Canadian Intermountain Joint Venture Prospectus

CANADIAN INTERMOUNTAIN JOINT VENTURE:
Wetlands, Lakes and Rivers, Riparian Areas and Grasslands
www.cijv.ca
Chilcotin Marsh, BC/©DUC
UPDATE TO THE PROSPECTUS AND
BIOLOGICAL FOUNDATION

b Update to the Prospectus and Biological Foundation
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Executive Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Preface: Scope and Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Context. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
The Landscape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
A Habitat-based Conservation Approach. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Building on Regional Achievements and Successes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Planning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Priority Birds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Setting Population Objectives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Priority Habitats. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Wetlands, Lakes and Rivers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Wetland Habitat Drivers and Trends. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Priority Species and Population Objectives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Threats and Recommended Actions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Habitat Objectives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Riparian Habitat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Riparian Habitat Drivers and Trends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Grasslands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Grassland Habitat Drivers and Trends. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Initial Focus Areas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Best Management Practices and Conservation Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Strategic Priorities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Literature Cited. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Appendix 1: Status of Priority Species. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Appendix 2: Habitat Types Protected within CIJV Conservation Landscapes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Appendix 3: CIJV Partners. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

1Update to the Prospectus and Biological Foundation
The Canadian Intermountain Joint Venture (CIJV) is an all-bird
habitat Joint Venture formed in 2003 under the North American
Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP). The CIJV focuses on
the habitat needs of breeding, staging and migrating birds in the
Interior of British Columbia (BC) and the Rocky Mountain portion
of Alberta. In addition to implementing NAWMP in the BC Interior,
the CIJV was established to address the challenges of sustaining
healthy populations of birds by providing regional implementation
of the Canadian Shorebird Conservation Plan (2000), the North
American Landbird Conservation Plan (2004) and Canada’s Waterbird
Conservation Plan (2003). The CIJV works in partnership with governments, First Nations, environmental non-governmental
organizations, academia, industry and landowners. It facilitates and augments existing conservation initiatives and
partnerships in the province, and complements the work undertaken by adjacent Joint Ventures such as the Intermountain
West Joint Venture to the south in the United States.
In 2003, CIJV partners produced a Prospectus document that outlined the Joint Venture’s biological foundation. Following
the Prospectus, a detailed implementation plan for wetland habitats was completed in 2010. The current Update to the
Prospectus and Biological Foundation and the associated CIJV Conserving Birds in a Working Landscape (2016) build on the
previous reports by outlining conservation goals for two additional priority habitat types and providing updated context to
guide future activities. This updated document is designed to be a technical supplement to the Canadian Intermountain Joint
Venture: Conserving Birds in a Working Landscape (2016). This document details the priorities and objectives of the CIJV over
the next 3 to 5 years in greater detail, and is intended to complement the existing Canadian Intermountain Joint Venture
Implementation Plan: Wetlands and Associated Species (2010).
CIJV priority habitats have been expanded to include three habitat types: 1) wetlands, lakes and rivers; 2) riparian areas; and
3) grasslands. The focus on wetlands and other aquatic habitats reflects the historical foundation of the CIJV and its mandate
under NAWMP to maintain healthy waterfowl populations. The addition of riparian areas as a priority habitat is a natural
extension given the importance of this habitat type to birds in the CIJV landscape. Grasslands are also included as a priority in
the Canadian Intermountain region because they: 1) are relatively rare; 2) support a unique avifauna including several species
at risk; and 3) are highly threatened by development.
A standardized process was developed to identify the conservation goals and actions needed to conserve CIJV habitat. Firstly,
within each of the three priority habitat types, a suite of priority species was identified. Next, population objectives were set
for waterbirds, shorebirds and landbirds.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Barrow’s Goldeneye/Ian Routley

2 Update to the Prospectus and Biological Foundation
All birds were originally prioritized at the Bird Conservation Region (BCR) level for the CIJV Prospectus in 2003. Priorities
have since been revised based on current information. For example, priority waterfowl species were revised based on the
2004 NAWMP Implementation Framework and data collected from aerial waterfowl surveys during 2006-2009. Priority bird
species, other than waterfowl, were identified from the BCR 9 and 10 (the two BCRs within the CIJV) Strategies. The resulting
CIJV priority species list includes 14 waterfowl, 16 waterbird, 7 shorebird and 43 landbird species.
Population objectives for waterbirds, shorebirds and landbirds were taken from the BCR plans and are based on population
trend scores developed by Partners in Flight. For waterfowl, the CIJV goal is to maintain an average breeding population of
1.45 million birds, assumed to reflect near-historic levels (1970s), although current waterfowl levels are likely lower especially
in urban and agricultural areas where habitat impacts have been greatest.
Each of the three priority habitat types face a number of threats
and pressures. For wetlands, lakes and rivers the most significant
factor is the continued loss of habitat due to development,
agriculture and ranching. The loss of wetlands was greatest during
the late 1880s and early 1900s, yet impacts continue today due
to growing development pressure, livestock grazing and increased
demand on water supply. Other factors, including climate
change and the mountain pine beetle outbreak, are also causing
significant impacts.
Riparian habitats face a number of pressures from urban and
industrial development, agriculture, reservoir creation and flood
control measures. For example, 63 per cent of black cottonwood-
red-osier dogwood forest and 92 per cent of water birch-red-
osier dogwood riparian forests in the Okanagan Valley have been
lost since 1800. Activities, such as ranching and forestry/timber
harvest, continue to result in substantial loss and degradation of
riparian areas.
Almost 90 per cent of British Columbia’s grasslands occur within the Canadian Intermountain region. As a group, grassland
birds are undergoing steep population declines across North America – these shrinking grassland habitats are critically
important to several species at risk in the CIJV. Historical and current livestock grazing has resulted in severe loss and
degradation of grasslands. While range health has generally improved since the mid-1900s, many areas of grassland and
shrub-steppe remain impacted. Active fire suppression has also contributed to grassland loss by facilitating the encroachment
of shrub and tree species. Similarly, agricultural conversion and urban/industrial development have resulted in substantial
loss of grassland habitat.
In an effort to raise awareness about environmentally sustainable practices, several organizations and governments have
developed freely available guidance documents to address specific issues facing birds. To make this information more easily
available, this updated Prospectus contains a summary of relevant Best Management Practices and other conservation tools
for the Canadian Intermountain region.
This document identifies a number of specific actions that the CIJV partnership can implement to address threats
to priority habitats:
• Secure high-value and vulnerable priority habitats via purchase, conservation covenant or long-term landowner
agreement.
• Work with local governments to enact policy tools, such as green bylaws, to protect sensitive ecosystems, including
priority habitats. Encourage “smart development” and guide development (housing, industrial, agricultural, roads and
highways, etc.) away from priority habitats.
Bobolink Pair/Ian Routley

