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EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY:
Columbia Shuswap Invasive Species Society
JOB TITLE: Invasive Species Program Assistant
JOB REFERENCE: #001
LOCATION: Columbia-Shuswap
CLOSING DATE: March 4, 2019
EMPLOYMENT DURATION: 4-month (May-August), 30-35hrs/week, wage $16.30/hour (pending funding),
POSITIONS: 1-2 positions (pending funding)
JOB LOCATION: Worksites within the Columbia Shuswap Regional District. Main office in Revelstoke, BC but travel required for position throughout the CSRD.
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.
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, 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:
- Only candidates considered for positions will be contacted.
- All candidates selected for an interview must be available for one-hour phone or in-person interview between March 18th– April 5, 2019.
- Successful candidates for Job Reference 001 will be contacted in April (pending funding) and must be available to start May 6th 2019.
Please send any questions to info@columbiashuswapinvasives.org
JOB DUTIES:
- Work with Executive Director, Program Coordinators and other CSISS staff to deliver Invasive Species Terrestrial, Aquatic and Outreach programs as described in the CSISS Work plan
- Help to deliver CSISS events and training programs throughout the region, including the delivery of Plant Wise, Clean Drain Dry, Play Clean Go, and Don’t Let It Loose outreach programs
- Work with Executive Director to build relationships with First Nations and other stakeholders in the region to enhance collaboration on invasive species issues
- Assist with invasive species inventories (plants / aquatic sampling for Zebra Quagga mussels), invasive plant mechanical treatments, and InvasiveAlien Plant Program (IAPP) data collection
- Track and report on successes of program
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:
- Knowledge of invasive species;
- Ability to engage effectively with members of the public;
- Strong motivational skills;
- Excellent oral and written communication skills;
- Experience and interest in delivering public presentations and information-booths (comfortable and skilled at speaking with the public);
- Experience working with youth and/or community groups;
- Experience conducting plant or water surveys and field work;
- Enjoy working outdoors in variable field conditions;
- Enjoy physically challenging work such as mechanical invasive plant treatments;
- Comfortable working in remote settings;
- Experience driving with long days and distances;
- Experience working around water and watercraft, and;
- Willingness to travel, and work weekends.
Additional Assets:
- Have or are working towards a technical certificate or degree in natural resource science;
- Social media skills;
- Experience with iPads, GIS Mapping software and Microsoft Office: Word, Excel and Power Point;
- Experience in data collection, organization and management; and
- Experience with report writing.
Applicants MUST Possess:
- Current Worksafe BC OFA Level 1 or equivalent First Aid certification; and
- A valid BC driver’s license with 3 years Driving record and claims history
Applicants must be eligible to participate in the Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) initiative (requirements listed below):
To be eligible, youth must:
- be between 15 and 30 years of age at the start of the employment;
- be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or person to whom refugee protection has been conferred under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act for the duration of the employment*; and,
- have a valid Social Insurance Number at the start of employment and be legally entitled to work in Canada in accordance with relevant provincial or territorial legislation and regulations.
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):
- Cover letter clearly stating:
- The Job Reference # you would like to be considered for,
- Your qualifications, relevant skills and experience,
- Preference for aquatic or terrestrial based work,
- Confirmed eligibility for Canada Summer Jobs Program.
- Resume, including two references (phone numbers)
- Driver’s abstract with 3 years clean driving record and claims history (Link for ICBC: https://www.icbc.com/driver-licensing/getting-licensed/Pages/Your-driving-record.aspx )
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
You’re Invited: Columbia Shuswap Operational Planning and Annual Land Manager Meetings March 7, 2019
Event Details:
Date: Thursday March 7, 2019
Time: Operational Planning Meeting 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Lunch (provided) from 12:00pm-1:00pm
Time: Annual Land Manager Meeting 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Location: Revelstoke Community Centre, MacPherson Room, 600 Campbell Ave. Revelstoke, BC.
