Tag: Wildlife

Mapping Our Marshes with the Wetlands Education Program — 2023

The Wetlands Education Program (WEP) runs several workshops throughout the year in order to engage and educate interested participants about wetlands. One of these programs is Map our Marshes (MoM). This is a 1.5 day workshop that focuses on entry-level technical and field skills for mapping smaller wetlands using free software, GPS, and your smartphone!…
Bonaparte channel restoration is a win for coho and the people who love them

The Bonaparte River coho channel is a unique and potentially productive coho salmon rearing habitat again, thanks to the efforts of the Bonaparte First Nation and the B.C. Wildlife Federation (BCWF). The original 500-metre channel has been restored, renewed and doubled in length, according to Bonaparte CEO Sean Bennett. “The fencing was basically rotten, the…
Planting Seeds for Long-term Change

What comes to mind when you think of salmonberries? Do you think about how their flowers nurture pollinators, and their berries feed creatures of every size? Perhaps you pondered how fallen fruit attracts insects to nestle into the soil and among the fallen leaves. Indeed, salmonberry is a potent force for diversity and abundance. A…
Ginty’s Pond Restoration Supports Community & Wildlife

After many years of planning, work is finally underway to restore Ginty’s Pond to an open-water ecosystem. An essential wetland habitat in the B.C. Interior, restoration efforts at this site will help protect several federally listed species at risk, including the yellow-breasted chat (Icteria virens), western screech-owl (Megascops kennicottii), Great Basin gophersnake (Pituophis catenifer deserticola),…
Wetlands, Knowledge, and Community — 2022 Wetlandkeepers Workshops on Stó:lō and Ktunaxa Territories

Throughout the spring and summer, the Wetlands Education Program partnered with the Stó:lō Research and Resource Management Centre, Chawathil First Nation, ʔaq’am First Nation, and members of the Ktunaxa Nation to deliver two Wetlandkeepers workshops rooted in place-based learning and cultural exchange. As with all Wetlandkeepers workshops, the sessions began with classroom instruction on wetland…
Quadra Island Schoolyard Given New Life with Wetland Build

A schoolyard on Quadra Island is being given new life as the B.C. Wildlife Federation, Quadra Island Elementary School, and School District 72 restore a historic wetland to provide habitat for native plants and animals, while also creating an outdoor classroom for students. At first glance, the school’s large sports field surrounded by towering trees…
Increasing Stewardship Capacity in Remote Communities — Peace/Williston Region

The first two weeks of June proved to be a busy time for the BCWF’s Wetlands Education Program (WEP). Led by Wetlands Education Program Manager Neil Fletcher, the WEP team traveled through northeastern B.C. to deliver workshops in partnership with three remote First Nations: the Tsay Keh Dene Nation, Kwadacha Nation, and McLeod Lake Indian…
New Hope for Wetlands in B.C. — FREP Wetland Health Assessment

Earlier this year, the BCWF’s Wetlands Education Program received a contract from the Government of British Columbia to develop a protocol to assess the health of wetlands as part of the Forest and Range Evaluation Program (FREP). The protocol is designed to assess wetlands that have been impacted by forestry operations. However, there may be…
Species Profile — Belted Kingfisher

The Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) is a medium-sized bird commonly found near rivers, lakes, estuaries, and wetlands across North America. Ranging from 28 to 30 cm in height, with a wingspan of 48 to 58 cm, this striking species is known for its shaggy crest, sharp dagger-like bill, and loud, mechanical rattle call. Its plumage…
Species Profile — Grizzly Bear

Grizzly bears are one of British Columbia’s most iconic and ecologically vital species. These powerful mammals are a subspecies of the brown bear. While both are part of the same species (Ursus arctos), grizzly bears are specifically known as Ursus arctos horribilis. In other words, all grizzlies are brown bears, but not all brown bears…