This November, as part of the North American Lake Management Society Symposium in Banff, Alberta, Living Lakes Canada is hosting the first ever national dialogue on community-based water monitoring. This interactive, full-day workshop will connect indigenous and non-indigenous citizen scientists with some of the world’s leading water scientists.

Community-based monitoring (CBM) is emerging across North America as one approach to solve the challenges associated with watershed management. While CBM comes in all shapes and sizes, the challenges faced by this type of monitoring are often shared across jurisdictions. Questions such as which parameters to collect, how to develop robust protocols, where to store open access data, how to incorporate traditional ecological knowledge, and how to achieve data recognition and influence policy, all require further exploration in order to enhance CBM in Canada.

Through a diverse panels of experts, including Dr. David Schindler, this workshop will generate recommendations on how to move forward on citizen science water monitoring nationally. Anyone interested in CBM, from citizen scientists to academics, are encouraged to register for this workshop and learn from leading best-practice examples from across the continent including the US National Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring program, the Global Lake Ecological Observatory Network, and case studies of CBM from BC, AB, MB and ON.

In order to help address some of the specific challenges we each face, participants are encouraged to come prepared with questions regarding their own CBM programs. Join us as we build bridges between water leaders of all backgrounds and generate collective solutions to enhance CBM in Canada.

Register for the workshop through the NALMS conference registration site. After filling in your personal information, select the “Workshop, Field Trip or Special Event Only” and then the “Building Bridges: Citizens, Science and Policy” option on the proceeding page.

Bursaries are funding dependent and will be available on a first come, first served basis.

Workshop Themes

• Use of traditional knowledge in CBM
• Clear and strategic monitoring parameters
• Coordinating an effective CBM community
• Quality and robustness of protocols being used
• Housing and accessibility of data
• Data analysis
• Incorporation of traditional ecological knowledge into decision-making
• Implementation of data to policy and governance