Tue, 16 Apr 2024

Announcing $7.5M for Conservation in B.C.

6-227 Restoring Whitebark Pine Ecosystems to Enhance Subalpine Bear Habitat - Smoke Mountain cone collection

The Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation is proud to release the 2024-25 approved project list.

Over $7.5 million in funding has been awarded to 123 projects that will benefit fish, wildlife, and their habitats across B.C.

Included in the list are the approved projects under the Fish & Wildlife Grant, Caribou Habitat Restoration Fund, and Quality Waters program, as well as the provincially-led Conservation Lands and Fisheries O&M programs.

3-251: Interior Fraser Wild Steelhead Conservation – Steelhead tagging for spawning population estimate in the Nicola watershed.

Projects include:

  • $91,500 to restore the wetland habitat at a former sawmill site in the heart of the salmonid migratory corridor for the watersheds of two major rivers in Comox Valley
  • $152,001 to capture and tag juvenile White Sturgeon in the Fraser River to improve understanding of distribution abundance, recruitment trends, and growth rates
  • $45,890 to analyze data on small mammal and vegetation communities in Thompson-Nicola grasslands to better manage BC’s threatened grassland ecosystems
  • $83,380 to enhance 112 hectares of elk winter range in Upper Kicking Horse Canyon
  • $47,700 to implement recommendations from the Middle and Upper Fraser Bull Trout Management Plan to support sustainable angling and long-term stock conservation
  • $37,909 to understand habitat use, movement ecology, and survival of Tawéi (Tlingit word for thinhorn sheep) near Atlin to support sustainable stewardship of the species
  • $183,906 for functional and ecological restoration techniques to add an additional 2,358 hectares to intact areas of habitat within the Klinse-Za caribou herd range
  • $30,480 for the restoration of riparian black cottonwood forests in the Kettle River watershed

7-540: Prescribed Burns for Wild Sheep Enhancement in Northeastern BC – Implementation of prescribed burn for Stone’s sheep habitat.

To see the list of HCTF-funded projects for 2024-25, click here (PDF download).

Please note that this list does not include Action, Capacity, or Community Grants, for which notifications will go out in the summer. Invasive Mussel Monitoring Grant applicants will be notified in May.

Update May 10th, 2024: The Approved Project List now includes 2024-25 Invasive Mussel Monitoring Grants, Highland Valley Enhancement Fund projects, and funding towards the Invasive Mussel Defense Program. There are now a total of 136 projects and over $7.9M in funding.

Tue, 19 Sep 2023

Additional Funding Available for Marbled Murrelet and Northern Goshawk Projects

Marbled Murrelet near south Vancouver Island. Photo by Jenna Cragg.

Ongoing efforts to help two threatened birds in B.C. will get a lift this year. The Province of B.C. has dedicated $257,000 towards projects that support the Northern Goshawk, laingi subspecies (“NOGO”) and the Marbled Murrelet (“MAMU”), to be administered by HCTF.

Proposals are to be submitted through the regular Fish & Wildlife (formerly Enhancement & Restoration) Grant SurveyApply application process. They will then be evaluated according to their alignment with either the NOGO or MAMU Implementation Plans and their respective Implementation Actions – see Actions and Performance Measures tables:

Marbled Murrelet Implementation Plan
Northern Goshawk Implementation Plan

The application deadline for Fish & Wildlife Grants is Friday, November 3, 2023, at 4:30pm PDT.

For questions regarding the NOGO/MAMU funding or Fish & Wildlife Grants, please contact HCTF’s Grants Officer Amy Perkins at amy.perkins@hctf.ca or 250-940-3014.

Adult male goshawk captured in the Squamish area. Photo by Melanie Wilson.

Mon, 24 Apr 2023

$8 Million in Funding Approved for Conservation Projects Across B.C.

Project 7-540: Prescribed Burns for Wild Sheep Enhancement in Northeastern BC

The Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation today announced over $8 million that will fund 167 fish and wildlife conservation projects across B.C.

