Victoria, B.C.: The Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation is proud to announce over $8.5 million in funding for 178 fish and wildlife conservation and conservation stewardship projects across B.C. this year, with over $850,000 allocated to projects in the West Coast region.
For over 40 years, the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation (HCTF) has provided funding for conservation projects throughout B.C. Projects are led by a range of partners including community groups, rod and gun clubs, non-government environmental organizations, First Nations and Indigenous-led organizations, and the British Columbia government. Since 1981, the HCTF has funded over 3,800 projects, representing an investment of over $232 million for conservation in the province.
Photos left to right: Volunteers help remove invasive Reed canary grass and plant native species on Blackburn Lake; Volunteers weed paths, and remove tent caterpillars from Garry oaks in the Salt Spring Island Conservancy’s Garry Oak Demonstration Ecosystem at Blackburn Lake Nature Reserve; At Blackburn Lake Nature Reserve, workshop participants learn land stewardship in a time of climate change. Photo credit: Salt Spring Island Conservancy.
Among this year’s projects in the West Coast region is a multi-year project, co-funded by the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC), working to protect and enhance wildlife habitat on Salt Spring Island. Through several conservation strategies such as the acquisition of ecologically valuable lands, engagement with private landowners, restoration of habitat areas, and supporting the growth of native species, the Salt Spring Island Conservancy aims to employ climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies for the long-term conservation of wildlife habitat. All of the strategies incorporate public outreach: “This project increases conservation awareness through presentations, workshops, brochures, and signage,” said project leader Penny Barnes. “Conservation awareness is a tangible first step towards habitat protection.”
Steve Kozuki, executive director of FESBC said, “HCTF has some of the best expertise in wildlife biology and habitat management. That’s why FESBC is so pleased to collaborate with HCTF. Together we have improved wildlife habitat on numerous successful projects all around British Columbia. And we will continue to endeavour to assist wildlife to thrive and flourish for generations to come.”
The project is being supported by HCTF and FESBC, with $48,795 in co-funding this year.
“In the forested landscape, many non-government organizations such as the Salt Spring Island Conservancy work with landowners in their communities to increase knowledge about their local ecosystems and transform that information into community actions that protect and enhance wildlife habitat,” said Dan Buffett, CEO of HCTF. “As funders, FESBC and HCTF are excited to support our local project leaders, who deliver these projects and create better outcomes for our fish, wildlife, and their habitats.”
Other HCTF-funded projects taking place on the West Coast include:
$91,500 to restore the wetland habitat of a former sawmill site in the heart of the salmonid migratory corridor for the watersheds of two major rivers, the Puntledge and the Tsolum.
$50,000 to share cultural teachings and ways of knowing about Xpey’ (Western red cedar) to inspire region-wide cultural restoration and protection activities.
$52,810 for the Vancouver Island Small Lake Enrichment Program, adding nutrients and modifying angling regulations to support kokanee salmon and rainbow trout stock.
$9,700 for the restoration of vital tidal marsh habitats in Craigflower Estuary through eco-cultural fencing: the creation of tidal channels and replenishing marsh banks.
$100,000 to restore habitat in Xwaaqw’um on Salt Spring Island by creating new wetlands, repairing streams, and deactivating old logging roads.
Each project funded by HCTF undergoes a multi-level, objective, and technical review process prior to final Board review and decision. HCTF’s Board of Directors ensures that species important to B.C. anglers and hunters are supported but also places a great deal of importance on conserving whole ecosystems, species-at-risk, and investing in environmental education across the province.
The FESBC-HCTF partnership exemplifies how collaborative efforts can lead to significant environmental and community benefits. As the two organizations look toward the future, the lessons learned from this partnership will continue to guide efforts in forest and wildlife habitat management.
To read more about these projects, visit www.hctf.ca.
FESBC would like to gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Province of British Columbia through the Ministry of Forests.
Kamloops, B.C.: The Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation is proud to announce over $8.5 million in funding for 178 fish and wildlife conservation and conservation stewardship projects across B.C. this year, with more than $1.5M allocated to projects in the Thompson Okanagan region.
Listen to the interview on Radio NL with MSc student researcher Steffani Singh.
