From January 2007 to December 2007

For the sake of brevity, these archived updates have been edited.  Most time-sensitive Items have been omitted.
 

1. CMI News

Joe Thorley will be teaching a course “Introduction to “R” software”, in Nelson on May 8-9. I will start taking registrations later this week and will send out an announcement about it. There is a class size of 8 people. Note that this is a course on how to use the software, not how to do statistics.

RPBios now have a need for an ethics course. I have been talking to Linda Michaluk at the APBBC about whether CMI can help by hosting their course in the southeastern part of the province. The course is still under development and when it is ready we will see about setting something up.

The CMI Directors are having a full day planning session on January 29 in Nelson. The aim of the day is to review CMI’s goals and see if we are on track, and discuss whether we should be moving in new directions. Members are welcome to participate if you can commit for the full day, and let me know at least a week before so I can send you the pre-reading. A summary of the outcomes will be given at the CMI Annual Researchers’ meeting.

This year’s CMI Annual Researchers’ meeting will be held in Radium, probably the last week of April as usual. Please think about making a presentation – it’s excellent outreach for your projects. More details will be announced as they develop.

I have overhauled the “Links” section of our web site (www.cmiae.org/links.htm). If you have suggestions for additional links, I’d like to hear about it. We do not post links of a commercial nature.

This email includes referrals to a book and a CD. I should probably note that, as is usual with the books mentioned in these updates, I haven’t seen these items and pass the information on for your general interest and further examination. It would be nice if some of our members sent in reviews of new books (hint, hint).

3. Interactive Key to Grasses of the Columbia Basin
http://www.livinglandscapes.bc.ca/grasses/

Valerie Huff worked with Richard Hebda at the Royal BC Museum to create this interactive key. The Interactive Key to the Grasses of the Columbia Basin aims to help field ecologists, technicians, restorationists, foresters, and amateur botanists identify and understand grasses. Standard dichotomous keys give you two choices at each step in a predetermined order. Interactive keys allow you to enter as little or as much information as you want, in any order.

4. Free Videos: Soil Orders of Canada
http://det.ubc.ca/SOIL/homepage.htm 

The objective of this teaching tool is to provide video footage of soil identification and classification. The teaching tool consists of 10 videos that illustrate characteristics of 10 soil orders within the Canadian System of Soil Classification. Numerous soil description and identification techniques are demonstrated. This material provides a valuable teaching resource for various courses in soil science, agriculture, forestry, and natural resource management either as an in-class or off-campus review. Produced by UBC, Agriculture Canada, Thompson Rivers University, Trinity Western University, and UNBC with funding provided by BCcampus Online Development Funds.

5. Book: Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Natural Resource Management

Edited by Charles R. Menzies, University of Nebraska Press
http://www.nebraskapress.unl.edu and type <Menzies> in the search box.

Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Natural Resource Management examines how traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) is taught and practiced today among native communities. Of special interest is the complex relationship between indigenous ecological practices and other ways of interacting with the environment, particularly regional and national programs of natural resource management. Focusing primarily on the northwest coast of North America, scholars look at the challenges and opportunities confronting the local practice of indigenous ecological knowledge in a range of communities, including the Tsimshian, the Nisga’a, the Tlingit, the Gitksan, the Kwagult, the Sto:lo, and the northern Dene in the Yukon. The experts consider how traditional knowledge is taught and learned and address the cultural importance of different subsistence practices using natural elements such as seaweed (Gitga’a), pine mushrooms (Tsimshian), and salmon (Tlingit). Several contributors discuss the extent to which national and regional programs of resource management need to include models of TEK in their planning and execution.

6. The Mildred White Database (Bird sightings)

Mildred White, a long-time naturalist from Ta Ta Creek, BC began recording her nature observations in 1964, and continued to do so for almost forty years. Five of her eleven journals have now been compiled into an extensive database with over 24,000 entries of bird, plant, and animal sightings, and over four thousand weather observations. The data are in a MS Access 2002 database on a CD, for $25.00. To order contact Dianne Cooper of the Rocky Mountain Naturalists at sebc.nat.hist@shaw.ca . For more information about the database, visit http://www.kootenaynaturalists.org/rocky/news.html

1. CMI News

The CMI Directors met yesterday in Nelson to review CMI's progress and future directions. There is still some thinking do, and we will have a report for you at the AGM on May 5 in Radium Hot Springs.

Please send your abstracts for the Annual Researchers' Meeting, May 5-6.  We have three of the fifteen spots taken just in the last two days. If we run out of time slots for presenters we will start asking for posters.

The "Introduction to Using R Software" course filled and we are running a repeat of it on May 15-16. There are 5 spots left on the second course, as of today. The "Ordinary and Logistic Regression" course still has 10 spots left.

3. Wings Over the Rockies Bird Festival

May 7-11, 2007
Invermere BC
Details are starting to be posted at www.wingsovertherockies.org

Wings begins right after the CMI Annual Researchers' Meeting.

1. CMI News

Call for Nominations for CMI Directors

April 1 marks the end of our fiscal and membership year, and that means it's time to elect new Directors. Although we can have as many as 15 Directors, we usually operate with 10-12 hands-on, active Directors. Most years no election is necessary, because our current board is running on two year staggered terms, which means all the positions do not come vacant at once; and we rarely have so many nominations that an election is necessary. The current Board appoints new Directors from the list of nominees.

What are the duties of a CMI Director? Read about them on our web site at: http://www.cmiae.org/admin-toc.htm#CMI_Directors There is a list of current Directors there, as well. You are welcome to call me or any of the Directors if you have questions. If you would like to stand as a CMI Director, you need to be a member in good standing at the time of your nomination, and have another member nominate you by sending an email to office@cmiae.org . Then follow up with a resume and a letter introducing yourself (which could be used in an election if we need to have one). The closing date for nominations is March 12. This allows us to run an election by mail-in ballot, rather than doing the election at the AGM. 

On January 29 the Directors had their planning session in Nelson. We still need to do some  wordsmithing on the CMI goals, then they will be up on the web site. We've had these goals for several years but they needed updating and discussion on how to move toward achieving them. There will be a report on this at our AGM, May 5 in Radium.

Call for Presenters and Field Trip Hosts -- Offers of presentations are starting to come in for our CMI Annual Researchers’ Meeting, to be held in Radium on May 5-6 (a weekend). As of today, we have nine spots left for presenters (half hour each). As usual, members and non-members are welcome to present, so please encourage your colleagues to join us. We plan to have presentations and our CMI Annual General Meeting on May 5, and a few more presentations on May 6 followed by field trips to look at restoration activities.

