The Caribou Habitat Restoration Fund (CHRF) is managed by the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation for the purpose of restoring high-value habitat for caribou in BC using functional and ecological restoration methods. The CHRF is made possible by a contribution from the Province of BC.
Any individual or organization capable of restoring habitat for caribou in British Columbia. In order to maximize the benefits for caribou using the funds available, the Province has identified priority herds and developed guidelines for selecting restoration areas and activities that will benefit these herds.
There is no upper limit to the amount of money an application can request, however, keep in mind that HCTF’s goal is to allocate this money to habitat restoration projects that, in aggregate, will provide the maximum benefit to caribou. Priority will be given to projects that secure significant partner contributions (cash and in-kind).
The Province of BC requires a coordinated and strategic approach to restoring caribou habitat. The Province has identified the following high and medium-priority herd ranges for caribou habitat restoration proposals submitted for the 2021-22 funding cycle:
Barkerville
Klinse-Za (Moberly) (see South Peace Tactical Restoration Plan)
Narraway (see South Peace Tactical Restoration Plan)
Narrow Lake
North Cariboo
Quintette (see Quintette Restoration Plan and South Peace Tactical Restoration Plan)
Scott (see South Peace Tactical Restoration Plan)
Telkwa (see Telkwa Tactical Restoration Plan)
Wells Gray North
Burnt Pine (see South Peace Tactical Restoration Plan)
Calendar
Central Selkirks (Nakusp and Duncan)
Charlotte Alplands
Chase
Chinchaga
Graham (see South Peace Tactical Restoration Plan)
Groundhog
Hart Ranges
Itcha-Ilgachuz
Maxhamish
Muskwa
Pink Mountain
Rainbows
Snake-Sahtahneh
Takla
Tweedsmuir – Entiako (see TEC Tactical Restoration Plan)
Wells Gray South
Westside (formally Prophet and Parker)
Wolverine
In determining high and medium priorities for restoration, the Province considers the following factors: designatable unit, federal and BC listing, herd status, level of industrial exploration and development, other recovery actions already occurring within the range (e.g. habitat protection), existing government direction (e.g., existing strategic or tactical plan that identifies restoration as a priority). For the 2021-22 funding cycle, applicants are required to focus on these high or medium priority herd ranges to maximize benefits to caribou and caribou habitat.
High-use* and high-value caribou areas: areas used by caribou where development has resulted in increased use of the area by primary prey and their predators (overlap with telemetry/observed caribou locations, including knowledge of habitat use patterns based on TEK or telemetry data).
*Telemetry, census, observational data, Traditional Ecological Knowledge
For this funding cycle, priority will be given to functional restoration projects that will reduce the use of linear features by predators and people so as to reduce caribou mortality in the short term. Ecological restoration is important to meet the long-term goals at many sites and can be done in conjunction with functional restoration.
Please ensure you have reviewed the Eligible Activities List and understand the activities that are eligible for funding under this program.
CHRF Project Monitoring Guidance
As part of the CHRF application process (see “Application” tab), applicants must discuss their project with the government caribou biologist for the region where the project will take place. Their contact details are available in the table below. These individuals will be able to (1) confirm whether caribou restoration plans are available within the region to further inform proposals, and (2) to confirm the caribou, predator and other region-specific information.
Region | Government Biologist Name | Phone | |
North East | Scott Schilds | scott.schilds@gov.bc.ca | 250-261-2054 |
Skeena | Barb Anderson | Barbara.Anderson@gov.bc.ca | 778-693-3202 |
Omineca | Barb Anderson | Barbara.Anderson@gov.bc.ca | 778-693-3202 |
Kootenays | Aaron Reid | Aaron.Reid@gov.bc.ca | 250-354-6392 |
Thompson-Okanagan | Bevan Ernst | Bevan.Ernst@gov.bc.ca | 250-371-6273 |
Cariboo-Chilcotin | Carolyn Shores | Carolyn.Shores@gov.bc.ca | 250-302-3507 |
The following projects have received funding from the CHRF:
Thank you to everyone who submitted a Caribou Habitat Restoration Fund (CHRF) application by the November 6th deadline. These applications are now being reviewed and applicants will be notified about whether or not they have been approved for funding in mid-March 2021. Your next opportunity to apply for a CHRF grant will be fall of 2021.
Please note: CHRF funding is specifically for projects actively restoring caribou habitat in BC. If you are seeking funding for another type of caribou conservation project, please see our Enhancement and Restoration grant page or contact Shannon West for clarification.
Please read through all of the following information before beginning your application. Even if you’ve completed a CHRF application before, there are some changes to the process and forms for this cycle.
1) Ensure you’ve read and understand all of the information in the “Overview” tab.
2) Download the version of the 2021-22 CHRF Proposal Writing Instructions & Worksheet Word document that’s appropriate for your project.
Projects that have never received CHRF funding before should use the version for “New Projects“.
Projects that have received CHRF funding before should use the version for “Continuing Projects“.
Both types of projects will use the same form in the online application system, but will be presented with different question sets depending on whether they are “New” or “Continuing”.
You aren’t required to submit copies of the worksheets with your proposal and can compose your answers directly in the online form if you prefer. However, we do ask that you read all of the instructions in the Word documents as they provide additional detail to those provided in the online form.
Refer to the Review tab to learn how your application will be assessed, and keep this in mind as you plan your proposal.
CHRF Proposal Writing Instructions & Worksheet for NEW projects
CHRF Proposal Writing Instructions & Worksheet for CONTINUING projects
3) Download the 2021-22 CHRF Activity & Budget Detail Spreadsheet, Instructions, and Sample.
