Latest News

The application period for Local Conservation Fund projects for 2025 projects is now open! Applications are accepted until October 31, and can be submitted by non-profit organizations and Indigenous nations for projects within the participating areas of both the Columbia Valley and the Regional District of Central Kootenay.

On a bright October day, three dozen people crest a knoll in the Wycliffe Conservation Complex, a corridor of conservation lands just north of Cranbrook. To the barn swallows overhead, the people—a line of puffy jackets in earthy hues—look as much a part of the landscape as the [...]

KCP's Annual Report 2023/24 is now complete! From being featured as a model partnership in a national report on the benefits of conservation partnerships internationally, to supporting the RDCK in successfully expanding the Local Conservation Fund Service to Electoral Area F, and having record numbers of [...]

In May 2024, KCP hosted an East Kootenay Stewardship Committee meeting in Cranbrook, and a West Kootenay Stewardship Committee meeting in Salmo. Both meetings were followed by a Field Tour in the afternoon.

KCP's "For the Love of the Kootenays" Daily Video Series is returning for 2024!If you are interested in a morning pick-me-up during the heart of winter, register to receive an email in your inbox with a link to a daily video each weekday morning starting on February 14 (excluding BC [...]

Kootenay Conservation Program (KCP) hosted an information session and Q & A with Dr. Rachel Holt, on Monday, January 22, 2024 which: Provided information on the province’s draft Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health Framework Identified the opportunities that this Framework potentially offers Provided suggestions that can be used by individuals [...]

Critter Day 2023 - Coming up May 13 at Beaver Creek Provincial Park. Kids' activities and live sturgeon, local snakes, amphibians, reptiles, native bees, aquatic insects, and more. See you there!

The Creston Valley is one of the first four focal areas of Kootenay Connect where significant conservation and restoration work has been completed to protect species at work. Photo by Steve Ogle Extended federal funding helps Kootenay region contribute to global biodiversity conservation targets What do grizzly bears, [...]

Stewardship Coordinator (Approx. 2 days (15 hours) per week – 13-month contract (until March 31, 2024) with the expectation of annual renewal) – Flexible within the Kootenay Region Kootenay Conservation Program (KCP) is a partnership of 85 stewardship organizations, Indigenous communities, government and agricultural producers dedicated to conserving natural areas [...]

Communications Coordinator (Approx. 2 days per week – 15-month contract (until March 31, 2023) with expectation of annual renewal) – Flexible within the Kootenay Region – East Kootenay preferred Kootenay Conservation Program (KCP) is a partnership of 85 stewardship organizations, Indigenous communities, government and agricultural producers dedicated to conserving natural [...]

Voters in the Slocan Valley (Area H) have said ‘yes’ to joining the Regional District of Central Kootenay Local Conservation Fund service. Photograph by Joel Pelletier. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 16, 2022 Nelson, British Columbia Voters in the Slocan Valley (Area H) have said ‘yes’ to joining the [...]

In 2021, the Kootenay Lake Local Conservation Fund contributed to the Cottonwood Lake Preservation Society fundraising campaign to acquire the land on the upslope of Cottonwood Lake. Cottonwood Lake Preservation Society Photo Kootenay Conservation Program (KCP), which works in partnership with the Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK) [...]

A local project to reduce the risk of M.ovi, a disease that domestic sheep can carry and infect local bighorn sheep, was funded by the Columbia Valley Local Conservation Fund. Nicole Trigg Photo Kootenay Conservation Program (KCP), on behalf of the Regional District of East Kootenay, is now [...]

The Harrop Wetland Restoration Monitoring and Assessment Project by the Friends of Kootenay Lake Stewardship Society was one of eight projects to receive KLLCF funding in 2021. FOKLSS Photo The Kootenay Conservation Program (KCP), on behalf of the Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK), is now accepting proposals [...]

Nature Trust, Columbia R. Tegart Ranch, Edgewater, BC © Graham Osborne This article is the second in a series featuring three conservation properties in the Columbia Valley that were purchased with support from the Columbia Valley Local Conservation Fund.  Valley bottoms in the Kootenays are where the prime [...]