2023-24 HCTF Project List

For over 40 years, the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation (HCTF) has provided grants to a large network of recipients who undertake conservation projects each year. With support from HCTF, a wide range of nonprofit organizations, First Nations and Indigenous communities, Provincial ministries, and community groups implement projects that protect B.C.’s wildlife, freshwater fish, and their habitats. Since 1981, the HCTF has funded over 3,550 projects representing an investment of over $215 million for conservation in B.C.

CEO Dan Buffett is pleased with the diversity of projects as “each project undergoes a multi-step technical review process to direct funding to the best projects for fish, wildlife and their habitats.”

Project 5-310: Invasive Mussel Monitoring for the Cariboo Regional District

A significant source of funding for projects is the conservation surcharge paid by B.C.’s anglers, hunters, trappers, and guide outfitters when they purchase their respective licenses. HCTF also receives substantial funding from partner organizations like the Forest Enhancement Society of B.C. (FESBC), provincial government contributions, court awards, and endowments.

FESBC’s Executive Director Steve Kozuki is “thrilled to partner with the trusted and respected Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation to improve wildlife habitat. With their first-in-class management of funds and projects by talented and professional staff, we know that we are maximizing benefits for wildlife in British Columbia.”

This year’s approved projects include:

  • $254,809 for functional and ecological restoration of approximately 16 km of linear corridors in the Clearwater Valley, led by the Nîkanêse Wah tzee Stewardship Society.
  • $146,747 to enhance 200 km2 of moose habitat in Nazko First Nation territory including rehabilitation of 100 km of forest resource roads.
  • $130,794 to determine the migration behaviour and habitat use of juvenile white sturgeon in the Pitt River watershed of the Lower Fraser River to develop habitat protections and restoration prescriptions.
  • $92,938 for the restoration of a former sawmill site in the heart of the salmonid migratory corridor of the Puntledge and Tsolum Rivers watersheds in the Comox Valley; this will restore the forested tidal wetland and reconnect the site to the floodplain of the Courtenay River, benefiting salmon, trout, and many other wildlife species.
  • $95,940 for the enhancement of critical habitat for mule deer, white-tailed deer, and Rocky Mountain elk between Raymond and Red Canyon Creeks in the Galton Range. Efforts will focus on slashing treatments and invasive plant management.

Project 2-349: Enhancing Upland Farmland for Wildlife in the Fraser River Delta

The B.C. Wildlife Federation also received funding this year: “Funding from HCTF will help the B.C. Wildlife Federation to train a new generation of habitat stewards through our Wetlands Institute,” said Neil Fletcher, BCWF Director of Conservation Stewardship. “With the support of HCTF, we offer a seven-day boot camp to qualified British Columbians who are pursuing projects in their communities. The grant for the Water, Water, Everywhere project will enable the BCWF to strategically place wetlands designed to mimic beaver dams with ability to restore and enhance wildlife habitat and riparian areas all over B.C.,” Fletcher added. “Installing beaver dam analogues with local partners will allow us to share our skills and expand our network of conservation stewards.”

To see the complete list of HCTF funded projects or explore the conservation work being done near you, view the 2023-24 Approved Project List.

Wed, 15 Mar 2023

Preliminary Approved Project List 2023-24

A preliminary list of HCTF approved projects for 2023-24 is now available.

Preliminary Approved Project List 2023-24

Projects included on this preliminary list have been approved in principle but may have reduced budgets or funding conditions. All applicants will receive official notification emails including HCTF Board and technical committee comments. For approved projects, these emails will include the grant amount and funding conditions (if applicable). Please note that HCTF staff cannot provide further information to you before the Notifications are issued.

Proponents of approved projects will receive a Conditional Grant Agreement. Please be aware that until both you and HCTF have reviewed, accepted and signed the Conditional Grant Agreement, there is no confirmation of funding and no legal commitment in place.