• Work with ranchers to manage grazing pressure on and near
priority wetland and riparian habitats. Methods include
managing the timing, intensity and duration of grazing in
rotational systems, placing livestock attractants away from
water, using off-site water sources and installing fencing to
keep livestock from accessing sensitive areas.
• Maintain working ranches on the landscape to prevent
their conversion to intensive agriculture or development as
residential/industrial areas. Work with ranchers to manage
grazing to maintain the full range and diversity of seral stages
on the landscape and to ensure ranching activities coexist
with grassland birds.
• Encourage environmentally friendly farming practices,
including best management practices for pesticide and
fertilizer application, management of surface water and
runoff to prevent contamination and/or eutrophication and
establishing buffer zones around riparian areas.
• Work with stakeholders to mimic natural hydrological cycles
as closely as possible in managed, high-value bird habitats
(e.g., around colonies and other major breeding areas,
important foraging areas, key staging and wintering sites).
• Work with stakeholders (e.g., tourism industry, boating
associations, etc.) to limit or avoid disturbances at important waterbird breeding sites.
• Engage the forestry industry to increase retention of riparian forest (e.g., adopt third-party certification standards that
include additional protection for riparian habitats). Work with forestry industry, firewood cutters, land managers and
landowners to increase retention of large, cavity-bearing trees in or near riparian areas for cavity-nesting birds.
• Where possible, use prescribed fire and controlled burns to prevent forest encroachment and maintain grassland habitat.
One of the CIJV goals is to set robust numerical objectives for each priority habitat type, however this has proved challenging
in some cases. For wetlands, deficiencies in Joint Venture-wide data on habitat conditions have made it difficult to set
quantitative objectives for the entire CIJV. For example, there is no reliable quantitative estimate of wetland occurrence in
the 1970s to use as a reference condition. As an initial step, the CIJV set waterfowl-focused wetland habitat objectives for
two of Ducks Unlimited Canada’s Waterfowl Priority Areas (Cariboo-Chilcotin and Okanagan) using the Waterfowl Decision
Support System. Based on this method, preliminary wetland objectives were established for the remainder of the Canadian
Intermountain region so that a total wetland area could be determined for the Joint Venture.
Similarly, it has not been possible to develop objectives for riparian habitats in the CIJV due to the lack of spatial information.
As a first step, an estimate of the total area of riparian habitat in the Canadian Intermountain region is needed, but this is
not currently available. Grazing studies conducted in the southwestern United States may have relevant information that
can apply to the CIJV, in particular to riparian areas in grasslands or shrub-steppe habitats. Unfortunately, there is little
information on the impacts of grazing on riparian areas in wetter forest landscapes.
Although the CIJV has not been able to set numerical habitat objectives for grassland habitat, new information from the
Grassland Conservation Council (GCC) may help advance this work. This project aims to identify and map high-value priority
grassland areas for conservation and stewardship. Also, Environment Canada and Simon Fraser University are studying the
effects of various intensities of cattle grazing on grassland birds in the Cariboo-Chilcotin area. This information may help to
set objectives for grassland habitat in the CIJV in future.
Western Screech Owl/Ian Routley

The process of developing the Update on the Prospectus and Biological Foundation and the associated Conserving Birds in
a Working Landscape Plan highlighted a number of CIJV program gaps, from deficiencies in spatial and temporal data to a
lack of capacity and expertise, within the CIJV for certain types of activities. The CIJV has identified a series of priorities to
fill these program gaps over the next 3 to 5 years. In addition to the primary business of securing and restoring habitat, the
CIJV recognizes that it must influence land-use practices at a greater scale than individual properties to provide the greatest
benefit to birds. This can be accomplished by actively promoting land stewardship and developing new partnerships with
industry and local governments. In future, the CIJV will focus on expanding existing partnerships and developing new ones
with key communities that include:
Industry: The CIJV will continue to work with the ranching industry, and encourage new/expanded involvement with
forestry, agricultural, mining and energy sectors.
Local Governments and First Nations: Involving local governments and First Nations will enable the CIJV to gather and
make use of local knowledge and expertise and help guide the development of local conservation, restoration and
management projects.
Academia: New and expanded partnerships with universities and/or technical institutes will enable the CIJV to
undertake directed research to fill significant knowledge gaps.
General Public: Engaging naturalists groups, fish and game clubs and other local associations with an interest in
conservation will enable the CIJV to deliver clear, coordinated conservation messaging to the public and raise public
awareness and support for conservation activities.
Finally, an action plan will be developed to prioritize objectives and link these to specific partners so that the CIJV can
advance its conservation efforts as efficiently as possible and avoid duplication of effort ensuring that the most qualified and
able partners are undertaking each action. Other priority actions for the CIJV include determining objectives for grassland
and riparian habitats and completing the identification of Focus Areas. With these new priority habitats and actions, the
CIJV can address major knowledge gaps and provide much of the missing baseline information that is required to help guide
conservation efforts for the benefit of all birds in the Canadian Intermountain region.

This document is a technical supplement to the Canadian Intermountain Joint Venture: Strategic Plan for Wetlands, Lakes and
Rivers, Riparian Areas and Grasslands1. The Strategic Plan’s purpose is twofold:
1. To analyze high priority habitat types in the
Canadian Intermountain region
2. To assess the key actions for addressing the
conservation needs in the region
It provides a framework to facilitate cooperation
and coordination among partners to help achieve
conservation objectives in an efficient and effective
manner.
Conserving Birds in a Working Landscape is a stream-
lined, non-technical document to inform readers
about the purpose of and work undertaken by the
CIJV, encourage potential partners to join the CIJV
and assist with re-engagement of current and past
CIJV partners.
A great deal of information was collected and in-depth
assessments were undertaken to develop the
Conserving Birds in a Working Landscape document. This Update on the Prospectus and Biological Foundation was
subsequently produced as a supplement, and contains additional background information and technical details. It outlines
the priorities and objectives of the CIJV over the next 3 to 5 years in greater detail, and is intended to complement the
existing Canadian Intermountain Joint Venture Implementation Plan: Wetlands and associated species (2010)2.
The Conserving Birds in a Working Landscape document and this Update on the Prospectus and Biological Foundation focuses
on three major habitat types: 1) wetlands, lakes and rivers; 2) riparian areas; and 3) grasslands. The emphasis on wetlands
and other aquatic habitats reflects the history and origins of the CIJV and the mandate under NAWMP to maintain healthy
waterfowl populations. It also reflects the significant biological importance of wetlands and water within the greater CIJV
landscape. Broadening the focus to encompass associated riparian areas is a natural extension of wetland and waterfowl-
associated work. Grasslands are also included as a priority due to 1) their importance to biodiversity in the Canadian
Intermountain region and their unique avifauna, including several species at risk; 2) the restricted range and small extent
of these habitats; and 3) the high degree of threat they face from encroaching urban and agricultural development. Further
expanding the CIJV habitat focus to include forest and alpine habitats is an important priority for the future.
PREFACE: SCOPE AND FORMAT
Wooded prairie marshes are home to many species of migratory birds./©DUC/Chris Benson
1 CIJV 2014
2 CIJV Technical Committee 2010

The Canadian Intermountain Joint Venture
(CIJV) is an “all-bird” habitat Joint Venture
under the North American Waterfowl
Management Plan (NAWMP) which primarily
targets the habitat needs of breeding, staging
and migrating birds. Located in the Interior of
British Columbia (BC) and the Rocky Mountain
portion of Alberta, the CIJV was formally established in 2003 as a partnership of government agencies, First Nations,
environmental non-governmentalal organizations, universities, industry and landowners. The CIJV is built on a foundation of
many years of cooperative conservation activities among its major partners (see Appendix 3).
In addition to implementing NAWMP in the BC Interior, the CIJV was established to address the challenges of sustaining
healthy populations of birds by providing regional implementation of the Canadian Shorebird Conservation Plan3, the North
American Landbird Conservation Plan4 and Canada’s Waterbird Conservation Plan5. It facilitates and augments existing
conservation initiatives and partnerships in the province, and complements adjacent Joint Ventures (e.g., Intermountain West
Joint Venture) in conserving shared bird populations.
In 2003 the partners produced a CIJV Prospectus to describe the biological foundation of the Joint Venture6. A detailed
implementation plan for wetland habitats was completed in 20107. This Update to the Prospectus and Biological Foundation,
and the associated Conserving Birds in a Working Landscape8, build on these previous documents to support expansion of
CIJV partner activities into additional habitat types and to guide partner activities for years to come.
Environment Canada developed all-bird
conservation strategies in each of Canada’s
Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs) to serve
as a framework for implementing bird
conservation across Canada. This Update to
the Prospectus and Biological Foundation
incorporates many of the elements of the
plans for BCRs 99 and 1010 (which together
encompass the CIJV planning area),
particularly as they pertain to non-waterfowl
species.
INTRODUCTION
Migratory waterfowl depend on wetland habitat as breeding and staging habitat./©DUC/Brian Wolitski
CIJV VISION
The Canadian Intermountain region is a landscape
that supports healthy populations of birds, maintains
biodiversity and fosters sustainable resource use.
CIJV MISSION
The partners support an approach to conservation that
meets the economic needs of those living and working
in this unique area. This is embodied in the mission
statement:
Working together to maintain, enhance, restore and manage
habitat for the benefit of wildlife and people in the Canadian
Intermountain region.
3 Donaldson et al 2000
4 Rich et al 2004
5 Milko et al 2003
6 CIJV 2003
9 Environment Canada 2013a
10 Environment Canada 2013b