Among this year’s projects in the Thompson Okanagan region is a two-year study of how wildfires of different ages affect the distribution of owls in the Okanagan Valley. “Owls help regulate prey populations and are culturally significant to local Indigenous communities. They are threatened by wildfire, which removes forest features needed for breeding and hunting,” says project leader Karen Hodges of the University of British Columbia Okanagan. MSc student Steffani Singh is surveying which owl species are present in post-fire forests and determining where owl nests are and what the owls are eating in these burned landscapes. The project will thus inform the management about what features of burned forests are essential for owls, leading to better habitat conservation. The project is being supported by the HCTF and the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC), with $66,401 in funding this year.
Photos left to right: An owl spotted during the study to find out how large wildfires affect the distribution of owls in the Okanagan Valley. Photo Credit: Marcus Cosentino;View of an area post-wildfire, part of the owl habitat study. Photo Credit: Nikita Karitsky; Researchers studying a wildfire-impacted area. Photo Credit: Steffani Singh.
Steve Kozuki, executive director of FESBC said, “HCTF has some of the best expertise in wildlife biology and habitat management. That’s why FESBC is so pleased to collaborate with HCTF. Together we have improved wildlife habitat on numerous successful projects all around British Columbia. And we will continue to endeavour to assist wildlife to thrive and flourish for generations to come.”
For over 40 years, the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation (HCTF) has provided funding for conservation projects throughout B.C. Projects are led by a range of partners including community groups and rod and gun clubs, environmental non-government organizations, First Nations and Indigenous-led organizations, and the British Columbia government. Since 1981, the HCTF has funded over 3,800 projects representing an investment of over $232 million for conservation in the province.
Dan Buffett, CEO of HCTF, said, “Over the last seven years, FESBC contributed over $4.5M to HCTF to fund wildlife projects in our forests. Our partnership enables project leaders such as UBC to assess the impact of wildfires on wildlife and develop guidance on how to better manage forests for wildlife. Projects such as Dr. Hodge’s work on owls, along with many other wildlife projects, will continue to fill our knowledge gaps to improve habitat for wildlife.”
Other HCTF-funded projects taking place in Thompson Okanagan include:
$22,730 to measure how changes in Douglas-fir forests affect mule deer habitat and how to better support the mule deer population in the Bald Mountain range west of Summerland (co-funded by FESBC).
$295,500 to rebuild the Mission Creek Spawning Channel intake, ensuring spawning migration access and higher survival rates for juvenile kokanee.
$62,750 to restore habitat on approximately 23 km of roads within the Caribou North and Groundhog caribou herds’ range.
$93,615 to install a resistivity counter in the Upper Shuswap River to monitor Bull trout migration and provide spawning and movement patterns.
$24,906 to build capacity for and understanding of environmental and wildlife initiatives in the Nlaka’pamux Homeland.
Each project funded by HCTF undergoes a multi-level, objective, and technical review process prior to the final Board review and decision. HCTF’s Board of Directors ensures that species important to B.C. anglers and hunters are supported but also places great importance on conserving whole ecosystems, species-at-risk, and investing in environmental education across the province.
The FESBC-HCTF partnership exemplifies how collaborative efforts can lead to significant environmental and community benefits. As the two organizations look toward the future, the lessons learned from this partnership will continue to guide efforts in forest and wildlife habitat management.
To read more about these projects, visit www.hctf.ca.
FESBC would like to gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Province of British Columbia through the Ministry of Forests.
How Prescribed Fire is Helping Enhance Stone’s Sheep Habitat in Northeastern B.C.
Project jointly supported by Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation and Forest Enhancement Society of BC
British Columbia – In the remote, rugged, Northeastern terrain of B.C., nearly half of the world’s Stone’s sheep habitat can be found. These sheep and the ecosystem surrounding them have been supported through careful forest management practices since the 1970s. One such practice, jointly funded in recent years by the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation (HCTF) and Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC), is prescribed burning.
