Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, Rocky Mountain elk, white‐tailed deer, mule deer and American badger—all these species and many more rely on the habitat contained in the Bull River Grassland Corridor and surrounding conservation land complex, located in the East Kootenay. To enhance this important Nature Trust of British Columbia (NTBC) Conservation Area and wildlife corridor, NTBC is undertaking a five-year project to restore 28 hectares of dry open forest and grasslands. Activities include thinning the forest, creating wildlife trees and controlling invasive plants.
“Forest thinning will seek to mimic historic, fire-maintained conditions, increasing the quantity and quality of the forage available for ungulates and improving sightlines to support free movement and avoidance of predators,” said Michelle Daniel, Senior Field Operations Coordinator. “It will also restore areas of native plant diversity and habitat for a variety of wildlife that depend on dry, open forests.”