THE LANDSCAPE
The Canadian Intermountain region is bounded by the
Coast and Cascade Mountains to the west, the Rocky
Mountains to the east, the international boundary to the
south and the boreal forest to the North (Figure 1). The
region covers over 489,000 square kilometres (km2), almost
50 per cent of the area of BC, as well as the Rocky Mountains of Alberta. It is one of the most ecologically diverse regions in
Canada, with elevation rising from 200 metres to almost 4,000 metres above sea level. This range in elevation and climatic
conditions create a tremendous diversity of habitat types including desert, grasslands, shrub-steppe, riparian, wetlands, dry
and moist coniferous forests and alpine tundra. The most productive wetlands are found in fertile floodplain valley bottoms
and grassland plateaus at mid and low elevations. Overall, 63 per cent of the area is forested, with over 5 per cent covered
by lakes and wetlands, 1 per cent is open native grasslands and the remaining area is other non-forested habitat (including
urban, agriculture, alpine, rock and ice)11.
As a result of the range of habitats found within the Canadian Intermountain region, the area contains some of the most
diverse breeding bird fauna in Canada. Three hundred and seventy-three bird species have been recorded in the Canadian
Intermountain region12. The region has the highest owl, woodpecker, swift and hummingbird diversity of any ecozone in
Canada13, and hosts significant proportions of Pacific flyway duck, goose and swan populations at various stages of their life
cycles14. Twenty-four species of waterfowl breed here with an estimated population of 1.45 million birds15. The Canadian
Intermountain region is also host to a high number of Canada’s birds that are at risk. Of the 75 bird species, subspecies
or populations assessed by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) as Endangered,
Threatened or Special Concern16, 21 (28 per cent) occur in the Canadian Intermountain region. Five of these (Flammulated
Owl, Lewis’ Woodpecker, Western Screech-Owl, White-headed Woodpecker, Williamson’s Sapsucker) occur nowhere else
in Canada.
In addition to its importance to birds, the Canadian Intermountain region hosts a diverse range of other taxa with over
1,500 species of native vascular plants17, 43 species of native freshwater fish18, 29 species of amphibians and reptiles19 and
94 species of native terrestrial mammals20.
CONTEXT
Figure 1: Map of CIJV area (yellow outline), showing the two
Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs) within its boundaries.
12 Cannings 1998
13 Cannings 1998
14 Canadian Wildlife Service and Ducks Unlimited Canada 2002
16 Species at Risk Public Registry: www.sararegistry.gc.ca Accessed December 16 2011
17 Olgivie 1998
18 McPhail 1998
19 Gregory and Gregory 1998
20 Dyer 1998

A HABITAT-BASED CONSERVATION APPROACH
The CIJV is a habitat-based Joint Venture based on the underlying principle that the best way to conserve and promote
healthy bird populations is to ensure they have both sufficient quantity and quality of habitat. This means CIJV actions
are focused on conserving, restoring and managing habitats for birds. These actions are supported by science, policy and
outreach activities.
Securement: Securement programs focus on securing key natural breeding habitats at high risk of loss or degradation.
Methods of securement include acquisition through fee simple purchase or donation, permanent conservation
covenants and/or long-term landowner or Crown agreements (10+ years). Secured properties are managed for the
benefit of wildlife. Compatible commercial and recreational uses (e.g., ecologically sensitive grazing) may be permitted
where they do not conflict with wildlife values.
Restoration: Partners engage in restoration activities on high-value sites that have been degraded in order to restore
lost ecological value. For example, partners may work to re-flood previously drained wetlands, restore natural
hydrological cycles, remove invasive species or install fencing to control livestock access to sensitive areas.
Stewardship: Stewardship programs are focused on changing broad land use for the benefit of birds and bird habitat,
and can affect larger areas than securement programs. For example, the CIJV promotes voluntary adoption of
agricultural practices which are better for wetlands, or grazing systems that maintain healthier grasslands and benefit
grassland birds, without a long-term (10+ years) agreement.
Science: Partners engage in local, regional and national monitoring programs to track bird populations. Examples
include continental-scale programs, such as the Breeding Bird Survey, and more focused local programs such as
Noctournal Owl Surveys. Joint Venture partners also engage in targeted research to gather key information and
answer specific questions around conservation issues in the region. For example, Ducks Unlimited Canada recently
partnered with Thompson Rivers University to investigate the effects of cattle grazing on various wetland parameters,
including waterfowl.
Policy: Policy activities are collaborative and informed by science. Activities focus on encouraging governments to
conserve sensitive ecosystems (e.g., wetlands, riparian areas, grasslands) via a variety of strategies, including informing
legislation/regulation, supporting incentives such as mitigation, providing awareness/education, developing Integrated
Watershed Management Plans and advancing inventory, measurement and tracking mechanisms. CIJV policy activities
are coordinated through the Wetland Stewardship
Partnership21 (WSP), a collaborative association
of three levels of government (federal, provincial,
municipal), industry and several key environmental
non-governmental organizations. The goal of the WSP
is to conserve, restore and manage wetland ecosystems
throughout BC.
Outreach: CIJV partners engage in public outreach
and education though a variety of means, including
citizen science programs, publications and educational
and interpretive signage at project sites, with the aim of
raising awareness of birds and their conservation needs.
Educational signs raise public awareness of sensitive habitats./K. Barry
21 Wetland Stewardship Partnership: www.bcwetlands.ca

