Mon, 29 Mar 2021
Tags: scholarship

Announcing the Al Martin Conservation Fellowship & Scholarship Program

Project #5-306: Horsefly River - Rainbow Trout Enumeration and Habitat Use Study

In celebration of the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation’s 40th Anniversary and the many individuals who have championed conservation efforts across BC in that time, we are proud to announce the HCTF Scholarship Grant Program. It is our hope that this new program will support students to pursue a higher education leading to a career in wildlife or fish conservation and carry on the tradition of conservation excellence here in BC. The first of these Scholarship Grants to be awarded will be the Al Martin Conservation Fellowship (AMCF), named in honour of our late Board Director.

Al was a giant in the conservation community and had an influential and lengthy career in fish and wildlife management and habitat conservation. His clear thinking, vision, and integrity commanded the respect of his colleagues, conservationists, politicians, and bureaucrats at all levels of government. Al passionately worked to sustain fish and wildlife habitats and populations for the enjoyment of generations to come. You can learn more about Al Martin’s impact of BC conservation here.

HCTF invites graduate students (pursuing a master’s or doctoral degree) to apply to the 2021 Al Martin Fellowship Program. The AMCF awards two fellows a $10,000 stipend, successful recipients must be full-time graduate students with solid academic standing registered in a recognized Canadian educational institute. They must be citizens or landed immigrants of Canada, wishing to pursue a career in fish or wildlife management and conservation in British Columbia. Fellowship Award recipients will have the opportunity to access Peer networking opportunities with HCTF’s conservation technical committees, a greater, real-world understanding of BC’s conservation landscape, and an expanded personal and professional network.

With the AMCF, HCTF strives to build a cohort of emerging leaders, connecting graduate students who will go on to do important work with BC’s conservation. We believe in nurturing and growing conservation leaders of the future and hope to announce other Scholarship and Fellowship opportunities as part of the new HCTF Scholarship Grant Program. If you interested in joining a community of leaders interested in BC’s fish, wildlife, habitat, and biodiversity conservation, Apply Now!

For more information visit our Scholarship Grants webpage.

Mon, 22 Mar 2021

60+ Conservation Projects funded through NEW Conservation Economic Stimulus Initiative

B.C.’s Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy (MOE) has allocated $10 million in funding for ecosystem and species conservation via the Conservation Economic Stimulus Initiative (CESI). As part of StrongerBC, this new 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 adult, 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.

Conservation and restoration projects will be underway in threatened habitats, such as wetlands, grasslands, forests, rivers, and streams. On southern Vancouver Island, the Koksilah and Chemainus watersheds support large populations of steelhead and salmon species. They have significant historical and cultural values for Cowichan Tribes. However, climate change, along with water and land-use practices, are impacting salmon in the area and their habitats. The Cowichan Watershed Board will assess salmon populations, study the water levels that support salmon habitat and restore habitat along the rivers.

“The Koksilah and Chemainus river ecosystems are being threatened by climate change, which we know will have impacts on salmon and everything that depends on them for decades to come. By bringing together Indigenous knowledge of the past with scientific study of the rivers today, we can understand how to plan for these changes,” said Chief William Seymour of the Cowichan Tribes. “This is critical work for our Nations’ food and culture, but healthy salmon watersheds feed species all up and down the coast and are a benefit to the whole province.”

More than 60 projects dedicated to restoring diverse ecosystems and conserving fish, wildlife, and habitat are planned or underway throughout B.C. The projects, which are being completed through partnerships with Indigenous communities, environmental groups, universities, and local stewardship organizations, help ensure B.C.’s unique species and ecosystems stay healthy, vibrant, and resilient.

BC Government News Release CESI Preliminary Project List More Info & FAQs

Wed, 23 Dec 2020
Tags: Notification

Holiday Office Hours 2020

Please note that the HCTF office will be closed to the public between December 24th and January 1st.

During this time our office doors will remain closed and we may be unable to return to phone calls or email inquires immediately. Please leave us a message and we will respond as soon as possible when we open our doors again on Monday, January 4th, 2020.

The Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation team would like to wish you a healthy and happy holiday season and we will see you again in the new year!

 

 

Tue, 21 Jul 2020

Introducing HCTF’s New Grants Officer!

Lisa Wielinga

The Habitat Conservation Trust is pleased to welcome Lisa Wielinga as our new Grants Officer. She will be working as part of the Biology and Evaluation Team to help coordinate several HCTF grant programs, including, Stewardship, Enhancement and Restoration, and the Public Conservation Assistance Fund (PCAF).

 

Lisa holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Victoria, with a double major in Environmental Studies and Anthropology, as well as a Project Management Certificate from Mount Royal University. Her background includes experience within government, consulting, and non-profit organizations where she provided environmental outreach and project management support.

 

When she’s not working, you’ll find Lisa out exploring, swimming, skiing, hiking, cooking, dancing, and yoga-ing. Lisa is excited about this new role with HCTF and is looking forward to supporting a wide variety of conservation projects across BC.

