The research reported has been carried out to develop a border irrigation system for the semi-arid region in the Nicola Valley in British Columbia. To develop a border irrigation system in the Valley a 60 acre field was surveyed and the design of land grading prepared. A small section of the larger prepared field was selected for this study and three border strips, each having the same length with different widths, were constructed. .Formulas and curves were used for the design calculation of slope, discharge, depth of water to be applied, required amount of water, and the time of application for each strip. Infiltration rates, soil moisture capacities and soil classification are reported. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Chemical and Biological Engineering, Department of / Graduate

Reintroduction of captive-bred Western Burrowing Owls (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) in the Nicola Valley, British Columbia, has had limited success in increasing the local breeding population. Traditionally, yearling captive-hatched Burrowing Owls that were paired and released into artificial burrows in the field, held overnight, and provided with supplemental food throughout the breeding season (hard release) have had high post-release dispersal and mortality. In 2005 and 2006, I used an alternative soft-release technique to test for an improvement upon the hard-release technique. The soft release followed the same procedure as the traditional hard release but also included enclosures around burrow entrances to contain the owls for a 2-week period in the field prior to release. I compared immediate post-release dispersal, seasonal survival, and reproductive success for 37 hard-released and 30 soft-released pairs. I radio-tagged 39 of these released owls in order to accurately monitor their activities, regardless of whether they remained at release sites or dispersed. The soft-release technique led to 20% more owls remaining at the release sites, 14% more owls surviving the breeding season, and 20% more owl pairs fledging juveniles. In addition to investigating adult survival and reproductive success, I examined post-fledging juvenile survival, local recruitment, and habitat use, and adult prey consumption behaviour in order to assess the potential of these aspects to limit the success of the reintroduction. Survival and local recruitment rates of the juveniles of captive-bred adults released with two different techniques were similar to that of juveniles of wild adults in the same study area or in other parts of the Burrowing Owl's range. Juvenile habitat-selection analyse sidentified the importance of rangeland, and comparisons of prey consumption revealed the rapid development of foraging abilities by captive-bred Burrowing Owls. I concluded that these aspects of the owl's ecology were not negatively affected by a captive upbringing, and therefore not likely limiting the success of the reintroduction. Overall, the use of an enclosure-based soft-release technique addresses major limitations to the success of releases, and shows promise for increasing the breeding population in this region. This approach can also be applied to recovery efforts throughout the Burrowing Owls' range, and provide guidelines for other species' reintroduction programs.

Reintroduction of captive-bred Western Burrowing Owls (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) in the Nicola Valley, British Columbia, has had limited success in increasing the local breeding population. Traditionally, yearling captive-hatched Burrowing Owls that were paired and released into artificial burrows in the field, held overnight, and provided with supplemental food throughout the breeding season (hard release) have had high post-release dispersal and mortality. In 2005 and 2006, I used an alternative soft-release technique to test for an improvement upon the hard-release technique. The soft release followed the same procedure as the traditional hard release but also included enclosures around burrow entrances to contain the owls for a 2-week period in the field prior to release. I compared immediate post-release dispersal, seasonal survival, and reproductive success for 37 hard-released and 30 soft-released pairs. I radio-tagged 39 of these released owls in order to accurately monitor their activities, regardless of whether they remained at release sites or dispersed. The soft-release technique led to 20% more owls remaining at the release sites, 14% more owls surviving the breeding season, and 20% more owl pairs fledging juveniles. In addition to investigating adult survival and reproductive success, I examined post-fledging juvenile survival, local recruitment, and habitat use, and adult prey consumption behaviour in order to assess the potential of these aspects to limit the success of the reintroduction. Survival and local recruitment rates of the juveniles of captive-bred adults released with two different techniques were similar to that of juveniles of wild adults in the same study area or in other parts of the Burrowing Owl's range. Juvenile habitat-selection analyse sidentified the importance of rangeland, and comparisons of prey consumption revealed the rapid development of foraging abilities by captive-bred Burrowing Owls. I concluded that these aspects of the owl's ecology were not negatively affected by a captive upbringing, and therefore not likely limiting the success of the reintroduction. Overall, the use of an enclosure-based soft-release technique addresses major limitations to the success of releases, and shows promise for increasing the breeding population in this region. This approach can also be applied to recovery efforts throughout the Burrowing Owls' range, and provide guidelines for other species' reintroduction programs.