Many thanks to volunteer Julia McCleave, who took my file of two years’ worth of CMI Member Updates and compiled them into one document. This has now been archived on our web site. You can view all of our past email updates at the archive, located at www.cmiae.org in the “Resources on this Site” section. The archived updates have been edited to remove some of the time sensitive information such as job postings. And “who is” Julia McCleave? Julia is a CMI member and has recently moved to Revelstoke. She is a PhD student at Waterloo, and her research is on the regional integration of national parks. You can read more about her research at http://www.juliamccleave.ca/.

4. Conferences and talks

Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program – Free presentations on Herons/Bald Eagles and Reptiles
For more information call (250) 382 6874 or visit www.fwcp.ca

Great Blue Heron and Bald Eagle Populations in the Columbia Basin
Spend an evening with biologist Marlene Machmer who will present research findings that indicate increasing failure rates at heron breeding colonies in the Columbia Basin. She'll talk about potential links between failure rates and disturbance by bald eagles and humans. Could habitat loss be to blame? Find out why the blue-listed Great blue heron is under pressure and what is being done.

Revelstoke
7 p.m. Monday Feb. 26
Revelstoke Community Centre

Golden
7 p.m. Tuesday Feb. 27
Golden Senior’s Centre

Reptiles of the Southern Interior
Interested in creatures that shed their skins or grow new tails such as skinks, snakes and lizards? Jakob Dulisse, a local biologist and published photographer, has literally turned over thousands of rocks looking for reptiles. He will share his work and amazing photographs of these often forgotten species.

South Slocan
7 p.m.  Monday March 5,  Brent Kennedy School. (In partnership with the Slocan Valley Recreation Commission)

Kaslo
7 p.m. Tuesday March 6, United Church Hall

Road Ecology for Conservationists
March 28-30
Bozeman, Montana

Registration and information is now available for a workshop to share the latest in highway mitigation science, the successes of public-private partnerships, recent innovations in road ecology, and a field trip to a project on Interstate Highway 90 at Bozeman Pass. The workshop is co-hosted by American Wildlands, the Wildlife Conservation Society, and the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative. Details and registration are at: http://www.wti.montana.edu/RoadEcology/BozemanWorkshop.aspx

Botany BC 2007
May 10-13, 2007
Osoyoos BC

Botany BC is an annual meeting of botanists and plant enthusiasts of British Columbia and is open to anyone interested in plants. Although Botany BC meetings are focused to British Columbia, they welcome all the plant enthusiasts from the neighbouring provinces and states. Details will be posted at http://members.shaw.ca/dmeidinger/botanybc/ by the beginning of March.

43rd Annual North American Moose Conference & Workshop
June 2-7, 2007
UNBC, Prince George, British Columbia

The University of Northern British Columbia in collaboration with the BC Ministry of Forests and Range, the Ministry of Environment, and the Peace Williston Compensation Program, is hosting the 43rd North American Moose Conference and Workshop. The conference aims to bring together moose managers, biologists and other interested parties from across the range of moose to exchange ideas and share new developments in the area of moose research, management and biology. Details are at:http://resweb.res.unbc.ca/namericanmooseconference2007

1. CMI News

Do you need a course on MARK (a freeware program that is the "standard" for mark-recapture analysis) and on mark-recapture in general? Dr. Carl Schwarz of Simon Fraser University, who teaches our popular stats refresher and regression courses, has a 3 day course available on MARK. Cost would be around $600. We think there is a need for this course in southeastern BC, and we’d like to hear from our members about whether you think we should go ahead with it. Please drop me an email with your thoughts – and if you have suggestions about specific things you’d like him to cover, I’d like to know that. too.

A call for presenters will be out sometime in the next few weeks for both of our fall conferences: “Ecological Restoration: From the Grasslands to the Mountaintops in Southeastern BC” and “Managing Environmental Impacts of Linear Corridors and Infrastructure” . (The second conference is the sixth in our series of Roads, Rails and Environment workshops).

We are still accepting nominations for CMI Directors. To find out what’s involved, please refer to your last CMI Update, sent out on February 19.

2. Wild Rockies Field Institute - Backpack the Rockies for course credits

If you've always wanted to learn more about the Yellowstone to Yukon region and the conservation vision it inspired, you can join the Wild Rockies Field Institute for an intensive, five-week backcountry adventure in the U.S. and Canadian Rockies. This is academically rigorous field course that explores the beauty and power of the Yellowstone to Yukon region and teaches participants about the conservation opportunities and challenges for what has been called "the wild heart of North America."

The course includes three, multi-day backpacking trips, one each in the mountains of Montana, British Columbia, and Alberta, where participants will learn about and experience the natural history of the region, as well as the concepts of population and conservation biology and restoration ecology as applied to this relatively intact mountain ecosystem. During the frontcountry sections, participants will meet with community leaders, industrial interests, scientists, politicians, natural resource managers, and conservationists to better understand the complex social and ecological issues inherent in planning a future for this unique region.

Participants can earn six, 300-level semester credits (three in Forestry and three in Environmental Studies) through the University of Montana. The course runs July 10 through August 12, 2007. The early application deadline is March 20, 2007. For more details on course content and the itinerary, http://www.wrfi.net/courses/Y2Y.html

4. Wondering how to elicit better pubic participation in your forestry review processes?

You may wish to refer to the following article in FORREX’s LINKS publication:http://www.forrex.org/publications/link/link.asp This article is a review of a new publication by Thomas Beckley, John Par­kins, and Stephen Sheppard, titled “A Review of Public Participation in Sustainable Forest Management: A Reference Guide” . It synthesizes some of the most relevant literature and research on public participa­tion, and applies it in a Canadian context.

1. CMI membership renewals are due April 1

Memberships are due April 1! Please send me your membership renewal cheque for whichever category you are in:

Regular: $25.00 plus GST = $26.75
Student: $15.00 plus GST = $15.90
Corporate: $100 plus GST = $106.00

I would be happy to send you an invoice to initiate the cheque if you need one. If you are part of a corporate membership, note that I will "automatically" send an invoice to your financial people.

Which brings me to a point - there are several CMI members that belong as individuals, who work for the same company. I figure there's a good chance that your office will buy a corporate membership so that all you and all your co-workers will receive membership benefits. For $100 this is a good deal. A corporate membership is for one office or branch of your operation, e.g. Golder maintains three memberships, for the each of the Castlegar, Calgary, and Edmonton offices. The Ministry of Forests maintains two memberships, one for the Research Branch people and one for the Integrated Resources section.

New this year - when you renew, send me your company or student web site information and I will post it on our web site at: http://www.cmiae.org/supporters.htm#Web_Sites_of_CMI_Members 

2. CMI News

By the end of this week you will have received information on all of these upcoming CMI events. Details are on our web site.

