2006 news releases

Elk enhancement showing results
Campbell River Mirror, Jan 6

A pilot project to improve habitat for Roosevelt elk residing in Strathcona Provincial Park recently reached a milestone, advancing from the site treatment to the monitoring phase.

The project, funded under BC Hydro’s Bridge Coastal Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program since 2000, involved field trials of techniques to boost food production for elk in the Elk River and Thelwood Creek watersheds. Treatments were aimed at increasing the amount and variety of elk winter and spring food plants because elk are often in poor condition in these seasons. In addition, the social nature of elk sometimes results in groups of 20 to 30 animals being confined to small areas for weeks at a time following a big snowfall in winter or early spring.

According to the project’s coordinator, Joe Materi of Ursus Environmental Consulting, little is known about winter range enhancement techniques best suited to the subspecies of elk inhabiting Vancouver Island.

“Controlled burning has been the technique of choice for Rocky Mountain Elk in the BC Interior,” says Materi, “but we’re interested in looking at other methods, because burning may not always be practical in our coastal forests.”

Between 2002 and 2004, enhancement trials took place at 13 sites totaling almost 50 acres of parkland. Individual treatment units ranged in size from about an acre to over eight acres. Some sites were cleared then seeded with native grasses, while others were selectively thinned to allow more sunlight to reach the forest floor, encouraging the growth of herbs and shrubs attractive to elk. Native shrubs were even installed in a few heavily disturbed areas in an attempt to restore some habitat values. Site treatments were carried out by local contractors with lots of help from BC Parks personnel.

With site treatments completed, attention in 2006 and beyond will turn towards documenting how plants in the treated areas change over time and how elk make use of the areas.

“From the outset, we had to think of ways to determine if the treatments would be worth the investment,” says Materi.

That required describing treatment costs, pre-treatment vegetation and elk use in advance of treatment. The early results of monitoring have shown that elk are drawn to seeded areas within a year and thinned areas within two to three years after treatment. Plant surveys, winter dropping counts, and aerial surveys will be used over the next three to five years to help biologists determine the most effective treatment methods, with a view to using them to benefit elk at other Island locations.