Community Involvement & Education

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND EDUCATION

Community involvement and education has represented a significant portion of Rob Heibein’s environmental career and includes projects supporting the diverse communities in the northcoast, central, northeast and southeast portions of BC. Rob is experienced and knowledgeable working with non-profit organizations, societies and First Nations to develop concepts, pursue funding and coordinate environmental initiatives.

As a watershed rehabilitation instructor for Northwest Community College in Terrace, Rob delivered 270 hours of course content over a five year period, further developed course curriculum, coordinated site visits and delivered lectures.

Specialized Training:

Fish Health and Disease
Jr. Shorekeepers Leadership
Streamkeepers

Featured Project Experience:

Salmonids in the Classroom Northcoast

As part of the Fisheries and Oceans Community Involvement and Education Program, Salmonids in the Classroom is one of BC’s largest and most popular environmental education initiatives. Students participate in egg takes from adult salmon during field trips to local rivers, follow the development of incubating eggs in classroom aquariums, feed newly emerged salmon and then release the salmon fry back to their natal streams. Teachers can utilize the well developed K to 12 curriculum to maximize the educational benefits of the program.

Primary Roles and Responsibilities:

Technical support for DFO’s Salmonids in the Classroom program to 12 schools in Terrace, Prince Rupert, Kitimat and Nass communities. Coordinated the egg collection, aquarium setup and husbandry. Provided educational lectures and classroom exercises throughout the egg to fry lifecyle. Coordinated fry release field trips with fish and fish habitat educational exercises.

Other Representative Project Experience:

Streamkeepers Program Coordination, Terrace, BC - Responsible for the initiation and coordination of the Streamkeepers Program for Caledonia Sr. Secondary Earth 11 students. Responsibilities included site selection, site set-up, water quality, habitat assessment and invertebrate survey demonstrations. Employer: DFO Terrace Branch.

Salmonids in the Classroom Upper Fraser River, Central / Northeast BC - Administered DFO’s Salmonids in the Classroom program to over 16 schools within central and northeast BC. Coordinated the egg collection, aquarium setup and husbandry. Provided educational lectures and classroom exercises throughout the egg to fry lifecyle. Coordinated fry release field trips with fish and fish habitat educational exercises. Employer: DFO Prince George/Williams Lake Branch.

Osoyoos Lake Sensitive Habitat Inventory Mapping, Osoyoos, BC - Responsible for coordinating sensitive habitat inventory surveys for the entire Osoyoos Lake foreshore. Including organizing partners participating in a multi-agency/multi-society team during the field work. The results include a digital video, digital still photos, foreshore and riparian inventories referenced in ARC Info GIS Mapping. Employer: DFO Penticton Branch.

MoF Habitat Protection & Referral Process Presentation, Terrace, BC - Responsible for developing and delivering a 3 hour presentation to Ministry of Forests Kalum District staff regarding habitat protection and the DFO referral process. Employer: DFO Terrace Branch.

Prince George Rivers Day Event Committee Member, Prince George, BC - Member of the Prince George Rivers Day Music Festival coordination team as a DFO representative. Coordinated DFO public displays including a large live fish aquarium and educational activities. DFO Prince George/Williams Lake Branch.

Rivershed Society of BC 3rd & 4th Annual Form Presenter / Participant, 100 Mile House, BC – DFO Upper Fraser River representative and event presenter for the annual Rivershed Society forms. DFO Prince George/Williams Lake Branch.

Penny Fish Hatchery and Dome Creek Counting Fence, Penny / Dome, BC - Administered DFO’s Community Economic Development Program contract and provided technical support to the Penny Fish Hatchery and Dome Creek counting fence. DFO Prince George/Williams Lake Branch.

Oceans in the Classroom, Williams Lake / Quesnel, BC - Coordinated and administered a contract to have a portable ocean aquarium travel to central BC and display both marine fauna and flora at environmental stewardship centers. DFO Prince George/Williams Lake Branch.

Osoyoos Sr Secondary and Elementary Salmonids in the Classroom, Osoyoos, BC – Responsible for initiation and coordination of the Salmonids in the Classroom Program for Osoyoos Sr. Secondary and Elementary Schools. Tasks include proposal preparation for project funding, equipment set-up, sockeye egg takes, classroom and field trip presentations. Employer: DFO Penticton Branch

Landscapers & Arborists Workshop Presentation, Kelowna, BC - Responsible for presenting to 140 landscapers and arborists in Kelowna. Topics included fish habitat and federal habitat protection legislation. Employer: DFO Penticton Branch

4-H Urban Connections Presentation, Kelowna, BC - Responsible for presenting to 120 members of the 4-H club. Topics included fish habitat impacts caused by agriculture and best management practices for ranching. Employer: DFO Penticton Branch

Peachland Creek Kokanee Tours, Peachland, BC - Responsible of educational presentations to 34 schools totaling 1,488 students. Presentations included the Kokanee life cycle, fish prints and Kokanee dissections. Employer: DFO Penticton Branch

Ebby Street Community Fish Hatchery, Terrace, BC – Technical and logistical support for brood stock capture, egg takes, husbandry, fish disease treatment and fry release. Employer: DFO Terrace Branch.

Kalum Band Fish Hatchery, Terrace, BC – Technical and logistical support to the Kalum Band for brood stock capture, fish disease treatment and general operations. Employer: DFO Terrace Branch.

Bella Colla Style Portable Fishway, Terrace, BC – Responsible for supporting Northwest Watershed Guardian Society to restore fish access on Clearwater Creek near Terrace. Responsibilities included site selection, project coordination, project permitting, donation of helicopter time and manual labour during installation. Employer: DFO Terrace Branch.

South Okanagan-Similkameen Conservation Program – Committee member representing DFO for fish and fish habitat protection and restoration program in