FWCP approves $5.7 million for 43 regional fish, wildlife projects
By Contributor
A multi-year project led by the Kootenay Native Plant Society with funding from the Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program (FWCP) will document native bee abundance, diversity, and their use of local wet camas meadows.
Camas is a native perennial herb in the lily family that grows in moist meadows in southern British Columbia.
Historically, it was a valuable food source for First Nations. It is now a rare find in the Columbia Region, where it covers less than one per cent of its historical range. The decline is potentially having a significant impact on pollinators, including native bees.
“Camas meadows have been shown to attract pollinators, and during last year’s survey, 84 bee species were detected in the local meadows, including two at-risk species of bumble bees” says Crystal Klym, FWCP’s Columbia Region manager.
“Improving the data and understanding of these meadows is an important step toward supporting vital pollinator networks and, in the future, identifying potential opportunities for eco-cultural restoration.”
This project is one of 43 fish and wildlife projects and $5.7 million approved for 2021–2022 by the FWCP’s Columbia Region board.
Other projects approved this year will benefit fish and wildlife in many ways, including improving fish passage, restoring ecosystems for fish and wildlife, supporting endangered and at-risk species, conserving critical habitats, filling important data gaps, and addressing priority species such as bull trout, kokanee, caribou, and bighorn sheep.
This year, the FWCP approved approximately $9.4 million for 100 projects across its Coastal, Columbia, and Peace regions. Learn more about FWCP projects, results, and how you can apply for a grant. Visit fwcp.ca and subscribe to the FWCP’s e-letter and newsletter at fwcp.ca/subscribe.
All FWCP-funded projects align with the region’s action plans, which identify local priorities and projects eligible for FWCP funding.
The FWCP is a partnership between BC Hydro, the Province of B.C., Fisheries & Oceans Canada, First Nations, and public stakeholders to conserve and enhance fish and wildlife in watersheds impacted by BC Hydro dams.
Photo caption: A project investigating bee abundance and diversity in the West Kootenay will explore how camas meadows can support vital pollinator networks. The project will be delivered with funding from the Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program. — Valerie Huff photo
