Wildlife analysis
Last updated on January 12, 2022As a result of the 2007 Tsilhqot'in decision, government must assess the effects of forest management decisions on First Nations rights to hunt and trap wildlife.
Government wildlife biologists and foresters are working with First Nations to develop a shared understanding of forestry effects on wildlife distribution, abundance and habitat. B.C.’s Chief Forester considers this information when determining the allowable annual cut (AAC) within timber supply areas (TSAs) across the province.
Information created through new collaborations with First Nations and new tools to understand forestry effects on wildlife have helped to inform AAC decisions throughout British Colombia, including in the Prince George, Kamloops, Cranbrook, Invermere and Arrow TSAs.
Prince George TSA
The government worked with the Carrier Sekani First Nations (CSFN) to assess current and future forestry effects on grizzly bear and caribou.
Human activity on roads can be a risk to grizzly bear populations. A model was built to evaluate how historic, current and future forest management may influence road density and grizzly bear populations in the Prince George TSA.
- Grizzly bear population risk (PDF, 5.1MB)
- Grizzly bear and forestry model (PDF, 3.4MB)
- Road and cutblock model (PDF, 2.6MB)
Forestry development in caribou range is likely contributing to southern mountain caribou population decline. A model of forestry effects on caribou was developed to assess how historic, current and future forest management may influence caribou habitat and populations in the Prince George TSA.
Cranbrook, Invermere and Arrow TSAs
Habitat can be a limiting factor for many wildlife species. Government wildlife biologists developed ‘habitat supply’ models in consultation with the Ktunaxa Nation. The models were used to assess the effects of current and potential future forestry on habitat for seven wildlife species: grizzly bear, elk, mule deer, marten, Williamson’s sapsucker, flammulated owl and northern goshawk.
- Habitat supply model (PDF, 2.2MB)
- Cranbrook (PDF, 1MB) and Invermere (PDF, 1.2MB) Discussion Papers
Kamloops TSA
The cumulative effects framework for British Columbia was applied to assess the current conditions and potential future trends of fish habitat, moose, landscape-level forest biodiversity and marten in the Kamloops TSA.
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