1. Workshops present agroforestry and bioenergy as diversification options
Resources North Association has been awarded funding through Western Economic Diversification Canada to deliver a series of workshops on biomass energy and agroforestry as economic diversification options for communities affected by the mountain pine beetle epidemic. Both workshops will be co-hosted by FORREX, and the Bioenergy workshops will also be co-hosted by the University of Northern British Columbia.
Agroforestry workshops will be held during the first week of December! Agroforestry integrates growing trees and crops or livestock in interacting combinations and contributes to the diversification and sustainability of production. Agroforestry opportunities are diverse, including crops such as Christmas trees, florals and landscaping plants, berries, fruit trees, vegetables or grains, and herbs or medicinal plants, etc. Agroforestry workshops will be delivered in Prince George, Vanderhoof/Ft. St. James, and Burns Lake from December 1-4, 2009. Please view the Announcement for details. For registration information please visit www.resourcesnorth.org, under the Events tab.
Bioenergy is being aggressively promoted as a clean and renewable energy source. Biomass conversion technology is becoming viable for many communities that would also benefit from more accessible and cost-effective energy alternatives to fossil fuels. For many of these communities, woody biomass is readily accessible as a result of the mountain pine beetle infestation. There is an overwhelming emergence of new technologies, new funding initiatives and new case studies to be considered by these communities before embarking on establishing biomass energy systems. This series of bioenergy workshops will also be delivered in Prince George, Vanderhoof/Ft. St. James, and Burns Lake in February, 2010.
2. Release of the 2008-09 Annual Report
RNA is pleased to present our 2008-2009 Annual Report (download report, 2.5 MB). We are proud of the accomplishments made during this eventful second year of the Forest Communities Program. During the year, RNA supported the continued work of the Northern Climate Change Network, the caribou research projects, the juvenile white sturgeon release event, and the completion of the Northern Forestry Recruiting Network. We initiated two new projects assessing the current state of knowledge on local issues related to integrated resource management and cumulative impacts management. Significant time was invested into marketing and promoting the association through participation in various trade shows and networking events. RNA also continued as an active member of both the International and Canadian Model Forest Networks, and provided input into meetings and strategic initiatives. Our extensive program work in Russia on institutional capacity-building for sustainable regional economic development in Khaboarovsk Krai drew to its conclusion in June 2008. The accomplishments of RNA would not have been possible without the significant contributions of our partners, Board of Directors, members, staff and contractors. The many participants in the RNA program can take pride in the progress that has been made in affecting positive change towards developing collaborative approaches to community growth and prosperity.
3. Small stream riparian zone management (by John Rex)
Small streams with a bank-full width less than 2 m are the predominant stream type encountered within a watershed. The cumulative length of small stream channels can be as high as 60-80% of total channel length within a watershed. Accordingly, riparian management practices around these small stream channels will influence overall watershed health and function. Current forest management in BC relies upon professional opinion for the riparian management of S4 streams (fish-bearing channels with a bank-full width less than 1.5 m) because there are no legislated riparian reserves for S4 streams under the Forest Practices and Planning Regulation (FPPR s. 47(4)). Professional opinion must inform riparian management practices for S4 streams to ensure they meet the biodiversity, fish habitat, riparian, and water objectives set by government under the Forest and Range Practices Act.
