Uncategorized Archives - Page 4 of 7 - Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation

Mon, 16 Mar 2020

HCTF Office Closure

American Pika den - courtesy of iNaturalist

In support of efforts to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the HCTF office will be closed to the public until further notice. We will continue to monitor the situation and update you as soon as it is deemed safe to return to normal office operations.

During this time our employees will be working from home wherever possible but will still be available to respond to your inquiries. We recommend that you address any questions, comments or concerns via email. A full list of staff contact information is available here.

The Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation team thanks you for your patience and understanding. The health and safety of our employees and the BC public is of greatest importance at this time and we encourage you to take the advice of medical experts and observe social distancing procedures.

Stay safe!

Fri, 10 Jan 2020

Meet HCTF’s New CEO

Dan Buffett

Please join us in welcoming to the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation (HCTF) our new Chief Executive Officer Dan Buffett, due to take up the post in February 2020.

From his humble days as a summer student to his role as manager of BC’s conservation program with Ducks Unlimited Canada, Dan brings to HCTF over 25 years of conservation experience. Along the way he completed his master’s degree in Resource and Environmental Management from Simon Fraser University. Dan’s background in hands-on habitat restoration and conservation planning will serve him well as he leads HCTF forward in our mission to improve conservation outcomes for BC’s fish, wildlife and habitat areas.

Dan is thrilled to be part of the HCTF team, with its solid reputation for managing a wide range of funding projects which enable important conservation initiatives throughout BC. He believes that working cooperatively with partners generates better conservation outcomes and has worked with governments, NGOs, agricultural producers, industry, and individual landowners to promote conservation efforts throughout the province. From all of us here at HCTF, welcome Dan!

Fri, 20 Dec 2019

Tags: Wildlife

Winterizing Wildlife

With the official start of winter kicking off on December 21st, British Columbians are busy preparing for shorter days, colder weather and tons of fresh snow. But while you are bundled up in your home BC’s wildlife species have their own strategies for surviving the season’s coldest temperatures.

Dress in Layers –

It’s time to pull your favorite sweater out of the closet and BC’s wildlife species are putting on the layers too. Some species sport winter wear designed to blend in with their surrounding like the rock ptarmigan’s snowy white winter plumage, while other animals like caribou grow thick layers of fur with hollow hairs to trap warm air close to the body. Mountain goats grow thick and wooly winter coats that keep their bodies well insulated from the cold winter chill as well as the biting wind of their high alpine homes. The Salish First Nations recognized the value of the mountain goat’s wool and have a tradition of collecting the wool after the spring molt for use in weaving blankets and other textile goods.

Mountain Goat (courtesy of iStock)

Stay Active, Stay Warm –

As the mercury begins to drop it can be tempting to hole up inside, but the cold and ice shouldn’t keep you from enjoying the great outdoors. Animals of all description are out in full force. Species like the Canada lynx are expertly adapted to life in the snow with wide snowshoe-like pads that distribute the cat’s weight across a larger surface area, allowing for graceful movement in even the deepest snow. Other animals revel in the opportunities that winter provides; ruffed grouse dig into snowbanks creating a shelter similar to a quinzhee or snow fort while great horned owls leave snow angel like tracks as they pluck their prey from below the snow layer.

Owl tracks in the snow (courtesy of Wiki Commons)

Stocking the Pantry –

Nothing warms you up on a cold winter day quite like a good meal. In the animal kingdom stores of fodder and fat are essential for many species’ survival in the lean months of winter. Bears and other larger mammal species bulk up during the autumn to ensure that they have enough fat to survive the winter. But the undisputed master of winter food preparation and planning is the Pika. These high alpine rabbit-relatives practice a behavior known as haying, in which they collect, dry and store a portion of the alpine meadow vegetation they feed on during the summer months for the winter. Pika will even collect otherwise toxic plants which stay fresh for longer, consuming these only after they have exhausted their supply of quicker spoiling vegetation. It just goes to show you that preparation and planning can make even the longest, coldest winters bearable.

