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The Upper Columbia Conservation Commission (UC3) will meet January 29th for a winter meeting/planning session at the Flathead Electric Cooperative in Kalispell. An AIS Monitoring Workshop will be held the following day (January 30th). Agendas for both the meeting and monitoring workshop can be viewed/downloaded on our new website (or below). We hope see you in Kalispell!
UPPER COLUMBIA CONSERVATION COMMISSION (UC3) MEETING
Wednesday, January 29th, 2020
Flathead Electric Cooperative - Community Room
2510 US Highway 2 East, Evergreen
AGENDA
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TIME
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TOPIC/QUESTION
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PRESENTER
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PURPOSE/ OBJECTIVE
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11:00 AM
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New Commissioner Orientation
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Lori Curtis, Chair UC3, Conservation Districts Rep.; Science & Education Director, Whitefish Lake Institute
Tom Woolf, UC3 Vice Chair; AIS Bureau Chief, MT Fish, Wildlife & Parks; MISC Representative
Kate Wilson, UC3 Administrator
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Welcome new commissioners, provide brief history of UC3, answer questions
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12:00 PM
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LUNCH (Working)
Welcome & Agenda Overview
Introductions
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All
Lori Curtis
All
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Network & have a meal together
Learn about UC3 commissioners, stakeholders & citizens
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12:45 PM
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Staff Report
What Has Staff Been Up To? Minutes, Website, Budget and Business Updates and Staff Report
ACTION: Approve Minutes
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Lori Curtis; Kate Wilson
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Approve Minutes from 10/7; Review budget
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1:00 PM
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AIS Summit Review and Discussion
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Tom Woolf
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Learn results of October AIS Summit in Helena
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1:30 PM
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Planning Session – Part I
Focus & Strategic Direction
Review options for UC3 Strategic Direction (Outcome: Draft Two- year Strategic Work Plan based on planning discussions)
ACTION: Discuss/Approve Options
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Lori Curtis; Tom Woolf; Kate Wilson
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Discuss options for commission focus for 2020
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2:30 PM
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Planning Session – Part II
Legislative Involvement
ACTION: Discuss/Approve commission involvement in legislative issues
ACTION: Discuss/Approve Legislative briefing and specific AIS-related issues/direction for 2021 Legislation Session
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Lori Curtis; Tom Woolf; Kate Wilson; Legislators & Representatives
Lori Curtis
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Discuss options for commissioner involvement and participation with our representatives and legislators.
Discuss UC3 legislative briefing and AIS-related issues /legislation
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3:30 PM
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Planning Session – Part III
Committee Activities
ACTION: Discuss relevance, direction and deliverables of all committees
-Education & Outreach
Outreach Coordination
-Watercraft Inspections
-Early Detection & Monitoring
-Response & Preparedness
ACTION: Consider disbanding Committees and approving subsequent bylaw modifications
Updates on the UC3 Monitoring Contract
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Lori Curtis; Tom Woolf; Kate Wilson; Committee Chairs
Lori Curtis, Chair
Liz Lodman, FWP
Kate Wilson
Tom Woolf, Chair
Chris Downs, Chair
Erik Hansen, Chair
Tom Woolf; Contract Review Committee; Cynthia Ingelfinger, Contractor
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Determine committee activities for 2020
Review FWP & UC3 Monitoring Plans, identify gaps
Review progress on deliverables from contract
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4:15 PM
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BREAK
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4:30 PM
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Planning Session – Part IV Meeting dates & locations
ACTION: Develop advance meeting calendar to include more widely distributed members. Consider special meeting for Legislative matters.
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Lori Curtis; Tom Woolf; Kate Wilson
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Draft commission meeting calendar and locations for 2020 as direction for Executive Committee to make plans
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4:30 PM
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Monitoring Meeting
ACTION: Review Agenda for Tomorrow’s Monitoring Meeting
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Tom Woolf
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Prepare for monitoring meeting
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4:45 PM
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Evaluation Exercise
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Kate Wilson
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What worked well for you for this meeting? What could we do differently next time?
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4:55 PM
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Public Comment
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5:00 PM
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ADJOURN
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AIS EARLY DETECTION & MONITORING WORKSHOP
Co-Hosted by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks and the UC3
Thursday, January 30th 8:30 AM to 1:30 PM
Flathead Electric Cooperative, 2510 US Highway 2 East, Kalispell, MT 59901
AGENDA
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TIME
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TOPIC/QUESTION
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PRESENTER
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8:30 AM
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Welcome from FWP & UC3
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Tom Woolf, UC3 Vice Chair; AIS Bureau Chief, MT Fish, Wildlife & Parks
Lori Curtis, Chair UC3, Conservation Districts Rep.; Science & Education Director, Whitefish Lake Institute
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9:00 AM
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FWP AIS Early Detection / Monitoring Program
· Overview: 2019 season review (stats/numbers)
· Data Management / data flow
· FWP / MT Heritage Program. (website and maps)
· 100th Meridian regional monitoring (website and maps)
· FWP AIS Lab – staff, history, capacity, etc.
· Changes to the program proposed for 2020 season
· Protocols:
· How we sample (methods)
· What we are looking for (species)
· How we decide where to sample (logistics, monitoring teams, risk assessment)
· FWP AIS Program Plans for 2020
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Craig McLane, FWP
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10:00 AM
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Existing Challenges, Gaps, Opportunities Discussion
· Calcium data
· Spatial gaps in sampling
· Other
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All
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10:30 AM
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Flowering rush in the Columbia River Basin
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Virgil Dupuis, Salish Kootenai College; Craig McLane
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11:00 AM
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Monitoring in the Columbia River Basin
· Review 2019 efforts (annual report, map)
· Partner 2019 monitoring updates / plans for 2020
· AIS monitoring network update (BOR grant, 2-year contract to WLI/FLBS)
· Review and discuss early detection monitoring plans 2020 Locations, frequency and schedule
· Identify gaps, overlaps and additional needs
· Methods of monitoring: microscopy, eDNA, substrate samplers, shoreline and key points
· Review/Finalize 2020 UC3 Early Detection & Monitoring Plan (draft)
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Chris Downs, Glacier National Park
Cynthia Ingelfinger, Whitefish Lake Institute; Phil Matson, Flathead Lake Biological Station; Joann Wallenburn, Clearwater Resource Council; Lindsay Bona-Eggeman, Missoula County Weed District
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12:00 PM
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Working Lunch (provided)
· Continue discussion on 2020 Monitoring Plan
· Identify any additional needs/information/requirements
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All
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12:45 PM
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Wrap up Discussion & Finalize 2020 UC3 Monitoring Plan
· Recap action items
· Finalize 2020 Monitoring Plan
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Chris Downs
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1:30 PM
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Training opportunities, potential dates and next steps
· Other opportunities to coordinate
· Other monitoring needs
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Tom Woolf, Craig McLane, Chris Downs
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1:45 PM
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Public Comment
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All
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2:00 PM
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Wrap-up, next steps, adjourn
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Tom Woolf, Chris Downs
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The UC3's 2019 Annual Report is now available for viewing and downloading on our website. The report summarizes our fiscal year 2019 (June 30- July 1) activities, priorities, and budget.
Thank you for your interest in aquatic invasive species prevention and the Upper Columbia Conservation Commission (UC3)! Please share widely; email Commission Administrator (kate.wilson@mt.gov) to sign up for our ListServ.
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