Submitted by the Kootenay Conservation Program

The Kootenay Conservation Program (KCP), on behalf of the Regional District of East Kootenay, is now accepting proposals for the Columbia Valley Local Conservation Fund.

”The Columbia Valley Local Conservation Fund is an excellent resource for organizations that need help funding local projects that support fish and wildlife habitat, water quality, and other conservation values in the region,” said Juliet Craig, KCP Program Manager.

The Columbia Valley Local Conservation Fund (CVLCF) is a dedicated fund that each year provides financial support to local projects that help conserve and restore the valley’s world-renowned natural surroundings.

The first of its kind in Canada, the CVLCF has created a new model for community conservation that’s being imitated across B.C. and beyond.

Locally, it has resulted in more than $1.8 million in funding for almost 75 projects since 2009, and has helped leverage over an additional $17 million for those projects.

In 2020, eight projects successfully received CVLCF funding: lake monitoring on Columbia Lake and Lake Windermere by the Columbia Lake Stewardship Society and the Lake Windermere Ambassadors respectively,

treatment of the noxious weed Leafy Spurge by the East Kootenay Invasive Species Society, forest restoration of the Luxor Linkage Conservation Area by the Nature Conservancy of Canada, conservation and enhancement of critical habitat on agricultural lands through the Farmland Advantage program via the Windermere District Farmers’ Institute, the ongoing re-introduction of the endangered northern leopard frog to the Brisco wetlands by the Calgary Zoo, biodiversity conservation of the Columbia Wetlands by the Columbia Wetlands Stewardship Partners, and conservation of endangered swallows by Wildsight Golden through the Columbia Valley Swallow Project.

KCP, which works in partnership with the Regional District of East Kootenay to administer the CVLCF, is encouraging conservation groups operating in the Columbia Valley to submit funding proposals for any 2021 projects. Community groups and associations can partner with an eligible non-profit to qualify. If you have a project idea, it is highly recommended that you contact the KCP Program Manager prior to submitting an application to discuss your project idea.

The deadline for applications is 4 :30 p.m. MT on October 30 (2020).

In November, a Technical Review Committee will review project proposals and make recommendations to the RDEK for final funding approval.

For more information and how to apply.

Lead image: A Northern Leopard Frog. Larry Halverson photo

Photos submitted by KCP

Article Share