Volunteer

Join our group of lake keepers

Volunteer Now!

We are looking for volunteers to step up to form a lively informal group to help us transition from hiatus. Please get in touch using the form below. We’d love to hear from you!

    Tell us about yourself

    First name (required)

    Last name (required)

    Email (required)

    Phone number (required)

    Address

    City

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    Tell us how you're interested in helping FOKLSS

     

    Social media

    Do you enjoy social media? Like taking photographs? Like to stay up to date and let others know what is happening? Share with us how you'd like to contribute to our social media outreach:

    Fundraising

    Do have any fundraising experience? or an interest event organizing and reaching out to potential donors? or perhaps you have a fundraising idea or a sponsorship challenge you’d like to try? Share with us how you'd like to contribute to our fundraising efforts:

    Planning a FOKLSS event

    We are planning a FoKLSS Summit for the Fall. Our Summits are open to anyone interested in learning more about the Lake. Could you help us make our next Summit a reality? Maybe you have some event organizing experience? Or you would like to help out as we get closer to the date, or on the day? Share with us how you'd like to contribute to our next event:

    Organizing members and volunteers

    Do you have any experience of working with Mail Chimp? Constant Contact? Little Green Light? Or maybe you would be interested to learn more? Share with us how you'd like to contribute organizing our members:

    Strategy

    Our Strategic Plan needs to be reviewed and updated with some clear deliverables. Do you have experience that could help us reshape our strategic plan? Share with us how you'd like to contribute to FOKLSS strategy:

    Public outreach

    We want to be able to reach out and communicate with residents, businesses and communities around the Lake clearly, helping build a shared understanding of hope the Lake functions as a cohesive ecosystem, including it watersheds, flora and fauna. Do you have any experience of collaboration in supporting the flow of data from the lake’s many monitoring activities, to better understand any changes that are revealed? Do you have speaking or writing skills that could help us communicate vital findings to local people? Share with us how you'd like to help with to public outreach:

    Developing partnerships

    Do you have any connections to local companies such as FortisBC, Columbia Power, Teck, CBT, Realtor or BCHydro? Or to local groups like Living Lakes Canada, Kootenay Lake Partnership, Wildsight, or Kootenay Conservation Program? What about local governments (the RDCK, City of Nelson and other municipal jurisdictions around the lake) and local environmental education programs (Selkirk College), or Local businesses, industry and consultancies with an interest in the lake and its watersheds (such as tourism, breweries, water engineering, local produce)? Share with us how you'd like to help FOKLSS develop new partnerships:

    Grant Writing

    All year

    Help write grants throughout the year to support important stewardship and education projects.

    Data Analysis

    All year

    Input data that was collected during the field season into our database, help analyze trends, and more.

    Potential future volunteer opportunities – watch for updates!

    Shoreline Cleanups

    April-October

    Opportunities available Spring 2023

    Pitch in and help clean up trash from Kootenay Lake’s shorelines! We host cleanup events throughout the spring, summer, and fall months around Kootenay Lake. Interested in arranging your own cleanups with friends? Contact us.

    Watershed Monitoring

    July-October

    Opportunities available Summer 2023

    Want to learn how to monitor creeks and streams in the Kootenay Lake watershed? Through our Watershed Monitoring program, you can learn how to monitor using the Canadian Aquatic Biomonitoring Inventory Network (CABIN) protocol and receive free training to become a certified “Field Assistant.” Use these skills to monitor creeks and streams in your own backyard or join FoKLSS staff in monitoring the Kootenay Lake watershed.

    Osprey & Bald Eagle Monitoring

    May-June

    Opportunities available Spring 2023

    Help monitor the reproductive success of Ospreys and Bald Eagles in the Kootenay Lake region! You will receive training in the spring on how to monitor these species and will be assigned an nest to monitor. You will also have the opportunity to join staff on the boat to monitor nests on the North, South, and West Arms of Kootenay Lake.

    Western Toad Monitoring

    April-August

    Opportunities available Spring 2023

    Learn how to monitor Western Toads and other amphibian species at Harrop Wetland and help collect data on their reproductive success, plant diversity, water levels, and more.

    Education & Outreach

    All year

    Opportunities available: 

    Summit Committee Members 

    Are you a people person? Enjoy sharing your passion for Kootenay Lake with others? Through supporting FoKLSS staff at public events, education days at schools, committees, and more you can help educate and inspire your community on local lake stewardship.

    Wetland Restoration

    July-October

    Opportunities available Spring 2023

    Help enhance Harrop Wetland through basin construction, native vegetation salvaging and planting, monitoring and more.