The Excel spreadsheet is where you’ll provide details on your proposed activities for 2021-22, their expected outcomes, and the amount of money you are requesting from HCTF. Please review the instructions and sample document before filling out this spreadsheet. You will upload the completed spreadsheet in the online application system.
CHRF Activity & Budget Detail Spreadsheet
4) Read the Instructions for Preparing your Map, Shapefiles and Other Supporting Documents
As part of your application, you will need to submit a map and shapefile. Please download and review the instructions below.
Instructions for Maps, Shapefiles and Other Supporting Documents
5) Read our FAQs for instructions on using the online application system to submit your proposal.
6) Complete and submit your application using Survey Apply.
Please note that all applications must be submitted online using Survey Apply. HCTF cannot accept applications by email.
The deadline for submitting your proposal is 4:30 PM PST on Friday, November 6, 2020.
Questions about the application process can be directed to Shannon West by telephone (250 940 9789) or by emailing shannon.west@hctf.ca.
Applications received by the deadline will be evaluated by a technical review committee composed of caribou habitat restoration experts and the HCTF Board of Directors. Evaluation criteria considered in the review of CHRF applications include:
The HCTF Board of Directors will review the recommendations of the technical review committee and make final funding decisions in March. Proponents will be notified about the status of their proposals shortly thereafter.
Approved proposals will be mailed a Conditional Grant Agreement. This will need to be signed and returned to HCTF prior to the first payment installment cheque being issued. Proposed project activities can begin on April 1st of the year in which they are approved. If a proposal is approved subject to funding condition, that funding condition must be met prior to commencing any work. Note that HCTF funds multi-year projects one year at a time – if you would like funding for future years of a project, you must submit a continuing application each year. Each fiscal year’s project activities must be complete by March 31st. Grant Reports are due annually on April 15th.
HCTF provides customized report forms for approved CHRF projects. CHRF projects funded in 2018-19 and 2019-20 that do not have an approved contract extension to 20-21 will have received their report forms via email: if not, please contact Shannon West. Report forms for 2019-20 projects with contract extensions and 2020-21 projects will be emailed to project leaders in January 2021 and are due on April 15, 2021.
Please submit a shapefile of the site you intend to restore using ESRI standard Shapefile format. All data must be spatially referenced to NAD83 and projected to BC Environmental Albers WKID: 3005 Authority: EPSG. All shapefiles must be submitted with a .prj file defining this projection and coordinate system.
Projection Information
Projection: Albers Conic Equal Area
Central Meridian: -126.0 degrees
First standard parallel: 50.0 degrees
Second standard parallel: 58.5 degrees
Latitude of reference: 45.0 degrees
False Easting: 1000000 metres
False Northing: 0 metres
All spatial data must be topologically correct (no overlaps, no gaps).
Please note that your project’s final approval is subject to you (or you organization) entering into a Conditional Grant Agreement with HCTF. In the weeks following the receipt of your preliminary approval letter, you will be mailed two copies of a conditional grant agreement and an accompanying checklist. Please read your grant agreement carefully, and complete all requirements on the checklist before returning to HCTF. Questions? Please contact our Finance Officer.
If circumstances have changed and your approved project requires modifications from your original proposal in terms of objectives, activities/methodology, or budget allocation, you must submit a written request to HCTF using the Project Change Request Form.
Project change requests must be submitted by February 15th and should be sent to shannon.west@hctf.ca. Depending on the nature of your request, it will be reviewed by either HCTF staff or an appropriate technical review committee.
We’ve extended the deadline for applying for a current-year contract extension to April 30, 2020. The Contract Extension Request form can be downloaded using the link below:
Contract Extension Request – Form
Contract extensions are intended for projects where activities in the proposal could not be completed within the original timeframe. If you also have changes to your project objectives, budget or activities please submit a Project Change request form (see above).
If you are unable to complete your project within the fiscal year of your Conditional Grant Agreement (April 1 through March 31st, unless otherwise specified), you will need to request a Contract Extension to extend your Agreement into the next fiscal. The annual deadline for contract extension requests is February 15th. An email from the Finance Officer will be sent in early January with the Contract Extension Request Form and instructions to email the completed request to reporting@hctf.ca.
Please note that even though activities and expenditures will occur in the following fiscal year, they will still be invoiced and reported on under the original Agreement. The Grant Report (see Reporting Tab) will be due when that year’s activities are complete.
In some cases, a project may have a Contract Extension concurrently with another funded year of the project. HCTF requires that expenditures and project outcomes for each grant must always be tracked, invoiced and reported on separately. That also means that any unspent funds from one grant cannot be “rolled into” the project budget for a subsequent year.
For example, a multi-year project may receive a contract extension to complete Year 1 activities concurrent to activities already approved for Year 2. Each of these proposals is considered a separate contract. Therefore, you must report for each of them separately by completing a Grant Report for each of these project years, reporting against their respective proposals. That is, you would submit a Grant Report for Year 1, reporting against the Year 1 proposal; and another Grant Report for Year 2, reporting against the Year 2 proposal, even though the Year 1 activities took two years and happened at the same time as the Year 2 activities.
The support provided by HCTF and the Province of BC must be acknowledged in any publicity issued, printed or distributed, including signs, displays, reports, announcements, articles, press releases, or media interviews. Please include the following statement on any published materials:
“We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Province of British Columbia through the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development”
Full information on HCTF communications guidelines and copies of the HCTF logo are available here.