Habitat restored on the Akisqnuk First Nation Reserve

The FWCP has been supporting the Akisqnuk First Nation to undertake fire-maintained ecosystem restoration on the Reserve since 2011. The Akisqnuk Wildlife Habitat Restoration Plan was developed and, to-date, 136 hectares have been successfully treated. The work will help a variety of listed species found in the region, including the American Badger, Flammulated Owl, Lewis’s Woodpecker, Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep, and the Rubber Boa.

The overall goals of the project are to restore a part of the Akisqnuk First Nation land base to a more natural forest composition and improve habitat conditions for wildlife. Loss of valley bottom wildlife habitat from BC Hydro dams in the Columbia system has increased the importance of maintaining productivity of remaining low elevation habitat.

In addition, the project will reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire and the associated danger to the local community.

The work has included the development of Ecosystem Restoration Plans, site-specific prescriptions, burn plans, pre-burn slashing, slash pile burning, prescribed burning, and mastication.

Once again, the Akisqnuk First Nation received funding from the FWCP in 2018. Work this year has included monitoring of invasive species, and the burning of slash piles is anticipated to occur this fall.