Row 1 (l-r): Stone sheep returning to a site post-burn; View of the area during a burn and the view of the area six weeks after the burning seeing the return of the forage; Row 2 (l-r): Implementation of prescribed burn for Stone’s sheep habitat and a group of Stone’s sheep observed during an Annual Recruitment Survey. Photo credit: Ridgeline Wildlife Enhancement/A.Woods
In May 2022, approximately 160 hectares of Stone’s sheep winter habitat were treated with prescribed burning. This initiative targeted four specific slopes (hillsides), utilizing aerial ignition techniques (dropping fire from helicopters) to reduce woody vegetation, enhance forage quality, and improve predator detection capabilities for the sheep. This treatment was part of a broader objective to restore and maintain habitat not only for Stone’s sheep but, in future project years, also for bighorn sheep, which inhabit the southernmost extent of the region.
“Prescribed fire is a long-standing management practice to restore important foraging habitats for wild sheep and many other species such as moose, elk and mule deer. HCTF is proud to co-fund this work with FESBC so that our project leader can complete this critical work to benefit Stone’s sheep in the Peace Region,” remarks Dan Buffett, CEO of HCTF. “It’s a great project involving a wide variety of partners generating benefits well beyond wildlife to improve the broader forest ecosystem and create a better patchwork of grasslands and different aged forest stands over the landscape.” Viewed from above, the patches appear to be irregular in size, shape, and distribution. This is what natural landscapes often look like when fire is allowed.
In May 2024, before the summer season of wildfires experienced throughout the province, Ridgeline Wildlife Enhancement Inc., on behalf of the Wild Sheep Society of BC, worked on the project to undertake two prescribed burns. They successfully enhanced over 600 hectares or 1,400 acres of Stone’s sheep habitat using prescribed burning treatments. The resulting post-burn habitat will improve forage (food for sheep) quality and reduce dense shrub cover (so the sheep can see predators from a distance).
“The funds provided by HCTF and FESBC result in a direct, on-the-ground, immediate benefit to Stone’s sheep and their habitat,” explained Alicia Woods, a wildlife biologist with Ridgeline Wildlife Enhancement. “Within 10 days post-burn, new vegetation was visible on-site, and by eight weeks post-burn, the site was beginning to revegetate with new forage. We often see sheep move into a burned area within a few weeks to graze on the new growth. Funding for prescribed burning projects also contributes to landscape-level ecosystem restoration, reducing fuel loads, and includes benefits to other species that rely on sub-alpine grasslands.”
While the primary objective focused on strategically removing of brush and old vegetation to promote the growth of new, nutrient-rich vegetation, Woods emphasized the prescribed burns’ dual benefits, both for habitat management and as a proactive measure against uncontrolled wildfires. “By reducing the fuel load through controlled burns, we not only helped improve habitat quality but also helped mitigate the risk of severe wildfires,” she said.
An interesting objective of this project is that Woods’ team also focuses on studying and researching the impact of prescribed burns on sheep health and their habitat.
“In addition to the on-the-ground habitat benefits, funding contributed by HCTF and FESBC support a research component of the project that includes an assessment of wildlife and vegetation response to prescribed burns. In partnership with the University of Northern British Columbia, PhD students will further investigate how the habitat treated with fire may affect Stone’s sheep health. In a region that supports 50 per cent of the global population of Stone’s sheep, the enhancement of sheep habitat through this prescribed burn program has substantial benefits to this iconic species,” said Woods.
A novel aspect of the project focuses on the indirect assessment of sheep health by analyzing pellet samples for stress hormones and nutritional status indicators. This method offers a non-invasive way to gauge the potential health benefits of the burns to the sheep.
“As professional foresters making forest management decisions, we are often asked to manage multiple resources and values. The partnership between HCTF and FESBC provides funds to help research, investigate and find solutions in an ever-changing forest landscape on forest stewardship, specifically focused on wildlife and associated ecosystems and habitats,” said Tyler Field, Registered Forest Professional, operations manager with FESBC. “This year, for example, we are jointly funding several long-term projects that look at the effects of wildfire on certain wildlife species, which could help forest professionals make decisions in the future on using fire as a forest management tool in cultural and prescribed burns.”
