Peace area Wildlife Habitat Enhancement Burns

[Sitkaspruce]

Not sure if this was posted yet.

Lots of burning in the Peace this year. Already seen some smoke in a few areas while flying last week. The weather has been great and the outlook looks good as well. Hopefully they can get most of these done this year.

INFORMATION BULLETIN
For Immediate Release
2014FLNR0061-000577
May 8, 2014 Ministry of Forests, Landsand Natural Resource Operations
Prince George Fire Centre


Wildlife habitat maintenance burns setfor Peace Region

PRINCE GEORGE – The Ministry of Forests,Lands and Natural Resource Operations plans to conduct a series of prescribedburns in 19 Peace Region locations between May 8 and June 7, 2014, weatherconditions permitting.

These controlled burns will coverapproximately 47,000 hectares and will meet wildlife management objectives byimproving conditions for high-quality forage and winter range for ungulates(hooved animals such as moose, elk and deer).

The proposed burns will occur in severalstages, depending on site readiness and weather conditions. The burn sites(listed with approximate areas) include:
•Muskwa River (selected portions of a3,092-hectare area)
•Chischa River-Chlotapecta Creek(selected portions of a 8,938-hectare area)
•Liard River-Nordquist (selectedportions of a 1,000-hectare area)
•Sulphur Creek (selected portions of a2,328-hectare area)
•Eight Mile Creek (selected portions ofa 2,890-hectare area)
•Dunedin River (selected portions of a4,480-hectare area)
•Mount Skook and Winston Mountain(selected portions of a 1,165-hectare area)
•Rabbit River (selected portions of a4,000-hectare area)
•Chee Mountain (selected portions of a2,455-hectare area)
•Sandpile Creek (selected portions of a1,000-hectare area)
•Snake Creek-Bear Mountain (selectedportions of a 1,103-hectare area)
•Trimble Lake (selected portions of a491-hectare area)
•Besa River-Redfern-Keily Creek(selected portions of a 2,072-hectare area)
•Graham River (selected portions of a1,600-hectare area)
•Chowade River (selected portions of a3,842-hectare area)
•Frog River (selected portions of a4,484-hectare area)
•Farrell Creek (selected portions of a441-hectare area)
•Belcourt Creek-Nekik Mountain (selectedportions of a 1,500-hectare area)
•Dunlevy-Aylard-Branham (selectedportions of a 1,552-hectare area)

High-intensity prescribed burns in thespring are intended to restore grasslands and other natural habitats to promotethe growth of high-quality forage in important ungulate winter ranges thatsupport a variety of species, including Stone’s sheep, mountain goat, muledeer, elk, moose and wood bison.

The prescribed burns will be conductedby wildlife staff and Wildfire Management Branch personnel from the Ministry ofForests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations. Funding for this project hasbeen provided by the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation, the North Peace Rodand Gun Club, the Northern B.C. Guides Association and the Northeast B.C.Wildlife Fund.


Media Contact:
Jill Kelsh
Fire Information Officer
Wildfire Management Branch
Prince George Fire Centre
250 565-6129

Cheers

SS

[two-feet]

Wow, that is great. Hope to see more of that throughout the province in the future.

[leadpillproductions]

That's very good news , be worth goin back into a couple areas 2015 something to think about hmmmmmmm

[sheep.elk.moose fanatic]

That makes me happy happy happy !!!

[two-feet]

People are so hot and heavy about predator control as a way to increase ungulate populations, yes it works but is not well received by the public and therefore by politicians as well. For my money, habitat improvement through burning is as effective, probably has a longer lasting positive effect on an area, is cheaper, and is supported by a wider segment of our society. Kudos to those involved with getting this done. Hopefully this can be done in the same areas every few years to really get those good grazing grasses a strong foothold.

[one-shot-wonder]

People are so hot and heavy about predator control as a way to increase ungulate populations, yes it works but is not well received by the public and therefore by politicians as well. For my money, habitat improvement through burning is as effective, probably has a longer lasting positive effect on an area, is cheaper, and is supported by a wider segment of our society. Kudos to those involved with getting this done. Hopefully this can be done in the same areas every few years to really get those good grazing grasses a strong foothold.

Agree...... While I like to see backcountry burns as much as anybody, I would prefer to see some burning being undertaken in less remote areas, places which endure more pressure and have more competing interests into the habitat due to resource extraction, etc. I am not belittling the grant money from HCTF and others orgs to do this work, it just seems to be FLNRO chooses to do eco restoration work in the Peace region centered around certain areas year after year.....

[boxhitch]

•Mount Skook and Winston Mountain(selected portions of a 1,165-hectare area)If that is up the east slope where the old burn was ........:) :)

[OutWest]

Agree...... While I like to see backcountry burns as much as anybody, I would prefer to see some burning being undertaken in less remote areas, places which endure more pressure and have more competing interests into the habitat due to resource extraction, etc. I am not belittling the grant money from HCTF and others orgs to do this work, it just seems to be FLNRO chooses to do eco restoration work in the Peace region centered around certain areas year after year.....

Have to get the public on board as they're one of the biggest hurdles in getting this kind of work done. You would think that after the significant interface fires we've had here in the past decade that they would be more open to the idea. The last time we did some burning in the South OK the reaction from residents was not overly positive. Too much smoke on the golf course for one day. Simply comes down to education in my opinion and the fact is they just don't understand the benefits of it. Habitat enhancement is nice and will get a few people on board but the big one I think is promoting reducing the wildfire risk in said area.