Tue, 14 Jul 2020

HCTF Announces 2020-21 List of Approved Conservation Projects Across BC

The Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation (HCTF) is proud to announce $9.2 million in funding for more than 180 individual wildlife, freshwater fish, and habitat conservation projects across British Columbia this year.

HCTF’s CEO Dan Buffett is pleased to report that the 2020/21 grant season has set a record for the Foundation’s highest annual investment and reflects the contributions and hard work of many British Columbians that fund and implement these projects. To date, HCTF has funded almost 3,000 conservation projects and granted over $189 million in funds across the length and breadth of this ecologically diverse province.

“Funding all these projects is no small feat,” said Buffett. “But it is thanks to the diversity of funding from our core contributors (hunters, anglers, trappers and guides), court awards, provincial government contributions and endowments, and our partners such as the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC).”

HCTF supports a variety of conservation projects across the province. Some highlights from this year’s list of approved projects include (accompanying photos below):

  • $25,000 for Roosevelt Elk recovery on Vancouver Island and relocation efforts throughout the west coast.
  • $90,000 to investigate habitat requirement for Goshawks in Southern Coastal BC.
  • $150,000 for the Kootenay Region River Guardian Program, designed to improve the quality of angling and protect native sport fish populations.
  • $100,000 for research into Mule deer response wildfire and habitat change in the Okanagan.
  • $60,000 in support of the the Kilnse-Zaa/Scott caribou herd maternal penning project in the south Peace region.
  • $70,000 for research into moose population trends and calving rates in the Cariboo and Thompson regions.

FESBC 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.”

Each project funded through HCTF is reviewed by a multi-level, objective technical review process prior to final Board review and decision. HCTF’s Board of Directors ensures that species important to BC anglers and hunters are supported but also place a great deal of importance on conserving biodiversity-rich ecosystems, habitat for many fish and wildlife species including 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 2020-21 Approved Project List or our 2020-21 Project Map.

Download Regional Copies of News Release

Photos

(Additional images available upon request)

1-599 West Coast Roosevelt Elk Augmentation and Recovery Project

2-641 Goshawk diet and foraging requirements across habitat types in South Coastal BC

4-444 Kootenay Region River Guardian Program

7-436 Enhancing caribou survival within the Klinse-Za/Scott herds, Caribou in the maternal pen

Field research on mule deer in Southern BC (Project 8-408)

8-408 Mule deer response to wildfire and habitat change in southern British Columbia

0-541 Determining factors affecting moose population change: assessing calving and survival rates

0-539 Increasing Fisher Habitat Stewardship in the Forest Sector

0-476 Got Bats? B.C. Community Outreach, Conservation and Citizen Science Project, setting up bat box

Contact Information

Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation
Craig Doucette, Communications Officer
Direct: 250 940 3012 | Toll-free: 1 800 387 9853 ext. 212
craig.doucette@hctf.ca

Forest Enhancement Society of BC
Aleece Laird, Communications Liaison
Direct: 250 574 0221
communications@fesbc.ca

HCTF Quick Facts

It is the mission of the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation (HCTF) to improve the conservation outcomes of BC’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 BC’s natural assets.

  • Since 1981, HCTF has provided over $189 million in grants for almost 3,000 conservation projects across BC.
  • HCTF began as an initiative by BC anglers, hunters, trappers, and guide outfitters.

FESBC Quick Facts

In February 2016, the B.C. Government announced the formation of FESBC with initial funding of $85 million and a five-member Board of Directors to oversee the establishment of the Society and the delivery of its purposes. An additional $150 million was announced in early 2017.

  • The purposes of FESBC are to advance environmental and resource stewardship of BC’s forests by: 1) preventing and mitigating the impact of wildfires; 2) improving damaged or low value forests; 3) improving habitat for wildlife; 4) supporting the use of fibre from damaged and low value forests; and 5) treating forests to improve the management of greenhouse gases.
  • As of January 30, 2020, FESBC has supported 250 projects valued at $233 million, in partnership with the Province of BC and the Government of Canada.

Wed, 11 Mar 2020

2020-21 Preliminary List of Approved Projects

Field research on mule deer in Southern BC (Project 8-408)

A preliminary list of HCTF approved projects for 2020-21 is now available.

Download the 2020-21 Preliminary Approved Projects List

Projects included on this preliminary list have been approved in principle but may have reduced budgets or funding conditions. Over the next few weeks, 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).

Proponents of approved projects will receive a Conditional Grant Agreement by mail. 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 2020 (Deadline: Friday November 6, 2020).

How are Grant Applications Reviewed?

Each proposal goes through a multi-level, objective technical review process prior to final Board decisions. Proposals are assessed by a primary reviewer and evaluated by a technical committee prior to being sent to the HCTF Board for final funding decisions. For more information on what these reviewers look for when evaluating a proposal, see https://hctf.ca/grants/enhancement-grants/#review