The recent completion of several small stream riparian management studies by the Ministry of Forests and Range in the Northern Interior Region may aid forest and resource management professionals by providing local research findings. These studies were implemented to assess the effectiveness of small stream riparian management practices and they have identified that there is significant ecological value to increasing retention within the 10 m zone closest to the stream. More information about these projects and findings can be found in the September/October 2009 edition of the BC Forest Professional Magazine as well as at the project websites and within the Ministry of Forests & Range Extension Notes identified below:
- Prince George Small Streams Project: http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hre/ffip/PGSSP.htm
- Bowron River Riparian Evaluation Project: http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hre/ffip/Bowron.htm and
http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/pubs/Docs/En/En86.htm
- Vanderhoof Riparian Project: http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/pubs/Docs/En/En90.htm
4. Save Our Sturgeon Festival 2009 – another success! (by Carla Wainwright)
On October 7th, 2009, the Nechako White Sturgeon Recovery Initiative (NWSRI) celebrated its fourth annual Save our Sturgeon Festival at Riverside Park in Vanderhoof. This program was created in order to teach schoolchildren about white sturgeon conservation with the hopes that they will grow up to be our future white sturgeon ambassadors. In previous years, kids each released a 4 month-old juvenile white sturgeon into the Nechako River as part of the NWSRI’s continuing effort to help restore endangered white sturgeon stocks. Unfortunately, due to funding constraints in 2009, there were no juvenile sturgeons for kids to release into the Nechako River this year. However, we were still able to put together an engaging and fun-filled day for enthusiastic schoolchildren from School District 91. Our event included three distinct stations:
1. Biology and Conservation: At this station, kids learned about the white sturgeon life cycle, habitat needs and current status.
2. Water Quality: Here students covered the importance of water quality for sturgeon and the science behind water quality monitoring.
3. Kite Flying Competition: Student prepared kites that were judged on one of three themes: representation of the white sturgeon and/or its habitat needs, the highest-flying kite, and the most environmentally friendly kite. Although it was not a very windy day, there was enough of a breeze to get the kites up into the air, and the kids had a great time running around with their creations.
Over 200 children attended the day’s events, and feedback from both teachers and students has been extremely positive. The NWSRI will continue to work with educators to develop a program that keeps children engaged and helps them increase their knowledge and in turn positively change behaviours with respect to white sturgeon.
Special thanks to Resources North, the District of Vanderhoof, Rio Tinto Alcan, the Carrier Sekani Tribal Council, Chris Mushumanski and all the numerous volunteers for their help with this event. If you would like to learn more about the Nechako white sturgeon and the NWSRI’s activities, please visit:www.nechakowhitesturgeon.org
5. Northern Climate Change Network profiles people taking action (by Dave Leman)
Climate change and its consequences are increasingly a concern for governments and citizens. Knowledge is needed to inform decision-making and to guide appropriate responses to the impacts of climate change. Resources North administers the Northern Climate Change Network (NCCN), issuing regular electronic newsletters informing subscribers of climate change stories to foster greater awareness of community level climate change impacts and adaptation. A comprehensive website details the activities of the network and provides links, resources, and events related to climate change. Please visit our Climate Change Initiatives page for these details. One project of the NCCN that seeks to address the need for regionally relevant climate change information and contacts is the Profiles in Climate Change Action.
The individuals profiled represent a broad spectrum of interests, backgrounds and organizations in our society, and they demonstrate leadership in climate change-related activities, most of which are connected with central and northern British Columbia. Users of the profiles website can click on the names of the individuals to learn about their work. Over twenty individuals have been profiled to date, and numerous others have been contacted to provide profiles in the future.
For further details about the activities of the Northern Climate Change Network, contact: Dave Leman, NCCN Coordinator, Resources North Association, 250-612-5842, nccn@resourcesnorth.org.
6. Community Adjustment Fund application results
A key endeavour over the summer was the preparation and submission of a major proposal to Western Economic Development Canada’s Community Adjustment Fund (CAF) for an additional $400K over 2 years that would increase our staffing capacity to deliver incremental project work. In particular we were hoping to expand 3 key areas: the Northern Climate Change Network, integrated resource management, and communications. Unfortunately, we were not successful, but we would like to take this opportunity to thank the many partners and members that supported the proposal. We still intend to proceed with most of the projects identified, though obviously at a smaller scale. We continue to focus our efforts on helping communities transition through major resource sector changes. All opportunities to partner and collaborate on projects to support this end are welcomed.
