Torin Kelly, RPBio

My role: Field Operations Coordinator. Directed five concurrent regional crews, designed all annual work plans, conducted 30+ environmental site assessments, and managed relationships with landowners, partner agencies, and First Nations across three geographically distinct regions.

Project Context

Invasive plant management across British Columbia requires coordinating field delivery across long distances, varied biogeoclimatic zones, and a mix of public, municipal, First Nations, and industrial lands. As Field Operations Coordinator, I brought together five seasonal field crews operating simultaneously on Vancouver Island, in the Lower Mainland, and across the Cariboo, with accountability for crew training, regional planning, site prioritization, and stakeholder coordination across very different landscape and operational contexts.

Methods & Approach

• Directed five concurrent field crews across Vancouver Island, the Lower Mainland, and the Cariboo, managing deployment, scheduling, and equipment logistics across three geographically distinct regions
• Developed and delivered staff training programs in invasive plant identification, pesticide application, equipment operation, field safety, and integrated pest management for crew members of varied experience levels
• Designed annual regional work plans that integrated legislative requirements, environmental safeguards, and risk-based site prioritization across 50+ treatment and restoration sites
• Conducted environmental site assessments across 30+ gravel pits, Wildlife Management Areas, and municipal park sites, evaluating habitat sensitivity and statutory constraints to inform mitigation and compliance decisions
• Coordinated partnerships with Metro Vancouver, BC Parks, municipal staff, First Nations land stewards, and industrial operators to align field activities with landowner requirements
• Applied GIS-based spatial analysis including buffer and overlay modelling to delineate environmental constraints and support treatment prioritization
• Reviewed contractor performance and environmental documentation to ensure consistency with provincial regulatory requirements

Outcomes

• Consistent delivery across three regions spanning coastal rainforest, urban interface, and interior dry belt ecosystems
• 50+ sites managed simultaneously across gravel pits, Wildlife Management Areas, regional parks, and municipal green spaces
• 30+ environmental site assessments completed, providing the basis for mitigation planning and regulatory compliance
• Crew training programs established as reusable ISCBC materials for subsequent seasonal intakes
• That field experience shapes how I design programs, scope research trials, and write technical documents today

My role: Lead researcher and co-author. Designed the monitoring protocol, led field data collection at the Mackenzie site, ran statistical analysis in R, and co-authored both the Year 1 and Year 2 technical reports.

Project Context

Traditional right-of-way vegetation management relies on mechanical clearing and herbicide application. Both methods face ongoing challenges related to cost, environmental impact, and public perception, particularly in areas adjacent to Indigenous territories or water bodies. Enbridge sought evidence-based alternatives suited to difficult terrain.

Methods & Approach

• Deployed 30 goats over one week on a 0.5-hectare ROW site approximately 50 km northeast of Mackenzie, BC
• Established five 1 m² quadrats in each grazing and control area; clipped pre-grazing biomass and wet-weighed by species
• Added adjacent control plots in Year 2 to strengthen comparative analysis
• Set up photo points at four plot corners in both treatment and control areas
• Analyzed pre- and post-grazing biomass and species diversity using paired t-tests in R Studio, with Shapiro-Wilk and Levene's checks on assumptions
• Co-authored Year 1 and Year 2 technical reports with Dave Ralph and Nick Wong

Outcomes

• Statistically significant biomass reductions demonstrated in both 2023 and 2024 trial years
• No statistically significant change in species diversity, flagged for further multi-year study
• Evidence supports targeted goat grazing as a viable IPM component for ROW management
• Recommendations produced for expanded sample sizes, behavioural herd training, and integration with reseeding and selective herbicide application
• Year 2 report published December 2024, delivered in partnership with Spectrum Resource Group, Wright Canada Holdings, and Rocky Ridge Vegetation Control

My role: Lead author on both deliverables. Conducted the site survey, designed the assessment framework, produced the baseline invasive plant inventory, and wrote both the suitability report and the process improvement report delivered to ETL.

Project Context

ETL receives contaminated soils from sites across BC for thermal treatment at its Princeton facility. Soils arriving from the Lower Mainland carry a risk of transporting invasive plant seeds and fragments into the Similkameen region, where several species of concern are not yet established. ISCBC was engaged to characterize that risk through a site-level habitat assessment and a review of ETL's operational procedures, providing a foundation for evidence-based biosecurity improvements.

