Wednesday, November 4th, 2020 from 1:30-4:00pm
Please join us for the Upper Columbia Conservation Commission (UC3) fall meeting via 'Zoom' on Wednesday, November 4th from 1:30pm to 4:00pm. All meetings are open to the public. Agenda below.
Please contact Cassidy Bender (cassidy.bender@mt.gov) for meeting details (e.g. virtual meeting links/teleconference information) or to request accommodations prior to the meeting date.
 
 The UC3 staff & Big Sky Watershed Corps (BSWC) member have been hard at work in these strange times! From tabling at the Northwest Montana Fair & Rodeo to instructing Jr. Rangers through a mock boat inspection activity at Lone Pine State Park, we won't let a little distance stop us!
Our BSWC member, Brant Dupree, is wrapping up his service term with us but that doesn't mean he is slowing down! Brant has created partnerships with over 80 industry partners in the basin this season and is hoping to visit 40+ more in the last few months of his project. He has been hard at work initiating conversations, spreading the Clean Drain Dry message, and answering questions business owners, staff, and the general public have on aquatic invasive species in Montana.
Throughout the summer, the businesses that have joined us in the fight against AIS, as Clean Drain Dry partners, have been featured on the FWP Protect Our Waters Facebook page, give them a like to follow along!
See some of our 2020 partners pictured below.
 As he is wrapping up his project, Brant had the honor of virtually presenting his project to hundreds of people from all over the globe at the North America Invasive Species Management Association's Annual Conference. His project will also be featured in the Montana Watershed Coordination Council's virtual Stream to Summit conference poster sessions (Oct 14-16th). Brant has been an awesome addition to UC3 this year and we are saddened at the thought of his term coming to a close in mid-November.
 Congratulations to all the hardworking individuals protecting our great state from aquatic invasive species on receiving the 2020 Governors Award! The Governor's Awards honor and recognize exceptional state employees, you can find more information on the AIS team award here. You're determination and diligence has not gone unnoticed and we thank you for your efforts!
The AIS team includes members who cover the entire state, managing 24 inspection stations and 10 offices, all while collaborating with numerous partners.
The Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Team Award was given to Zach Crete, Jayden Duckworth, Jacob Effertz, Sean Flynn, Jessi Gudgel, Garland Hamilton, Russ Hartzell, Kim Howell, Austin Jaynes, Gail Johnson, Liz Lodman, Larry Lytle, Craig McLane, Kathi Montgomery, Beth Morgan-Giddings, John O'Bannon, Stacy Schmidt, and Tom Woolf.
Epic Watercraft Inspection Year at Clearwater Junction
"With stay at home orders in place and many businesses closed, people took to the outdoors in greater numbers then even Montana is use to seeing. It was obvious almost immediately that this wasn’t going to be a normal summer. Throughout the summer we have taken special precautions to keep both our staff and the public safe during the pandemic.
The total number of inspections so far this season has surpassed the total for the whole 2019 season. We have about a month left of boat inspections at Clearwater. The total watercraft inspected to date in 2020 is 31,263. We broke our own record on July 3 with the most inspections performed in one day at 626 watercraft inspected." - Lindsey Bona-Eggeman, Weed Management Coordinator
You can read more on the Missoula County Weed District's Healthy Acres Newsletter!
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 October is Don't Move Firewood Month!
Firewood Month’s two overarching goals are; raise public awareness about firewood movement as a forest pest and disease pathway, and encourage people to incorporate their most easily accepted safer firewood buying and/or gathering behaviors for recreational or home heating needs. Each year, there are established theme weeks throughout October to organize best practices based on situations and audiences, but these themes are flexible to your needs, and all participants are encouraged to celebrate Firewood Month in whatever way works best for your outreach audience.
The Don’t Move Firewood: Firewood Month Toolkit page has all four weekly themes, the online toolkit, and more, available right now for easy download. Check it out today!
AIS Summit November 2020
The 2020 Montana AIS Summit will be held November 18th. Prior to the AIS Summit, partners will be provided with information related to the 2020 AIS season and plans for the 2021 season.
FWP is teaming up with the Invasive Species Action Network (ISAN) and Matt Wilhelm to provide a virtual AIS activity training on October 28. Natural resource educators, Conservation Districts, NGO’s and other who want to learn how to share AIS lessons with youth (or adults) are welcome to join the training. Watch for more details coming soon.
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Dept. of Interior Draft Invasive Species Strategic Plan Released
The Department of the Interior has released its Draft Invasive Species Strategic Plan, developed pursuant to the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act (Public Law 116-9). The public comment period closed Friday, Oct. 9, 2020.