Ordinary and Logistic Regression course – April 10-12 in Revelstoke. Seats still available.

CMI Annual Researchers Meeting and AGM May 5-6 in Radium. Speaker list is on the web site. It’s time for you to register! Pay at the meeting if you like but please register ahead of time.

R Software – both May courses are full

Call for Papers – Ecological Restoration in Southeastern BC: Grasslands to Mountaintops, October in Cranbrook. Call closes June 1.

Call for Papers – Managing for Impacts of Linear Corridors and Infrastructure – November in Revelstoke. Call closes June1.

I am working with Carl Schwarz from SFU to put on a fall 2007 course on the program MARK. I’m quite sure it will happen but Carl can’t commit until he has his teaching schedule for the fall semester. Details will be sent to you as they develop.

Change in CMI Directors
We welcome Dr. Michael Miller of Revelstoke as our newest CMI Director. Mike is a plant ecologist, and his recent work includes: authoring the COSEWIC Status Report for Long-stalk Water-starwort (Callitriche longipedunculata); authoring the “National Recovery Strategy for Spalding’s campion (Silene spaldingii); being special advisor to Southern Maidenhead Fern Recovery Team regarding rare plant conservation at Fairmont Hotsprings; authoring the COSEWIC Status Report for Okanagan Stickseed (Hackelia ciliata); an Invasive Hawkweed survey and assessment, Mount Revelstoke and Glacier National Parks; and consulting for the pipeline environmental impact assessment, in Jasper National Park and Mt. Robson Provincial Park. Mike’s a busy guy, that’s just the list for 2006 and 2007!

Karen Bray is stepping down from her long term position as CMI Director. Karen has been an active member of the Board of Directors since the very early days of CMI, and served as President from 2002-2004. She helped with several workshops including the Roads and Rails series of workshops, organized the Annual Researchers Meeting in 2002, and regularly gave presentations at our events. She cheerfully supported CMI with advice on administrative and directorial matters such as reviewing contracts and budgets, and setting goals for CMI. Plus, through her employment, Karen has brought us perspectives from BC Hydro and the Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program. We are grateful for the many years that Karen has shared her expertise with us. Thank you so much!

Thank you to the CMI members who offered to post our information on the RPBio network in BC; I now have a small but keen list of people. I am still looking for a couple more Alberta people. Word of mouth (word of email?) among the networks of our members continues to be the very best route for promoting our activities.

3. CMI Bear Conference Summary now on our web site

The Conference Summary from our October event “Bear Conservation in a Fast-Changing North America” is available on our web site at: http://www.cmiae.org/pdf/Bear2006conf-summary.pdf This is a 71 page, 790 kb PDF document.

4. Report your Bald Eagle nest sightings

Marlene Machmer, working on a project with the Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program, needs your help in conducting eagle nest surveys. The 2002-2006 results of a Great Blue Heron Breeding Inventory and Stewardship Project in the Columbia Basin confirm a 25% decline in the number of heron breeding sites and a substantial increase in the rate of breeding nest failures. In 2006, 43% of all active visible nests failed to produce young. Of more concern is that 62% of all active visible nests in the East Kootenay failed last year. Most of these nest failures occurred during the early nestling and late incubation phase. Failure rates are high and appear to be related to a combination of human factors (e.g., road-building, forest harvesting and wetland drainage associated with various forms of development) and/or harassment and predation by bald eagles. In an effort to better understand the relationship between heron nest failure rates and bald eagle population size and distribution in the Basin, the FWCP is conducting eagle nest surveys in 2007. Sightings will be added to a database and followed up to confirm and map precise nest locations and determine eagle productivity.

Residents are asked to telephone Marlene at (250) 354-0150 or email (mmachmer@netidea.com) to report their eagle nest sightings. They can also be submitted on-line at www.fwcp.ca until June 30, 2007.

5. Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Program Funding Program
Proposal deadline April 10, 2007

The objective of this Call for Proposals is to fund and promote research that contributes to understanding and enhancing adaptation and adaptive capacity in support of climate change decision-making and policy development in Canada. Projects must be complete by March 31 2008 and can build on existing projects. Details are at: http://adaptation.nrcan.gc.ca/prop_e.php#scope

1. CMI News

Flash – We just had a cancellation for the second “R” Software course, which runs in Nelson on May 15-16. Cost is $450 + GST. If you want to be on the course, registration is at http://www.cmiae.org/conferences.htm#Introduction_to_Using_“R”_Software . It’s first-come-first-served for the last remaining spot.

Where to stay for the CMI Annual Researchers’ Meeting - (and have you registered yet??)

A block of ten rooms has been set aside at the Prestige Inn in Radium for the nights of May 4 and May 5. The Prestige Inn is just a couple of blocks from the Seniors' Hall. When you book your room, you need to identify yourself as attending the "Columbia Mountains Institute Annual Meeting" in order to get the special rate of $99.00 plus taxes. Phone toll-free at: 1-877-737-8443

We have also reserved some campsites at Canyon RV Campground http://www.canyonrv.com  or 250-347-9564. Weather permitting we will have a campfire gathering on Saturday evening, at this campsite. Please tell the campground staff that you are part of the "Columbia Mountains Institute" group.

The Agenda for the Researchers’ Meeting is now posted at: http://www.cmiae.org/conferences.htm#CMI_Annual_Researchers_Meeting_and_AGM
We have a really interesting line-up of presenters this year. Lots is happening in our region!

Call for Papers - The call for papers is open until June 1 for both of our fall events: “Ecosystem Restoration on Southeastern BC: Grasslands to Mountaintops” and “Managing Environmental Impacts of Linear Corridors and Infrastructure”.

MARK course -  Dr. Carl Schwarz from Simon Fraser University has agreed to teach us his three day course on MARK sometime next fall (did you know he helped write the program?). I will have more details when he finds out his teaching schedule for the fall semester, and we still have to finalize the course outline. Thanks to all of you who responded to my query about whether such a course would be useful – clearly it’s a good idea! As a CMI member (membership renewals are due now) you will be notified with details as they develop.

Membership renewal reminder – If you haven’t renewed yet, just send a cheque for$26.50 or $15.90 if you are a student (those prices include GST). No need to send the membership form unless your contact information has changed. If you send your web site I will add it to the list of members’ sites at http://www.cmiae.org/supporters.htm#Members_Sites .