In addition to wetlands, lakes and rivers and riparian areas, grasslands are now a priority habitat in the Canadian
Intermountain region. Although limited in extent, grasslands are home to a unique and diverse avifauna (several species
of which occur nowhere else in Canada), and are highly threatened by urban, industrial and agricultural development.
In addition, the most threatened and some of the most high-value wetland and riparian habitats occur within grassland
landscapes.
Within each of these habitat types, a suite of priority species have been identified. While no single species can serve as an
umbrella for all others, a carefully selected group of species (including those with the narrowest ecological requirements) can
represent the requirements of all species in a habitat reasonably well. Identifying the needs of these priority species can help
to guide conservation actions to benefit all birds.
While this document does not expressly consider other habitat types (e.g., various forest types, alpine areas), efforts will
be made to include them in the future. Some initial steps, such as identification of priority species for all habitats and an
initial assessment of threats, have been conducted as part of the development of Environment Canada’s BCR Conservation
Strategies22. Many CIJV partners already work in a broader landscape context – these diverse partnerships will serve as a solid
foundation for expanding the CIJV focus in future.
BUILDING ON REGIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS AND SUCCESSES
The high biological value and increasing vulnerability of the Canadian Intermountain region has long been recognized. Many
organizations, working alone and in partnerships, have invested significant resources and energies in regional conservation
efforts. Conservation achievements include a range of habitat acquisitions, promoting protection and stewardship programs,
developing and implementing strategies and tools to guide conservation efforts and successful communications and outreach
programs. Many of these programs are focused in the South Okanagan and lower Similkameen Valleys, the Columbia River
watershed, the East Kootenay and the grasslands of the Cariboo-Chilcotin.
The CIJV and many other conservation initiatives and partnerships are interrelated through their funding partners,
participants and some activities. The CIJV complements, augments and facilitates the work of existing conservation programs
and partners. The value-added aspects of the CIJV provide additional support for current conservation efforts and a context
within which local efforts can be prioritized and evaluated.
Over $47 million (cash and in-kind
contributions) has been invested in CIJV
habitat projects between 2003 and 2015
(Table 1). This has translated into the
securement or enhancement of over 235,000
hectares of habitat for birds.
22 Environment Canada 2013 a,b
Table 1: CIJV partner conservation accomplishments, 2003 to 2015
Initiative Total Total Acres
Habitat Retention – Permanent1 $ 35,185,395 293,498
Habitat Retention – Medium (10-99yrs)2 $ 676,394 58,975
Habitat Retention – Short Term (10yrs)3 $ 1,705,059 50,906
Upland Restoration4 $ 1,923,843 149,195
Wetland Restoration5 $ 7,931,202 29,212
$ 47,421,893 581,786
Source: Canadian National Tracking System, October 2016
1 Protection (or preservation) of functional waterfowl habitat and the provision of suitable habitat for other
bird species in perpetuity. Includes: Conservation Covenants, Crown Designation and Fee Simple Acquisition.
2 Protection (or preservation) of functional waterfowl habitat and the provision of suitable habitat for other
bird species from a period of 10 to 99 years. Includes: Some Conservation Covenants, Leases, Cooperative
Land Use Agreements and Crown Agreements.
3 Protection (or preservation) of functional waterfowl habitat and the provision of suitable habitat for
other bird species for a period less than 10 years. Includes Leases: Cooperative Land Use Agreements
and Crown Agreements.
4 Creation or improvement of upland habitat suitable as waterfowl habitat.
5 Creation or improvement of wetland habitat (and the services provided to waterfowl and other bird species).

PRIORITY BIRDS
All birds were originally prioritized at the BCR level for the CIJV Prospectus in 200323. Priorities have since been revised and
updated based on new information.
For waterfowl, priority species were revised based on the 2004 NAWMP Implementation Framework24 and recent CIJV
specific data on population trends from 2006-2009 helicopter surveys. The 2004 NAWMP Implementation Framework25
prioritizes waterfowl species by conservation need within continental and regional contexts. Within the Canadian Intermountain
region, these priority species include Cinnamon Teal, Redhead, Gadwall, Ring-necked Duck, Lesser Scaup, American Wigeon,
Harlequin Duck, White-winged Scoter and Bufflehead. In addition to continental priorities, several species of waterfowl
are of special interest due to the proportion of their continental populations that breed locally. Specifically, the Canadian
Intermountain region supports 20 to 25 per cent of the world’s breeding population of Barrow’s Goldeneye, 1 to 2 per cent
of the continental population of Mallard, over 15 per cent of the continental breeding population of Hooded Merganser and
5 per cent of the continental breeding population of Ruddy Duck. Although the Canadian Intermountain region supports 5 to
10 per cent of the world’s breeding population of Harlequin Duck, this species is not a CIJV priority due to its dependence on
high-elevation streams, which are not considered to be at high risk and are not a conservation priority at this time.
Priority bird species other than waterfowl were identified from the conservation strategies developed for BCRs 9 and 1026.
Species were considered a priority for each BCR based on the following:
• Landbirds: Met the Partners in Flight (PIF) criteria27 for Continental or Regional Concern, or for Continental or Regional
Stewardship (those having a high proportion of their global population or range within the BCR)
• Waterbirds and Shorebirds: Met the criteria for National Concern under Canada’s Waterbird Conservation Plan28 or
Canada’s Shorebird Conservation Plan29, or were considered regional stewardship species based on the threat level and
the proportion of their population or range within the BCR
• All Species: Are considered at risk according to provincial or federal designations, including:
– Red- or Blue-listed species in British Columbia
– Endangered, Threatened or Special Concern in Alberta
– Species listed under the Federal Species at Risk Act
– Species assessed by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) as Endangered,
Threatened or Special Concern
• All Species: Were added based on expert screening and review
PLANNING
23 Canadian Intermountain Joint Venture 2003
24 North American Waterfowl Management Plan 2004
25 North American Waterfowl Management Plan 2004
27 Panjabi et al 2005
28 Milko et al 2003
29 Donaldson et al 2000

Priority species identified in the BCR conservation strategies as associated with CIJV priority habitats (wetlands, lakes and
rivers, riparian areas, grasslands) were identified as priority species for the CIJV. The resulting priority species list for the CIJV
contains 14 waterfowl, 16 waterbird, 7 shorebird and 43 landbird species.
SETTING POPULATION
OBJECTIVES
For waterfowl, the CIJV’s goal is to maintain an
average breeding population of 1.45 million. This
represents the most current estimate of the breeding
population within the Canadian Intermountain
region, of which Mallard are the most abundant
(14 per cent)32. The goal is assumed to reflect near-
historic (1970s) population levels for most species
and habitats, except for agricultural and urban
landscapes where habitat losses and degradation
have been the most severe since the 1970s. Although
waterfowl populations are assumed to be at near-
1970s levels in rangelands, they are likely lower due
to intensive land-use practices that began in the
mid-1800s.
a Note that priority species may be associated with more than one habitat type. Species assessed by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) as
Special Concern, Threatened or Endangered are in bold. A number of waterfowl (Canada Goose, Canvasback, Greater Scaup, Greater White-fronted Goose, Harlequin Duck, Lesser
Snow Goose, Northern Pintail, Northern Shoveler, Surf Scoter and Tundra Swan) were considered priority in either the Bird Conservation Region (BCR) 9 or BCR 10 conservation
plans30, but are not considered priority by the CIJV. Data for these species is omitted from this plan.
b Ruddy Duck is a CIJV priority species but was not considered priority by the BCR conservation plans31 and thus is not included in the BCR threat assessment summaries presented
later in this plan.
Table 2: Priority species in the CIJV
Habitat Priority Species (in alphabetical order)a
Wetlands,
lakes and rivers
American Avocet, American Bittern, American Dipper, American White Pelican, American Wigeon, Bank Swallow,
Barrow’s Goldeneye, Black Swift, Black Tern, Bufflehead, California Gull, Caspian Tern, Cinnamon Teal, Clark’s Grebe,
Common Loon, Common Tern, Double-crested Cormorant, Forster’s Tern, Franklin’s Gull, Gadwall, Great Blue Heron,
Green-winged Teal, Gyrfalcon, Hooded Merganser, Horned Grebe, Lesser Scaup, Mallard, Northern Harrier, Peregrine
Falcon, Redhead, Red-necked Phalarope, Ring-necked Duck, Rough-legged Hawk, Ruddy Duckb, Rusty Blackbird,
Sanderling, Short-eared Owl, Thayer’s Gull, Trumpeter Swan, Virginia Rail, Western Grebe, White-winged Scoter,
Wilson’s Phalarope
Riparian Barrow’s Goldeneye, Black-billed Magpie, Bufflehead, Calliope Hummingbird, Hooded Merganser, Lazuli Bunting,
Lewis’ Woodpecker, Long-eared Owl, MacGillivray’s Warbler, Rufous Hummingbird, Vaux’s Swift, Western Screech-
Owl, Willow Flycatcher, Yellow Warbler, Yellow-breasted Chat
Grassland,
shrubland and
agricultural
lands
American Golden-Plover, American Kestrel, Bank Swallow, Barn Owl, Barn Swallow, Black-billed Magpie, Bobolink,
Brewer’s Sparrow (breweri), Burrowing Owl, Canyon Wren, Common Nighthawk, Common Poorwill, Dusky Grouse,
Ferruginous Hawk, Golden Eagle, Grasshopper Sparrow, Gyrfalcon, Horned Lark, Lark Sparrow, Long-billed Curlew,
Long-eared Owl, Northern Harrier, Prairie Falcon, Rock Wren, Rough-legged Hawk, Sage Thrasher, Sharp-tailed
Grouse, Short-eared Owl, Swainson’s Hawk, Upland Sandpiper, Western Meadowlark, White-throated Swift
Common Nighthawk/K. Barry

