Wed, 4 Oct 2023
Tags: Caribou / caribou habitat restoration fund / chrf / News

Project Profile & Lessons Learned: Goldway Road Restoration

Goldway Road Restoration - Chu Cho Environmental LLP

In 2018 Chu Cho Environmental identified several candidate roadways for restoration within the Chase caribou herd range with input from forest licensees, caribou biologists, and Tsay Keh Dene Nation. In total, Chu Cho Environmental and Tsay Keh Dene Nation have now completed restoration work on 3 roads within the Chase caribou herd boundary since 2019. Collectively, these projects have been a part of the larger Chase Caribou Road Restoration Program (CCRRP), with the Goldway road being the most recent restoration project.

Planted Seedling – Chu Cho Environmental LLP

Sean Rapai of Chu Cho Environmental shares the challenges and lessons learned on this project including those around permitting, post-treatment monitoring and longer-term considerations.

Permitting: The historical presence of anadromous salmon in Johanson Creek, combined with the presence of bull trout and steelhead trout impacted the window for fording Johanson Creek with an excavator. It was necessary to submit an application to Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) with the proposed plan and timing window of the work. The Letter of Advice was eventually secured which indicated work could proceed as planned. Best practices were outlined as well as recommendations for the fording process. This proved challenging, but the project did receive approval from DFO.

Monitoring: Ecological restoration treatments could take five or more years to begin to show results. With monitoring, we are attempting to answer a long-term set of questions and return to the site in the years immediately following restoration. Monitoring can be very costly as assessing control treatments is often restricted to the use of a helicopter. Chu Cho Environmental investigated the feasibility of using remotely piloted aircrafts (drones) as a more cost-effective method of monitoring restored areas in the short-term. This method was explored for monitoring remote roadways and restored areas.

Drone-based monitoring: Based on recommendations from 2021, Chu Cho Environmental deployed drone-based remote-sensing surveys to monitor vegetation using derived NDVI indices. Data was collected to a resolution of 1 m2 and can be paired with future surveys to track vegetation establishment and growth along large stretches of the road. While the use of a drone as a monitoring tool in this restoration program is in the preliminary stages, the ease of data collection and results suggest this is a viable means of evaluating vegetation indices on pre and post restoration roadways.

Stability of ecological restoration treatments: Year one monitoring of the ecological restoration techniques used in the project showed strong persistence of these treatments. The rough-and-loose soil contouring was stable, intact, and holding water, and planted seedlings had a high survival rate.

Recontouring inhibits human access: Areas recontoured with the rough-and-loose treatment had the least evidence of use by humans, including those on horseback. Aggressive recontouring of roads at strategic locations may be considered a viable tool to discourage trail usage and eliminate all-terrain vehicle use.

Snow alters access by motorized vehicles: Snowmobile use of the road was observed when the snow had accumulated above restoration efforts (i.e., above height of felled trees and mounds). While the effect of such anthropogenic use has yet to be studied here, considerations may be required for future restoration efforts or access management restrictions on snowmobile use.

Functional restoration: Felled trees were intact, and it was observed that larger diameter trees felled from steep cut banks created better movement barriers. Conversely, smaller diameter trees felled for functional restoration did not provide as good of a visual and physical barrier and is suggested that when small diameter trees are the only available source, they are felled in stacks. High survival of planted seedlings, following mechanical site preparation, suggests that tree planting is likely to provide visual screening over the long term, and may represent a more effective long term means of functionally restoring these roadways.

The Goldway road lies within the range of the Chase caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) herd, which is considered by the federal government of Canada to be part of the Northern group of the Southern Mountain population of Woodland caribou. This herd is listed as threatened on Schedule 1 of the Species At Risk Act (SARA).

Tue, 27 Jun 2023
Tags: Caribou / caribou habitat restoration fund / chrf

Project Profile & Lessons Learned: Tweedsmuir Caribou Winter Range – Chelaslie Road Restoration

Group of caribou detected on Reconyx remote camera.