2. 1% for the Planet

If you are part of a non-profit society that works in the realm of the environment, you may wish to learn about “1% for the Planet” at http://www.onepercentfortheplanet.org . Companies around the globe register with this group and agree to give 1% of their profits to environmental causes. There is a list of these groups on their web site. Your group needs to be "certified" by the people at 1% for the Planet, then you apply directly to the companies and they know you are a legitimate society.  Mountain Equipment Coop, for example, just joined as a donator of funds.

3. Creston needs you for the Scientists in the Schools Program

The Scientists and Innovators in the Schools Program of Science World is seeking mentors for an April 26 event in Creston at the high school. In this morning event, you talk with small groups of students about your job and how you got to where you are today. If you can help, please contact Jennifer Scott, Program Coordinator, Community Outreach, Science World, 1.800.363.1611 jscott@scienceworld.ca .

4. New lichen species in the Incomappleux valley near Revelstoke

Working closely with international experts, Toby Spribille, currently based in Germany, and Trevor Goward and Curtis Bjork, both from British Columbia, have been intensively studying inland rainforests from the U.S. border to near Prince George, BC. One of these studies focused on the Incomappleux Valley, an area near Revelstoke that once harboured a large ancient forest. Here, Spribille found nearly 300 lichen species, including most of the species new to science. Together, the researchers are currently looking at over 40 candidate new species, pending further studies. Read more about this at: http://www.savespiritbear.org/project/inland/images/ITRpage.html .

5. Second report from the International Panel on Climate Change released April 6

On April 6, Working Group II of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a summary of its report titled “Climate Change 2007: Climate Change Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability” (http://www.ipcc.ch/SPM6avr07.pdf).  This summary represents the second of three major reports summarizing the latest views on climate change science that are being released by the IPCC in 2007. Key findings from the Working Group II report include the following:

• Since 1970, it is likely (>66% chance) that human-caused warming has had a discernible influence on many physical and biological systems.

• The resilience of many ecosystems is likely to be exceeded this century by an unprecedented combination of climate change, associated disturbances (e.g., flooding, drought, wildfire, insects, ocean acidification), and other global change drivers (e.g., land use change, pollution, over-exploitation of resources).

• Approximately 20-30% of plant and animal species assessed so far are likely to be at increased risk of extinction if increases in global average temperature exceed 1.5-2.5 degrees C.

• Costs and benefits of climate change for industry, settlement, and society will vary widely by location and scale. In the aggregate, however, net effects will tend to be more negative the larger the change in climate.

The summary of work from Working Group III, “Mitigation of Climate Change”, will be released May 4, 2007.

Hope to see you at the Annual Researchers' meeting in Radium on the weekend of May 5-6. Please tell your colleagues about the great line-up of speakers we have... you don't have to be a CMI member to attend and you can attend for just half a day if you want.

1. CMI News

The call for papers for both of our fall conferences, "Managing Impacts of Linnear Corridors and Infrastructure" and "Ecological Restoration: Grasslands to Mountaintops"  closes on June 1. Details are on our web site.

Our Annual Researchers’ Meeting and AGM in Radium were attended by about 35 people. Many thanks to CMI Directors Mike Miller and Brendan Wilson who, at the last minute, shared the duties of Masters of Ceremonies. Doug Adama was ill - we hope you are better now! Thanks also to the Nature Conservancy of Canada, who sponsored the coffee breaks for the meeting. The Annual Report is posted on our web site, as are the abstracts for the presentations at the meeting. I hope to have the abstracts assembled into a downloadable “Summary” before the end of June. (The internet version of the Annual Report does not include the financial statement. I will email it to members upon request).

The “Introduction to R Software” course ran twice this month in Nelson. Dr. Joe Thorley will be offering it again in Nelson on September 25 & 26th. If you want to attend, note that this course has room for only 8 people and it will fill well ahead of time. I will have the online registration available by the end of the week.

Are you interested in a SELES course? SELES (Spatially Explicit Landscape Event Simulator) is a general development framework for building and running spatio-temporal models for projecting landscape processes over time. It has been used extensively in BC for a diversity of applications ranging from assessing Mountain Caribou and Spotted Owl population responses to forest management, to predicting extent and rates of mountain pine beetle infestation in the province. SELES is free software. The instructors would be Dan O'Brien of Cortex Consulting and one other person. With a class size of 14, the three day course would cost around $1000 per student. The course would be in spring of 2008. At this time CMI has not made any commitment to hold the course; rather, I am trying to get a feel of whether there are enough people interested in this specialized course to justify going ahead with it. If you have thoughts on this I’d like to hear them.

3. New Wildlife Society Chapter at Lethbridge College

If you attended the Annual Researchers’ Meeting you likely met Kalista Pruden, a student at Lethbridge College. Kalista is President of the new Wildlife Society chapter at the college, and she is looking for activities for the group. She asks that activities be within 3-4 hours of Lethbridge due to budget considerations. Kalista is looking for: 

• Projects to help raise funds for workshops, courses, and fun, educational field trips

• Professionals willing to come to the college to make educational presentations

• Unique field trip ideas and opportunities

• Volunteer projects that allow members to gain valuable hands-on and in-depth skills and experience in the field of biology.

4. Natural Resources Canada makes digital topo data available at no charge

Users of digital topographic data will no longer have to pay to use digital versions of government maps and data. The new no-fee access policy applies to data that is solely owned by NRCan. This policy builds on an earlier initiative (http://www.geobase.ca/), which in 2003 provided free access to various co-owned federal, provincial, and territorial topographic data. As well as waiving access fees, NRCan is lifting all cost and licence restrictions on the redistribution of the data. This will help ensure that accurate and consistent information is available for users. The data collections will be made available through the GeoGratis Web portal (http://www.geogratis.gc.ca). Users will need to have a geographic information system or image analysis system and the graphics applications of editing software to view the data. This includes scanned, geo-referenced topo maps as well as the raw digital data.

5. Courses and Conferences

The Canadian Columbia River Forum
Wednesday May 30, 2007 from 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
Canadian Museum of Rail Travel, in Cranbrook

This free public workshop is designed to provide information and stimulate discussion. It will continue the development of a collaborative, strategic relationship among Canadian organizations and Basin residents to understand Columbia River issues. Workshop topics include:

• How the Columbia River system is managed. An overview of the Columbia River Treaty and other major management agreements.

• Major emerging water management issues in the Canadian Columbia River System.

• Major water management issues in the US portion of the Columbia River System and how these issues may affect Canadians.

• Climate Change in the Columbia Basin – The impact of climate change on the water resources of the Columbia Basin. How Climate Change might impact the management of water between Canada and the US in the future.

