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Grizzly territory protection sought

With changes in animal populations, environmental preservation has dominated conversation
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A motor vehicle access restriction in an alpine range is urged to mitigate damage. (Andrew Walker photo)

With the looming threat of global warming and changes in animal populations, environmental preservation has dominated recent conversations.

Andrew Walker, a wildlife biologist with Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, met Regional District of North Okanagan directors Wednesday to propose a motor vehicle access restriction above 1700m in the Joss-Tsuius-Mable Mtn Access Management Area, which stretches from Joss Pass to Tsuius Mountain and Mable Mountain.

“(This is) to limit a growing amount of disturbance to alpine in the area,” Walker said. “What we’re really trying to limit is the off road vehicles… punching into the alpine and causing a disturbance. What we’re doing with this area is really making it motorized vehicle free, essentially.”

The proposed area is a portion of the only viable grizzly bear population unit in the Okanagan, and is utilized by moose, elk and mule deer, and contains the only known population of mountain goats and mountain caribou west of a portion of the Monashees.

“It is really productive alpine and has a lot of use,” Walker said of the land, which is the largest continuous piece of connected alpine in the Okanagan that lacks specific access restrictions. “It does have a lot of grizzly bear use because it is largely undeveloped.”

The area is home to an estimated 147 grizzlies.

With legislation already in place to protect the animals who call the area home, Walker seeks to protect the land itself.

“These areas have a short growing season,” Walker said. “They’ll take a long time to recover, longer than our lifetime.”

Disturbances in the area were brought to Walker’s attention by the public, specifically a group of concerned hunters who utilize the area.

“There was very good support from that community,” Walker said.

Proposed restrictions will be sent to the minister and will be open for public consultation. If passed, regulation could take effect as soon as July 1, 2018.

The restrictions focus on off-road vehicle use, such as ATVs, and do not affect snowmobile use.

“If there was support, it would go a long way to making this happen,” Walker said.

RDNO will discuss potential support at the next scheduled meeting.

North Okanagan

conservation funds

Scott Boswell, Okanagan collaborative conservation program manager and Bryn White, South Okanagan Similkameen Conservation program coordinator, appeared before RDNO to encourage the directors to establish a conservation fund in the North Okanagan.

“B.C. is leading the way in respects to establishing conservation funds,” White said. “We’ve just been through an epic flood and fire season — this is something these funds could service.”

Conservation funds would be distributed through an application system to support projects such as water, wildlife, land and habitat conservation efforts.

White said an anonymous donor is willing to pay for a public survey to hear residents input on the proposed fund.