Reintroduction of captive-bred Western Burrowing Owls (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) in the Nicola Valley, British Columbia, has had limited success in increasing the local breeding population. Traditionally, yearling captive-hatched Burrowing Owls that were paired and released into artificial burrows in the field, held overnight, and provided with supplemental food throughout the breeding season (hard release) have had high post-release dispersal and mortality. In 2005 and 2006, I used an alternative soft-release technique to test for an improvement upon the hard-release technique. The soft release followed the same procedure as the traditional hard release but also included enclosures around burrow entrances to contain the owls for a 2-week period in the field prior to release. I compared immediate post-release dispersal, seasonal survival, and reproductive success for 37 hard-released and 30 soft-released pairs. I radio-tagged 39 of these released owls in order to accurately monitor their activities, regardless of whether they remained at release sites or dispersed. The soft-release technique led to 20% more owls remaining at the release sites, 14% more owls surviving the breeding season, and 20% more owl pairs fledging juveniles. In addition to investigating adult survival and reproductive success, I examined post-fledging juvenile survival, local recruitment, and habitat use, and adult prey consumption behaviour in order to assess the potential of these aspects to limit the success of the reintroduction. Survival and local recruitment rates of the juveniles of captive-bred adults released with two different techniques were similar to that of juveniles of wild adults in the same study area or in other parts of the Burrowing Owl's range. Juvenile habitat-selection analyse sidentified the importance of rangeland, and comparisons of prey consumption revealed the rapid development of foraging abilities by captive-bred Burrowing Owls. I concluded that these aspects of the owl's ecology were not negatively affected by a captive upbringing, and therefore not likely limiting the success of the reintroduction. Overall, the use of an enclosure-based soft-release technique addresses major limitations to the success of releases, and shows promise for increasing the breeding population in this region. This approach can also be applied to recovery efforts throughout the Burrowing Owls' range, and provide guidelines for other species' reintroduction programs. / Land and Food Systems, Faculty of / Graduate

Women's community organizing for change has the potential to improve many aspects of women's lives, the lives of their families, and community members at large. Yet the role of women's organized action in shaping the social environment is not well understood and is rarely supported by the mainstream institutions of planning. In rural areas, women's contributions to community planning may be even less apparent given the voluntary nature of their work and the lack of sensitivity paid to women's particular needs. The purpose of this study is to contribute to contemporary planning thought by providing some insight in to why, to what extent, and how women successfully organize to meet their social needs in rural communities. Two themes are examined: (1) the motivating factors that led to the development of a women's planning rganization, the Nicola Valley Women in Action, (NVWIA) in Merritt, B.C., and; (2) the dynamic forces in this community that support and/or limit women's abilities to engage in gender-informed community planning. A literature review outlines the need for gender-sensitive approaches to planning and the potential of women's community organizing for change (feminist activism) to serve as a catalyst for gendersensitive planning praxis. To explore the experiences of a particular group of women engaged in community organizing from a feminist perspective, a case study of the NVWIA is described through a review of organizational material and interviews with members. The principal findings are: (1) there was a definite need for gender-sensitive planning to meet the social needs of women in Merritt; (2) factors such as the lack of gender-sensitivity in institutional planning, the existence of barriers to women's involvement, and the dearth of opportunities for women in Merritt to influence decision-making motivated the development of the NVWIA; (3) opportunities, including government incentive, municipal support, inter-agency co-operation, organizing skills and member initiative, enabled the NVWIA to successfully respond to women's needs; and (4) constraints, including the absence of funding, philosophical differences, anti-feminist sentiment, and limits to voluntary time, hinder the ability of the NVWIA to continue its efforts. The study highlights the value of supporting women's community organizing as a means of encouraging planning approaches in rural areas that are gender-sensitive. It concludes by identifying the implications for self-help and professional planners wishing to support women's organized action.

Women's community organizing for change has the potential to improve many aspects of women's lives, the lives of their families, and community members at large. Yet the role of women's organized action in shaping the social environment is not well understood and is rarely supported by the mainstream institutions of planning. In rural areas, women's contributions to community planning may be even less apparent given the voluntary nature of their work and the lack of sensitivity paid to women's particular needs. The purpose of this study is to contribute to contemporary planning thought by providing some insight in to why, to what extent, and how women successfully organize to meet their social needs in rural communities. Two themes are examined: (1) the motivating factors that led to the development of a women's planning rganization, the Nicola Valley Women in Action, (NVWIA) in Merritt, B.C., and; (2) the dynamic forces in this community that support and/or limit women's abilities to engage in gender-informed community planning. A literature review outlines the need for gender-sensitive approaches to planning and the potential of women's community organizing for change (feminist activism) to serve as a catalyst for gendersensitive planning praxis. To explore the experiences of a particular group of women engaged in community organizing from a feminist perspective, a case study of the NVWIA is described through a review of organizational material and interviews with members. The principal findings are: (1) there was a definite need for gender-sensitive planning to meet the social needs of women in Merritt; (2) factors such as the lack of gender-sensitivity in institutional planning, the existence of barriers to women's involvement, and the dearth of opportunities for women in Merritt to influence decision-making motivated the development of the NVWIA; (3) opportunities, including government incentive, municipal support, inter-agency co-operation, organizing skills and member initiative, enabled the NVWIA to successfully respond to women's needs; and (4) constraints, including the absence of funding, philosophical differences, anti-feminist sentiment, and limits to voluntary time, hinder the ability of the NVWIA to continue its efforts. The study highlights the value of supporting women's community organizing as a means of encouraging planning approaches in rural areas that are gender-sensitive. It concludes by identifying the implications for self-help and professional planners wishing to support women's organized action. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate