BCLSS Loonie News - February 2021

  *reposted with permission*

BCLSS Loonie News February 2021

Online Forum: Boating on BC Lakes - Is it time for something different? Join the BCLSS, Lake Windermere Ambassadors (LWA), and Living Lakes Canada (LLC) as we host an online forum on Wednesday, April 28, 2021. Time TBA. We will be examining the environmental impacts of boating, discussing regulatory issues, and identifying potential solutions. Speakers include: Heather Larratt of Larratt Aquatic Consulting Ltd. Darryl Arsenault of Arsenault Environmental Consulting Ltd. Alan Drinkwater of the Decibel Coalition Shannon McGinty of Lake Windermere Ambassadors Kat Hartwig of Living Lakes Canada And more..... Further information will be sent out soon. Please email the BCLSS office if you would like to be notified when the agenda is finalized and registration is available. Outstanding Volunteer Awards 2020 The BC Lake Stewardship Society is pleased to announce the recipients of the Outstanding Volunteer Awards for 2020. This award recognizes individuals and groups for their outstanding volunteer efforts that demonstrate our society's fundamental values - preservation, protection, and restoration of lakes throughout British Columbia.  Doug Broadfoot of the Heffley Lake Community Association is recognized for his contribution to stewardship through lake monitoring, establishing a Clean Drain Dry program, and ongoing collection of ice and bird data. Merle and Phyllis Hiltz, previously of Big Bar Lake, are recognized for their contribution to lake stewardship through 17 years of lake monitoring and data collection. The BCLSS truly values the commitment of volunteers and look forward to continuing to work together on a shared vision of clean, healthy lakes throughout the province. Announcements and Reminders   Ice On/Off Data Ice events - the freeze and thaw dates of waterbodies - are easily recorded changes that, with the help of volunteer observers, can help us monitor the effects of climate change on our lakes. The BCLSS submits ice on and ice off data to IceWatch, part of the NatureWatch suite of national volunteer monitoring programs designed to help identify ecological changes that may be affecting our environment. Please submit the ice on and ice off dates of your lake to the BCLSS. A data form can be found here. LaBounty Best Paper Award Nominated Papers Available Through Open Access From the North American Lake Management Society (NALMS). The papers nominated for the Jim LaBounty Best Paper Award in 2020 will be available through open access through the end of March. Normally papers published in the last 3 years are only available by subscription, but as a tribute to the quality of research and importance to the lake management community, these papers are being made freely available for a limited time. The collection can be found here. Women and Water Lecture Series Hosted by the Global Institute for Water Security, Global Water Futures - Young Professionals and Global Water Futures. Lectures occur monthly until April. The schedule can be found here.  BC Water Funders Collaborative The BC Water Funders Collaborative is a group of funding organizations working together to facilitate the strategic use of collective resources to advance freshwater protection in BC. For more information and a reference guide to water funders, please check out their website. Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation PCAF Grants The Public Conservation Assistance Fund provides small grants to organizations and individuals who need financial help to implement a conservation project. Approximately $150,000 is provided each year to help implement on-the-ground conservation work, with a particular focus on hands-on, community-based, and public awareness initiatives. Grants will be due in Spring 2021 - now is a good time to start thinking about projects. More information can be found on the HCTF website. The BCLSS is available to help our members with applying for grants of all types. Please contact the office for assistance. Learn About BC's Freshwater Fish - Fish Identification Guide Great for educators, naturalists, and anglers. The Guide to Freshwater Fishes of British Columbia (Taylor and Tan) is a richly illustrated, waterproof, tearproof, foldable guide to 90 species of fish found in lakes and streams of BC. It includes notes on distribution, biology, and conservation. More information can be found here. Also available as an app: Fish Sorter. All proceeds go to support the Beaty Biodiversity Museum.   News and Information Webinar Recording - Car Tires & Salmon Health: Exploring New Research Researchers say widespread lake drainage on tundra another sign of climate change Invasive freshwater clam discover in Shuswap Lake prompts meeting

Not a member of the BCLSS yet? Please consider joining our network of lake stewards! For more information on the benefits of membership, please visit our website. Thank you to LUSH for funding the BC Lake Stewardship Engagement Initiative.  The BCLSS gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the Government of British Columbia through the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy and the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

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