An FWCP-funded Northern Goshawk survey has contributed to a new a new 182.5-hectare Wildlife Habitat Area (WHA) west of Bella Coola. The original survey, led by Artemis Wildlife Consultants and Kingbird Biological Consultants, found a family of Northern Goshawks in the Clayton Falls Watershed. Shortly after, the nest site was located, and the biologists recommended the establishment of a Northern Goshawk WHA.

The Northern Goshawk laingi subspecies, found in B.C.’s coastal area, is a conservation concern due to its habitat requirements, which are impacted by human actions, including forestry and other development. The use of WHAs, which limit human activities, are part of a broader Implementation Plan for the Recovery of Northern Goshawks, led by the Province of B.C.

Following additional work by the Province of B.C. and the BC Conservation Foundation, the new Goshawk WHA was established in November 2018. It would not have been possible without the support of the Bella Coola Community Forest that provided key information in the WHA proposals.

The new WHA in the Clayton Falls Watershed is one of seven recently established for Northern Goshawks on the West Coast of B.C., covering a total of 1,365 hectares. They are the first new Northern Goshawk WHAs in the region for more than a decade.