While in the past couple of years, the project leaders have seen success, they have faced several challenges to get to this point:
The logistics of such an extensive project, especially for reaching remote areas, are extremely difficult. For example, one helicopter trip to the more remote study areas costs roughly $6,000, and the project team needs to visit the sites for monitoring at least four times a year. That is why, apart from the HCTF and FESBC support, the project has additional support from the Wild Sheep Society of BC, Wild Sheep Foundation, North Peace Rod & Gun Club, and the University of Northern BC.
Obtaining necessary government permits is a lengthy and complex process Woods shared, often taking years to navigate through bureaucratic layers. The project has submitted 25 burn permit applications and notably secured 14 burn permits, of which they have already treated six areas.
Even after burn permits are secured, it isn’t as straightforward as implementing the burns. “Spring prescribed burns occur in a narrow window that happens sometime between when the slopes become snow-free and before the site greens up. Sometimes, this window can be as narrow as one week,” explained Woods. The narrow window for suitable burning conditions requires precise timing and flexibility, and the unpredictable weather patterns of recent years and increasing dry periods due to climate change have complicated scheduling and increased the risk of unintended fire escapes from the target burn area.
For Woods, it is important for the public to be aware of the differences between wildfires and prescribed burns and learn why these burns are essential for maintaining ecological balance. “Prescribed burns are done in a very controlled fashion. There are very specific targets with very specific objectives. How we do it, and the conditions we do it under, are also carefully chosen,” said Woods. “The devastation of wildfires we see on the news is not how a prescribed burn site looks; after a prescribed burn the site flourishes with new vegetation.”
Woods also wants people to understand that controlled burns have always been an integral part of Indigenous practices and culture.
“The support and involvement of local First Nations, such as Fort Nelson First Nation, Halfway River First Nation, Doig River First Nation, and communities in the Kaska and Kwadacha traditional areas is not just beneficial but essential. They bring a perspective that enriches our understanding and approach,” said Woods, adding, “What they tell us about burning is also what we see, which is exciting because it confirms what I see on the ground. We conduct the burns similarly to how the First Nations used to do it – during the spring when the frost is still in the ground, so the burn doesn’t harm the soils – as a tool of controlled burning for the benefit of enhancing wildlife habitat and improving the ecological balance in the area.”
The project has become a leading example of how integrating Indigenous ecological knowledge with contemporary scientific practices can lead to more effective and sustainable forest management. Next, the project plans to expand the treated areas, aiming to cover between 500 to 1,000 hectares annually across multiple study areas.
“Our goal is to establish a cycle of burns that continuously rejuvenates the habitat,” she explained. “Ideally, we’re looking to manage these lands in a way that maintains ecosystem diversity across the landscape, which will, in turn, support the wildlife the northeast is renowned for.”
Through the dedicated efforts of Woods and her team, the prescribed burning projects in Northeastern B.C. demonstrate that thoughtful, well-managed fire regimes can profoundly benefit wildlife and ecosystems.
To read more about these projects, visit www.hctf.ca.
FESBC would like to gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Province of British Columbia through the Ministry of Forests.
British Columbia –Since the inception of the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC), the Society has partnered with the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation (HCTF) to achieve its goal to improve forest wildlife habitat. To date, a total of 105 projects have been co-funded throughout the province.
Today, FESBC, in collaboration with HCTF has released an Accomplishments Update, highlighting nine of the 105 co-funded projects focused on maintaining and enhancing important wildlife and their habitats.
“HCTF and FESBC have worked together with others to enhance wildlife habitats for many, many species across British Columbia and we know that the best enhancement projects are those inspired at the grassroots level,” said Dan Buffett, CEO of HCTF. “Local people and communities are experts in delivering projects, as they know their local wildlife, ecology, landscapes, organizations, and circumstances. That’s why we can rely on them to reflect the priorities of communities while supporting the projects that are important.”
Roosevelt Elk released on the West Coast to improve Mainland populations health under the West Coast Roosevelt Elk Augmentation and Recovery Project, Credit: HCTF
Workers replanting Whitebark Pine saplings along a subalpine ridge in the Skeena Region under the project to restore Whitebark Pine Ecosystems to Enhance Subalpine Bear Habitat, Credit: Sybille Haeussler
Ministry of Forests researchers attaching a tracking collar to a Mule under the Deer Kootenay Mule Deer Survival Monitoring project, Credit: HCTF.
