The Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program provided more than $7 million in funding in 2010 to nearly 65 projects around the province — including the Kootenay — and is looking to do the same in 2011.
The program focuses on projects developed to conserve and enhance fish, wildlife and their supporting habitats affected by the creation of BC Hydro owned and operated generation facilities around British Columbia.
“The compensation program is delivered through a joint partnership of BC Hydro, the Province of British Columbia and Fisheries and Oceans Canada,” says Kevin Conlin, Compliance and Compensation Manager at BC Hydro who works closely on the program. “The program provides strategic funding that supports important restoration work that focuses on impacted species and their habitats.”
Some of the project highlights include:
COLUMBIA REGION: $4.3 million in project funding in 2010
λ Kootenay and Arrow Lakes reservoir nutrient restoration program — A liquid blend of phosphorous and nitrogen to help the food web is added to the lakes to replace the nutrients trapped by upstream dams.
λ White sturgeon recovery program — Thousands of juvenile white sturgeon are raised and released into the Columbia River to restore this endangered population.
λ East and West Kootenay restoration — A variety of methods are used including prescribed burns, slashing, thinning and wildlife tree creation to restore upland habitat helping a wide variety of species.
COASTAL REGION: $1.7 million in project funding in 2010
λ Strathcona Park Vancouver Island marmot release (Phase 4) — Transports captive-bred raised marmots, a federally designated species at risk, back into historical ranges and habitats.
λ Tracking Alouette River sockeye Spawners in the Alouette Reservoir (Year 2) — Study of migration behaviours to understand survivorship and spawning locations of Alouette River sockeye that have been transported above the Alouette dam into Alouette Reservoir.
λ Powerhouse foreshore restoration project (Phase 3) — Restoration of a riparian and upslope habitats adjacent to the Seton and Fraser rivers that were impacted during the original construction of Seton dam, canal and powerhouse.
PEACE REGION: $700,000 in project funding in 2010
λ Dinosaur Reservoir habitat enhancement — 82 large woody debris structures have been constructed by program staff in the Dinosaur Reservoir and were GIS mapped in the summer of 2010.
λ Small lake stocking and evaluations — Seven small lakes in the Peace region were stocked with rainbow and brook trout.
λ Mackenzie migratory bird monitoring — 2010 marked the 16th year the program supported the neotropical migratory songbird. Coordinated by the Mackenzie Nature Observatory, volunteers from many parts of B.C. donated over 1,200 hours of their time to monitor the activities of the birds.
The three regions are now unified under one new name: the Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program. The program continues to be run in the same manner in each of the regions, but a broader program name symbolizes a focus on increased efficiencies.
“With over 700 projects delivered since 1988, and with the program’s investment reaching over $100 million, we have learned a lot along the way,” says Conlin.
For more information and to find out how your project can apply for funding visit fwcp.ca.