The Wildlife Society - British Columbia Chapter
2ND Annual Conference and Workshop
Our Future Together
EVENT CANCELLED - please read our full statement at www.bctws.ca/covid19.html
Events and Schedule:
Program & Schedule of Events:
Detailed Schedule of Events (UPDATED AS OF 12/3/2020 10:00)
Student-Professional Mixer
Wednesday, March 18th starting at 6:30 pm at the Thirsty Moose Pub, UNBC Campus
Tickets are $10 for students and $15 for professionals. To purchase tickets, please send an e-transfer to: [email protected] with the security question What was the password I provided you with? and answer: twsmixer2020. Please indicate the number of tickets you are purchasing in the comments section. For additional information about this event, please email [email protected].
Wednesday, March 18th starting at 6:30 pm at the Thirsty Moose Pub, UNBC Campus
Tickets are $10 for students and $15 for professionals. To purchase tickets, please send an e-transfer to: [email protected] with the security question What was the password I provided you with? and answer: twsmixer2020. Please indicate the number of tickets you are purchasing in the comments section. For additional information about this event, please email [email protected].
Keynote Speakers:
Dr. Justina Ray has been President and Senior Scientist of Wildlife Conservation Society Canada since its incorporation in 2004. She is Adjunct Professor at the University of Toronto (Department of Ecology and Evolution; Graduate Department of Forestry) and Trent University (Environmental & Life Sciences Graduate Program).
While Canada is both a signatory to the international Convention on Biological Diversity and has a federal Biodiversity Strategy that commits to numerous targets and actions, its regulatory power over the elements contributing to the problem is limited by considerable policy divergence between jurisdictions. This talk will look at how governance is a barrier to addressing the biodiversity crisis through an uneven focus on traditional game species, species at risk, protected areas and a smattering of legislation and policies that consider biodiversity through mitigation of harm one project or development at a time.
Dr. Justina Ray has been President and Senior Scientist of Wildlife Conservation Society Canada since its incorporation in 2004. She is Adjunct Professor at the University of Toronto (Department of Ecology and Evolution; Graduate Department of Forestry) and Trent University (Environmental & Life Sciences Graduate Program).
While Canada is both a signatory to the international Convention on Biological Diversity and has a federal Biodiversity Strategy that commits to numerous targets and actions, its regulatory power over the elements contributing to the problem is limited by considerable policy divergence between jurisdictions. This talk will look at how governance is a barrier to addressing the biodiversity crisis through an uneven focus on traditional game species, species at risk, protected areas and a smattering of legislation and policies that consider biodiversity through mitigation of harm one project or development at a time.
Dr. Winifred B. Kessler, PhD held faculty positions at the University of Idaho, Utah State University, and University of Northern British Columbia. She served 21 years with the U.S. Forest Service, retiring as a regional director for the Alaska Region. She is a Fellow and Past President of the Wildlife Society and the 2017 recipient of the Aldo Leopold Memorial Award. Wini serves as a director-at-large for the Canadian Wildlife Federation and chairs the board of the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation.
The title of Wini’s talk is “TWS, the Big Picture.” It reviews the origins and history of The Wildlife Society, milestones in its evolution, and an overview of its role in advancing wildlife science, education, conservation, and the profession.
The title of Wini’s talk is “TWS, the Big Picture.” It reviews the origins and history of The Wildlife Society, milestones in its evolution, and an overview of its role in advancing wildlife science, education, conservation, and the profession.
Dr. Evelyn Merrill (Evie) is a Professor in the Dept. of Biological Sciences at the Univ. of Alberta. Her interests are in Cervid foraging and habitat ecology with a current focus on trophic dynamics of a partially migratory elk population in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta, and spatial spread of CWD in the prairies provinces of Canada.
She is a Fellow of The Wildlife Society, served as President of The Canadian Section and the Alberta Chapter of The Wildlife Society, and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Wildlife Management. Evie has been awarded the Dedicated Service and the William Rowan Distinguished Professional Award from the Alberta Chapter of TWS. She currently is the Canadian Section Representative to TWS. She will be talking about the history and current day affiliation of TWS in Canada.
She is a Fellow of The Wildlife Society, served as President of The Canadian Section and the Alberta Chapter of The Wildlife Society, and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Wildlife Management. Evie has been awarded the Dedicated Service and the William Rowan Distinguished Professional Award from the Alberta Chapter of TWS. She currently is the Canadian Section Representative to TWS. She will be talking about the history and current day affiliation of TWS in Canada.
Dr. John Reynolds is a Professor at Simon Fraser University, where he holds the Tom Buell Research Chair in Aquatic Conservation. He is also the Chair of COSEWIC – the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada.
Talk title: COSEWIC and Citizen Science This talk will review the COSEWIC process and how it relates to the federal Species at Risk Act, with summaries of the status of Canadian plants and animals. It will also focus on the growing use of information from citizen science projects in species assessments, and more generally the use of projects such as iNaturalist and eBird as powerful tools for documenting the diversity of flora and fauna in BC.
Talk title: COSEWIC and Citizen Science This talk will review the COSEWIC process and how it relates to the federal Species at Risk Act, with summaries of the status of Canadian plants and animals. It will also focus on the growing use of information from citizen science projects in species assessments, and more generally the use of projects such as iNaturalist and eBird as powerful tools for documenting the diversity of flora and fauna in BC.
Ken Edzerza has a Masters of Arts Degree in Leadership. A key finding of Ken's research was Cultural Governance. Ken is also the Vice-president of the Tahltan Central Government. During the past 30 years Ken has helped develop many aboriginal systems and is currently the President of ISPARC (Indigenous Sports Physical Activity Recreation Council of BC). This organization won the Premiere's Award for organizational excellence last year. The topic Ken has chosen to explore is how wildlife professionals consult with Aboriginal people and governments.