Mountain goats visit a mineral link, which are important habitat features to protect to ensure healthy goats and other ungulates in the Kootenays. — Photo courtesy Janice Arndt. Kootenay Connect offers innovative approach to conservation efforts in region  By Nicole Trigg, Kootenay Conservation Program With heat waves, wildfires, [...]

NCC Photo This article is the first in a series featuring three conservation properties in the Columbia Valley that were purchased with support from the Columbia Valley Local Conservation Fund.  The Columbia Valley is a beautifully biodiverse landscape, bordered by the Rocky and Purcell mountain ranges with the [...]

The Kootenay Conservation Program’s 2020-2021 Annual Report is now available online. This report covers KCP activities in the fiscal year from April 1, 2020 through to March 31, 2021. “2020-21 has been an interesting year, not only for KCP but for our partner organizations and the world. The COVID-19 pandemic [...]

Native bees and other pollinators are being helped by the Kootenay Lake Local Conservation Fund, which is financially supporting the Wildflowers for Pollinators project. Photo by Valerie Huff/Kootenay Native Plant Society Eight important conservation projects were recently approved by the Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK) to receive [...]

The Upper Columbia Swallow Habitat Enhancement Project through Wildsight Golden is one of the first projects to receive multi-year funding through the CVLCF. Photo by Rachel Darvill Eight important local conservation projects were recently approved by the Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) to receive funding from the [...]

The Kootenay Conservation Program (KCP) and Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) are seeking proposals for projects that will benefit conservation in the area from Spillimacheen to Canal Flats utilizing the Columbia Valley Local Conservation Fund (CVLCF). The purpose of the Fund is to provide local financial support for important [...]

The KCP Virtual Spring Tour is taking place on Monday, June 22 from 1 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. PT / 2 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. on Zoom. This is an excellent opportunity to learn about 5 important conservation projects taking place in the Kootenays – in just 1 hour! [...]

We are pleased to announce the following projects have been awarded funding in 2020 through the RDCK’s Kootenay Lake Local Conservation Fund: Evaluating Bat Boxes as a Mitigation for White-Nose Syndrome - $15,000 to the Wildlife Conservation Society Canada to help landowners protect their bat colonies through a variety of [...]

We are pleased to announce the following projects have been awarded funding in 2020 through the RDEK’s Columbia Valley Local Conservation Fund: Reintroducing Northern Leopard Frogs to the Columbia Marshes ‐ $21,000 to the Calgary Zoo to re‐establish self‐sustaining populations of northern leopard frogs in the Columbia marshes. Conservation of [...]

Although private land covers a small portion of the Kootenay region’s total land base, keeping it ecologically intact plays a big part in conservation success. It's for this reason that KCP created the "Case for Conservation" brochure, which details 9 different reasons why conserving private land is so crucial [...]

When Duane Wells was reading through the Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program (FWCP) Columbia Region Action Plans in search of potential funding opportunities, he came across one of particular interest to him. One of two culverts allowing American Badgers to cross under Highway 95 at the Nature [...]

The KCP Fall Gathering field tour at the Nature Trust of BC Columbia River Wetlands – Edgewater property on October 5. Photo by Pat Morrow The 2019 KCP Fall Gathering was held in Invermere on October 4 & 5, and had over 60 people from 30+ organizations attend! [...]

The endangered northern leopard frog is one of the species benefitting from the ‘Kootenay Connect’ initiative. Photo courtesy of Marc-Andre Beaucher. The Kootenay Conservation Program (KCP) has recently been awarded $2 million over four years in a federal Environment and Climate Change Canada grant to protect and restore [...]

Written by Kaitlin Hancock, a Habitat and Wildlife Co-op Technician Summer Student with the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development in Cranbrook.  Before removing the pipe In November 2018, Cranbrook Conservation Officers (COs) received an interesting report from the public. A Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep [...]

Cranbrook, BC — The Nature Trust of BC announces the protection of the Columbia River Wetlands - Edgewater property in the Kootenays. Located near the community of Edgewater these conservation lands cover 423 acres (171.5 hectares) and feature outstanding habitat and connectivity for Grizzly Bears and American Badgers. They also [...]

