Ecological Values Assessment for Fuel Management Projects

Client: Regional District of Central Kootenay

Project: Within the Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK), priority fuel treatment areas were identified in Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPP) developed to help identify and reduce wildfire risk to communities. The CWPPs provide a high-level assessment of environmental values and recommend that further assessments be done by a biologist or qualified professional during site level operational planning to meet the most current Federal and Provincial environmental legislative requirements.

 Services: Masse Environmental was retained to conduct site specific ecological assessments of the priority fuel management prescription areas and provide mitigation strategies for key values that were identified. Ecological values considered included federally and provincially designated species at risk (SAR), wildlife habitat features listed under the Order for the Kootenay Boundary Region, unique ecological communities, environmentally sensitive sites, wildlife trees, and breeding birds and nesting habitat. Invasive plants were included in the data summary as they are a management concern and threaten many of the ecological values. Pine mushroom habitat was also assessed since it is an important conservation value in the Kootenays that can be impacted by forestry activities.