Population objectives for waterbirds, shorebirds and landbirds were taken from the BCR plans33. The BCR plans have
established long term (30-year) population targets for priority species according to Partners in Flight (PIF) methodology34.
Population objectives were set based on population trend scores (PT) according to the following rules:
Population trends were derived by analyzing provincial Breeding Bird Surveys and the Partners in Flight species assessment
database35. The highest PT score for each species (either the PT score for all of a BCR or the PT score for the Canadian portion
of the BCR only) was used to set population objectives. For species listed under the federal Species at Risk Act, population
objectives defer to those contained in the species’ Recovery Plan.
Population objectives for priority species and waterfowl population sizes are presented in the following relevant habitat section.
PRIORITY HABITATS
Wetlands, Lakes and Rivers
Wetlands, lakes and other water features cover
over 2.6 million hectares, or about 5.3 per cent of
the Canadian Intermountain region. The highest
densities of wetlands are found at low and middle
elevations in the central interior of BC. Wetlands
are proportionately rarer in the southern interior,
and the lowest densities of wetlands are found in
mountainous terrain.
Wetlands occur in eight different biogeoclimatic
(BGC) zones in a variety of sizes and forms.
Wetlands commonly found in the drier Bunchgrass
and Interior Douglas-Fir zones and, to a more
limited extent, in the Ponderosa Pine zone are
represented by cattail or bulrush marshes, willow-
dominated fens and saline meadows or ponds
dominated by alkali saltgrass. Wetlands within
the Bunchgrass zone typically occur within agricultural landscapes or livestock ranges (grazed grassland or grazed open dry
forest), with some wetlands adjacent to urban development. Due to commonly steep terrain in the Interior Cedar-Hemlock
and Montane Spruce zones, wetlands in these regions are typically restricted to small fens, bogs and skunk cabbage swamps
Chilko Lake, Chilcotin Region of BC/K. Barry
• For species that have decreased more than 50% in the last 30 years
– Double the population (PT=5)
• For species that have decreased more than 15% over the last 30 years
– Increase the population by 50% (PT=4)
• For species with variable or unknown trends
– Maintain the population and assess trends (PT=3)
• For species with stable or increasing trends
– Maintain the population (PT=2 or 1)
34 Panjabi et al 2005
35 Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory 2005

within forested landscapes. The most abundant wetlands are found in the forested landscapes of the Sub-Boreal Pine-Spruce
and Sub-Boreal Spruce zones. Wetland communities here are dominated by scrub birch, willow and several sedge species.
Many of the wetlands of the Sub-Boreal Pine-Spruce zone are managed for hay production or grazing.
For more details on wetlands and the impacts of agriculture, development and climate change, see the CIJV’s Implementation
Plan: Wetlands and Associated Species36.
Wetland Habitat Drivers and Trends
Development, Ranching and Agriculture
Wetland ecosystems, lakes and other water features are subject to many stressors associated with human activities wherever
they occur in low-lying areas suitable for agriculture and settlement. The Canadian Intermountain region experienced a great
deal of wetland habitat loss in the late 1800s and early 1900s, particularly in agricultural areas along valley bottoms. Range
and forest management practices have improved since that time, but expanding human populations continue to encroach on
remaining wetlands, reducing availability and often significantly decreasing the quality and carrying capacity of wetlands and
adjacent upland habitats.
Although the likelihood of complete wetland drainage or riparian clearing is lower today than historically, ranching and
agriculture continue to be a potential concern. Heavy livestock grazing removes wetland and streamside riparian vegetation
(Figure 2), compacts soils, adds nutrients to water and promotes invasive species. The use of fertilizers and other chemicals
near wetlands may increase nutrient loading or pollute wetlands.
Water extraction to irrigate hay or other crops can dramatically change wetland hydrology and nutrient flow. In addition,
damming and flood control measures have already dramatically altered the hydrology of many lakes and rivers in the CIJV.
Human populations are expected to continue to increase, particularly in the southern interior. Increases in human water use
will only exacerbate the impacts of water regulation and climate change on natural hydrological cycles and the quality of
wetland, lake and river habitats.
A lack of replicated inventory data means that trends in wetland abundance are not well documented for much of the CIJV.
There is some regional information which documents large historic losses in some areas, such as the South Okanagan37,38.
Large hydroelectric dams have also resulted in wetland loss in other areas by flooding significant amounts of valley-bottom
wetland habitat, such as the Columbia Valley39. The rate of wetland loss has likely remained low in recent years, due to a general
slowing of agricultural expansion (other than cattle grazing) and recognition of the value of stable long-term water supplies.
Climate Change
Climate change is expected to have widespread and
severe impacts on wetlands throughout the Canadian
Intermountain region. Evidence of climate change in
the CIJV over the last century generally points toward
warming temperatures, later freeze-up, declining
snowpacks and retreating glaciers, earlier peak runoff
and lower late summer flows40,41,42. Models predict that
for the period up to the 2050s, winter minimum and
summer maximum temperatures will continue to rise,
snowpacks will continue to decrease despite increased
37 Lea 2008
38 Sarell 1990
39 BC Commission on Resources and the Environment 1994
40 Zhang et al 2000
41 Murdock et al 2007
42 Rodenhuis et al 2007
The Canadian Intermountain region is a working landscape
with areas of significant development./K. Barry

winter precipitation and glaciers will continue to lose volume43,44,45. A predictive model for wetland response in central and
southern BC indicates that wetlands will decline in area and number, and small or shallow wetlands at low elevations will dry
the most46. Those wetlands which remain will likely experience even greater licensed water use47 (Figure 3). Increased peak
flows and decreased late summer flows may also reduce the quality of stream and river habitats, and changes in water levels
on ponds and lakes (e.g., increases in spring flooding, more pronounced summer drawdowns) may impact habitat quality and
flood, strand or expose the nests of waterbirds. In addition to the drying trend, wetlands and other water features are also
expected to change their thermal and chemical characters (e.g., become eutrophic due to an increase in primary productivity)
and become ice-free earlier48.
Climate change and increased human demand for water means wetlands are increasingly important to maintain biological
diversity within semi-arid landscapes. Unfortunately, in the absence of partnership intervention, wetland biodiversity will
continue to suffer under most predicted climate change scenarios. The prognosis is not good for waterfowl and other wetland
obligate birds that depend on wetlands for breeding and migration.
Mountain Pine Beetle
In portions of central BC affected by the current Mountain Pine Beetle epidemic, now estimated at 16.3 million hectares49,
the interaction of various climate change effects is even more complicated. Evidence is starting to accumulate that death or
removal of overstory cover at a large scale is having dramatic hydrologic effects, such as increases in flooding, water yield, peak
flows and runoff and earlier runoff timing50,51,52. Widespread logging of beetle-infested stands may also impact watersheds as
road construction and riparian salvage operations expand,53 and the hydrologic and habitat effects of logging accelerate.
Priority Species and Population Objectives Table 3: Priority species in wetland, lake and river habitats
Population Objectivea
Priority Species BCR 9 BCR 10
Waterfowl
American Wigeon
Barrow’s Goldeneye
Bufflehead
Cinnamon Teal
Gadwall
Green-winged Teal
Hooded Merganser
Lesser Scaup
Mallard
Redhead
Ring-necked Duck
Ruddy Duckb
Trumpeter Swan
White-winged Scoter
Maintain Current (141,200)
Maintain Current (2,850; wintering)
Waterbirds
American Avocet
American Bittern
American White Pelican
Black Tern
California Gull
Caspian Tern
Clark’s Grebe
Common Loon
Common Tern
Double-crested Cormorant
Forster’s Tern
Franklin’s Gull
Great Blue Heron
Horned Grebe
Thayer’s Gull
Virginia Rail
Western Grebe
Assess / Maintain Assess / Maintain
Assess / Maintain Increase 100%
Increase 50% Assess / Maintain
Assess / Maintain –
– Assess / Maintain
Migrant –
(no population objective)
Maintain Current Assess / Maintain
Increase 100% Increase 50%
Great Blue Heron/©DUC
43 BC Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection 2002
44 Murdock et al 2007
45 Rodenhuis et al 2007
46 Bunnell et al 2010
47 Wilson and Hebda 2008
48 Compass Resource Management 2007
49 BC Ministry of Forests and Range 2010
50 Redding et al 2008
51 Uunila et al 2006
52Winkler et al 2008
53 Eng 2004