Scope of Work

Invasive Plant Survey and Suitability Report

• Divided ETL's 22-hectare Princeton site into distinct survey areas based on habitat type and invasive plant community, and conducted a systematic baseline inventory of invasive plants present across all areas
• Assessed habitat suitability for seven species of concern (Wild Chervil, Canada Thistle, Shiny Geranium, Perennial Pepperweed, Poison Hemlock, Cordgrass, and Japanese Knotweed) by evaluating whether site conditions met the life history requirements of each species.
• Identified which species of concern were present on site, which were absent but at risk of establishment, and which site features created conditions favourable to colonisation
• Established a documented baseline inventory to support ongoing monitoring and early detection of newly arriving species

Process Improvement Report

• Reviewed each stage of ETL's soil handling workflow (source site loading, transport, facility intake, screening, feedstock storage, thermal treatment, and reclamation mix production) and identified points where invasive plant seeds or fragments could survive, escape, or be introduced.
• Assessed containment practices during transport, including tarp and burrito-wrap securing methods, and identified gaps in load security over long hauls from Abbotsford to Princeton
• Evaluated offloading and feedstock storage areas for exposure risk, including the handling of rootballs, plant parts, and organic debris removed during screening
• Assessed post-treatment handling procedures, including transfer pad management and the sourcing of organic materials used in reclamation mix production
• Delivered prioritized recommendations covering enhanced containment during transport, routine monitoring of offloading and storage areas, enclosed storage for untreated feedstock, and invasive-free certification requirements for reclamation organics

Outcomes

• Produced the first documented baseline inventory of invasive plants on ETL lands, establishing a reference point for future monitoring and early detection efforts
• Identified establishment risk for seven invasive plant species and flagged site features, including disturbed transitional zones and soil stockpile areas, as priority locations for ongoing surveillance
• Identified multiple points across ETL's workflow where invasive plant material could survive or escape containment, from source site loading through to reclamation mix production
• Delivered a practical set of operational recommendations that ETL can implement incrementally across its soil handling procedures to reduce transfer risk
• Provided ETL with a defensible, evidence-based biosecurity framework to support responsible soil management and demonstrate due diligence under provincial invasive species best practices

My role: Program lead. Designed and managed all delivery streams — webinars, hybrid workshops, eLearning courses, and field resources — while coordinating 15 project partners and a team of subject-matter experts from industry, government, and academia.

Project Context

Agricultural producers face significant productivity losses from invasive plants, insects, and pathogens, but have historically had limited access to sector-specific, applied training. This program addressed that gap through multiple delivery formats.

Methods & Approach

• Developed and delivered four online knowledge-sharing webinars (505 combined registrants)
• Hosted two in-person hybrid workshops in Williams Lake (November 2025) and Penticton (December 2025) with 92 combined attendees
• Developed two self-paced eLearning courses (Forage; Fruits, Berries & Vineyards)
• Produced a five-video micro-learning series on year-round invasive species risk reduction
• Developed a Field Guide for Identification of Agricultural Invasive Species
• Engaged 15 project partners; coordinated expert speakers from industry, government, and academia

Outcomes

• 550 direct participants engaged across all delivery formats
• Two eLearning courses published and publicly accessible
• Five micro-learning videos produced and hosted online
• Field identification guide developed (pending graphic design finalization)
• Participants included forage producers, cattle ranchers, fruit and berry growers, vineyard owners, First Nations members, government staff, and consultants

My role: Lead instructor. Developed all curriculum and course materials — slides, field demonstrations, and practice exam content — and delivered 30 days of certification training directly to participants across British Columbia.

Project Context

Certified pesticide applicators are a legal requirement for invasive plant control on public and industrial lands across British Columbia under the Integrated Pest Management Act. Demand for sector-specific, practitioner-led training has grown as municipalities, utilities, and industrial operators strengthen compliance programs. These courses prepare candidates for the provincial Industrial Vegetation and Noxious Weed applicator examinations administered by the BC Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy.

Methods & Approach

• Delivered 30 days of Industrial Vegetation and Noxious Weed applicator certification training across multiple regions of British Columbia
• Developed curriculum covering label interpretation, personal protective equipment, equipment calibration, environmental conditions, non-target species protection, and spill response
• Built course materials including slide decks, field demonstrations, and practice exam content aligned to provincial examination requirements
• Combined classroom instruction with hands-on equipment handling and application technique demonstrations
• Adapted delivery for mixed audiences including field crews, municipal staff, First Nations land stewards, and private contractors

Outcomes

• Over 80 participants trained across 30 days of instruction
• Added 80+ certified applicators to the pool available for invasive plant management across British Columbia
• Course materials reusable as standalone training resources for ongoing ISCBC program delivery

My role: Program lead. Designed the full program from scoping and budget to delivery and federal reporting. Coordinated three First Nations governments and two universities, managed camera deployment across three regions, and oversaw trap procurement and staging.