Directly east of Tweedsmuir Park, there is an area caribou utilize as their core low-elevation winter habitat and as a migration route between winter and summer habitat. It is currently heavily impacted by human-caused disturbance such as forest harvesting and associated roads. The BC Ministries of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship and of Forests have been working on a project that aims to benefit the Tweedsmuir-Entiako caribou (TEC) herd through restoration of linear disturbances in the Chelaslie migration corridor (CMC). The project includes many partners, including Cheslatta Carrier Nation and the Society for Ecosystem Restoration in Northern BC (SERN BC), working on the restoration of roads and fire guards that are no longer required. Over the 2021 and 2022 seasons, ecological and functional restoration treatments were applied to over 54 km of road and fire guard. An additional 22 km of road has been effectively deactivated through the treatment of access roads. Restoration efforts will continue in 2023, through machine work on legacy roads, planting of roads and wildfire guard, and monitoring.

Restoration activities incorporate ecological restoration, which includes site preparation and conifer planting to recover habitat suitable for caribou; and, functional restoration, which includes activities such as woody debris spread, tree felling, mounding, and berm creation. These barriers are intended to reduce line of sight and make roads more difficult to travel along, which is important to eliminate human access and reduce predator mobility. The project utilized vegetation surveys, assessments for mobility, trail cameras, drone imagery, and GPS collars to monitor the short- and long-term outcomes of restoration treatments on access, vegetation, caribou use, and use by other wildlife.

Reconyx photo of caribou bull on road 1A (treated in 2022)

Anne-Marie Roberts, Tweedsmuir Caribou Herd Program lead with the BC Ministry of Water, Lands and Resource Stewardship (WLRS) and Joanna Lee, BC Conservation Foundation (BCCF) contractor with WLRS share some lessons learned on the project so far.

Review of work to date: During the first year, the project was scoped out based on previous work and from projects in other areas of British Columbia and Western Canada. This allowed for beneficial streamlining of some of the work around restoration treatments and implementation development. Learnings from the initial year of the project also helped scope subsequent workplans, training, and reporting.

On Site Discussion: While this project utilized an experienced Project/Site manager on the machine work, a team site visit was held early before the machine work began to review implementation. Representatives from the BC Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship (Nadina Forest District + Skeena Region), Forest Carbon Initiative, Cheslatta Carrier Nation, and HCTF were in attendance and visited roads completed in previous years as well as roads to be completed in 2022 and had in-depth on-site discussions about restoration treatments and goals. This was an effective use of time to ensure that prescriptions were communicated and understood well by all involved. It also resulted in a better understanding from the machine operators that were newer to this type of project to know what the project was intending to achieve (i.e., plant-able spots, functional treatments aimed to reduce sightlines and minimize access and ease of movement).

Remote Cameras: On a more logistical note, cameras deployed in remote areas were a significant investment in time and money to deploy, check and process. Ensuring that cameras are protected as much as possible (bear boxes and possibly locks) is important to protecting the investment in that data.

Partners and Stakeholders: Working with First Nations and stakeholders is unique to each region and caribou herd, and it is essential to include inputs from different groups to this type of project. Adequate time must be set aside for meaningful input and to develop real partnerships for ongoing restoration. This will be important in the long-term implementation of restoration treatments. Through deep commitment to working together there has been significant contribution from First Nation partners to this project, caribou recovery, and in building capacity to support and lead components of this work.

Wed, 15 Jun 2022

Project Profile: Health and Behaviour of BC’s Southern Most Stone’s Sheep

Stone Sheep Capture (photo by Daniel Mclaren of Northern Conservation)

Stone’s sheep, one of four wild sheep species in North America, can range dramatically in size and in colouring, from white to chocolate brown and black, so these sheep perfectly blend into the habitat around them. But for all we know of their beauty and range, little is known about their health and behaviour.

The mountainous areas of northern British Columbia support approximately three-quarters of the global population of Stone’s sheep, and recent genetic data confirmed that BC is home to all genetically pure populations. Also called Thinhorn sheep, which includes the subspecies Dall’s, the Dunlevy and Schooler Stone’s sheep are the southernmost extent of their range. Therefore, conservation of this subspecies is of great concern given their habitat and genetic uniqueness.

In 2020, HCTF began funding a project to study Stone’s sheep in the Dunlevy and Schooler ranges, and the project is now entering its third year. Project team lead Robin Routledge of Wild Sheep Society (WSS) believes that as BC supports the global population of this species, it is important to understand Stone’s sheep and work to protect and enhance the habitat in which they live.