Threats and Recommended Actions
Threats to Habitat and Birds
• Draining or infilling wetlands located near
human developments (urban or industrial
areas, roadways, etc.), or in areas suitable
for agriculture results in permanent loss.
Significant areas of wetlands have been lost to
these activities in the past and encroachment
continues today.
• Livestock grazing removes wetland vegetation,
compacts soils and adds nutrients to water
thereby decreasing water quality.
• Creation of large reservoirs for hydroelectric
projects has flooded valuable wetland and
riparian habitats. Dams, flood control and other
water management measures alter natural
hydrological cycles, and poorly managed water
level changes can degrade habitat.
• Increasing water demands can lower water
tables and reduce available habitat.
a Population objectives for waterbirds, shorebirds and landbirds are from the Bird Conservation Region
(BCR) 9 and BCR 10 conservation plans54. Objectives for waterfowl were set for the entire CIJV by the
CIJV Technical Committee55.
b Note that Ruddy Duck was not considered a priority species in the BCR plans. The threat summary
below does not include Ruddy Duck.
Riparian fencing in the Cariboo region helps protect important
migratory bird habitat./©DUC/Bruce Harrison
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
Development
Transportation corridors
Mining, oil and gas
Crop agriculture
Ranching
Hunting and trapping
Timber harvest
Mountain pine beetle
Invasive and problematic species
Dams and water management
Disturbance
Environmental contaminants
Climate change
Other
L
M
H
Per cent of identiﬁed threats
Figure 2: Identified threats to priority species in wetland, lake, and
river habitats, by category. Data adapted from regional BCR plans56.
Shorebirds
American Avocet
Red-necked Phalarope
Sanderling
Wilson’s Phalarope
Migrant –
Migrant –
Landbirds
American Dipper
Bank Swallow
Black Swift
Gyrfalcon
Northern Harrier
Peregrine Falcon
Rough-legged Hawk
Rusty Blackbird
Short-eared Owl
Table 3: Priority species in wetland, lake and river habitats – Continued

• Disturbance from recreation, construction and transportation, can impact breeding birds that nest on floating mats or
breed in colonies.
• Climate change is a significant threat to wetlands and water-associated birds. As a result of the warming climate,
wetlands will become less abundant (fewer and smaller) due to water loss, and remaining wetlands will become
shallower and less permanent. Also, the chemical, thermal and biological characteristics of wetlands is expected to
change (e.g., become eutrophic and lose ice earlier). Changes in precipitation patterns will impact hydrological cycles in
all freshwater habitats, and potentially exacerbate water supply problems.
Actions
• Secure high-value and vulnerable wetland, lake and river habitats via purchase, conservation covenant or long-term
landowner agreement.
• Work with local governments to enact policy tools such as green bylaws to protect sensitive ecosystems, including
wetlands, lakes and rivers. Encourage “smart development” and guide development (housing, industrial, agricultural,
roads and highways, etc.) away from sensitive wetlands, lakeshores and river corridors.
• Work with ranchers to manage grazing pressure around wetlands and other water features. Methods include managing
the timing, intensity and duration of grazing in rotational systems, placing livestock attractants away from water, using
off-site water sources and installing fencing around vulnerable wetlands.
• Encourage environmentally friendly farming practices, including best management practices for pesticide and fertilizer
application and management of surface water and runoff to prevent contamination and/or eutrophication of wetlands,
lakes and rivers.
• Work with stakeholders to mimic natural hydrological cycles as closely as possible in managed, high-value bird habitats
(e.g., around colonies and other major breeding areas, important foraging areas, key staging and wintering sites).
• Work with stakeholders (e.g., tourism industry, boating associations, etc.) to limit or avoid disturbance at important
waterbird breeding sites, particularly breeding colonies.
For more on the threats facing priority species in wetlands, lakes and rivers, and actions that can be taken, see the
Implementation Plan: Wetlands and Associated Species57 and the regional BCR plans58.
Habitat Objectives
The CIJV has set wetland habitat objectives at smaller scales, but deficiencies in Joint Venture-wide data on habitat conditions
have made it difficult to set quantitative objectives for the entire area. For example, there is no reliable quantitative estimate
of wetland occurrence in the 1970s to use as a “reference condition,” and while habitat losses are ongoing in some areas, it
has not been possible to quantify the losses at present. Linking habitat objectives to population trends is also problematic;
there is little long-term data (1970s to present) on waterfowl populations, therefore the objective to “maintain current levels”
is a default position.
Prior to setting Joint Venture-wide objectives, the CIJV set waterfowl-focused wetland habitat objectives for two of Ducks
Unlimited Canada’s Waterfowl Priority Areas: Cariboo-Chilcotin and the Okanagan. These two areas are considered to be of
critical importance in the Canadian Intermountain region. The process involved focusing on those areas identified as “target
habitat” in the Waterfowl Decision Support System (a multi-species breeding habitat model used by the CIJV to plan wetland
conservation actions) which had not yet been conserved (see the Wetlands and Associated Species Implementation Plan59 for
more details). Once objectives were established for the two waterfowl Priority Areas, preliminary wetland objectives were
established for the remainder of the Canadian Intermountain, so that a total could be determined for the Joint Venture
(Table 4). The objectives for the remainder of the Canadian Intermountain should be considered as a preliminary and
conservative starting point.

