Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation

Some great news for your Tuesday! In a landmark achievement for conservation, The Nature Trust of BC recently announced the protection of two crucial conservation areas in the Kootenay Region: Bummers Flats – MapleCross Benchlands and Wycliffe Prairie! This success is thanks to the unwavering support of nature lovers across the province, ensuring the protection of these vital habitats for future generations. Read all about this amazing project here: https://lnkd.in/gd4KWtKb

Whos ready for some fall fishing!? Did you know the surcharge on freshwater fishing licences funds conservation efforts across BC? It's true! 100% of the revenue from freshwater fishing licences goes back into the resource, with the conservation surcharge directed to HCTF and the fee portion provided to the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC. For more info about HCTF's funding head to hctf.ca

Thank you Canadian Forest Industries Magazine for the coverage on Forest Enhancement Society of BC and Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation co-funded projects throughout B.C. https://lnkd.in/g6293-HB Wildlife Conservation Society | Steve Kozuki | Jason Fisher,

Happy Friday the 13th On this Friday the 13th, let’s set the record straight: BC is home to 15 species of bats, and they play a vital role in maintaining healthy ecosystems by controlling insect populations. Yet, these remarkable animals face significant threats, including habitat loss and White-nose Syndrome, a devastating fungal disease that decimated bat populations across North America. Conservation efforts in BC are working hard to protect these nocturnal species, but there’s more to be done. From habitat restoration to monitoring populations, every action counts. 📸 Connor Long #BatsOfBC #BatConservation #WhiteNoseSyndrome #HCTF #WildlifeConservation #EcosystemHealth #FridayThe13th

In the remote, rugged, Northeastern terrain of B.C., nearly half of the world’s Stone’s sheep habitat can be found. These sheep and the ecosystem surrounding them have been supported through careful forest management practices since the 1970s. One such practice, jointly funded in recent years by HCTF and the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC), is prescribed fire. In May 2022, approximately 160 hectares of Stone’s sheep winter habitat were treated with prescribed fire. This initiative targeted four specific slopes (hillsides), utilizing aerial ignition techniques (dropping fire from helicopters) to reduce woody vegetation, enhance forage quality, and improve predator detection capabilities for the sheep. This treatment was part of a broader objective to restore and maintain habitat not only for Stone’s sheep but, in future project years, also for bighorn sheep, which inhabit the southernmost extent of the region. Read our blog about how prescribed fire is helping enhance stone sheep habitat on our website https://lnkd.in/genwB3AF

🍂 Fall is just around the corner, and as the seasons shift, so does the wildlife! 🍁 Fall typically means black bears can be more active foraging for winter. To keep our wild spaces safe for everyone, remember to follow bear-smart practices: secure attractants, be mindful of your surroundings, and respect their space. Let’s protect both bears and people this season. 🌿 #BlackBear #FallIntoNature #ConservationMatters #WildlifeWatching #BCWildlife #HCTF #ExploreBC #WildlifeConservation #NaturePhotography

Nearly half of the world's Stone's sheep habitat are found in Northeastern B.C.HCTF and Forest Enhancement Society of BC have teamed up to help maintain and protect their habitat through carefully managed prescribed burns. READ MORE: https://lnkd.in/gtRSu959

Nearly half of the world's stone sheep habitat can be found in the rugged Northeast B.C., and in recent years, Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation and the Forest Enhancement Society of BC, are together supporting the sheep and their habitat through the careful forest management practice of prescribed burning. Read how prescribed burns are helping the stone sheep habitat: https://lnkd.in/gcpXkiRm

📢 Scholarship Spotlight: Alexia Constantinou 📢 Alexia Constantinou is one of this year's Together for Wildlife recipients! Alexia is a Ph.D. student at the University of Victoria. Her research is focused on how habitat alteration and human activity impact the range, population sizes, inter-, and intra-species interactions of members of the weasel family. Working on a collaborative project with Alkali Resource Management and Esk’etemc Nation, sponsored by Francis Johnson. Their work focuses on monitoring fishers (Pekania pennanti), mesocarnivores in general and wildlife of interest for the community, mainly through a lens of how wildlife respond to prescribed and cultural fire. Fisher populations in British Columbia are in a steep decline and are predicted to become extirpated in central BC within the next decade. Using Camera traps throughout portions of their known current range in interior BC, Alexia is working on confirming detections of fishers, as well as their prey and other mustelids. Through this monitoring, Alexia will be able to see what areas the fishers are still inhabiting, where their prey is, and where fishers are no longer inhabiting.

Happy National Dog Day! BC is home to lots of good pups including wolves and coyotes! 📸 Project 7-473 📸 Maryann Watson 📸 Noel Morris