(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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