On the Beach - A Skinny Dip into Sustainable Lake and Watershed Development
BC Lake Stewardship Society
June 22 - 24, 2007
Wasa BC

The question to be asked is since we can’t stop waterfront development, how can we shape it? If you are experiencing this phenomenon at your lake or watershed, then you need to attend the BCLSS conference at Wasa Lake. The theme of this year’s conference is “On the Beach – A Skinny Dip into Sustainable Lake and Watershed Development”. This is an opportunity to gather information, ask questions, and open communications regarding this issue. Details are at: http://www.bclss.org/conferences.html

BC Wildlife Federation’s Wetlands Institute
June 24 30, 2007
Canal Flats, BC

The Wetlands Institute is an intensive seven-day course offered annually since 1998. Participants learn about the importance and diversity of wetlands, practice current field techniques to inventory wetlands, vegetation mapping, water quality, soils, birds, amphibians, and fish, prepare education/Interpretation plans, discuss ways to raise public awareness, and ways to influence conservation policies. When the Institute is completed participants have the knowledge and skills they need to successfully implement wetland projects in their own communities. Fees: $750/participant (7-day course, meals, accommodation included). Limited number of participants, already 70% full. Details are at: http://www.bcwf.bc.ca/programs/wetlands/institutes/

3rd Annual Weed Tour
Central Kootenay Invasive Plant Committee
Tuesday, June 26, 2007, 10am-3:30pm
Creston

Once again the CKIPC is offering a Weed Tour. This fun day trip explores and area of our region with a number of resource people on invasive plants and their management. This year the tour will be held in Creston and will feature a number of high priority invasive plants including leafy spurge, blueweed, teasel, and more. It’s an excellent opportunity to learn to identify these invaders, and to meet other people interested in invasive plants.

The CKIPC is also hosting other events this summer, such as: Biocontrol Workshops (Yahk, Fruitvale, Kaslo – dates TBA): These workshops are designed for landowners who are interested in learning more about biocontrol and receiving insects for their property. Email to invasiveplants@uniserve.com for details or to be put on their list serv for the informative newsletter and other announcements.

1. CMI News

Preparations are underway for our fall events. Information for everything except the Mark course is on our web site at www.cmiae.org/conferences.htm

Introduction to R Software Course
September 25-26, Nelson
This is a repeat of our two fully subscribed spring courses.

Soil Bioengineering Course
October 10-11, 2007, Cranbrook
This two day course will focus on soil bioengineering techniques and options involved in restoration and reclamation of damaged ecosystems using a combination of structural materials, vegetative cuttings and other specialized techniques. Soil bioengineering is an applied science that uses live plant materials to perform an engineering function such as slope stabilization, soil erosion control, or seepage control. One day in the classroom and one day in the field. ($50 discount if you also attend the Ecological Restoration conference, Oct 11-13)

Ecological Restoration in Southeastern BC: Grasslands to Mountaintops
October 11-13, 2007, Cranbrook
Includes keynote speaker Oct 11, presentations and banquet Oct 12, presentations and field trips Oct 13. Speaker list is on our web site. Registrations will open as soon as we have ironed out a few details related to field trips.

Managing Environmental Impacts of Linear Corridors and Infrastructure
November 7-8, 2007, Revelstoke
A list of speakers is posted and registrations are open.

**NEW** Course on the program MARK
November 20-22, 2007, Revelstoke
Carl Schwarz from SFU will teach this three day course for us. We have the date but are still working on the course outline. I’ll send out details when these are available.

CMI has received generous financial and in-kind support from our partners and supporters for the two fall conferences. These agencies are listed on our web site.

2. Value of Ecosystem Services

At the CMI Annual Researchers Meeting, members expressed interest in an event about the value of ecosystem services. More and more information is coming available on this topic but we are not sure if it’s time for CMI to host an event… are there practical tools available, is the topic too esoteric at present, etc. But meanwhile I can offer a short list of resources recommended by various CMI members:

Counting Canada's Natural Capital: Assessing the Real Value of Canada's Boreal Ecosystems, by Mark Anielski, and Sara Wilson, Pembina Institute, publication #204
This study, prepared for the Canadian Boreal Initiative, examines the ecosystem goods and services provided by Canada's boreal region, including water storage and purification, climate regulation, and carbon storage. Download the 78 page PDF document at http://www.pembina.org:80/pub/204

National Symposium on Ecological Goods and Services in Agriculture
A national symposium contributing to policy development for Ecological Goods and Services was held in Winnipeg in February 2006. This site has links to presentations from the conference and links to more resources: http://www.agr.gc.ca/pol/egs-bse/index_e.php.

3. Creston Valley Osprey Cam
http://www.crestonwildlife.ca/
http://www.fwcp.ca/

Nice interview on CBC radio this morning, Marc-Andre! Marc-Andre told us about the web cam on an eagle nest at the Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area. The chicks have hatched! This project is co-sponsored by the Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program. The web cam and video clips from earlier in the season are accessible from either agency's web site.

4. How is MOFR adapting to climate change?
http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/mof/Climate_Change/

Here you will find links for forest managers who want to know more about climate change. Includes the link to the document referred to by Kathy Hopkins at the CMI Annual Researchers' Meeting in Radium, "Adapting to Climate Change".  Another link on this page caught my eye - "BC’s Changing Landscape: An Insect’s View on Forest Succession and Management" which is a 63 page PDF document with the appearance of a PowerPoint presentation.

 5.  Bird ranges move northward

Here’s an interesting article gleaned from the BC Climate Exchange listserv . If you want to join the list, go to: http://vancouvercommunity.net/lists/subrequest/climate-exchange .

Adding to the evidence of climate change impacts on natural ecosystems; A new study in North America found bird specifies have moved significantly northward over the past few decades.

Changes in the breeding distribution of North American bird species were examined using a large data set covering over 50 species in central and eastern United States. The authors found that species have moved northward by an average 2.35 km/year over the 26 year study and that there was not a corresponding southward shift. This led authors to conclude that warming temperatures, and not other factors such as land-use change, were the cause of the northward movement. Furthermore, the results of this study are consistent with results of a similar large study done recently in Great Britain. The authors conclude that when considered together, results from these two independent, multi-species studies, on two continents, support the contention that the northward expansion in breeding range is due to climate warming.

(Reference: Hitch, A.T., P.L. Leberg. 2007. Breeding distributions of North American bird species moving north as a result of climate change. Conservation Biology 21(2): 534-539.)

1. CMI News

The meeting summary for the Annual Researchers’ Meeting held early May in Radium is available as a PDF download from our web site: see www.cmiae.org/conferences-past.htm and follow the link to the write-up for that event.

We have five events this fall; details are on our web site for each event.

Introduction to using R software in Nelson next week still has two spots.

Soil Bio-engineering in Cranbrook in October is full. I have asked Dave Polster to run the course again in Revelstoke, in the spring.

