Seeking expressions of interest from monitoring groups wanting to participate in STREAM 2022

With the STREAM pilot project extending until September 2022, Living Lakes Canada is still accepting expressions of interest from new groups keen to take part in one of two training sessions this year. The intent is to hold these two sessions in two different priority watersheds that have not yet hosted a STREAM training. Those areas that demonstrate the strongest capacity need (with a maximum of 20 persons trained) will be prioritized.

Co-delivered by Living Lakes Canada, World Wildlife Fund-Canada, Environment and Climate Change Canada and University of Guelph, STREAM (Sequencing The Rivers for Environmental Assessment and Monitoring) is contributing to the better understanding of aquatic ecosystem health through the DNA metabarcoding of benthic macroinvertebrate samples collected across Canada. DNA metabarcoding is potentially faster, more accurate and less expensive than morphological taxonomic identification given the greater capacity to analyze samples in bulk. It also has the potential to provide enhanced biodiversity information.

The training sessions are three-day CABIN field courses adapted for the STREAM program. Canadian Aquatic Biomonitoring Network (CABIN) training is a prerequisite to participate in the STREAM project. Once participants are CABIN trained, the STREAM procedure for collecting benthic macroinvertebrate DNA samples in wadeable streams is explained in person, during the STREAM field training course led by Living Lakes Canada. CABIN training and any associated costs will depend on the level of certification required for a given group.

Expressions of interest that already have third-party funding to cover the cost of a training course will also be prioritized. Please complete the Request for Proposal form below to tell us about your capacity needs.

For individuals and groups that have already gone through a STREAM-CABIN training course, participants are invited to continue to submit their benthic macroinvertebrate samples for DNA metabarcoding analysis — free of charge by the University of Guelph — for the 2022 season. Additionally, WWF-Canada will continue to cover the costs of sample shipments for community groups to the University of Guelph for analysis, as previously arranged, until October 1, 2022.

Complete our Online Survey

Please let us know if your organization is interested in or planning to submit samples to the STREAM project in 2022.

Need training support?

This season we are asking that participants who wish for the STREAM project to help support their training needs, complete a Request for Proposal to indicate their training needs and details. The Request for Proposal will remain open for anyone interested in training support in future years as well.

WWF-Canada and LLC will review proposals and make training selections in early April 2022. We will touch base with partners shortly after that. We will require selected participants to complete a Memorandum of Understanding that lays out roles and responsibilities of each participant.

If you have your own funding and wish to Request a Fee-for-Service course (without WWF-Canada monetary support), please complete the form below.

We’re hiring an eDNA Program Coordinator

Living Lakes Canada is seeking a Program Coordinator (full-time employee) to start February 15, 2022. We are seeking an individual with experience in the non-profit sector, field work and is Canadian Aquatic Biomonitoring Network (CABIN) certified.The successful candidate will possess strong leadership, communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills. Experience and sound judgment to plan and accomplish goals as well as a wide degree of creativity and rigour are expected. The Program Coordinator will work independently via remote work space, collaborating with the Living Lakes Canada team, the project team, and external partners on a regular basis.

Please direct any questions to Living Lakes Canada STREAM Program Manager Raegan Mallinson at raegan@livinglakescanada.ca.

Thank you past, present and future STREAM participants!