Vital conservation projects in Kootenay region receive boost from initiative

Photo: Ryan Durand

Riparian planting south of Perry?s Bridge in the Slocan Valley.

Diverse species at risk in the Kootenay region have an ally.

Called the Kootenay Conservation Program (KCP) — a partnership of 85 organizations — it uses the Kootenay Connect Priority Places initiative to support monitoring and restoration work throughout the Kootenay region.

Funded by Environment and Climate Change Canada, the program used the seed funding to leverage millions of dollars towards stewardship in the West Kootenay that, in turn, supports community well-being.

“We are extremely proud of KCP and the ability of our partnership to work collaboratively towards shared conservation goals that benefit local ecosystems and communities” said Juliet Craig, KCP program director. “Collectively, KCP partner organizations have a large conservation impact on wildlife and the habitats they depend upon in our region.”

Craig said diverse species at risk projects in key ecologically important areas — including the Creston Valley, Slocan Valley and Duncan Lardeau — were supported by the Kootenay Connect Priority Places in the last year.

All of the work was a partnership between local and regional funders such as the Columbia Basin Trust and Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program.

North of Nelson

Two riparian sections of the Slocan River were restored in the Slocan Valley, improving habitat for fish and many wetland species including at-risk Western painted turtles.

In partnership with the Slocan Lake Stewardship Society (SLSS) and Slocan River Streamkeepers, 2,000 live stakes and native trees, including cottonwood, willow, alder, red osier dogwood, and cedar were planted along the Slocan River at Perry Siding near Winlaw to increase diversity of native plants and enhance habitat.

Just upstream, Kootenay Connect Priority Places funding was used by SLSS, Streamkeepers, and Slocan Integral Forestry Cooperative (SIFCo) to enhance in-stream fish habitat on the Larson Ranch.

Both projects were also funded in part by Columbia Basin Trust, contributing matching funds to the federal grant.

“These conservation projects not only support wildlife and habitats in the region, but also support local contractors and agricultural producers, resulting in a more diversified local economy,” said Craig.

End of the lake

At the north end of Kootenay Lake in the Duncan River floodplain, projects focusing on wetland restoration included monitoring the activities of beavers translocated in 2023 as they continued building dams and channels to increase water retention in the floodplain.

By the end of September, wetlands in the upper portion of Argenta Slough had doubled in size.

“The enhanced wetlands contained a record 32 Western painted turtles that were observed basking on logs in Argenta Slough,” said Craig.

In the wake of recent wildfires, the beaver created and maintained wetlands are now able to retain water year-round, and will help prevent wildfires and provide refuge for wildlife in the future.

“The collaborative partnerships supported through Kootenay Connect Priority Places have enabled local people and organizations to pool their expertise and collectively address priorities that will significantly improve our chances for protecting our region’s biodiversity and ecological resilience in the face of a changing climate,” said Marcy Mahr, Kootenay Connect manager.

Over the pass

Funding has supported inventories and habitat enhancements for species at risk such as Western skinks, rubber boas, bobolinks and common nighthawks in the Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area.

The ecosystem surveys informed habitat enhancement efforts to reduce encroaching vegetation and decrease wildfire risk. In addition, a 60-square-metre “swallow motel” was constructed to provide a secure nesting structure for colonies that support essential ecosystem services including mosquito control.

• For more information about these initiatives visit kootenayconservation.ca.