Conservation Commission co-hosts AIS monitoring workshop
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News from the Upper Columbia Conservation Commission
KALISPELL — The Upper Columbia Conservation Commission will co-host an aquatic invasive species monitoring workshop with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks on Feb. 19 in Kalispell. The UC3 will hold its winter meeting the following day, Feb. 20. Both meetings will be held at the FWP Regional Office in Kalispell, located at 490 N. Meridian Road.
The monitoring workshop will provide a forum for AIS partners to share information and discuss early detection monitoring efforts in the Upper Columbia Basin. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks will provide an overview of their AIS monitoring program, including risk assessments of water bodies, staff and resources, lab capacity, protocols and showcase a new reporting app. Partners will have the opportunity to share their monitoring efforts, successes and needs. The workshop will key to the development of the 2019 AIS monitoring plan for the Upper Columbia Basin. The workshop will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 19.
The UC3 meeting will be held the morning after the monitoring workshop, from 9 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. at the same location. The meeting will provide an opportunity to introduce the UC3’s new Big Sky Watershed Corp member, Sarah Ganter, who will be assisting with outreach and developing an AIS pilot program for marinas and boat shops in the Upper Columbia basin. The meeting will also cover administrative business, funding/budget status, staff activities and legislative updates. There will also be a summary of the 2018 AIS Program Evaluation conducted by the UC3 and planning efforts to augment FWP and partner outreach activities in the Upper Columbia Basin.
The UC3 is a title 2 agency created in the last legislative session to assist with aquatic invasive species prevention and management in the Upper Columbia basin. All UC3 meetings are open to the public. Interested parties, stakeholders and the public are encouraged to attend. For more information, contact Kate Wilson, commission administrator, at 406-542-4282.