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Montana Invasive Species Council - AIS Grants Available! Applications accepted until Oct 19th, 2020
The Montana Invasive Species Council is now accepting grant applications to fund aquatic invasive species projects. Up to $50,000 is available per project to Montana communities or local, state, tribal, or other entities within the state and to Montana-based non-governmental entities.
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Montana News:
10.12.20, Missoulian, Feature photos: Indigenous Peoples Day at the University of Montana
10.09.20, MT FWP, FWP September AIS Newsletter
10.08.20, Billings Gazette, Dive Team Created to Fight Aquatic Invasive Species
9.30.20, MT FWP, Hunters Can Help Prevent the Spread of AIS
9.30.20, MT FWP, AIS Pass Required for Nonresident Hunters with Boats
9.24.20, Char-Koosta News, Montana has Weathered Another Summer Boating Season Without Mussels
9.11.20, Haver Daily News, Drainpipe Cause of New Zealand Mudsnails in FWP Hatchery
9.09.20, Char-Koosta News, Kayak with Mussels Stopped in Nashua
9.04.20, EIN Presswire, Non-Residents Launching Boats in Montana
9.04.20, Hamilton News Talk, Invasive Creatures Found in Kayak in Montana
8.23.20, Bitterroot Star, New Zealand Mudsnails Found at FWP Fish Hatchery
7.30.20, Columbia Basin Bulletin, Confederated Salish And Kootenai Tribes ‘Mack Days’ To Reward Anglers ($300,000) For Pulling Out Of Flathead Lake As Many Lake Trout As Possible; Helps ESA-Listed Bull Trout
Regional News:
10.02.20, Keloland, South Dakota is Shifting Zebra Mussel Defense
9.17.20, Bismarck Tribune, Public Asked to Help with Aquatic Nuisance Species Detection
9.16.20, Keremeos Review, Invasive Clams Discovered in Salmon Arm of Shuswap Lake
9.13.20, St. George News, Over 16K Boats in Utah Inspected for Invasive Mussels Over Labor Day Weekend
9.11.20, Columbia Basin Bulletin, Lake Pend Oreille Angler Sets New Idaho Record For Catch/Release Bull Trout
8.13.20, Columbia Basin Bulletin, Science Panel Suggests Task Force As Focal Point For Battling ‘Inevitable’ Spread Of Northern Pike In Columbia River Basin
8.04.20, EIN Presswire, Zebra Mussels Confirmed in Pickerel Lake
8.25.20, Moosejaw Today, SaskPower Donates 25k to Help Invasive Aquatic Species Control
8.18.20, Columbia Basin Bulletin, A Fifth Angler Wins $1,000 In Lake Pend Oreille Walleye Lottery Aimed At Protecting Other Species
Other News of Interest:
9.24.20, Columbia Basin Bulletin, Due To COVID-19, BPA’s Northern Pikeminnow Reward Program On Track For Lowest Harvest On Record; Season Extended, Bounty Payments Increased
9.19.20, The Atlantic, The Clock Is Ticking on America’s ‘Feral Swine Bomb
8.17.20, Canada.gov, Government of Canada Launches Public Engagement on First-Ever Aquaculture Act
8.13.20, DOI Press Release, Trump Administration Outlines Comprehensive Strategy to Tackle $120 Billion Problem
8.04.20, Boating Industry, Boating Industry Priorities Included in House Spending Packages
7.28.20, Boating Industry, New Wake Boat Study Confirms Industry-backed Positions
Business of Outdoor Recreation Virtual Summit October 13th-15th: The 2020 summit will focus on building resiliency for the future. This year's Summit participants will be from Montana, Greater Crown of the Continent Region including Alberta and British Columbia and beyond, ranging from industry, community, and conservation.
Montana Watershed Coordination Council (MWCC) virtual Summit to Stream conference October 14th-16th: The Montana Watershed Coordination Council and Montana Forest Collaboration Network are joining efforts to host a 3-day online Watershed and Forest Symposium/Workshop. This event will bring land and water conservation professionals and enthusiasts together to explore opportunities for strengthening partnerships and improving on-the-ground work that supports healthy forests and watersheds in Montana.
Upper Midwest Invasive Species Conference (UMISC) November 2nd-6th: Virtual
North American Lakes Management Society (NALMS) 2020 Virtual Symposium, November 16th-20th: NALMS at 40: Advancing our Mission to Forge Partnerships
2020 Montana AIS Summit November 18th: Virtual
Montana Invasive Species Council (MISC) Meeting, December 2nd: Helena/Virtual
100th Meridian Initiative Columbia River Basin AIS Team, December 2nd-3rd: Virtual
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