The BC Conservation Foundation (BCCF) bringing outreach and education to the public about bat conservation under the Got Bats? B.C. Community Outreach Conservation and Citizen Science Project, Credit: BCCF.
Fisher using an artificial den box installed by researchers under the Fisher Artificial Reproductive Den Box Study, Credit: Larry Davis
The nine projects highlighted in the Accomplishments Update include increasing Fisher habitat stewardship in the forest sector, invasive plant management on the winter ranges for Bighorn Sheep to increase the quality of grasslands, restoring whitebark pine ecosystems damaged by wildfire to improve habitat for bears, and more.
Minister of Forests Katrine Conroy, acknowledged the good work coming out of the FESBC and HCTF partnership and pointed out why this collaboration is crucial.
“The Forest Enhancement Society of BC and the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation’s partnership delivers on-the-ground projects improving wildlife stewardship and habitat conservation throughout the province. Through increased collaboration, their work is aligned fully with our Together for Wildlife strategy turning data and knowledge into action and results,” noted the Minister. “Partnerships like this are putting us on our path forward to achieve better outcomes for wildlife.”
As of March 2022, FESBC and HCTF together have doubled the funding to over $8 million toward 105 projects.
Steve Kozuki, executive director of FESBC, is pleased with the collaboration.
“Right from the beginning, we knew that partnering with HCTF was the way to go if we wanted to achieve our goals for wildlife habitat enhancement, and FESBC is proud of this partnership. The many past, present, and future projects like these will help ensure that wildlife in British Columbia will flourish for generations to come,” said Kozuki.
The funding for these co-funded projects comes from the Province of British Columbia and from conservation surcharges on hunting, fishing, and other licenses, court fines from wildlife violations, and public donations.
Minister of Environment & Climate Change Strategy, George Heyman highlighted the importance of the partnership and why the investment in the work done by FESBC and HCTF is important.
“British Columbians are increasingly feeling the impacts of the climate crisis. It’s why we’re taking steps to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and restore sensitive wildlife habitat in forests across B.C. By working together with our Indigenous partners and organizations like the Forest Enhancement Society of BC and Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation, we’re investing in solutions that will protect and enhance our forests for a more secure future,” said Heyman.
To read the full 2022 Fall Accomplishments Update, click here.
About FESBC: the purposes of FESBC are to advance environmental and resource stewardship of B.C.’s forests by: preventing and mitigating the impact of wildfires; improving damaged or low-value forests; improving habitat for wildlife; supporting the use of fibre from damaged and low-value forests; and treating forests to improve the management of greenhouse gases. As of March 2022, FESBC has supported 263 projects valued at $238 million, in partnership with the governments of B.C. and Canada. FESBC would like to gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Province of British Columbia through the Ministry of Forests.
About HCTF: HCTF is a non-profit charitable foundation investing in the future of British Columbia’s fish, wildlife, and their habitats. HCTF came into existence because its major contributors—hunters, anglers, trappers, and guide-outfitters—were willing to pay a license surcharge for conservation work, going above and beyond what was expected by the government for basic management of wildlife and fish resources.
Kelowna, BC: For 40 years, the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation (HCTF) has helped fund conservation groups, government, Indigenous Nations, and local communities to implement projects that protect B.C.’s wildlife, freshwater fish, and the habitats they need to survive and thrive. This year, HCTF awarded $9.3 million in funding for 175 individual conservation projects throughout British Columbia.
HCTF’s CEO Dan Buffett is pleased to report that the 2021/22 grant season represents the Foundation’s highest record annual investment and reflects the financial contributions and hard work of many British Columbians that fund and implement these projects. To date, HCTF has funded 3,230 conservation projects and granted over $195 million in funds across the length and breadth of this ecologically diverse province.
One such project being led by the Applied Mammal Research Institute aims to improve habitat for B.C.’s native mustelid species. The project, which received $31,500 in funding from HCTF and the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC), will conduct an array of forest management techniques to restore understory cover and accelerate forest regeneration in stands affected by Mountain Pine Beetle infestation.
