Kootenay Conservation Program (KCP), Wildsight Golden, and Shuswap Band brought together diverse perspectives from the area to discuss priority actions for stewardship of local fish and wildlife, and to identify partnerships moving forward. At the Golden Conservation Action Forum Check-in Meeting last month, over 40 biologists and representatives from various local stewardship organizations, First Nations, and other agencies came together to review the progress being made on the five priority actions identified during a previous regional forum hosted in 2020.

Nine important conservation projects were recently approved by the Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) to receive funding from the Columbia Valley Local Conservation Fund (CVLCF) in 2025. A local government service that creates a dedicated fund for conservation, the CVLCF distributes funding each year to eligible projects taking place in the area between Spillimacheen and Canal Flats that are approved by the service areas’ RDEK Directors.

With funding from Environment and Climate Change Canada for the Kootenay Connect Priority Places initiative, Kootenay Conservation Program (KCP) has brought in millions of dollars to support monitoring and restoration work throughout the Kootenays. In 2024, Kootenay Connect Priority Places funding continued to support diverse species at risk projects in key ecologically important areas including the Creston Valley, Slocan Valley, and Duncan Lardeau.

Kootenay Conservation Program (KCP), a partnership of over 85 organizations, leveraged significant funding in 2024 towards land stewardship in the Columbia Valley that, in turn, supports community well-being. With funding from Environment and Climate Change Canada for the Kootenay Connect Priority Places initiative, KCP has brought in millions of dollars to support monitoring and restoration work throughout the Kootenays, including the Columbia Valley.