The Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship (WLRS) is developing best management practices documents for invertebrate species at risk. Concurrently, we plan to offer professional development opportunities focused on invertebrates, including classroom-based information sessions; field-based survey/methods training; and both field- and classroom-based identification workshops. Our goal is to build a community of trained resource professionals who have the skills to accurately survey for and identify various invertebrate species at risk, and provide informed threat mitigation advice during land management decisions.
In general, professional development sessions fall into three categories:
- Online information sessions on species-specific best management practices for invertebrate species at risk (no limits to the number of participants);
- In-person field-based survey methods workshops focused on how to gather field information on a taxonomic group (e.g., butterflies, flies, tiger beetles, dragonflies) and field-based identification. These workshops will likely have a maximum of 12 participants per workshop plus workshop organizers.
- In-person taxonomic identification workshops for the various species at risk and similar species. These workshops will also have a maximum of 12 participants per workshop plus organizers.
We are seeking input on workshop topics, structure, timing, location and other details. This online survey targets resource professionals, land stewards and managers, conservation practitioners or others who actively make decisions and recommendations during land use decisions or are hired on behalf of a proponent to provide such advice. The survey below should take less than five minutes and will help guide how these professional development sessions are delivered. Please contact Julie Wray (julie.wray@gov.bc.ca) or Jennifer Heron (jennifer.heron@gov.bc.ca) if you have additional questions.
This survey is open until June 1, 2024, and we encourage people to forward the link to other QEPs, resource professionals, government staff, etc.