Operational Planning Meeting: We are reviewing the Columbia Shuswap 2014-2019 Operational Plan in order to create a revised 2020-2025 Operational Plan, and we’re looking for your input! The Operational Plan helps guide invasive species management within the Columbia Shuswap Regional District and provides information on priority invasive species, planning, prevention, best management practices, enforcement and evaluating successes. In the updated 2020-2025 Operational Plan, we will be looking at including a watchlist for invasive animals, aquatic invasives, and pathogens in the Columbia Shuswap region (based on Provincial government lists).
To view the 2014 – 2019 Operational Plan: Columbia Shuswap Operational Plan 2014 – 2019
Annual Land Manager Meeting: We are completing the annual review of the Priority Invasive Plant lists from the Columbia Shuswap Operational Plan. The Priority Invasive Plant lists help guide inventory, treatment, monitoring and data management of invasive plants within the Columbia Shuswap Regional District. The goal of this meeting is to enable land managers to provide guidance and input on the Priority Invasive Plant lists. The meeting objectives are to: 1) Share updates on invasive plant management activities of each organization; and 2) Revisit prioritization of invasive plant species and activities for treatments, inventories, monitoring and data management.
To view the 2018 Priority Invasive Plant Lists: Columbia Shuswap 2018 Priority Invasive Plant Lists
Your input is critical in ensuring the delivery of an effective, efficient, and coordinated invasive species program in the Columbia Shuswap. We appreciate your feedback as key partners and Board members in helping with this process.
Please register for one or both meetings HERE or provide written feedback for the Operational Planning Meeting and/or Annual Land Manager Meeting (Priority Invasive Plant Lists) by March 1, 2019 to info@columbiashuswapinvasives.org
Learn more about other upcoming CSISS events and news in our recent newsletter. Also check out our recently released 2018 Annual Report.
Stay connected: to join our newsletter and become a member click here.
CSISS is grateful for the generous contributions of funders and partners, including Columbia Basin Trust, Columbia Shuswap Regional District, and the Province of BC.
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Check out the CSISS Strategic Plan for 2019 to 2024 to learn more about CSISS’ goals and objectives for the next 5 years!
Congratulations also to our elected CSISS Board of Directors from our recent AGM on September 25, 2018:
Hamish Kassa, Chair
Chris Cochran, Vice Chair
Darren Komonoski
Natalie Stafl
Adam Croxall
Laurel Corrigan
Chris Gill
Bruce Husband
John Braisher
Diane Millar
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With the warm weather favouring backyard gardeners and water garden enthusiasts, the Columbia Shuswap Invasive Species Society (CSISS) is reminding the public to be careful when selecting plants and animals for their ponds and gardens.
“Water garden species can be lovely, but those with invasive tendencies can cause major problems in your garden as well as the wider environment” says Sue Davies, Aquatic Program Coordinator of CSISS. “When aquatic plants and animals begin to invade, they can totally take over and are extremely difficult to remove. They can create havoc within natural ecosystems and also for human use of waterways. It’s really important to prevent these species getting a toe-hold, and knowing what not to bring into your garden is the key.”
Some species listed on the provincial noxious weed list, such as flowering rush, can sometimes be found in retail garden centres. Flowering rush is regarded as one of the top five worst invasive alien plants in Canada due to its major ecological impact on natural ecosystems. Flowering rush is a species to be on the alert for, as it has already been found in British Columbia but is not yet established. The public is asked to help prevent the spread of this high priority plant by reporting any sightings and by never planting flowering rush in water gardens. Other common water garden species that are considered invasive and should be avoided include knotweed, purple loosestrife, yellow flag iris, parrot’s feather, mountain bluet, periwinkle, goldfish, red-eared slider turtle, and American bullfrog.
Following the Invasive Species Council of BC’s popular PlantWise and Don’t Let It Loose programs, CSISS urges the public to garden using only non-invasive species to prevent the spread of unwanted and invasive plants and animals into the environment. The public can access resources and information by visiting CSISS’s website at www.columbiashuswapinvasives.org.
The cost of invasive species to Canada is between $16.6 billion and $34.5 billion per year. In British Columbia, just six invasive plant species caused an estimated combined damage of at least $65 million in 2008. With further spread, impacts will more than double to $139 million by 2020.
