| Abstract/Description or Keywords |
The Slocan Wetlands Assessment & Monitoring Project (SWAMP) was initiated from a wetlands education program organized by the BC Wildlife Federation in the Slocan Valley in the summer of 2013. Yet the roots of this cooperative initiative go deeper. For years, local environmental organizations have recognized the value of partnering to achieve greater goals, in essence to “think like a Slocan Valley watershed.” SWAMP operates as a collective, collaborative initiative, in which different organizations come together to support common goals, aim for common results, and in order to create greater impact. SWAMP is a partnership of three Slocan Valley non-profit societies, the Slocan River Streamkeepers Society, Slocan Lake Stewardship Society, and Slocan Solutions Society. Other partners such as, the Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program, BC Wildlife Federation, Central Kootenay Invasive Plant Committee, Regional District of Central Kootenay, Columbia Basin Trust, the Environment and Geomatics Department at Selkirk College, and Ministry of Forests Lands and Natural Resource Operations serve on SWAMP’s Steering Committee. SWAMP takes a scientific approach to identifying and classifying wetlands throughout the Slocan watershed to inform conservation, restoration and enhancement opportunities. This locally-led initiative relies on provincial data collection protocols and is working with Environment Canada to establish federal CABIN protocol for wetlands. The SWAMP team is also adjusting these protocols to better suit the needs of surveying and classifying wetlands of the Slocan watershed. An important outcome of SWAMP will be a comprehensive database for mapping and analyzing wetlands throughout the entire Slocan watershed. The objectives of SWAMP-Phase 1 (2013) were to research the extent of known wetlands in the Slocan watershed, to develop assessment methodologies, and to determine priority wetlands to survey in the 2014 field season. Building upon these results, SWAMP-Phase 2 (2014) focused on four target wetland complexes in the Slocan watershed: Beaver Lakes, Seaton Creek, Little Slocan Lakes, and Pass Creek. (Refer to Appendix A for photos of these wetlands.) Phase 2 field work resulted in the establishment of 30 ecological sample plots within four wetland complexes, and included multi-disciplinary assessments of each plot for flora and fauna. In addition, Phase 2 enabled the development of local expertise by training technicians and volunteers in wetland inventory and classification techniques. The primary ‘go-to’ people for SWAMP’s 2014 field season consisted of Ryan Durand as Field Director, and Rhia Mackenzie and Marcy Mahr as Field Technicians. Marcy and Rhia also jointly served as Project Managers to handle scheduling, data management, communications, community engagement, and reporting deliverables to SWAMP’s Executive and Steering committees and to project funders. This Final Report marks the successful conclusion of Phase 2. Three essential types of information are reported here: 1) the results achieved during the 2014 delivery of SWAMP-Phase 2; 2) an assessment of delivering the project from the Program Managers’ perspective; and 3) recommendations for designing and delivering a stronger program in 2015 as SWAMP-Phase 3.The following overview refers to SWAMP’s two primary areas of activity, i.e., field work /data collection / analysis, and public engagement / education. SWAMP-Phase 2: _ 4 wetland complexes were surveyed by the Technician Team and professional biologists. _ Other wetlands were also surveyed by volunteers: Bonanza Marsh, wetlands around Shannon Lake, and small wetlands along the Rail Trail on Slocan Lake from Rosebery to Hills. _ 2 volunteer trainings held in July at Pedro Creek in Winlaw and Hunter Siding in Hills prepared 20 citizens; 2 trained citizens assisted experts and 1 person submitted data on a new wetland. _ Information booths and the wetlands model engaged local community members and tourists at local markets & festivals from early July through mid September. Specifically: 9 Friday Markets in New Denver; 2 half-days of Toad Fest at Summit Lake in late August; and at SLSS’s booth at Garlic Festival in New Denver in early September. (At the Friday Markets and Garlic Festival, SLSS estimates over 300 kids interacted with the wetlands model). _ Executive Committee members and Project Managers actively engaged locals when out in the community by providing updates about SWAMP and handing out brochures. _ Partnerships initiated with local organizations and government representatives through sharing detailed monthly updates on SWAMP activities and achievements. |