Congratulations to all successful proponents! To those applicants who were not funded this time, thank you for your interest. The next opportunity to apply for an HCTF Enhancement and Restoration, Stewardship or Caribou Habitat Restoration Grant will be Fall of 2023 (Deadline: Friday November 3, 2023).

How are Grant Applications Reviewed?

Each proposal undergoes a multi-level, objective technical review prior to final Board decisions. For more information on what reviewers look for when evaluating a proposal, see our Grant Apply page.

Wed, 21 Sep 2022

Now Accepting Conservation Grant Proposals for 2023-2024

Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation is now accepting applications for Enhancement/Restoration & Stewardship (ERS) grants, and Caribou Habitat Restoration Fund (CHRF) grants. Applications must be submitted through HCTF’s online application system by 4:30pm on November 4th, 2022 (PST).

HCTF is not accepting New Stewardship proposals in Fall 2022 (Continuing and New Phase proposals will still be accepted). Our Stewardship grant is undergoing an update to better integrate with other HCTF grant programs. This will improve clarity and criteria for proponents as well as streamline the application process.

Please visit our FAQ page to find useful tips for the online Survey Apply system. Our updated 2023-24 ERS and CHRF Guidance documents are also available on the website.

Before beginning your application on the Survey Apply system, we strongly recommend that you complete your application on the Word worksheets posted on our website. Once completed you can copy-and-paste your answers into the online form. The worksheets also provide a useful overview of the questions and information requirements. Please note that HCTF cannot accept applications submitted by email.

Each year, Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation provides approximately $6 million dollars in Enhancement and Restoration grants to help fund projects that support the conservation of British Columbia’s native freshwater fish, wildlife, and their habitats. Since the inception of our work in 1981, the Foundation and its predecessors have invested over $189 million in more than 2980 projects across BC.

HCTF continues to partner with the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) to meet shared conservation objectives through co-investments in conservation projects administered through HCTF. The CHRF program is made possible by contributions from both the BC Ministry of Land Water and Resource Stewardship and Environment and Climate Change Canada.

For questions related to Enhancement/Restoration and Stewardship grants, please contact Lisa Wielinga at Lisa.Wielinga@hctf.ca or 250-940-9781.

For questions related to CHRF, please contact Sophia Cuthbert at Sophia.Cuthbert@hctf.ca or 250-940-9789.

Wed, 15 Sep 2021

Now Accepting Conservation Grant Proposals for 2022-2023

Project #3-419 - Fraser River Bighorns Capture Disease Assessment and Herd Recovery

Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation is now accepting applications for Enhancement/Restoration & Stewardship (ERS) grants, and Caribou Habitat Restoration Fund (CHRF) grants. Applications must be submitted through HCTF’s online application system by 4:30pm on November 5th, 2021 (PST).

Please visit our FAQ page to find useful tips and guidance for the online Survey Apply system.

Before beginning your application on the Survey Apply system, we strongly recommend that you complete your application on the Word worksheets posted on our website (updated worksheets for the 2022-23 grant year are now posted). Once completed you can copy-and-paste your answers into the online form. The worksheets also provide a useful overview of the questions and information requirements. Please note that HCTF cannot accept applications submitted by email.

Each year, Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation provides approximately $6 million dollars in Enhancement and Restoration grants to help fund projects that support the conservation of British Columbia’s native freshwater fish, wildlife, and their habitats. Since the inception of our work in 1981, the Foundation and its predecessors have invested over $195 million in more than 3230 projects across BC.

HCTF continues to partner with the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) to meet shared conservation objectives through co-investments in conservation projects administered through HCTF.

For questions related to Enhancement/Restoration and Stewardship grants, please contact Lisa Wielinga at Lisa.Wielinga@hctf.ca or 250-940-9781.

For questions related to CHRF, please contact Karen Berry at Karen.Berry@hctf.ca or 250-940-9785