Riparian Habitat
Riparian areas exist throughout the Canadian
Intermountain region, from low-elevation floodplains
to high mountain streams, grasslands and dry forest
landscapes, to moist coniferous and cold subalpine
forests. Although they account for a small proportion
of the land mass in the CIJV, the density of deciduous
trees and proximity to water accounts for their
disproportionately high use by birds, particularly in
arid regions.
In general, lowland riparian areas tend to be associated
with low-velocity flows, gentle topography and wide
floodplains. These riparian areas are highly productive
and tend to have complex vegetative structure. In
grasslands, riparian areas may be the only source of
trees and snags, providing habitat for many species
such as cavity-nesting birds that would otherwise not be
present60. In the drier grasslands and ponderosa pine/Douglas-fir woodlands, riparian areas are characterized by tree species
such as hybrid spruce, water birch and black cottonwood on floodplains, along with willow swamps and cattail, bulrush and
alkaline marshes.
With increasing elevation, riparian areas tend to become more similar to upland habitats, but typically retain higher structural
diversity61. Interior cedar-hemlock riparian forests are dominated by western hemlock and western red cedar with some
spruce, fir and occasional black cottonwood. In the interior low-mid elevation pine-spruce forests, hybrid white spruce is
common in riparian areas along with paper birch, black cottonwood and sedge marshes. At high elevations, Engelmann
spruce and subalpine fir are often the dominant tree species.
In addition to the large number of species that regularly use riparian habitats, several aquatic and landbird species are highly
dependent on these areas for nesting, foraging and migratory corridors. Critical attributes of these habitats include aquatic
habitat, a dense shrub understory and large diameter trees and snags, especially black cottonwood.
60 Partners in Flight British Columbia and Yukon 2003
a Objectives are based on waterfowl habitat needs and represent both wetlands and associated uplands.
b For a description of direct, stewardship and policy actions, see p8.
c For the Okanagan Priority Area, stewardship objectives were included within the policy program.
Table 4: 5-Year wetland habitat objectives for the CIJV
5-Year Habitat Objectives (ha)a
Programb
Cariboo-Chilcotin
Priority Area
Okanagan Priority
Areac
Remainder
of CIJV CIJV Total
Direct 4,000 1,030 5,030
Stewardship 2,080 2,500 4,580
Policy 3,100 6,700 2,500 12,300
Total 9,180 7,730 5,000 21,910
Small wetlands in agricultural areas provide important bird habitat./K. Barry

Riparian Habitat Drivers and Trends
Development, Agriculture and Flood Control
Activities such as urban and industrial development,
agriculture, reservoir creation and flood control, often
have the greatest impact on riparian areas in lowland
valleys. In valley bottoms where development has been
intense, losses can be dramatic. For example since 1800,
63 per cent of black cottonwood-red-osier dogwood
forest and 92 per cent of water birch-red-osier dogwood
riparian forests in the Okanagan Valley have been lost62.
Channelization and other flood control measures also
significantly degrade or destroy riparian habitats by
preventing flooding. Altering the natural disturbance
regime of floodplains can promote encroachment
by upland vegetation and lead to the loss of riparian
vegetation which is adapted to periodic flooding.
Some important riparian tree species, such as black
cottonwood, require periodic flood events for successful
reproduction63.
Ranching
Excessive use of riparian areas by livestock can degrade or completely remove vegetation through grazing, browsing and
trampling. In addition to removing vegetation, cattle can trample and flatten banks, widen streams and make them shallower.
Grazing can also limit the recruitment of young trees in riparian areas, so old established trees are not replaced when they
die64,65. Cattle are typically attracted to and linger in riparian areas due to the presence of water, shade, palatable forage
and gentler terrain. Their attraction is more pronounced in arid areas, such as dry ponderosa pine or Douglas-fir forests,
grasslands and shrub-steppe66, where intact riparian areas are often of great ecological value. However, careful management
of cattle access to riparian areas and controlling the timing, amount and frequency of grazing can maintain the health of
riparian areas and allow degraded areas to recover.
Forestry
Outside of lowland valleys and away from the most intense urban and agricultural development, forestry has great potential
to impact riparian habitats. Protection of riparian areas and water quality in forests has improved in recent decades, with the
Forest Practices Code of British Columbia Act67 and its successor, the Forest and Range Practices Act68 which set minimum no-
harvest setbacks for many watercourses and wetlands in forestry operations. Although the provincial regulations are aimed
at preserving water quality and fish habitat, they also benefit riparian-dwelling birds. Certain third-party forest certification
standards, such as the Forest Stewardship Council Certification69, also include riparian protection. Areas harvested in the
mid-1990s and later have less stream impact and greater retention of riparian vegetation than older harvests70,71.
Riparian and wetland habitat in the Columbia River Valley, BC/K. Barry
62 Lea 2008
63 Rood et al 2007
64 Powell et al 2000
66 Powell et al 2000
67 Forest Practices Code of British Columbia Act 1995
68 Forest and Range Practices Act 2004
69 Forest Stewardship Council’s BC Guidelines
70 Forest Practices Board 1998
71 BC Ministry of Forests, Lands and Mines 2010

However, mandated unharvested buffers are typically only 20 to 30 metres wide on larger or fish bearing streams, 10 metres
around lakes, ponds and larger wetlands. Small watercourses and streams that do not support fish may have no protective
buffer at all72. Some riparian forest-associated birds require buffers substantially wider than those currently mandated to
remain present in a harvested area73.
Priority Species and Population Objectives
72 Forest and Range Practices Act 2004
73 Gyug 2000
Table 5: Priority species in riparian habitat
Waterfowl
Barrow’s Goldeneye
Bufflehead
Hooded Merganser
Landbirds
Black-billed Magpie
Calliope Hummingbird
Lazuli Bunting
Lewis’ Woodpecker
Long-eared Owl
MacGillivray’s Warbler
Rufous Hummingbird
Vaux’s Swift
Western Screech-Owl
Willow Flycatcher
Yellow Warbler
Yellow-breasted Chat
Assess / Maintain Maintain Current
Increase 50% –
Recovery Objective Recovery Objective
– Increase 100%
Recovery Objective Recovery Objective
a Population objectives for waterbirds, shorebirds and landbirds are from Bird Conservation Region
(BCR) 9 and BCR 10 Conservation Strategies74. Objectives for waterfowl were set for the entire CIJV
by the CIJV Technical Committee75.
• Their location in accessible valley-bottoms
and proximity to water make riparian areas
particularly vulnerable to fragmentation and
development. In mountainous areas, roads and
railways are often restricted to valley bottoms
and follow watercourses; these transportation
corridors then open up the area to agriculture,
housing and industrial development.
• Degradation from livestock grazing and trampling;
riparian areas in dryer zones such as grasslands
and dry woodlands are particularly at risk.
• Loss due to timber harvesting (commercial
forestry, firewood cutting, etc.) threaten a
number of cavity-nesting riparian species.
• Climate change, human water management and increasing water demand can alter natural hydrology and lead to loss
and/or degradation of riparian habitats.
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
Development
Crop agriculture
Ranching
Timber harvest
Mountain pine beetle
Dams and water management
Disturbance
Climate change
Other
L
M
H
VH
Figure 3: Identified threats to priority species in riparian habitats,
by category. Data adapted from regional BCR plans76.
Yellow Warbler/Ian Routley

Actions
• Secure high-value and vulnerable riparian habitats via purchase, conservation covenant or long-term landowner
agreement.
• Work with local governments to enact policy tools, including green bylaws to protect riparian areas and other sensitive
ecosystems. Encourage “smart development” and encourage development (housing, industrial, agricultural, roads and
highways, etc.) away from riparian zones.
• Work with ranchers to manage grazing practices in riparian areas. Methods include managing the timing, intensity and
duration of grazing in rotational systems, placing livestock attractants away from water, using off-site water sources and
installing riparian fencing where needed.
• Encourage environmentally friendly farming practices, including broad buffer zones around riparian areas.
• Engage the forestry industry to increase retention of riparian forest, including adopting third-party certification
standards such as additional protection for riparian habitats. Work with the forestry industry, firewood cutters,
land managers and landowners to increase retention of large, cavity-bearing trees in or near riparian areas for
cavity-nesting birds.
For more information on threats to priority riparian species and actions that can be taken, see the regional BCR plans77.
Habitat Objectives
The CIJV has not yet set numerical habitat objectives for riparian habitat. Habitat objectives should reflect current and future
risk of riparian loss and/or degradation, and would ideally be based on biological relationships such as habitat-species models
or historical information on distributions or population sizes. The benefits of conservation practices, such as fencing or
grazing management (and the consequences of inaction), should also be quantified.
There is little spatial information available for determining habitat objectives for riparian areas. In fact, the total area of this
habitat type in the Canadian Intermountain region is currently unknown. There is a considerable body of literature on grazing
impacts in riparian areas. While primarily from the southwestern United States, this information may help in quantifying
the benefits of riparian grazing management within grasslands or shrub-steppe. However, there is little information on the
impacts of grazing on riparian areas in wetter forest landscapes.
Montane riparian habitats face a lower level of threat and
receive some protection under forestry codes of practice,
while lowland riparian habitats face significantly higher
threats and have suffered severe losses in some areas. In
the interim, the CIJV advocates an objective of no net loss of
lowland riparian habitat.
Grasslands
The Canadian Intermountain region contains almost
90 per cent of British Columbia’s grasslands78. Grasslands
have an extremely restricted distribution, covering less
than one per cent of the CIJV landscape (about 370,000
hectares). Agricultural areas — a significant portion of
which were converted from grasslands – cover an additional
460,000 hectares (0.9 per cent)79. While more than 90 per
cent of the Canadian Intermountain region is publicly owned
provincial Crown land80, private ownership of grasslands
is disproportionately high. Nearly half of the grasslands in
78 Wikeem and Wikeem 2004
80 BC Assessment Authority 2010
Sagebrush and common rabbit-brush at White Lake, South Okanagan/K. Barry