Thank you for helping promote the KCP Stewardship Solutions toolkit! Feel free to make use of any of the following content/resources: Inquire about presentations for your organization or region. KCP will coordinate a limited number of presentations about Stewardship Solutions on a request basis. Contact us to find [...]

 KCP hosted a Spring Tour to the Fort Shepherd Conservancy south of Trail on June 26.  Owned by The Land Conservancy of British Columbia, this beautiful property features open dry habitats, rare plant communities, and Species at Risk. Many KCP partners and other biologists shared their knowledge including Al Mallette from [...]

KCP Staff, RDEK Columbia Valley Directors Committee and the Columbia Valley Local Conservation Fund (CVLCF) Technical Review Committee as part of the CVLCF Directors Tour on May 27. KCP Photo On May 27, KCP hosted a field tour of projects funded by the Columbia Valley Local Conservation Fund [...]

KCP hosted our fourth Conservation Action Forum in Fernie on May 29 focused on the Elk Valley. This Forum brought together participants from a broad range of backgrounds to identify conservation targets and threats as well as shared priorities for conservation actions in the coming three years. Highlights included "speed" [...]

To learn more about the Kootenay Lake Local Conservation Fund (KLLCF), how to apply, and conservation priorities identified in a KLLCF Guidance Document that the Regional District of Central Kootenay commissioned in the spring, come to one of three open houses taking place from 7-9 p.m. on the [...]

Volunteers promote Critter Day in the Silver City Days parade on May 12. FWCP Photo Mr. Toad high fives crowds in the Silver City Days Parade that took place the morning of Critter Day. FWCP Photo Critter Day, hosted by KCP and the Fish & Wildlife [...]

Over 40 people came together on April 10 in Invermere to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Columbia Valley Local Conservation Fund (CVLCF). The event, held at the Columbia Valley Centre and attended by members of the public, elected local officials and representatives of various conservation organizations, was [...]

After the Lake Windermere District Rod & Gun Club removed a man-made barrier on Invermere’s Abel Creek in 2015, kokanee and rainbow trout were observed spawning in an area that had been devoid of fish for over 60 years The Abel Creek Culvert Rehabilitation Project was one of [...]

The KCP Fall Gathering & AGM serves as one of the primary opportunities to connect and re-connect KCP partners from across the region. This annual two-day event is taking place on September 29 and 30 in Cranbrook at the Prestige Rocky Mountain Resort. Book now at the Prestige to receive a [...]

Toad Sign at Fish Lake. Photo by Marcy Mahr Click here for an excellent article published in the July 27, 2017 Valley Voice Newspaper about the Fish Lake Toad Ambassador program, one of the 2017 projects supported by the Kootenay Lake Local Conservation Fund, administered by the [...]

On April 6th, the Kootenay Conservation Program participated in a "Network of the Networks" meeting in Golden. The purpose was to bring together organizations that focus on stewardship and the environment to identify opportunities to collaborate. In the photo from left to right are Juliet Craig (Kootenay [...]

Save the Date! Our 2017 Fall Gathering will take place on September 29-30 in the East Kootenays (location TBA). The KCP Fall Gathering & AGM serves as one of the primary vehicles to connect and re-connect KCP partners from across the region. The organizing theme for this year’s Fall [...]

Many important habitats and species at risk are found on private land and private land conservation is an important component of protecting clean water, maintaining wildlife habitat, and stewarding local ecosystems. Since 2002 the Kootenay Conservation Program (KCP) has helped to support partners in securement of private land [...]

Join Angela Wells, Stewardship Program Manager for  Montana DNRC, for a webinar entitled, 'Tools you Can Use for Reaching Landowners (Without Breaking the Bank)." This will take place at 10am Pacific / 11am Mountain Time on Tuesday, January 10. When it comes to recruiting landowners to participate in [...]

Juliet Craig, Program Manager for the KCP, provided a community presentation in Revelstoke on December 5, 2016, hosted by the Columbia Mountains Institute. The presentation focused on the role of KCP in private land conservation and some of the tools and techniques being used by KCP partners for [...]

Caring for Land and Water: Improving Outreach to Private Landowners in the Kootenays is a workshop being offered by KCP this October that will explore how to be more effective in collectively reaching and supporting private landowners interested in taking care of their property. One of the important [...]

