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Publish Year |
Description |
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Surveys of Species at Risk and their Associated Habitats in the Clowhom Watershed - Year 1
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2014
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Wetlands and riparian areas are essential to a multitude of wildlife species. These fragile and ecologically important ecosystems are also among those most affected by dam construction and hydro operations. On the Sunshine Coast, the installation of BC Hydro's Clowhom Dam in the 1950s flooded two existing lakes to create Clowhom Reservoir, resulting in the loss of lowland riparian forests and wetlands. There is an urgent need to map and assess remaining wetland and riparian areas in the Clowhom watershed, survey associated species at risk, and identify and carry out restoration and enhancement activities to benefit these habitats and species. To this end, "riparian and wetland mapping and restoration" and "amphibian surveys" have been identified as two of the five top priorities for FWCP funding in the Clowhom Basin. This report describes the first year of a multi-year project in the Clowhom watershed. Our objectives are: (1) to identify, assess and map wetlands and riparian ecosystems; (2) to undertake comprehensive surveys of species at risk and their critical habitat; (3) to work with partners to develop, implement, monitor and adaptively manage multi-species restoration, management and enhancement plans; and (4) to carry out an active outreach, education and community engagement program. Through these activities we aim to identify sensitive habitats; locate new occupied sites for threatened and endangered species; highlight sites of future inventory activities; identify opportunities and prioritize areas for habitat restoration, enhancement, conservation, and threat mitigation; increase and improve habitat for wildlife; reduce direct threats to populations of species at risk; increase community participation in wildlife and habitat stewardship activities; and improve awareness of the Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program and its program partners. Field survey activities carried out between April 2013 and March 2014 included locating, ?
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wsi_5316_rpt_2014.pdf
(15.9 MB)
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Surveys of Species at Risk and their Associated Habitats in the Clowhom Watershed - Year 2
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2015
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Wetlands and riparian zones are essential to wildlife. These fragile and ecologically important ecosystems are also among those most affected by hydroelectric development and operations. On British Columbia's Sunshine Coast, the installation of the Clowhom dam in the 1950s flooded the lower Clowhom valley, causing substantial loss of riparian forests and wetlands. Widespread forest harvesting triggered further negative impacts to wildlife by altering hydrology and limiting the suitability and availability of terrestrial habitats adjacent to streams and water bodies. The 2011 Clowhom Watershed Plan prioritizes the need to map and assess remaining wetland and riparian ecosystems, survey associated wildlife, and design and carry out restoration and enhancement activities to benefit these habitats and species. This report describes the second year of a multi-year project in the Clowhom watershed. Our objectives are: (1) to identify, assess and map wetlands and riparian ecosystems; (2) to undertake comprehensive surveys of species at risk and their associated habitat; (3) to work with partners to develop, implement, monitor and adaptively manage multi-species restoration, management and enhancement plans; and (4) to carry out an active outreach, education and community engagement program. Through these activities, we aim to identify sensitive habitats; locate new occupied sites for threatened and endangered species; highlight locations for future inventory efforts; prioritize sites for habitat conservation, restoration, and enhancement; increase and improve habitat for wildlife; reduce direct threats to populations of species at risk; increase community participation in wildlife and habitat stewardship activities; and improve public awareness of FWCP. This year, we continued with activities initiated in Year 1, including wetland mapping and assessment, and surveys of pond-breeding amphibians and Western Screech-Owls. We also launched new activ ...
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wsi_5316_rpt_2015.pdf
(6.2 MB)
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Surveys of Species at Risk and their Associated Habitats in the Clowhom Watershed Year 3
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2016
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Wetlands and riparian areas are essential to a multitude of wildlife species. These sensitive ecosystems are also among those most affected by dam construction and hydro operations. The installation of BC Hydro's Clowhom Dam on the Sunshine Coast in the 1950s flooded two existing lakes to create Clowhom Reservoir, resulting in substantial loss of lowland riparian forests and wetlands. The Clowhom Basin Watershed Plan has prioritized the need to map and assess remaining wetland and riparian areas in the watershed, survey associated species at risk, and identify and carry out restoration and enhancement activities to benefit these habitats and species. Our team has been working in Clowhom for the past three years. The objectives of our multi-year project are: (1) to identify, assess and map wetlands and riparian ecosystems; (2) to undertake comprehensive surveys of species at risk and their associated habitat; (3) to work with partners to develop, implement, monitor and adaptively manage multi-species restoration, management and enhancement plans; and (4) to carry out an active outreach, education and community engagement program. Through these activities, we aim to identify sensitive habitats; locate new occupied sites for threatened and endangered species; highlight locations for future inventory efforts; prioritize sites for habitat conservation, restoration, and enhancement; increase and improve habitat for wildlife; reduce direct threats to species; increase community participation in wildlife and habitat stewardship activities; and improve public awareness of FWCP and its program partners. Between April 2015 and March 2016, project activities included: surveys of pond-breeding amphibians at 14 wetland sites, including 26 hours of shoreline perimeter searches and over 500 amphibian trap hours; surveys for Western Screech-Owls at 55 call-playback stations; monitoring of 4 occupied Screech-Owl territories and habitat assessment within t ...
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wsi_5316_rpt_2016.pdf
(11.3 MB)
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Surveys of Species at Risk and their Associated Habitats in the Clowhom Watershed - Year 4
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2018
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Wetlands and riparian areas are essential to a multitude of wildlife species. These sensitive ecosystems are also among those most affected by dam construction and hydro-electric operations. The installation of BC Hydro's Clowhom Dam on the Sunshine Coast in the 1950s flooded two existing lakes to create Clowhom Reservoir, resulting in substantial loss of lowland riparian forests and wetlands. Both the 2011 and the recently updated 2017 Clowhom River Watershed Action Plans prioritized the need to map and assess remaining wetland and riparian areas in the watershed, survey associated species at risk, and identify and carry out restoration and enhancement activities to benefit these habitats and species.
