Ecosystem Enhancement Program

The program supports restoration, enhancement and conservation of important ecological values in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Projects supported to date are restoring wetlands, stream habitat, valley-bottom and subalpine forests and grasslands.

The program’s focus is on projects that:

• implement on-the-ground actions (rather than strictly research or planning) to support ecological health at a landscape-level;
• yield meaningful and measurable benefits for ecological health and biodiversity;
• align with input received from Indigenous communities, community/non-profit groups and technical experts;
• are ready or almost ready to implement (e.g. project workplans and prescriptions are complete or close to complete);
• are seeking or have other sources of funding secured; and
• do not displace or duplicate government agency efforts or industry responsibility.

Projects focused on environmental education or research are not eligible to participate in the Ecosystem Enhancement Program. The Trust supports environmental education through our Environmental Education initiatives and Environment Grants program.

The Trust proactively reaches out to community groups, Indigenous communities, and others to identify sub-regional priorities and potential projects that may fit the Ecosystem Enhancement Program.

Contact the Ecosystem Enhancement Program Coordinator, Lisa Pavelich at ecosystems@ourtrust.org to discuss your project idea and see if the program can consider supporting it.  If so, you will be asked to submit a Project Idea Submission Form that will be provided to you by the Coordinator. The Project Idea Submission Form is a high-level summary of your proposed project.

The Project Idea Submission Form will ask you to provide the following information:

1. project description;
2. estimated project budget;
3. cash revenue sources and potential partners; and
4. other relevant project information (e.g. prescriptions that have already been developed).

Your project idea will be discussed at a sub-region community workshop. Sub-regional community workshops held in each sub-region provide an opportunity for community members to review the proposed projects and provide input.

With technical input from the Trust’s Ecosystem Enhancement Program Advisory Committee, the Trust evaluates and prioritizes project opportunities.  Proponents of prioritized projects are then invited to provide detailed project proposals for the Trust to consider funding.

Over the course of five years, 2017 to 2022, the Ecosystem Enhancement Program aims to implement approximately 15 or more projects across the Basin, focusing on two sub-regions during each year of the five-year program.

Anyone in the Columbia Basin can submit a project idea for consideration under the Ecosystem Enhancement program. If the project idea is confirmed to be a fit for the program, then you will be asked to submit a Project Idea Submission Form.

In general, only non-profit societies and First Nations communities are eligible to receive funding to implement projects. If you have a project idea but are not affiliated with such an organization the Trust may use a competitive procurement process to identify a suitable organization to implement the project.

Yes. Support may be provided to non-profit groups that do not have the capacity for project idea development.

Yes. Projects can use a phased multi-year approach to project implementation if that is the best method for implementing the project to achieve desired ecological outcomes.

Yes, additional sources of cash contributions will be required in order for the Ecosystem Enhancement Program to support your project. Project idea holders are encouraged to seek additional funding and project partners. Leveraging funding helps to increase benefits to Basin ecosystems through this program.

The Trust only seeks to initiate and/or support projects on lands where the land owner and/or land manager wants the project to take place. Project proponents need to collaborate with relevant land managers and/or owners prior to and during project implementation.

Yes. For projects on private land, the proposed project must be focused on ecological benefit rather than private benefit. Any works on private lands may be subject to legal agreements to ensure such works (e.g. habitat improvements) are preserved over the long term. Proposed projects on any type of lands must not relieve government or industry of any of their obligations.

Yes, the program includes support for effectiveness monitoring and maintenance where necessary to ensure projects achieve desired ecological benefits and outcomes for ecosystems over the long term.

Organizations in the Basin 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 Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program, Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation, Columbia Valley Local Conservation Fund and the Kootenay Lake Local Conservation Fund.