Capture Team and Helicopter (photo by Daniel Mclaren of Northern Conservation)

Recently, some concerns had been raised about potential impacts from domestic livestock and local elk herds on Dunlevy and Schooler herds, and the ecological and health conditions of the herds have not been monitored since 2005. The Dunlevy herd range is directly adjacent to ongoing anthropogenic disturbance including development and recreation. One key concern is the potential transmission of pathogens from domestic breeds to wild sheep, particularly Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae or “MOVI”; an infectious parasite that results in a deadly form of pneumonia.

The WSS of BC teamed up with Wildlife Infometrics Inc. to reinitiate a monitoring program of these herds and compare new health data to that collected in previous years (1999-2005). The hope is that this information will guide herd management and inform habitat planning and enhancement projects for First Nations and stakeholders.

In 2020, the team, along with local First Nations, started the capture and collaring of several individuals within the Dunlevy herd, and a small number of individuals in the Schooler herd. This was the first successful deployment of collars in the Schooler herd, for a total of 6 active collars in 2020, and an additional 10 collared animals in 2021 among both herds. The collars will help the team gather data on home ranges, and understand key habitat features the sheep are utilizing, to eventually inform habitat enhancement plans. Collars were distributed between ewes and rams (dependent on age, suitability, and access); an important aspect for well-rounded data as ewes tend to stay closer to a core area, moving seasonally and during lambing, while rams tend to forage outside core areas over greater distances.

But the team decided to try a novel approach to capture and collaring, and used a method called “drive netting”. To the project team’s knowledge, this project is the only time the drive netting method has been used in BC since it was last used in the previous study on these same sheep (Wood et al. 2010). Essentially the team identified where the sheep congregate and then deployed approximately 100 – 150 meters of net about 6 feet high. Ten or more people stationed around the area spread out hanging the net in place while a helicopter cautiously moved the herd towards it. The sheep are caught in the net and that’s when the team can capture them for processing (health samples and collars). The team has found great success with this method, and it seems to cause less stress for the animal as the overall disturbance or impact time is shorter than with other more traditional methods.

Drive Netting (photo by Daniel Mclaren of Northern Conservation)

At the time of capture, the team collected health samples, and laboratory results indicated that all sheep captured in 2020 were negative for five viral and bacterial pathogens commonly carried by domestic ruminants, including MOVI. One ewe captured in 2021 tested positive for parainfluenza virus-3. When this virus was found previously in Dall’s sheep, it was not associated with the death of the animal, but it can lead to mortality in Bighorn sheep. More research is required to assess the effects of this virus on Stone’s sheep as data is limited.

Then the team stumbled upon something in their 2021 spring ground surveys that worried them: two ewes in the Dunlevy range had died during lambing season due to complications associated with giving birth; something that is considered very rare among Thinhorn sheep. The team is still waiting on results to determine the cause of this.

In 2020 and 2021 lamb surveys were conducted in summer, winter, and spring utilizing both ground telemetry and aerial telemetry methods to obtain better overall confirmation of lambs, but also to compare the two methods. It was found that ground telemetry methods were the least disruptive and provided the best information for lamb at heel. Aside from the rare occurrences mentioned above, lamb numbers are looking strong for the Dunlevy herd. As for the Schooler herd, it was hard to draw conclusions with such limited data, but one lamb was observed there.

Given that this type of data has not been collected in approximately 15 years, some unexpected results also arose to shed further light on the health conditions of the herds. Fecal samples indicated that the Williston sheep (part of the Dunlevy herd) had a significantly higher stress level than other herds measured in the Cassiar and Dome areas. This may be due to range overlap of the Williston sheep with elk herds, and the associated tick load and potential resource competition (something that has been found in previous studies). More research is required to assess the effects of range overlap with other wildlife herds such as elk, and overall stress levels of the wild sheep herds.

Horn Measurement (photo by Daniel Mclaren of Northern Conservation)

Population estimates indicated that while the Dunlevy herd was within normal population levels, the Schooler herd may have undergone significant declines. Only 8 individuals at one time have been observed. The team hopes that with four collared individuals in the Schooler herd, and more planned, as well as upcoming population surveys, more can be learned about their range possibly leading to additional groups of sheep being located.

