Sherri has 29 years of experience as an aquatic biologist, with 18 of those years in the Southern Interior of BC/Kootenay Region. Sherri is experienced in the full range of project delivery - from project management (scheduling, budgeting, safety), through field data collection, analyses and reporting. Sherri has a diverse range of experience and knowledge that includes: fish and fish habitat assessment, environmental permitting (e.g., BC Water Sustainability Act [WSA] and Fisheries and Oceans Canada ([DFO] Fisheries Act), environmental protection/mitigation planning, environmental monitoring during construction (e.g., nesting surveys, fish salvages, stream diversions, and water quality monitoring), and integrated planning and process facilitation. Sherri also has a demonstrated ability to work with various stakeholders/groups including government, non-government, industry, contractor, and private landowner/organization. Some additional career highlights are listed below:
- Environmental assessment, permitting and monitoring: Since 2013, Sherri has been the project manager and lead biologist for the Ministry of Forests, Kootenay Boundary Region Forest Service Road Maintenance Program, where she has been responsible for providing environmental assessment, permitting and monitoring services to approximately 100 bridge and erosion/flood protection projects. Sherri has been the environmental lead biologist for many other similar projects, such as for: Canadian Forest Products, Regional District of East Kootenay (maintenance dredge for flood protection in Fairmont, Cold Spring and Windermere creeks, and debris flow mitigation in Cold Spring Creek), City of Fernie (dike upgrade, bank protection, and floodgate installations), City of Cranbrook (lagoon upgrade works), and four private resort/marinas on Windermere Lake requiring maintenance dredge works. She is experienced with fish habitat inclusions (e.g., bioengineering and stream restoration) that help increase the acceptability of projects.
- Environmental assessments other: Since 2014, Sherri has also been a lead biologist for the City of Cranbrook Wastewater Treatment System monitoring program, which includes monitoring of: effluent quantity, surface and groundwater water quality, invertebrates, crop tissue and soil.
- Integrated planning and process facilitation: Sherri has developed management plans for various projects including Foreshore Integrated Management Plans for six lakes, and Environmentally Sensitive Area Mapping for four Official Community Plan areas. Sherri has helped numerous stewardship groups prepare their Columbia Basin Water Quality Monitoring Project reports. Sherri has facilitated the Kootenay Lake Action Plan, and the Whiteswan Lake Provincial Park Fisheries Management Plan (2013).
- Prior to moving to the Kootenay Region, Sherri was an employee of the Ministry of Environment on Vancouver Island for 8 years. During this time, she held planning positions with the Watershed Restoration Program at a regional level, and the Environmental Assessment Division at a provincial level.