The KCP would like to take a moment to remember Kelly Diamond who passed away last week from cancer. Kelly was the KCP’s Administration and Communications Coordinator until she was diagnosed earlier this year. Kelly came to the KCP late in 2015 after becoming a mother. She brought with [...]

We are pleased to announce the following projects have been awarded funding in 2016 through the RDCK's Kootenay Lake Local Conservation Fund: Darkwoods Ecosystem Restoration at Tye $14,650.00 to the Nature Conservancy Canada (NCC) towards restoring the most heavily impacted and degraded habitat at the Tye town site by implementing [...]

Juliet Craig joins KCP Juliet brings a collaborative and innovative mindset to ecological projects. She works out of Nelson and has a broad range of conservation experience including invasive plant management, bat conservation, species at risk planning, and environmental education. This experience has allowed her to focus on [...]

Administration and Communications Coordinator (.25FTE – 12 month renewable contract) – Flexible within the Kootenay Region KCP is looking for a qualified contractor to provide administrative and communication support services. The primarily role of this position is to provide “behind-­‐the-­‐scenes” administrative support. The secondary role is to provide [...]

The Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) in partnership with the Kootenay Conservation Program (KCP) are seeking to fill one vacancy for an Alternate position on a five person Columbia Valley Local Conservation Fund (CVLCF) Technical Review Committee to make recommendations on allocating annual funding for conservation projects for [...]

Gary Tabor will be providing the keynote address at KCP's upcoming Fall Gathering & AGM on September 25. For more information on the event click here.  Gary catalyzes forward progress in large landscape conservation, serving as Founder and Executive Director of the Center for Large Landscape Conservation. Drawing [...]

Nelson’s Heather Leschied, Program Manager for Wildsight’s Living Lakes Canada, was honoured as one of WWF Canada’s Water Heroes, and named a finalist for Water Canada’s Water’s Next Award. The Water Heroes are Canadians who are working tirelessly to monitor water quality in local waterways, restore habitat for [...]

In June, the KCP coordinated a Columbia Valley Local Conservation Fund Field Tour. Members of the Local Conservation Fund Technical Review Committee, Local Area Directors, RDEK staff and KCP staff toured several projects that received funding for 2015. These included the Kootenay Community Bat Project, Ecological Goods and Services Project and Groundswell's [...]

KCP Stewardship Coordinator (.50FTE – 12 month renewable contract) Location flexible within the Kootenay Region The Kootenay Conservation Program (KCP) is a network of over 70 partner organizations working collaboratively to conserve and steward private land throughout the Kootenay Region. Our partners include First Nations, conservation and agricultural [...]

Happy Holidays from the KCP! We have a number of gifts under the KCP tree for you to enjoy. Please click on the following links to unwrap them: Kootenay Lake Local Conservation Fund Voters in the rural areas around Kootenay Lake voted 'Yes' to establishing a Local Conservation [...]

The rural areas around Kootenay Lake have become the second region Canada to adopt a comprehensive local conservation fund tax. On November 15, 2014 voters in the Regional District of Central Kootenay (Areas A, D, and E) around Kootenay Lake said ‘yes’ to clean water, wildlife, and open [...]

The KCP is excited to announce that it is partnering with the Columbia Basin Watershed Network to host a series of monthly conservation webinars this winter. Click here for more information and to register. 

The Kootenay Conservation Program (KCP) and Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) are seeking proposals for projects that will benefit conservation in the area from Spillimacheen to Canal Flats utilizing the Columbia Valley Local Conservation Fund (CVLCF). To apply for funding click here and review the Terms of Reference [...]

On Sunday September 28th, sixteen people showed up to help out with the shoreline clean-up in Argenta. Volunteers managed to pull a full pick up truck worth of garbage off the beach including fridges, freezers and tires. Locals suspect that a lot of this garbage came from a [...]

The KCP Executive Committee is elected from representatives of the KCP Steering Committee and provides ongoing feedback and support for KCP operations. Derek Petersen - Ecosystem Scientist, Parks Canada Derek currently coordinates the Ecological Integrity Monitoring Program for Banff, Yoho and Kootenay National Parks.  Derek’s 30 year career with [...]