Lastly, the team looked at a condition known as “lumpy jaw”, which is prevalent in North American wild sheep and is most common in Stone’s sheep. It is caused by the consumption of sharp forage items, especially needles, which become lodged in the gums. This often leads to bacterial infection and inflammation of the mouth resulting in bony proliferations; however, studies indicate that lumpy jaw does not seem to have any serious effects on the life expectancy or overall health of the sheep. Given that there is limited information on the effects of lumpy jaw on wild sheep, in all future mortality investigations the team will be collecting and examining mandibles for deformities and abnormal tooth wear that may be indicators of lumpy jaw.

Crews are keen to return to the field for surveys this spring to continue to gather data from Stone’s sheep herds to better understand this rare species, and in turn, better manage the herds and their habitat for generations to come.

The Stone Sheep Capture Team (photo by Daniel Mclaren of Northern Conservation)

We are thankful for the First Nations Support from Saulteau First Nation, Moberly Lake First Nation, Mcleod Lake Indian Band and Halfway River First Nations.

Funding Partners for this project include the Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program, Wild Sheep Society of BC, Wild Sheep Foundation, Northeastern B.C. Wildlife Fund, North Peace Rod and Gun Club, and MFLRORD services.

Tue, 5 Apr 2022
Tags: Habitat Acquisition

Biodiversity and Bighorn Sheep saved through habitat purchase in South Okanagan

Hillside Grassland on Skaha Lakea (photo by Graham Osborne)

Today, The Nature Trust of British Columbia, one of the province’s leading non-profit land conservation organizations announced that 29.2 hectares (72 acres) of ecologically important land has been purchased for conservation in the South Okanagan.

The property expands The Nature Trust’s Skaha Lake Eastside conservation complex, south of Penticton. This new property is adjacent to the McTaggart-Cowan/nsək’łniw’t Wildlife Management Area and provides valuable habitat for several species at risk.

The Skaha Lake Eastside conservation complex adds important habitat for Bighorn Sheep for foraging, lambing, and escaping predators. Due to its ecologically rare and important ecosystems including grasslands, open forests, and rocky terrains, Bighorn Sheep can have all their needs met on this property and the surrounding area including birthing lambs in the spring.

Open and native grassland covers less than 1% of BC’s land base and provides habitat for more than 30% of BC’s species at risk. Grasslands support more threatened and endangered plants and animals than any other habitat type in the province. With the South Okanagan irreversibly losing native grasslands due to human development and cultivation, it is crucial we protect the undisturbed grasslands that remain.


Bighorn Sheep are a species of provincial concern in British Columbia. They depend on mixed habitat to survive including cliffs, grasslands, and escape terrain. Human pressures on their habitat have reduced their distribution in the Okanagan. Their grassland habitat has experienced degradation, fragmentation, and outright loss. Increased human activity has disrupted their movements, decreased population size, and increased their susceptibility to disease.

The mixture of diverse and sensitive ecosystems on the property will also protect habitat for a variety of species listed under Canada’s Species at Risk Act (SARA), including, Pallid Bat (threatened) American Badger (endangered), Lewis’s Woodpecker (threatened), Western Screech Owl (threatened), Desert Nightsnake (endangered), Western Rattlesnake (threatened), and Great Basin Gophersnake (threatened).

Each species has a role to play in ensuring the persistence of biodiversity and a healthy ecosystem. Protected areas are the best way to ensure biodiversity can flourish undisturbed in perpetuity.


This project was made possible by the Government of Canada through the Natural Heritage Conservation Program, part of Canada’s Nature Fund, Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation, Wild Sheep Foundation (including Midwest and Eastern Chapters), Wild Sheep Society of BC, and many other individual supporters.