American pika in its den (courtesy of iNaturalist)

Fly South for the Winter –

If you have prepared for the winter as best you can and the long nights and constant chill is still making you long for warm sandy beaches and the tropical sun, why not take a hint from the birds and fly south for the winter? British Columbia is home to the Pacific Flyway migratory corridor and sees millions of birds escaping to warmer climes during the winter months. Western Tanagers migrate from across the province south to winter grounds along Mexico’s western coast while Vancouver Island becomes a magnet for raptor species like Bald Eagles that travel to the coast to take advantage of the warmer microclimate around the Salish Sea. In an extreme case, the Sooty Shearwater undertakes one of the world’s longest migration from the waters off the BC coast traveling south to New Zealand and the South Pacific to give winter a miss entirely and enjoy summer in the southern hemisphere instead.

Bald eagle in flight (by Stuart Sanders)

Mon, 18 Nov 2019

Tags: Staff

Meet Our New Communications Officer

Craig Doucette joins the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation team in the role of communications officer and will be keeping you up to date on current events at HCTF and within the wider BC fish, wildlife and habitat conservation community.

Craig has a background in science communication, project engagement and ecosystem conservation. He completed his Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Guelph with a major in Wildlife Biology and Conservation before moving to study ecosystem management for his graduate diploma. Craig has a wealth of experience working with not-for-profit conservation organizations across Canada and brings to HCTF keen research skills and a passion for wildlife science. Welcome Craig!

Tue, 22 Oct 2019

Search for a Chief Executive Officer

With the current Chief Executive Officer retiring, the Board of Directors of the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation (HCTF) is searching for an individual with a strong conservation background, who has demonstrated leadership skills, and who is innovative and passionate about conservation of fish and wildlife and their habitats and related environmental education. Full details are available on our Careers webpage.

Mon, 21 Oct 2019

Just in time for Halloween, it’s Bat Week!

As Halloween approaches, bat enthusiasts around BC are celebrating and supporting bats by participating in International Bat Week (October 24-31).

Bat Week is all about appreciating these amazing animals and their benefits, from eating insects to pollinating the agave plant used to make tequila. Take a moment to learn about the many ways bats contribute to our lives, and what you can do locally for bats, at www.batweek.org or through the BC Community Bat Program at www.bcbats.ca.

“Bats in BC help control agricultural and forest pests, as well as mosquitoes in our yards – but now bats need our help” says Mandy Kellner, Coordinator for the BC Community Bat Program. “The conservation of bats in BC has always been important, since over half the species in this province are considered at risk. With the continuing spread of White-nose Syndrome in Washington State, bat conservation is more important than ever.”

White-nose Syndrome (WNS) is a disease caused by an introduced fungus, first detected in North America in a cave in New York in 2006. Since it was discovered, it has spread to 33 states and 7 provinces in North America, decimating bat populations along the way. “Luckily, WNS is not yet in BC” continues Kellner, “But we are preparing for its arrival by raising awareness about bats, working with landowners who have bats in buildings, enhancing bat habitat, and monitoring populations.”

Monitoring for WNS in BC will continue this winter, with Community Bat Programs requesting reports of dead bats or sightings of winter bat activity starting November 1. You can report sightings at www.bcbats.ca, info@bcbats.ca, or 1-855-922-2287.

In partnership with the BC Ministry of Environment, and funded by the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation, Forest Enhancement Society of BC, Habitat Stewardship Program, and regional funders, the BC Community Bat Program provides information about bats in buildings, conducts site visits to advise landowners on managing bats in buildings, coordinates the Annual Bat Count, and offers educational programs on bats.

To find out more about the BC Community Bat Program, BatWeek activities, and options for helping local bat populations, visit www.bcbats.ca or call or 1-855-922-2287.