On September 26-27, KCP partners will gather in Creston to learn more on the topic of biodiversity offsetting. Biodiversity offsets are defined as “measurable conservation outcomes resulting from actions designed to compensate for significant residual adverse biodiversity impacts arising from project development after appropriate prevention and mitigation measures [...]

The KCP's 2013-2014 Annual Report is now available. To view, please click on the image below.    

The Kootenay Conservation Program is teaming up with Friends of the Lardeau River and Friends of Kootenay Lake to organize a community shoreline clean-up in the north end of Kootenay Lake. When: Sunday September 28th 10:00am-1:00pm Where: Rendezvous at the Argenta boat launch (4.3km south from intersection of Duncan [...]

With the generous support of the Columbia Basin Trust, the Kootenay Conservation Program (KCP) is pleased to launch a Professional Development Bursary Program! This program will provide financial assistance to our partner organizations to allow their staff and volunteers to attend professional development activities.  To read more about [...]

The KCP Annual Gathering and AGM will take place in Creston from September 26-27. The event will kick off with a lunch at noon on Friday, September 26th in the banquet room at the Ramada Hotel in Creston. Following this, presentations will be made on the topic of Biodiversity Offsetting and [...]

July 9, Vancouver, BC The Real Estate Foundation of BC today announced that Gary Runka will be the posthumous recipient of this year’s Land Champion award. Runka passed away in July, 2013. The Land Champion is honoured for outstanding work in sustainable land use in BC. Runka, whose [...]

From June 25-26, the KCP took partners on an 'On the Road' cross-Kootenay tour. Thirty-five participants journeyed from grasslands in the East Kootenays to wetlands in the West Kootenays. Throughout the tour, local experts shared their regional experiences and knowledge around land securement, ecosystem restoration, offsite offsets, and capacity building. You [...]

June 21, 2014 - Nelson, British Columbia The Kootenay Conservation Program (KCP) congratulates the Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK) for its strong commitment to protecting our natural heritage through the creation of the Kootenay Lake Local Conservation Fund. Residents will now decide whether they share this commitment on November [...]

This award recognizes individual(s) that are proven leaders in the field of conservation. Their work is primarily based in the Kootenays, although they may also be very active in other geographic regions. Although nominees are not required to be affiliated with a KCP partner, they must show a [...]

Two thousand captive bred and hatched tadpoles were released into the Columbia Marshes on May 26th. Photo: Cam Gillies The endangered Northern Leopard Frog (Lithobates pipiens), the most at-risk amphibian in British Columbia, is taking a leap forward on its path to recovery, largely due to the coordinated [...]

KCP welcomes a new 2013-2014 Executive Committee The Executive Committee is made up of elected representatives from the steering committee and provides ongoing feedback and support for KCP operations. Derek Petersen - Ecosystem Scientist, Parks Canada Derek currently coordinates the Ecological Integrity Monitoring Program for Banff, Yoho and [...]

The Kootenay Conservation Program (KCP) has been presented with a $3750 donation through BC Hydro’s FirstWave program. The objective of this program is to educate and empower students to take action on conservation within their community. The classroom resources available are developed by B.C. teachers and are designed [...]

The conservation of District Lot 48, located on the undeveloped eastern side of Columbia Lake, is hailed as the finest example of multi-faceted cooperation when it comes to conservation in the East Kootenay’s recent history.It took about two decades of negotiation, discussion and organization, resulting in several agencies working [...]

In 2004, Thunder Hill Ranch owner Brian McKersie welcomed the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) onto his large ranch, located alongside Columbia Lake north of Canal Flats, making the Thunder Hill Ranch Ecosystem Restoration Project the first ranching / conservation partnership project in the region. One of the [...]

Because of a myriad of pressures on Lake Windermere from development and recreational use, the health of the waterway remains a concern for all residents, visitors and relevant government agencies. Recognizing the need for updated scientific findings and study on the lake, and the need for continued study, the Lake [...]

The Kootenay Conservation Program (KCP) and Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) are seeking proposals for projects that will benefit conservation in the area from Spillimacheen to Canal Flats utilizing the Columbia Valley Local Conservation Fund (CVLCF). To apply for funding click here.  Please review the Terms of Reference paying [...]