25 Jul 2022 CABIN Training- Fun in the Field!
2022 marks the final year of our Watershed Monitoring Program! As a result, we hosted our last CABIN monitoring training for volunteers.
On July 14th and 15th, instructors Allison Lutz and Doris Hausleitner trained 12 volunteers to monitor water quality using the CABIN protocol. Volunteers included individuals who rely on surface water around Kootenay Lake for drinking and organizations such as Glade Watershed Protection Society, Ymir Community Watershed Society, and Duhamel Watershed Society. The volunteers learned how to determine stream health by measuring physical, chemical, and biological parameters. They also learned proper protocol, how to use sampling equipment, how to perform kick-net sampling, and how to properly package samples. By the end of the training, all volunteers became certified “Field Assistants.” Each volunteer has the opportunity to have additional (online) training to upgrade their certification to a “Field Technician” certification. All volunteers were then invited to join us on our monitoring expeditions.
The CABIN training provides volunteers with the opportunity to become a certified field technician and practice their new learned skills during real-world monitoring endeavors. Volunteers not only can add this certification to their resumes, but can become citizen scientists with FOKLSS and monitor a number of streams and creeks with our staff. They can also apply their knowledge and skills to their own organizations and monitor water sources in their backyard. FOKLSS offers equipment for certified and interested individuals to pursue their own CABIN projects.