“The Nature Trust of BC has been purchasing land for conservation in the south Okanagansince 1975. Protecting properties like Skaha Lake Eastside, with complex and sensitive ecosystems that support many at-risk species, is one of our top conservation priorities. When we save habitat for Bighorn Sheep, we also protect numerous other species at risk.
— Jasper Lament, CEO, The Nature Trust of BC

“By securing this latest piece of ecologically significant land, NTBC continues contributing to a growing assembly of conserved lands that provide important habitat for many wildlife species such as Bighorn sheep. Large landscapes with protected intact grasslands, forests and wetland habitats become more resilient to the impacts of climatic change and provide more connected linkages for wildlife. The Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation is excited to partner with NTBC and the other funding partners on the Skaha Lake Eastside conservation complex to conserve these habitats for wildlife into the future.”
— Dan Buffett, Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation, CEO

“The twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss are two sides of the same coin, and we must tackle them together. By working with partners such as The Nature Trust of British Columbia, we are helping to protect the natural environment in British Columbia and across the country. Programs like the Canada Nature Fund’s Natural Heritage Conservation Program are helping us progress toward conserving a quarter of lands and oceans in Canada by 2025.”
— The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change

Thu, 24 Mar 2022

Project Profile: Yellow Flag Iris, Enabling Stewardship and Habitat Conservation through Technology Transfer

Yellow Flag Iris on the Waterfront

Scanning the edge of wetlands, streams, lake shorelines, and shallow ponds you may notice a plant with dark green sword-like leaves and beautiful yellow flowers. But underneath the spring blooms and rich foliage Yellow Flag Iris forms an extensive thick mat of interconnected roots (rhizomes) which damage wildlife habitat, reduce water flow, and crowd out native vegetation. The plant is also poisonous to livestock if ingested and causes skin irritation in humans. It can be found in the lower mainland of BC and Vancouver Island, extending to the Southern Interior of BC through to North Thompson, Shuswap, Central Cariboo, into Similkameen Valley and Christina Lake as well as in the West Kootenays.

First introduced to North America in the 1800’s as an ornamental plant, like many invasive species this noxious weed reproduces quickly through seed dispersal, in addition to fragmentation of its horizontal root system. Seed pods can remain afloat for extended periods and may spread long distances through watercourses. The plant may take many years to (3-5) to produce the signature yellow flowers, so identification by leaves is important.

So how can this aggressive invasive species be managed? In 2020, HCTF began funding a project to provide education and training on the treatment and eradication of Yellow Flag Iris. Dr. Catherine Tarasoff of Agrowest Consulting has found that successful treatment of Yellow Flag Iris can be achieved with benthic barriers (aquatic barriers) and deep water cutting; however, land managers and stewards need to be properly trained in this method or Yellow Flag Iris will persist. Dr. Tarasoff set out to do just that; train stewards through the delivery of hands-on workshops across the province to put the tools in the hands of those closest to the problem.

Those that attended the workshops learned all about the plants’ ecology, to better understand the effectiveness of treatment. Yellow Flag Iris have large carbohydrate-rich rhizomes allowing them to feed off energy stores, even in less than ideal conditions. When Yellow Flag Iris is growing in an upland terrestrial site, it uses aerobic respiration in the presence of oxygen to generate energy; however, in saturated aquatic habitats (where it is mostly found in BC), anaerobic respiration is utilized, and the byproduct is toxic gases released from the leaves. When the leaves are clipped and removed and the patch is covered in a benthic barrier, the plant continues to use up food resources from its rhizomes and expels toxic gases which cannot escape. Under the covering, the gases emitted from the plant bounce around like free radicals further destroying the plant and speeding up the process of eradication.

Despite challenges with COVID-19, the team has trained 174 participants through 19 workshops in the southern portion of the province. These participants went on to train several more staff and/or volunteers and treated approximately 3,900 m sq of Yellow Flag Iris! The team also made a short series of educational videos to help reinforce the information learned in the workshops.

Short Instructional Video Gallery

Dr. Tarasoff has found through trial and error, it is recommended to treat smaller areas thoroughly, rather than tackling large areas less intensively. With proper application of the benthic barrier, enough time (at least a full year), and proper monitoring of rhizomes, treatment success is very high, and native plants will begin to colonize the treated area from dormant bulbs, rhizomes, and tubers.

The team plans to continue delivery of their workshops across the province to train more local land managers and stewards on this method for management of yellow flag iris so they too, in turn, can educate and train others. This is a great example of how local expertise can be shared province-wide to create stewards with the knowledge and tools to tackle this invasive species and improve habitat for fish and wildlife in their own backyards.

Other funding partners include Wildlife Habitat Canada.