Project Context

British Columbia has no established invasive pig populations, making early detection and rapid response capacity critical. The program aimed to build that infrastructure before pigs arrive, not after, with a focus on surveillance, trapping readiness, and public awareness tied to African Swine Fever preparedness.

Methods & Approach

• Deployed 86 wildlife cameras across three priority regions (Cariboo-Chilcotin, Kootenay, Peace) in partnership with UNBC, UBCO, and three First Nations governments (Tl'esqox, Saulteau, Doig River)
• Purchased and staged seven invasive pig traps (five PigBrig Net systems, two Jager Pro Corral systems) for provincial early-detection and rapid-response mobilization
• Co-developed and hosted two hybrid workshops in Fort St. John and New Westminster with 80+ combined attendees
• Developed 20 outreach and education resources including bilingual infographics, factsheets, brochures, videos, and youth materials
• Represented ISCBC at five outreach events including UBCM and the Pacific Agriculture Show
• Launched the Squeal on Pigs centralized webpage with detection map and reporting tools
• Produced the Guide to Invasive Pig Trapping in BC with a multi-sector advisory committee

Outcomes

• 86 cameras operational in three regions; no pigs detected prior to March 31, 2025
• Seven traps staged and ready for provincial mobilization
• 20 preparedness tools developed, exceeding the original target of 13
• Workshop feedback informing BC Ministry of Water, Lands, and Resource Stewardship's Invasive Pig-Free Strategy
• National expert network established including PigBrig, Jager Pro, University of Saskatchewan, and Government of Alberta

My role: Program designer and team lead. Built ISCBC's grant disbursement infrastructure from scratch, led a team of four grant coordinators through the full program cycle, and managed all federal reporting to ESDC.

Project Context

Young people interested in environmental action often lack the funding, infrastructure, and mentorship to deliver meaningful community projects. This program created that scaffold while building ISCBC's internal capacity to run grant disbursement programs for the first time.

Methods & Approach

• Designed and operationalized ISCBC's first grant intake, review, and disbursement system from scratch
• Assigned dedicated grant coordinators to each recipient for structured coaching at project start, midpoint, and close
• Facilitated skill-building events including a Cultural Safety workshop, Eco Stewards workshop, and ISCBC Forum participation
• Recruited through ISCBC volunteer network, social media, rural newspaper advertising, and partners including BC Metis Federation
• Secured in-kind partners Canadian Council on Invasive Species ($6,500) and Freshwater Fisheries Society ($1,500)
• Led a team of four grant coordinators through the full program cycle

Outcomes

• 57 youth-led environmental projects delivered across Canada
• 4 jobs created through the program
• 100% of survey respondents indicated they developed life-long skills
• 98% indicated increased confidence
• 43 of 43 survey respondents indicated participation helped them explore personal interests
• The program directly informed ISCBC's approach to youth engagement and grant disbursement

My role: Project lead and advisory committee co-chair. Led the multi-sector committee, authored the BMP document, and designed the training workshop series in collaboration with BC Hydro, FortisBC, Trans Mountain, Enbridge, First Nations representatives, and regional invasive species committees.

Project Context

Utility corridors in British Columbia span thousands of kilometres across varied ecosystems, land tenures, and jurisdictions, creating high-risk pathways for invasive species spread. BC Hydro and FortisBC partnered with ISCBC to develop sector-specific best management practices and practitioner training for transmission and pipeline vegetation management. A multi-sector advisory committee including BC Hydro, FortisBC, Trans Mountain, Enbridge, First Nations representatives, and regional invasive species committees shaped the scope and content.

Methods & Approach

• Co-chaired an advisory committee of utility operators, First Nations representatives, and regional invasive species committees to shape BMP scope and training priorities
• Authored best management practices document covering invasive species identification, risk assessment, operational controls, and reporting pathways across transmission and pipeline rights-of-way
• Designed a training workshop series tailored to field crews, contractors, and operations staff working on utility corridors
• Coordinated technical input from utility companies, regulatory agencies, and invasive species specialists to ensure practical applicability
• Integrated provincial regulatory requirements and biogeoclimatic considerations into BMP recommendations

Outcomes

• BMP document in final stages, pending advisory committee review and desktop publishing
• Training workshop curriculum in development for rollout in 2026
• Advisory committee structure established as a model for sector-wide collaboration on invasive species management
• Framework available for adoption across BC transmission and pipeline operators