Ecosystem Enhancement Program

The Trust will identify project opportunities focused on ecosystem enhancement, restoration and conservation by seeking input from community groups, First Nations representatives and government experts, and reviewing regional plans and research.

The Trust’s Program Advisory Committee will evaluate project opportunities and provide recommendations to the Trust, and the Trust will select projects for implementation.

Over the course of five years, the program aims to implement approximately 10 to 15 projects across the Basin, focusing on two sub-regions during each year of the program. We are currently identifying ecological priorities and corresponding project opportunities in the Arrow Lakes/Slocan and Columbia Valley focal areas.

Projects are anticipated to focus on a variety of ecosystems such as wetlands, fish habitat, forests and grasslands.

Although some initial planning and research may be required for the project, the majority of the project will be implementing on-the-ground landscape scale ecosystem improvements (i.e. not research).

The program’s focus is primarily on projects that:

• implement on-the-ground actions (rather than research or planning) to support ecological health at a landscape-level;
• yield meaningful and measureable benefits for ecological health and biodiversity;
• align with input received from First Nations, community groups and government experts;
• are ready or almost ready to implement (e.g. project workplans are complete or close to complete);
• have site prescriptions developed or in progress; and
• are seeking or have other sources of funding secured.

The Trust will only seek to initiate and/or support projects on lands where the land owner and/or land manager wants the project to take place. The Trust will collaborate with the land owner or land manager through all phases of project implementation.

Proponents can propose a phased multi-year approach to project implementation if that is the best method for implementing the project.

Yes, the program will include support for monitoring and maintenance where necessary to ensure projects achieve desired outcomes for ecosystems.

Yes. The program primarily uses an ecosystem lens to identify opportunities for supporting ecosystem health in the Basin; however, projects will only be implemented on lands where the land manager or property owner wants the project to take place and where there will be a significant benefit to ecosystem health.

The Ecosystem Enhancement Program does not accept applications. We are proactively reaching out to community groups, First Nations representatives and government experts to identify projectthat have been developed to some extent the Trust support or initiate. If you have a suggestion about ecological priorities you would like to see the program address, send your suggestion to ecosystems@cbt.org.

Basin residents that want to implement smaller scale projects to improve ecosystem health (e.g., fish and wildlife habitat) are invited to apply to the Trust’s Environment Grants program. Learn more about this program at Environment Grants.

Other organizations also offer funding for ecosystem projects including the BC Hydro Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program, Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation, Columbia Valley Local Conservation Fund and the Kootenay Lake Local Conservation Fund.

The Trust supports environmental education through our Environmental Education initiatives and Environment Grants program. This program is focused on implementing on-the-ground projects that help maintain and improve ecological health and species in a variety of ecosystems, such as wetlands, fish habitat, forests and grasslands.