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If you have any questions on the information presented, or require additional report data or attachments, please contact the Report Contact
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This is the fourth year of elk habitat enhancement monitoring in the Strathcona Provincial Park sponsored by the Bridge Coastal Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program (BCRP). The current report summarizes monitoring-related activities from April 2005 through March 2006. A total of 13 sites were enhanced between 2002 and 2004, encompassing roughly 10 ha in each of the Thelwood and Elk River Valleys.
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Author: URSUS Environmental Wildlife and Environmental Resource Consulting; Materi, J. R.P. Bio
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Old Reference Number: 05.W.Ca.01
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Old Reference System: FWCP Fish Wildlife Compensation Program - Coastal
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Date Published: Mar 2006
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Report ID: 17765
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Audience: Government and Public
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This is the fourth year of elk habitat enhancement monitoring in the Strathcona Provincial Park sponsored by the Bridge Coastal Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program (BCRP). The current report summarizes monitoring-related activities from April 2005 through March 2006. A total of 13 sites were enhanced between 2002 and 2004, encompassing roughly 10 ha in each of the Thelwood and Elk River Valleys. Enhancement trials over that period focused on increasing forage production by: enlarging existing gaps in the forest canopy; pruning tree limbs of conifers within the above sites; cutting deciduous trees and shrubs to stimulate coppicing; scarification and seeding; and planting preferred browse species. Enhancement sites range from 220m to 330m elevation, with most occurring within the Dry Maritime Variant of the Coastal Western Hemlock Biogeoclimatic Zone. All are located within 80 km of the City of Campbell River. Monitoring over 2005 documented vegetation responses and elk use of treatment areas following enhancement. Specific objectives were to: estimate post-treatment forage production at the four sites scarified and seeded with native or agronomic seed mixes; determine survival rates of winter browse plantings at the largest treatment area, enhanced in 2002; conduct post-treatment winter pellet group counts and track counts to document elk and elk predator occurrence; and establish permanent control winter pellet group transects within the Thelwood study area. Based on the monitoring results from this year and previous years, it was concluded that both agronomic and native seed mixes rapidly boost elk forage production over baseline levels. Pre-treatment forage production of 900 to 1,100 kg/ha (dry weight) was increased to 2,300 to 3,000 kg/ha in the 2nd year post-enhancement. It was found that forage production in native-seeded areas was higher than agronomic mixes after four growing seasons (3,300 kg/ha vs. 1,430 kg/ha). In addition, the early results of seeding trials suggest that forage production of native grass-seed mixes is considerably higher when seeded in autumn rather than spring.
Over the longer-term, consideration should be given to expanding elk habitat enhancement activities to other parts of the Elk Valley (up to 70 ha), the Thelwood Valley (up to 50 ha), and possibly the Wolf River Valley within Strathcona Park. In concert with recently produced elk interpretive signs provided through BCRP funding through this project, development of elk-viewing trails and platforms should be considered for the Thelwood Valley. A study investigating stand treatments to enhance snow interception cover for wintering elk should be considered among worthy projects for future habitat-related research.
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Report Type
Subject
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Biogeoclimatic Zone - CWH Coastal Western Hemlock Zone |
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Mammals - Elk: Cervus elaphus |
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Region - Vancouver Island |
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Terrestrial Information - Habitat Monitoring |
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