This was our final year of a four-year project. Our goals were: (1) to identify, assess and map wetlands and riparian ecosystems; (2) to undertake comprehensive surveys of species at risk and their associated habitat; (3) to work with partners to develop, implement, monitor and adaptively manage multi-species restoration, management and enhancement plans; and (4) to carry out an active outreach, education and community engagement program. Through these activities, we aim to identify sensitive habitats; locate new occupied sites for threatened and endangered species; highlight locations for future inventory efforts; prioritize sites for habitat conservation, restoration, and enhancement; increase and improve habitat for wildlife; reduce direct threats to species; increase community participation in wildlife and habitat stewardship activities; and improve public awareness of FWCP and its program partners.
A key achievement of this final project year was the construction of two new wetlands to increase available habitat for amphibians and other wildlife species in the watershed and to mitigate for harmful effects of water level fluctuations associated with hydro operations. Two new wetlands were created in October 2016. Restored Wetland 4b (adjacent to Wetlan ?
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wsi_5316_rpt_2018.pdf
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Conservation of Bats and their Habitat in Clowhom Watershed - FWCP Project No. COA-F20-W-3117
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2020
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This report summarizes work during the first year of a three-year project. Our objectives in 2019-2020 were: (1) To improve and increase bat roosting habitat; (2) To increase the number of protected maternity roosts and hibernacula; (3) To undertake White-nose Syndrome surveillance; (4) To provide scientific information to guide conservation of bats; and (5) To undertake public outreach and engagement. To improve bat roosting habitat, we repaired damaged roosting boxes and worked with community members to build and install additional bat houses. To identify and protect bat roosts, we surveyed buildings and bat houses in Clowhom, met with stakeholders and residents in the watershed, and reached out to citizens in the wider Sunshine Coast community. To undertake White-nose Syndrome surveillance, we collected records of dead and winter-flying bats, submitted bat carcasses for health testing, and carried out roost emergence counts. To provide scientific data, we conducted acoustic surveys and roost counts, collected guano samples, monitored bat house occupancy, and installed temperature loggers in key bat houses. To engage community members in bat conservation, we carried out diverse outreach activities. In all, we documented 74 newly identified bat roosts in 2019, including one maternity colony supporting over 400 bats, and worked with landowners to protect and maintain these sites. Together with community volunteers, we built and installed 45 bat houses, assessed occupancy of 33 bat boxes, and carried out 159 emergence counts at 106 bat roost sites, including 5 sites in Clowhom watershed and 101 in surrounding areas of the Sunshine Coast. Engagement activities included 7 bat house workshops, 8 outreach tables, 6 school programs, and 11 media articles.
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wsi_5316_rpt_2019-2020Bats.pdf
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Conservation of Bats and their Habitat in Clowhom Watershed, Year 2 - FWCP Project No. COA-F21-W-3273
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2022
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This report summarizes work during this second year of a three-year project. Our objectives are: (1) To improve and increase bat roosting habitat; (2) To increase the number of protected maternity roosts and hibernacula; (3) To undertake White-nose Syndrome surveillance; (4) To provide scientific information to guide conservation of bats; and (5) To undertake public outreach and engagement.
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wsi_5316_rpt_2020-2021.pdf
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Conservation of Bats and their Habitat in Clowhom Watershed, Year 3 - FWCP Project No. COA-F22-W-3529
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2023
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This report summarizes work carried out between April 2021 and March 2022 to help ensure the survival of bats and their habitat in the Clowhom watershed and in surrounding communities on the Sunshine Coast. Our objectives were: (1) to improve and increase bat roosting habitat; (2) to increase the number of protected maternity roosts and hibernacula; (3) to undertake WNS surveillance; (4) to provide scientific information to guide conservation of bats; and (5) to undertake public outreach and engagement.
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wsi_5316_rpt_2021-2022.pdf
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Conservation of Bat Roosting Habitat in Clowhom Watershed - FWCP Project No. COA-F24-W-3928
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2024
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Clowhom watershed is a very important site for bats on the Lower Sunshine Coast. Situated 32 km northeast of Sechelt at the head of Salmon Inlet, it provides important bat foraging habitat and is home to the two largest currently known bat maternity colonies in the entire Sunshine Coast Regional District. This report summarizes work carried out between April 2023 and March 2024 to help ensure the survival of bats and their habitat in the Clowhom watershed and in surrounding communities on the Sunshine Coast. Our objectives were: (1) to undertake white-nose syndrome surveillance; (2) to increase the number of protected bat maternity roosts; (3) to contribute data to guide conservation of bats; (4) to increase community awareness and participation in bat stewardship efforts; and (5) to improve and increase bat roosting habitat.
To undertake WNS surveillance in the summer, we conducted emergence counts from known bat roosts. Between June and September 2023, we carried out 57 roost counts at 28 Sunshine Coast roost sites, including 11 in Clowhom. Two roosts in particular, the Dick Main Cabin, an abandoned cabin on the shore of Clowhom Lake, and the Clowhom Lodge Main Bat Box Cluster, a set of six manmade bat boxes on posts, serve as important sentinel sites for WNS surveillance. Both these sites support hundreds of bats and have been monitored annually by our team since 2018. At the Clowhom Lodge Cluster, 759 bats were counted in June and 697 bats in July. At the Dick Main Cabin, 251 bats were counted in June and 1605 bats in July. To date, there has been no evidence of reduced bat numbers that would indicate WNS-related population declines.
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wsi_5316_rpt_2023-2024.pdf
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