CSISS has recently completed a risk assessment for the invasive American Bullfrog. Bullfrogs are not currently known in the Columbia Shuswap region, but populations exist in Creston, the Lower Mainland, and on Vancouver island. The assessment looks at the the most likely pathways of introduction of this highly invasive species, the best preventative measures to take, and the potential risks and costs if such an introduction were to occur.
See the full assessment here
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY with Columbia Shuswap Invasive Species Society:
Job Title: Invasive Species Program Assistant
Job Reference: #001
Location: Revelstoke, Columbia-Shuswap. Worksites within the Columbia Shuswap Regional District. Main office in Revelstoke, BC but travel required for position throughout the CSRD.
Closing Date: March 4, 2020
Employment Duration: 4-month (May-August), 30-35hrs/week,
Wage: $18/hour (pending funding)
Application Details: CSISS Job Posting #001 – 2020 as PDF file.
APPLICATION PACKAGE – MANDATORY ITEMS:
Please include the following items in your application package (one PDF document combined 1, 2 and 3):
Please submit your application package no later than March 4th, 2020 to:
Robyn Hooper, Executive Director, Columbia Shuswap Invasive Species Society
Email to: info@columbiashuswapinvasives.org
JOB DESCRIPTION:
Under the direct supervision and guidance of the CSISS Executive Director and Program Coordinators, the Program Assistant will be responsible for carrying out various functions of the Columbia Shuswap Invasive Species Society’s programs, as described in job duties below. The base of operation will be out of Revelstoke, but there will be extensive travel throughout the Columbia Shuswap Regional District. Regular team meetings will occur weekly in Revelstoke, BC. Work hours will be full-time throughout the length of the term, but hours may fluctuate daily with weather and project demands. Work schedule likely to be Tuesday-Saturday.
Important Information:
Please send any questions to info@columbiashuswapinvasives.org
JOB DUTIES:
SKILLS REQUIRED:
The Program Assistant will be engaging with partners and the public on a daily basis and therefore needs to be energetic, positive, outgoing, charismatic and confident. Successful candidates must be self-motivated, highly organized, responsible, and work well in a team. All applicants must have completed Grade 12 or equivalent and preference to those who have or are completing a relevant post-secondary program. All activities are physically demanding, and the position requires extensive driving throughout the region, therefore experienced driving skills are required.
Ideally, you will have a strong combination of the following skills:
Additional Assets:
Applicants MUST Possess:
Applicants must be eligible to participate in the 1. Eco Canada Student Work Placement Program and/or 2. Canada Summer Jobs Program (requirements listed below):
Eco Canada Student Work Placement Program Requirements:
To be eligible, applicants must:
Students on a work permit or visa are not eligible.
Canada Summer Jobs Program Requirements:
To be eligible, youth must:
About CSISS
The Columbia Shuswap Invasive Species Society (CSISS) is a non-profit organization comprised of volunteer members representing private & public agencies, clubs and organizations in the Columbia-Shuswap Region of British Columbia. Members of the society are dedicated to increasing awareness of invasive species and associated losses caused to the natural and domestic resources of our Region. The Society performs invasive species inventory, treatment programs, promotes best management practices, and coordinates invasive species action, education and awareness activities throughout the Columbia-Shuswap Region.
Another year has passed with no invasive mussels detected in the Columbia Shuswap! 2019 was a successful year for CSISS- Take a look at our newsletter below to see what we accomplished this past year.
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CSISS staff sampled 11 water bodies across the region for invasive mussels in 2019.
Staff sampled for adult mussels by installing substrate samplers, which are collections of different substrates on ropes lowered into the water and checked every 2-4 weeks. No sign of adult mussels were found on any of the 16 samplers deployed.
Staff also took 139 plankton samples from 27 locations on 9 water bodies, searching for the larval stages of the mussels (known as veligers). These samples have been submitted to the laboratory for analysis throughout the year. So far all analysed samples are mussel free!
Thanks are due to the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation (HCTF), the Ministry of Environement & Climate Change Strategy (MoECCS), Shuswap Watershed Council (SWC), and Columbia Basin Trust (CBT) for funding this project. Also thanks to Dennis Eirarson (MoECCS) and Britt McLeod and Jenna Odynski (BC Parks) for helping with access to some of our sites. 
Come join us for the CSISS Annual General Meeting including Guest Speakers and new updates!
Date: October 17th, 12pm – 3:00pm MST (*3:30pm MST for Board Members)
Location: 1410 9th St. South (upstairs) Golden Arena Lounge, Golden
Topics: Roundtable updates from regional stakeholders; Guest Speakers (Wildsight Golden, BC Mussel Defense Conservation Officers, Kootenay Conservation Program); Presentation on UPDATED Columbia Shuswap Invasive Species Operational Plan; CSISS end of season updates; and AGM including Board Election.
Lunch and refreshments included.
Please Register here!
Contact us at 1-855-785-9333 or info@columbiashuswapinvasives.org with any questions.
