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(published 1998)
Habitat Atlas for Wildlife at Risk
Steps Toward Stewardship

  • Become familiar with the plant and animal species on your property and the habitats that support them.
  • Observe how wildlife uses your land.
  • Maintain natural features on your land such as dead standing trees, downed woody debris, and small ponds.
  • Learn how to enhance and restore habitat that has been degraded.
  • Select from a number of conservation options to ensure the long-term protection of your land.

Minimize Disturbance

All lands are part of a larger ecosystem, but they can be managed in many different ways. Land management directly and indirectly affects the other living organisms around us. Through knowledge and changes in land management practices, we can minimize our impacts on the natural community.

The types of disturbances which affect our land include: agricultural development, livestock grazing, road construction, excavation, off road recreation, and small-scale building development. These disturbances often have negative impacts such as erosion, high stormwater runoff, weed invasion, flooding, loss and deterioration of fish and wildlife habitat, decrease in abundance and diversity of wildlife, declining forage production, lowered aesthetic appeal and increased economic losses to landowners.

Planning ahead can minimize impacts and improve land management. For example, in your future development plans: protect vegetation along streams, cluster buildings and activity areas to avoid habitat fragmentation; retain natural habitat features such as wildlife trees; fence sensitive areas to exclude livestock; and develop sound grazing management practices. If you are planning a building site phone the Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection Office for a list of contacts that could provide advice on locating structures and access roads.

Riparian Exclosure Fencing and Alternate Watering Source

A landowner was concerned about the impact that his cattle were having on a stream running through his property. During droughts and severe winters, the creek provided water at only one source. The congregating livestock were trampling the stream-side vegetation and degrading the creek banks. The SOS Stewardship Program joined in a partnership to fence a section of the creek and install an earth-insulated watering trough, just outside the fencing. Livestock now have access to fresh water in dry years and cold winters, and the riparian vegetation is protected.


Control Weeds

The term 'weed' commonly refers to any unwanted plant. Conservation managers consider most non-native plants in natural areas to be weeds.
Weeds are able to produce huge numbers of seeds and tolerate severe stress conditions such as drought, soil compaction and frequent disturbances. Weed invasion may decrease the capacity of affected areas to support wildlife, native plant species, livestock, and agricultural crops. In British Columbia alone, it is estimated that the loss of crops due to weed infestation and associated cost of weed control, exceeds $50 million annually.

Successful long-term weed control requires a variety of measures including weed prevention as well as chemical, mechanical, cultural, and biological methods. Weed prevention is the most critical element of an integrated weed control program. A preventive approach will significantly reduce time, cost and effort. It is particularly important to employ appropriate land management practices to reduce weed spread and establishment.

Antelope-brush Grassland Restoration Project

In December 1997, the landowners and SOS Stewardship, with other conservation partners, undertook a project to restore antelope-brush habitat on a site which had been stripped of vegetation because of runoff. The area was seeded with local native plants suitable for the site. An adjacent road-cut bank was also seeded. Different seeding rates and methods, as well as the benefits of adding annual rye, were tested. Through partnerships such as this, we can learn more about successful restoration methods which will help to ensure the future of these endangered ecosystems and the wildlife that depend on them.


Install Wildlife Enhancements

Wildlife enhancements are used to mimic natural conditions that are critical for the survival of a species. Often, these conditions are in short supply due to our land management activities.

  • put up nest boxes for bluebirds, swallows, owls and other cavity-nesting birds
  • install nesting platforms for osprey and perches for other birds of prey
  • put up bat boxes (plans for bat and owl boxes are available at your local library)
  • place basking logs in oxbows and ponds for Painted Turtles
  • landscape with native plants which attract birds or butterflies.

    Installing Bat Boxes

    A family lived by an oxbow and enjoyed the wildlife on their property, but found the mosquitoes a nuisance. SOS Stewardship provided a bat box, which the children put up on a shed near the oxbow. Now the bats provide biological mosquito control - they eat about half their body weight in a variety of insects every night!


Form a Community Stewardship Group

There are a number of different ways to spear-head stewardship initiatives. An individual or community, a service club, special interest group, non-profit conservation organization or land trust can take on a stewardship project. Getting together with others in the neighbourhood to form a community stewardship group may be the most effective method of attaining your goals.

Some typical activities include: watershed management and restoration, raising awareness of local environmental issues, restoration or enhancement of damaged or degraded habitats, and preservation of valued places.

A long term and sustainable community stewardship initiative must have community involvement with base funding from the community, a clear mission statement, goals and objectives, and most importantly, results.

Preserving Grassland Habitat: Mariposa Conservation Project

Landowners and SOS Stewardship designed this property sign celebrating a fencing project to preserve critical grassland and forest habitat in the Lower Similkameen.

 
 
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