Fri, 11 Feb 2022
Tags: CESI / Indigenous led

Better together: How collaboration has furthered conservation efforts along Lower Otter Creek

Restoration of Lower Otter Creek will secure important habitat for species like Arctic Grayling

The Lower Otter Creek Wetland Restoration Project showcases the strength of working together to achieve conservation goals across the province. From Leadership to funding, partnerships have been key to the project’s success.

The Taku River Tlingit First Nation (TRTFN) has led the project in close association with the BC Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation (EMLI), the community of Atlin, and consultants. The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy (MOE) provided funding through the Conservation Economic Stimulus Initiative for ecosystem and conservation initiatives. The placer mining industry also provided funding, exemplifying the power of partnerships across public, private, local, and provincial scales.

Thanks to hard work and collaboration, project proponents have successfully restored a historically altered creek and enhanced habitat around Lower Otter Creek and Surprise Lake—remote wetland areas roughly 20 km from Atlin, BC.

A joint effort

The Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation (HCTF) is responsible for the management and administration of a $700,000 grant provided by the MOE through the province’s Conservation Economic Stimulus Initiative (CESI)—an initiative designed to create conservation jobs for people who have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic.

The project has also received additional funding and in-kind support from the placer mining industry, TRTFN, the provincial government, consultants, and the local community—a testament to the notion that all players truly have a “seat at the table”.

Jackie Caldwell, project lead and Mining Officer for TRTFN, has seen the power of partnerships first-hand and believes the project offers an opportunity to promote future collaboration within the community.

“It’s been really great to see that kind of collaboration coming together. I’m hoping that the project will showcase to the entire Atlin community, that if we put our minds together, we can achieve great things.”

About the project

The project began in 2017 and aims to restore a historically altered creek, stabilize the shoreline and improve water quality—all of which will benefit local wildlife, including Arctic grayling populations who have experienced notable declines over the past decade.

Several other species will also benefit from the project including bears, moose, and in the future, caribou. The area is currently a barrier for caribou migration, but project leads are hopeful that the new vegetation will expand the historic migration corridor that has been heavily fragmented by industrial development across northern BC.

“The goal of the project is essentially to take a non-productive portion of the stream and make it productive for wildlife use again,” explains Caldwell.

By diverting Lower Otter Creek into a more gently sloped path, the project has successfully turned a fast-flowing creek into a slow, meandering one. This change has allowed sediment from upstream mining activities and unstable slopes to settle out before entering Surprise Lake, improving both water quality and shoreline stability, and creating an environment conducive to vegetation growth.

To date, the engineering and construction work has been completed and additional plantings are scheduled for the spring of 2022.

Participation where it’s least expected

Due to a long history of placer mining in the region, the damage is considered a legacy disturbance, meaning there is no sole party that can be held responsible.

“It was a great starting point because it offered a project that we could all work on together,” says Caldwell.

Some of her favourite memories have involved collaboration with the community and she specifically recalls a time when an Atlin local volunteered to collect bear scat after posting the request on Facebook.

“One way to revegetate is to utilize natural seeds from the area like soapberry, crowberry, and Saskatoon berry,” explains Caldwell. However, to ensure successful germination, the seeds need to pass through the digestive tract of an animal.

Thanks to the support of an eager community member, Caldwell was able to collect more scat and has since distributed the native seeds throughout the site. “This was a great way to bring different people into the picture.”

Honouring Khustìyxh

By bringing multiple stakeholders together, the Lower Otter Creek Wetland Restoration Project has not only highlighted the power of partnerships, but it has also honoured the Tlingit ‘way of life’— khustìyxh.

“Khustìyxh is the concept that we’re not here to take from the land. The Tlingit are here to make sure the land prospers for future generations and everything we do should come back to that concept,” explains Caldwell.

The project has taken a historically disturbed area and given it new life, allowing future generations to both enjoy and live off the land.

 

The Conservation Economic Stimulus Initiative is funded by B.C.’s Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy which has allocated $10 million in funding for ecosystem and species conservation. As part of B.C.’s Economic Recovery Plan, this program will support B.C.’s economic recovery by investing in ecosystem and species restoration projects across the province. These projects will employ British Columbians, with a focus on demographics such as young adults, women, and Indigenous People who have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19, by funding “shovel ready” conservation projects that will also help to protect and improve B.C.’s diverse ecosystems, wildlife, and freshwater fish species.