American Marten – photo HCTF
The Mustelidae family includes martens, weasels, and ermine. As furbearers and important predator species in forest ecosystems, they have long been a priority for conservation efforts in B.C. Marten and weasel species occupy a mosaic of forest landscapes including 80+ year old conifer stands, and although some level of habitat disturbance is a natural and healthy occurrence in B.C.’s forests, we are increasingly seeing large scale disturbance events like those created by infestations species such as Mountain Pine Beetle. After such events, forest regeneration and eventual restoration can take many decades and even centuries. This project seeks to investigate what forest management techniques might increase the speed and effectiveness of forest recovery in order to improve habitat for mustelid and other small mammal species.
Short-tailed weasel, marten, and long-tailed weasel – photos Thomas Sullivan
“This research project asks if there are ways to significantly accelerate restoration activities that grow new mature forest environments in reduced lengths of time that will provide both economic (i.e. timber and non-timber products) as well as environmental, wildlife habitat, and biodiversity benefits,” said project lead Thomas Sullivan. “Structural attributes, such as woody debris piles, may constitute an adequate surrogate for large overstory trees lost to Mountain Pine Beetle disturbance and help to retain and improve forest biodiversity and wildlife habitats.”
Other HCTF-funded projects taking place in the Okanagan Region include:
$91,000 for research into the response of mule deer to wildlife activity in the Boundary region, West Okanagan and Bonaparte Plateau areas, co-funded by FESBC.
$71,000 for research into the effects of climate change on aquatic ecosystems within Bessette and Duteau Creek.
$54,000 to assess the status of the bull trout population in the Upper Shuswap River.
$52,000 for stewardship efforts engaging residence of the Kettle River Watershed to restore and maintain riverside Black Cottonwood forests in the area.
$20,000 for naturalization efforts designed to return 10 acres along the Similkameen river to riverside forest habitat, co-funded by FESBC.
Funding and support for these projects and others across the province come from a wide variety of sources including public groups such as the British Columbia Wildlife Federation (BCWF), partner organizations like FESBC, provincial government contributions, court fines, and endowments. A significant source of funding comes from the conservation surcharge paid by B.C.’s anglers, hunters, trappers, and guide outfitters.
“Over 40 years ago, a group of concerned hunters and anglers, lobbied for a surcharge on hunting and fishing licenses to fund wildlife and fish habitat improvement projects throughout the province,” said BCWF president Chuck Zuckerman. “The result of this impassioned call from B.C.’s hunters, anglers, trappers and sport shooters formed a new fund in 1981 that subsequently evolved into the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation.”
Steve Kozuki, executive director of FESBC, has been pleased to be a partner with HCTF.
“We are proud to partner with HCTF and local experts on the ground throughout British Columbia to improve wildlife habitat,” said Kozuki. “HCTF combines wildlife biology expertise with their excellent management of funds to deliver outstanding benefits for wildlife. With all the pressures on the land base, the good work HCTF does is more important than ever.”
Each project funded by HCTF goes through a multi-level, objective and technical review process prior to final Board review and decision. HCTF’s Board of Directors ensure that species important to B.C. anglers and hunters are supported but also place a great deal of importance on conserving whole ecosystems, species-at-risk, and investing in environmental education across the province.
To see the complete list of HCTF funded projects or explore the conservation work being done near you, view the 2021-22 Approved Project List.
Forest Enhancement Society of BC Aleece Laird, Communications Liaison Direct: 250 574 0221 | communications@fesbc.ca
HCTF Quick Facts: It is the mission of HCTF to improve the conservation outcomes of B.C.’s fish and wildlife, and the habitats in which they live. We make a difference by funding conservation projects and by educating and engaging the public about B.C.’s natural assets. 2021 marks HCTF’s 40th anniversary of helping conservation groups and individuals secure funding for conservation projects and providing education to the general public about B.C.’s important natural assets. Since 1981, HCTF has provided over $195 million in grants for 3,230 conservation projects across B.C. HCTF began as an initiative by B.C. anglers, hunters, trappers, and guide outfitters.