Ecological Restoration in Southeastern British Columbia: Grasslands to Mountaintops in Cranbrook in October, has over 130 people attending so far. We are hosting this event in partnership with the BC Chapter of the Society for Ecological Restoration.

Managing Environmental Impacts of Linear Corridors and Infrastructure in Revelstoke in November, has over 80 people attending so far.

Design and analysis of mark-recapture studies course – this course filled within 36 hours of when it was announced! I have asked Dr. Schwarz to teach it again in the spring but dates will depend on his teaching schedule for the spring semester at SFU.

2. Training in the Invasive Alien Plant Program
November 2007
www.kootenayweeds.com

The Central Kootenay Invasive Plant Committee is hosting a course about a database application that includes a mapping component (to see invasive plants and management activities in BC), and a database (to query invasive plants, management activities, and monitoring success) for the province. The data management system was developed, tested, and implemented by the Ministry of Forests and Range. The intent is for the IAPP Application to be used by all stakeholders, agencies, and organizations involved with invasive plant management in BC. It is being promoted by most invasive plant committees as a “one-stop shop” for all invasive plant information in the province which helps facilitate planning, sharing information, and coordinating activities. There are three modules for the course, from which you can pick and choose according to your needs.

3. Call for Papers

Parks for Tomorrow 2008 conference
May 8-13, 2008
Calgary AB

The Departments for Geography, History, and the Faculty of Environmental Design at the University of Calgary are inviting paper proposals for "Canadian Parks for Tomorrow 2008". Submissions are strongly encouraged from interdisciplinary backgrounds that address conservation and management issues from different angles, including -but not limited to- geography, environmental sciences, political science, biology, sociology, history, economics, and law.

Details are at: http://www.parks4tomorrow.ucalgary.ca

Welcome to Martin Carver as a new CMI Director!

Late last spring Martin Carver expressed his willingness to become a Director of the Columbia Mountains Institute, and at the September Board meeting, he was appointed as our twelfth Director. Martin’s background as a water hydrologist and policy analyst will be a welcome addition to the expertise already on the Board. Although Martin currently lives in Victoria, he will be returning to Nelson in the near future.

Details for these events are, or will be, at www.cmiae.org :

• We have capped registrations at 180 people for the ecological restoration conference and as of today we have fewer than 10 spots left.

• We still have lots of room at the Linear Corridors conference, in Revelstoke November 7-8 2007.

• We will be repeating the “Design and analysis of mark-recapture studies” course in the spring. I will set the date with Dr. Schwarz, our instructor, as soon as he gets his teaching schedule for the spring semester (Carl is a professor at SFU).

• We will be repeating David Polster’s Soil Bioengineering course at the end of April 2008, in Revelstoke.

2. Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area seeks Chief Executive Officer

The CEO leads a team of skilled staff responsible for the operation of the 7,000 ha Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area (CVWMA) established by the Creston Valley Wildlife Act, including securing a sustainable future for the CVWMA. The CEO is responsible for financial and personnel management and administration; and works closely with staff to carry out the CVWMA core (habitat & wildlife management and public outreach) and support (business and fund development) business functions. This full-time position reports to the CVWMA Authority.

For details visit: http://www.crestonwildlife.ca/

3. Do you know of any non-proprietary flora and fauna checklists?

Here at the CMI office I am regularly asked if we have any checklists available (we don’t). Perhaps making these available would be a service to regional ecologists. If you know of a checklist that I could post on our web site, or a checklist that we could link to, please let me know.

4. “Nature” has new web site on climate change

http://www.nature.com/climate/index.html

An online resource from Nature Publishing Group, Nature Reports: Climate Change covers the news behind the science and the science behind the news of global climate change, arguably the most far-reaching challenge of this century. The site is dedicated to authoritative in-depth reporting on climate change and its wider implications for policy, society and the economy. The website complements Nature's existing coverage of climate change, both in print and online. (And did you know that Nature offers podcasts?)

5. MOFR Library Update

Earlier this year the Rocky Mountain Forest District updated their “East Kootenay Vegetation Library”. Check it out at: http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/drm/vegetation-library/index.htm

6. Conferences

Columbia Basin Trust's 2007 Symposium: Change and Sustainability in the Columbia Basin
October 19-21, 2007
Castlegar BC

Change and Sustainability in the Columbia Basin draws attention to the issues affecting Basin communities and possible responses to those issues. Our climate, our labour market, and our population are just a few areas that have recently seen significant changes. Our collective responses to these changes will affect our lives, and future generations of Basin residents. The Symposium will provide relevant and meaningful information on these changes to local governments, community organizations, and Basin residents with opportunities for discussion.

Details are at: http://www.cbt.org/Files/SymposiumRegistrationPackageFinal.pdf

Understanding and Managing Amenity-led Migration in Mountain Regions
Banff Centre
May 15-19, 2008

Mountain areas worldwide are accustomed to welcoming visitors who come to enjoy the lifestyle amenities that such places have to offer. They enjoy the mountains’ natural beauty, recreational opportunities, unique cultures, and return to their homes enriched by their mountain experiences. But what happens when visitors and others, some attracted primarily by new economic activity, come to stay?  This conference is designed to explore the current state of knowledge about amenity migration, to gather existing and proposed ideas for planning and management, and to draft guidelines that will help mountain communities to manage the changes that come with amenity-led migration. Researchers, land managers, community administrators, and political representatives will discover common ground for developing positive solutions.

Details at: http://www.banffcentre.ca/mountainculture/mtnconferences/am/

Visions of the Inland Wet Temperate Rainforest of BC: Conservation, Management, and Community
University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, BC
May 21–23, 2008

The University of Northern British Columbia in partnership with FORREX Forest Research Extension Partnership invite you to attend a conference which will highlight the results of the latest research with the aim of improving sustainable management of this ecologically important ecosystem. The conference will also examine the social and community values associated with these ecosystems and discuss the various perspectives and visions for the future of B.C.'s inland temperate rainforest.

For details: http://wetbelt.unbc.ca/docs/ICH-Conference-brochure.pdf

1. CMI News

It’s been a busy fall for the CMI. We’ve hosted four events and we have yet another course to happen next week. By the end of November, 375 people will have participated in CMI-facilitated information exchange.

The “Ecological Restoration in Southeastern BC: Grasslands to Mountaintops” conference in Cranbrook was full at 180 people (and we had to turn people away). We co-hosted that event with the BC Chapter of the Society for Ecological Restoration.  The “Managing Environmental Impacts of Linear Corridors and Infrastructure” conference in Revelstoke attracted 135 people. This was the sixth in our series of conferences addressing impacts of roads and railways, and broadening the scope to include other types of linear corridors brought in new faces and new approaches to managing these environmental impacts.

