It is our responsibility as wilderness stewards to conserve the area so that it will continue to be an ecologically important area long into the future. We actively participate in implementing land management plans. These are the areas of resource management that we work on:
Forestry Management
Canada has almost one-quarter of the world’s natural forests which means it has an important role to play in terms of deforestation and climate change.
Sustainable forest management maintains biodiversity, productivity, regeneration rate and vitality while considering ecological, economic and social factors. Logging companies are required to reforest and regenerate harvest sites to the original natural forest diversity.
Timber tenure holders and logging contractors in the Bridge River Watershed area of the Chilcotin Ark adhere to government forestry and wildlife regulations in their harvesting plans which address ecological and production issues. A collaborative approach to sustainable management includes all stakeholders in the logging planning process.
Select logging is the process of removing half the mature trees of a single species, causing less disruption the forest. This method is practised in parts of the Chilcotin Ark.
Strategic logging road deactivation also allows wildlife to benefit as they are able to occupy new areas and their migration corridors are not disturbed.
Grassland and Range Management
These ecosystems are used by the agricultural and tourism stakeholders of the Chilcotin Ark. Native grasses, wildflowers and rangeland provide a food source for a large number of species, including domestic cattle and horse grazing.
These areas need to be managed to reduce or prevent conflict between commercial use and wildlife. Protecting these ecosystems from overuse ensures their sustainability.
Range licences limit the amount of time animals are permitted to graze on the land. Monitoring of the area also prevents over grazing.
Alpine Management
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Water Management
Water sources are highly valuable and sensitive resources that need to be monitored and managed effectively.
Overuse or inappropriate use of the area can increase pollution of the water sources, loss of habitat and reduced wildlife migration. Management plans that monitor the water quality and ensure best practices can reduce this problem.
Wildlife Management
Wildlife management is based on the North American Wildlife Conservation Model (NAWCM) used only in Canada and the USA. The two core principles are that fish and wildlife belong to all North American citizens and are to be managed so that their populations are sustained at optimal levels for the future.
Responsibly implementing this model and habitat enhancement projects have increased population numbers and brought some species back from the brink of extinction.
Protected Areas Management
Park and other protected area management plans are in place within the Chilcotin Ark that are implemented after in-depth discussion with all stakeholders. These discussions influence the protected area boundaries, area use and restrictions and other management facets such as wildlife.
The Chilcotin Ark has the following protected area managment plans in place:
[Lisa’s list – link to their websites]
Referrals
We work with many other stakeholders to ensure the development of the area is sustainable and doesn’t destroy the natural resources that are essential for the area.
These referrals include tourism operators, livestock farmers, road access and deativation, animal habitat displacement, energy/ power projects and logging.