centered around the theme of Rangeland Partnerships: Successes and Challenges on Public and Private Lands. The three day event includes numerous workshops, field tours and networking opportunities.

October 18–19, 2011. Invasive Plan Council Research Forum. Delta, BC.
The IPCBC will be hosting a Research Forum on October 18th and 19th, 2011 at the Delta Vancouver Airport Hotel. This two day forum will highlight research on invasive species in BC, Canada, and North America. This event will provide an opportunity for researchers, students, academics, and invasive species managers to learn about new projects underway, and to network with the invasive species community. For more information, please contact the Invasive Plant Council of BC at 250-392-1400 or email Pam Jorgenson at pjorgenson@invasiveplantcouncilbc.ca.

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Other Events
September – November, 2011. A Conversation on BC Forests. Various locations, BC.
“Join BC forestry professionals, First Nations, community leaders, conservationists, academics, and forest practitioners in sharing views and concerns over the long-term health of BC forests and the communities that depend on them. These local Community Dialogue Sessions are a part of the province wide Healthy Forests – Healthy Communities initiative. This is an ideal forum to send or emphasize your message to managers on what forest land management in BC should look like to ensure healthy and sustainable forests and rural communities. Plus, hear about the Healthy Forests – Healthy Communities initiative ”

September 25–30;, 2011. 2011 Wetland Restoration Institute. Olympia, KY.
“You can learn how to design and restore natural appearing and functioning wetlands by attending the 2011 Wetland Restoration Institute from September 25-30, in Olympia, Kentucky. The class focuses on teaching practical methods for restoring wetland and streams that benefit endangered species, improve wildlife and fish habitat, clean run-off, and reduce flooding. The training is designed for individuals that have a strong interest in understanding how to use highly effective and low-cost techniques for restoring wetlands and streams in fields, forests, mined, and urban areas. The high number of instructors provides an ideal setting for participants to learn from experts more about wetlands, and how to construct them. Partial scholarships are available to those who register early”

November 6, 2011. BC Institute of Agrologists AGM and Field Tour Cranbrook, BC.
The Kootenay Branch of the BC Institute of Agrologists AGM and Field Tour will also be showcasing the beautiful East Kootenay on Saturday, November 6th in Cranbrook, BC. The event will include an afternoon field tour following the AGM on Ecosystem Restoration work in the East Kootenay trench. The group will travel to two or three local field sites and hear from experts/discuss the range of ER issues including: forestry, soils, wildlife, fire, range, invasive weeds, recreation and more. There is no charge for this event but participants must RSVP to Lawrence Redfern at lsredfern@shaw.ca by November 2nd.