I hope to have the conference summaries available for both conferences early in the new year.

We are working on details for the spring roster of events. I’ll let you know as soon as the information is available.

We are looking for suggestions for CMI’s future conferences and courses and we welcome your ideas. Our success comes from being in touch with what regional ecologists need to know. We are considering a fall 2008 event on regional invasive flora and fauna. Would this be of interest to you? What topics should be included and who can speak to the topics? We are also considering an event about the value of ecosystem services. Is this a topic that you want to know more about? Can it be combined with another closely linked theme? Send your thoughts to me at the CMI office office@cmiae.org and I will pass them to our Directors.

2. Funding through LoonWatch

LoonWatch, a program of the Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute at Wisconsin’s Northland College, is accepting grant proposals for the 2008 Sigurd T. Olson Loon Research Award. Since 1986, the award has provided funding for original research that leads to better understanding and management of loon populations. The award will be designated for research on any Gavia species that will be conducted in North America during the 2008 calendar year. The maximum grant is $2,000. The proposal deadline is December 3, 2007 and the award winner will be notified by January 31, 2008. For more information, visit the LoonWatch website, email loonwatch@northland.edu, or call 715-682-1220.

3. Rocky Mountain Trench Natural Resources Society - Employment Opportunity

Application deadline: November 30, 2007

The Rocky Mountain Trench Natural Resources Society requires a part-time coordinator to manage its activities. The Trench Society is a coalition of nine non-governmental organizations that are working to restore the dry forests and grasslands of the Rocky Mountain Trench in southeastern BC. Trench Society member organizations represent the majority of ranching, hunting and guiding, wildlife, and environmental interests in the East Kootenay. The Coordinator’s roles and responsibilities include: working with and on behalf of a volunteer Board of Directors to achieve the society’s goals; fundraising; project management; representing the society on the Rocky Mountain Trench Ecosystem Restoration Steering and Operations Committees; liaising with elected and non-elected government officials; acting as society spokesperson to the media; supervising and directing other part-time and/or contract staff; applying innovation and creativity in the pursuit of a sustainable range resource in the Rocky Mountain Trench.

4. About the Society for Ecological Restoration
http://www.ser.org/

SER does not itself engage in restoration projects; its mission is: "to promote ecological restoration as a means of sustaining the diversity of life on Earth and re-establishing an ecologically healthy relationship between nature and culture." The web site of the Society for Ecological Restoration offers many resources for this rapidly growing discipline. Here is an example of what is on the site:

Principles and Guidelines for Ecological Restoration in Canada’s Protected Natural Areas http://www.globalrestorationnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/parks-canada-guidelines.pdf

Principles and Guidelines for Ecological Restoration in Canada’s Protected Natural Areas (2007), by Parks Canada Agency, is a draft document that sets out national principles for restoration that are ecologically effective, methodologically and economically efficient, and socio-culturally engaging. The principles are complemented by practical guidelines for a range of interventions as well as by a planning and implementation framework that serves as the basis for making consistent, credible, and informed decisions regarding ecological restoration in protected natural areas.

5. Warming in western Canada

A recent study confirms that Canada is definitely getting warmer, especially in the western and southern regions in winter and spring. The strongest warming is observed in the western boreal forest region, in winter. Significant warming trends are accompanied by a significant increase in air moisture content. 

(Reference: Vincent, L.A., W.A. Van Wijngaarden and R. Hopkinson, 2007. Surface Temperature and Humidity Trends in Canada for 1953-2005. J. of Climate, vol. 20: 5100-5113.)

An Environment Canada scientist, Lucie Vincent, along with two other Canadian scientists, has looked at annual and seasonal surface air temperature, dewpoint, relative humidity and specific humidity trends over Canada for the period 1953-2005, using, for the first time, homogenized hourly values. In total, data from 75 climatological stations were used. The trends were calculated for eight different climatic regions and for the country as a whole. Also, seasonal trends in nighttime and daytime values were compared over the eight climatic regions. The results show that, overall, there has been significant warming in Canada (1.2°C over 1955-2005), with the largest warming occurring in winter (1.6°C) and spring (1.4°C). The winter warming is mainly observed in the west and across southern Canada, with many stations showing an increase of 2.5–4.0°C between 1953 and 2005. A strong warming of 4.0°C was observed in the western boreal forest region between 1955 and 2005. Over the same period, the springtime data show a lesser but significant warming of 1.5–2.5°C in some stations, with a pattern very similar to winter, In most cases, significant warming trends are accompanied by an increase in air moisture content, showing that warmer temperatures have increased the capacity of the air to hold more moisture. This is particularly evident in the west and in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence region. Finally, for the period 1955-2005, there is no strong evidence that the warming observed in Canada is more pronounced in the nighttime than in the daytime. This finding is in agreement with earlier published results on Canadian temperature trends over a similar time period.  However, the nighttime humidity has increased slightly more than the daytime humidity, particularly in spring and summer.

This summary is courtesy of a weekly science bulletin from Environment Canada. You can subscribe to it yourself at: http://www.msc.ec.gc.ca/education/scienceofclimatechange/index_e.html

6. Public invited to help test new eBird tool
www.ebird.ca

eBird Canada is now beta-testing the eBird Data Import Tool. Many eBird users have been asking how they can bulk load existing sightings that are kept on home computers in various file types. This tool helps to standardize this vast resource of untapped data, and to bring them into a data archive at eBird where they can be used by scientists. The Import Tool uses two file formats that conform well to the types of data people typically store in Excel files or other similarly structured datasets. Users of AviSys and other commercial birding software should note that the eBird team is working closely with these application developers and in the coming weeks will make a special announcement regarding the upload of these data formats.
They are looking for people outside Bird Studies Canada and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology to help them test this process. They want to get feedback from the birding public and address any issues before they make this tool widely available. If you’d like to upload your bird sighting files into eBird, please contact eBird Canada coordinator Dick Cannings at dickcannings@shaw.ca for more information.

7. Event summary available on-line

Climate Change Symposium: Exploring Regional Solutions
http://www.eco.kics.bc.ca/

In April 2007 the West Kootenay EcoSociety held a conference in Nelson to inform local government about regional implications of a changing climate. A summary of the event, including a compilation of the brainstorming sessions and presenter abstracts, is now available at their web site.

1. CMI news

After our five fall events, things have slowed down considerably around the CMI office. Whew. Now we are considering what events to offer next year. We always welcome your suggestions and check out the possibilities carefully. See below for a note about a course we aren’t going to run – but there is a new textbook which might be of interest, authored by the course instructor.