Concerned groups are getting together to help prevent invasive mussels getting into our lakes and rivers. The public are invited to attend a special event held at the Finlayson Road boat launch, beneath the No 1 Highway in Sicamous on the 26th of June, between 4pm and 6pm. (See Facebook event details here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1646347072146721/)
Our lakes and rivers are an invaluable recreation and tourism asset in the Shuswap region and bring millions of dollars to our region annually. However, we cannot take our waterways for granted. Invasive species like zebra and quagga mussels are one of the biggest threats to BC’s waterways; left unchallenged, they would clog water pipes and intakes, foul docks, boats and other infrastructure, and ruin beaches with their sharp shells, costing millions of dollars, harming recreational and economic opportunities for local businesses and damaging the environment.
Fortunately, this threat is preventable. Ensuring that mussel-fouled boats are never launched into our pristine lakes is key to preventing mussel infestations. The Columbia Shuswap Invasive Species Society (CSISS), Shuswap Watershed Council, and Invasive Species Council of BC have created an event to bring all interested parties together to discuss the threat and come up with the best possible options for countering it.
“This is an opportunity to collect together those who have a vested interest in keeping the region free of mussels – that is, all of us – and coming up with the best options for preventing musses from ever getting to these waters,” said Sue Davies, Aquatic Invasives Coordinator for the CSISS. “Keeping the lakes and rivers pristine is in all our interests, and we want input from politicians, business owners, boaters, and the public. We also want as many people to know about this issue as possible; the more knowledgeable local people means less chance of a mussel-fouled boat accidentally being launched into a lake”, she said.
MP Mel Arnold is confirmed to speak at the event, as are Provincial Ministry staff, and representatives from the other groups involved. There will also be a flip-chart session for input to the discussion from businesses and the general public.
How can you help prevent mussels getting to BC?
For several years the province has had a ring of watercraft inspection stations near border crossings From BC’s southern and eastern boarders. It is mandatory for all watercraft including powerboats, canoes, kayaks, paddleboards, sailboats and anything in between to stop at Provincial Mussel Defense Inspection Stations.
The inspection stations are now open for the 2018 season and inspectors will be checking boats and preforming decontaminations where necessary to make sure no one is unwittingly carrying these unwanted hitchhikers. If you are lucky, you might get to meet Kilo- BC’s mussel sniffing canine!
Inspection stations have been successful at preventing mussels from entering BC. With an 81% average compliance rate for the 2017 season, it is clear that the majority of people are aware of the requirement to stop. Failure to stop at highway inspection stations is an offence and inspectors monitor the highway for those not stopping. If a vehicle with a watercraft fails to stop at the inspection station, Conservation Officers are notified and they pursue the vehicle, applying a hefty fine to non-compliant owners.
If your boat has been outside BC and you have not had your boat inspected please call 1 877 952 7277 before you launch!
When traveling between water bodies within BC, please be sure to “Clean, Drain and Dry” your watercraft. CLEAN off all plants, mud and any attached material from your watercraft and trailer, DRAIN all water compartments and engine coolant systems onto dry land, and DRY all areas before moving your watercraft to another body of water. For more information visit CSISS resources for boaters at https://columbiashuswapinvasives.org/resources-for-boaters/
![[Image 2] Mussel ID_Photo Credit_ BC Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations](https://columbiashuswapinvasives.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Image-2-Mussel-ID_Photo-Credit_-BC-Ministry-of-Forests-Lands-and-Natural-Resource-Operations.jpg)
![[Image 4] Mussel Boat_Photo Credit_Calgary Herald](https://columbiashuswapinvasives.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Image-4-Mussel-Boat_Photo-Credit_Calgary-Herald.jpg)
Image Left: Native mussels versus invasive zebra and quagga mussels (Photo credit: Province of BC).
Image Right: A boat motor infested with mussels. (Photo Credit: Calgary Herald).
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 Shuswap Watershed Council, Columbia Basin Trust, the Columbia Shuswap Regional District, and the Province of British Columbia.