Imagine you’ve been out working all day in your yard. Here in the beautiful Columbia-Shuswap region, it is not difficult for many to picture. You have done all your research to find information about invasive weeds online, and you feel confident in identifying what doesn’t belong. Once you have located those weeds, you carefully remove them. What happens to the weeds next? Many people will continue with proper disposal at the landfill, but what if there was another sustainable way to make use of those weeds?
Several weed species, some of which are classified as invasive due to their detrimental impacts on people, the environment, or the economy, are actually edible and often quite delicious. Dishes range from delicious Himalayan blackberry tarts, to salads of chickweed, lambs quarter, and purslane (which is very high in omega-3). Some species, such as burdock, have been used historically to make tea, medicines, and even chips!
Burdock Chip Recipe
Chips made from the root of Burdock plants are surprisingly easy to make if you understand how to harvest and prepare them. Burdock is a biennial plant, meaning it takes two years to complete its lifecycle. During the first year the plant will grow only leaves and roots. It will then go dormant for the winter and finally produce flowers during the second year. Burdock roots are best dug out in the fall of their first year, before they have flowered and look similar to rhubarb.
Once harvested, the Burdock root should be peeled and cut into thin slices. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and add your preferred amount of sea salt. While preparing the chips, preheat the oven to 450F. It should take 20 minutes, flipping halfway, until your delicious Burdock snack is perfectly crispy and ready for eating!
A word of caution: while these snacks are simple and free, there could be a great cost to the environment if they are not handled safely. Invasive weeds have the ability to rapidly spread by a variety of methods. For this reason, the Columbia Shuswap Invasive Species Society asks that you never compost the clippings or excess plant material, and be careful to avoid spreading any seeds. Proper disposal of invasive plants can be done free of charge at any CSRD landfill.
Interested in more easy, free invasive weed recipes? The Columbia Shuswap Invasive Species Society (CSISS) and the North Columbia Environmental Society (NCES) are hosting an Edible Invasive Plant Workshop on September 16th, 5:00pm – 6:00pm at the Revelstoke Workers Memorial. Come along to get specifics on how to ID plants and how to choose a safe harvest location. There will also be a selection of free recipes and the opportunity to partake in some edible invasive treats!
For more information, visit www.columbiashuswapinvasives.org or follow us on Facebook @ColumbiaShuswapInvasives.
The Columbia Shuswap Invasive Species Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to the prevention, management and reduction of invasive species in the Columbia Shuswap Regional District. CSISS is thankful for the generous support of the Columbia Basin Trust, the Columbia Shuswap Regional District, the Province of BC.
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EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY:
Columbia Shuswap Invasive Species Society
The Columbia Shuswap Invasive Species Society (CSISS) is a non-profit organization comprised of volunteer members representing private & public agencies, clubs and organizations in the Columbia-Shuswap Region of British Columbia. Members of the society are dedicated to increasing awareness of invasive species and associated losses caused to the natural and domestic resources of our Region. The Society performs invasive species inventory, treatment programs, promotes best management practices, and coordinates invasive species action, education and awareness activities throughout the Columbia-Shuswap Region.
Under the direct supervision and guidance of the CSISS Executive Director and Program Coordinators, the Program Assistant will be responsible for carrying out various functions of the Columbia Shuswap Invasive Species Society’s programs, including assisting with terrestrial and aquatic field programs, developing and delivering educational programs including local events, workshops and activities, as well as working with stakeholders, to ensure a coordinated approach to invasive species management in the region. A program assistant may be assigned to work primarily under a specific Program Coordinator (Field/Aquatic/Outreach) and be primarily working on one program. The Invasive Species Program Assistant will work in rural communities with a variety of stakeholders, including First Nations partners, the Invasive Species Council of BC, local governments, community groups, and others.
The base of operation will be located in the Columbia-Shuswap, and main office in Revelstoke, with extensive travel throughout the region. Regular team meetings will occur weekly in Revelstoke, BC. Although this will be full-time throughout the length of the term, work hours may fluctuate with weather and project demands.
Important Information:
Please send any questions to info@columbiashuswapinvasives.org
SKILLS REQUIRED:
The Program Assistant will be engaging with partners and the public on a daily basis and therefore need to be energetic, positive, outgoing, and confident. Successful candidates must be self-motivated, highly organized, responsible, and work well in a team. All applicants must have completed Grade 12 or equivalent and preference to those who have are or are completing a relevant post-secondary program. All activities are physically demanding.
Ideally, you will have a strong combination of the following skills:
Additional Assets:
Applicants MUST Possess:
Applicants must be eligible to participate in the Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) initiative (requirements listed below):
To be eligible, youth must:
The program’s broader objectives as part of the Youth Employment Strategy are to improve the labour market participation of Canadian youth. *International students are not eligible participants. International students include anyone who is temporarily in Canada for studies and who is not a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or person who has been granted refugee status in Canada.
APPLICATION PACKAGE – MANDATORY ITEMS:
Please include the following items in your application package (one PDF document combined 1, 2, and 3):
Please submit your application package no later than March 4th, 2019 to:
Robyn Hooper, Executive Director, Columbia Shuswap Invasive Species Society
Email to: info@columbiashuswapinvasives.org
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