3. BC Hydro information session for environmental consultants

December 13 in Castlegar, RSVP needed

BC Hydro has begun work on various environmental projects in the Columbia region and requires consultants to provide environmental services for these projects. BC Hydro invites you to attend a public information session where projects including Environmental and Social Issues, Water Licence Requirements and the Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program will be discussed. The information session will also provide an opportunity for you to talk with BC Hydro staff about contracts, contract documents, safety plans, inspections, invoicing and regulatory approvals. Presentations begin at 1 p.m. and are expected to finish by 4 p.m. Location is: BC Hydro, 601-18th Street, Castlegar, BC.

4. Grad Student Interns and Funding

When Dr. Carl Schwarz was here a couple of weeks ago to teach his Mark/Recapture course, he told us about the ACCELERATE BC program. Carl is a statistics professor from Simon Fraser University, and he has students who would like to participate in the program.

ACCELERATE BC connects BC companies with the research expertise within the province's universities. Graduate student interns, under the supervision of a university faculty supervisor, undertake a four or eight month project which investigates a research challenge experienced by a partner company. Half of the intern's time is spent on site with the partner company, interacting with staff, collecting data and furthering their understanding of the challenge. The remainder of the intern's time is spent at their home university, developing a new tool, technique, methodology, or solution to the partner company's research challenge.

Companies benefit from accessing the vast intellectual capital within the province's universities while connecting with potential future employees. Graduate interns benefit from the opportunity to apply their research skills to real-world challenges. The internships are open to all disciplines, e.g. mathematics, biology, chemistry, physics etc. A typical internship consists of a $7,500 contribution from a firm that is matched by $7,500 from the program to provide $15,000 funding for a graduate student.

More info available at: http://www.mitacsinternships.ca/internship?lang=en&region=bc&page=overview

5. Does BC need a Chief Biologist?

Consulting forester Mike Fenger (whom many CMI members will know from his 30 year career with MOE) wrote an article asking whether BC needs a Chief Biologist. It appears in the November/December 2007 issue of the “BC Forest Professional” magazine, which is the publication of the Association of the BC Forest Professionals. Food for thought! You can read it on page 15 of this PDF: http://www.abcfp.ca/publications_forms/BCFORmagazine/pdf/BCFPRO-2007-6.pdf

6. Model Based Inference in the Life Sciences

A few months ago, Karl Larsen from Thompson Rivers University asked if CMI would consider hosting a course by David Anderson on Model Based Inference. It’s not going to work out, because to cover David’s fees and travel from Colorado, we’d have to have more than twenty people for this highly-specialized course. However, if you are interested in this topic, you might like to know that David has a new book coming out in January, 2008 which covers the same content as his course (he uses it as the course textbook). I see that the book is listed on the Chapters Indigo web site as being available soon; cost is $38.50.

Anderson, D. R. 2008. Model Based Inference in the Life Sciences: A Primer on Evidence. Springer, NY, NY. 184pp.

Anderson’s earlier book (2002) is also available through Chapters Indigo. He says it is a large book with a lot of theory, derivations, comparisons with other methods, and many fine statistical points. Cost is $93.95.

Burnham, K. P., and D. R. Anderson.  2002.  Model Selection and Multimodel Inference: A Practical Information-Theoretic Approach. 2nd Ed., Springer, NY, NY. 488pp. 

7. Horses as dispersal agents for alien plant species along recreational trails

Plant invasions are rapidly becoming a threat to wild lands. One of the ways plant aliens are dispersed is through large mammals that forage and excrete seeds in new locations. A new study has found horses to be a source of dispersal along recreational trails in Colorado. The study is published in the latest issue of Rangeland Ecology & Management. To read the full paper, go to: http://www.allenpress.com/pdf/rama-60-06-574-577.pdf

9. CBC Radio’s “Ideas” series: How to Think about Science

In recent years, historians, sociologists, philosophers and sometimes scientists themselves have begun to ask fundamental questions about how the institution of science is structured and how it knows what it knows. David Cayley talks to some of the leading lights of this new field of study in this special series for CBC Radio's Ideas. You can listen live to the remaining broadcasts, listen to the whole series on your computer, or download MP3 files via the podcast. For more information visit Ideas web site at: http://www.cbc.ca/ideas/features/science/index.html

10. Workshops and conferences

Second Conference Notice and Call for Abstracts:

BC’s Inland Rainforest – Conservation and Community
University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, BC
May 21–23, 2008

Since the last Inland rainforest conference at UNBC in fall 2000, ongoing research has yielded many new insights into the ecology, conservation biology, and management needs of BC’s inland rainforest and the perception of these values in local, national, and international communities. The University of Northern British Columbia in partnership with FORREX Forest Research Extension Partnership invite you to attend a conference which will highlight the results of the latest research with the aim of improving sustainable management of this ecologically important ecosystem. The conference will also examine the social and community values associated with these ecosystems and discuss the various perspectives and visions for the future of B.C.’s inland temperate rainforest. This conference includes a cultural component.

Details are at: http://wetbelt.unbc.ca/2008-conference.html

Call for Papers:

20th Annual North American Wolf Conference
April 8-10, 2008
Pray, Montana

Papers are now being accepted for the 2008 North American Wolf Conference April 8-10th, 2008 with a field trip on Friday, April 11th, to Yellowstone National Park. The conference is hosted by Defenders of Wildlife. The conference serves as a bridge bringing together leading wolf biologists, conservationists, livestock owners, depredation specialists, educators and state, tribal and federal wolf managers to share information ranging from ecological and genetic research, nonlethal techniques to reduce livestock conflicts, to economic and environmental effects of wolf restoration.

3. Conferences

Preventing the Invasion
Invasive Plant Council of BC’s 4th Annual Public Forum & AGM
Richmond BC
January 22-23, 2008

The Invasive Plant Council of BC is holding their 4th Annual Public Forum and AGM, at the Delta Vancouver Airport Hotel in Richmond, BC. This two-day forum explores approaches and practical solutions to reduce the introduction and establishment of invasive plants in BC. Details are at: http://www.invasiveplantcouncilbc.ca

Call for Papers:

Canadian Society of Soil Science - 2008 Annual Meeting
UNBC, Prince George
July 6 - 10, 2008
Details are at: http://resweb.res.unbc.ca/csss2008/index.htm

Call for Papers:

Lake Management in a Changing Environment
International Symposium for the North American Lake Management Society
Lake Louise, AB
November 11-14, 2008

This conference will address management of lakes when faced with unprecedented developmental pressures, climate change and water scarcity. Abstracts due by June 1, 2008.