the Canadian Intermountain region (44 per
cent) are privately owned. Private ownership
is particularly high in the Okanagan Valley
(50 per cent) and the Southern Thompson
Upland (70 per cent)81.
Within the Canadian Intermountain region,
grasslands are found along valley bottoms
and associated benches of the Kootenay,
Kettle, Okanagan, Similkameen, Thompson,
Nicola, Chilcotin and Fraser rivers, and
are located almost entirely within the
Bunchgrass, Ponderosa Pine and Interior
Douglas-Fir biogeoclimatic zones. Small,
localized grasslands can occur in other
biogeoclimatic zones where factors such as steep slopes, aspect and soil conditions prevent tree establishment82. British
Columbia’s grasslands are the northernmost extension of the Palouse Prairie bunchgrass and shrub-steppe which occupies
the northern intermountain region of the United States. Most grasslands in the CIJV are hot and dry, and are characterized by
widely spaced shrubs, such as big sagebrush and common rabbit-brush, bunchgrasses such as bluebunch wheatgrass, rough
fescue and Idaho fescue, and often have a well-developed cryptogram crust83.
Grassland birds are one of the fastest and most consistently declining groups in North America84 and are critically important
to several species at risk in the Canadian Intermountain region. Of the 44 priority bird species in the CIJV that are either
assessed by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada as Endangered, Threatened or Special Concern,
or Red or Blue-listed by the British Columbia Conservation Data Centre, almost half (21 species, 48 per cent) are found in
grassland or shrub-steppe habitats. Many of these, like Brewer’s Sparrow, Sage Thrasher, Burrowing Owl, Long-billed
Curlew and Upland Sandpiper, are grassland or shrub-steppe obligates, and occurring nowhere else in the Canadian
Intermountain region.
Grassland Habitat Drivers and Trends
Grazing
Historically, grasslands in the Canadian Intermountain region experienced grazing pressure from ungulates such as elk, deer
and bighorn sheep. Local First Nations also made extensive use of grasslands and likely grazed livestock locally since the
late 1700s. In the mid-1800s, however, European settlers and livestock arrived in the Interior of British Columbia and farms
and ranches were established rapidly across most of BC’s grassland habitat. Severe overgrazing had already occurred in
some areas by as early as the late 1800s, and was widespread by the mid-1900s when scientific management practices were
initiated to maintain range health85.
Today’s grasslands still exhibit hallmarks of past and current overgrazing and associated human activity (Figure 6). In many
areas, natural grasslands were seeded with exotic grasses in an attempt to improve forage supply for livestock; many of these
introduced grasses are now widespread and have replaced native bunchgrasses. Overgrazing has enabled the establishment
and spread of many invasive plant species, some of which have become dense, persistent stands over wide areas86. While
range health has generally improved since the mid-1900s, many areas of grassland and shrub-steppe remain in an early seral
state and in poor range condition due to ongoing grazing pressure87.
81 Grasslands Conservation Council of British Columbia 2004
84 North American Bird Conservation Initiative, U.S. Committee 2009
87 Lea 2008
Effects of grazing (left) on vegetative structure of grassland/shrub-steppe/©Tanya Luszcz EC-CWS

Fire
Fire is critical to the maintenance of grasslands as recurrent fires sustain grassland-forest ecotones and prevent forest
encroachment. Fire also prevents ingrowth of shrubs, such as big sagebrush and common rabbit-brush, and the subsequent
conversion of grassland to shrub-steppe. Frequent small fires allow the grassland to develop as a mosaic of successional
stages, increasing the diversity of habitats for grassland plants and animals88.
The frequency of fire in the grasslands of the Canadian Intermountain region was greatly reduced after European settlement,
due to a combination of excessive grazing (which reduced fuel loads) and active fire suppression. Substantial forest ingrowth
and grassland habitat loss has been documented, with some areas losing 20 to 40 per cent of their grassland cover in as
little as 40 to 50 years. In contrast, large intense fires have cleared forest in other areas opening up new grassland habitat
(though the value of such habitats to grassland birds is unknown). While there are no range-wide estimates on the effects
of fire suppression on overall grassland habitat availability, there is no doubt that forest encroachment contributes to cause
significant local losses89.
Development and Agriculture
British Columbia’s grasslands have undergone extensive urbanization and agricultural development. European settlers were
drawn to the grasslands as they provided a ready forage supply for livestock, had great potential as farmland and often had
a steady supply of water from nearby rivers. Developments grew around these earliest-settled areas, and even today, many
towns and cities in the Canadian Intermountain region are centered in grasslands. Losses of historic grassland to agricultural
conversion and urban/industrial development have been substantial, and vary from a low of 5.2 per cent in the Cariboo-
Chilcotin area, to a massive 43 per cent in the Okanagan Valley (Table 6). Even within a region, some ecosystems have been
significantly more impacted than others. In the Okanagan Valley, historical mapping indicates that while only 33 per cent of
big sagebrush shrub-steppe has been lost to urban, rural and agricultural development since 1800, 68 per cent of antelope
brush–needle-and-thread grass, and 77 per cent of Idaho fescue–bluebunch wheatgrass ecosystems have been lost90. These
losses continue today and are particularly intense in the Okanagan and Thompson Valleys. Populations in the Southern
Interior of BC are projected to increase, and most of this growth will occur in or near grassland habitats.
Table 6: Total original grasslands, losses, and % of original grasslands lost by Regional Districta
Urbanization Agriculture Total Loss
Regional District Ha % Ha % Ha %
East Kootenays 950 2.1% 166 0.4% 1,116 2.5%
North Okanagan 941 5.2% 230 1.2% 1,171 6.4%
Okanagan-Similkameen 2,118 2.6% 1,268 1.6% 3,386 4.2%
Thompson Nicola 3,874 1.3% 1,237 0.4% 5,110 1.7%
Cariboo-Chilcotin 1,518 1.0% 1,156 0.7% 2,674 1.7%
Total 9,400 12.2% 4,057 4.3% 13,458 16.5%
a Data is from the Grassland Conservation Council’s Grassland Mapping Project91.
89 Grasslands Conservation Council of British Columbia 2003
90 Lea 2008
91 Grassland Ecosystem Mapping and Loss Assessment: Final Report, March 2015. Grasslands Conservation Council and Vancouver Island University

Our knowledge of grassland habitat loss due to urbanization and
agricultural conversion is a static snapshot; ongoing updates to the
Grassland Conservation Council (GCC)’s Grassland Mapping Project
are needed to track losses. Finer scale mapping of agriculture is also
needed; fallow fields, hayfields and pastures that may provide habitat
value to grassland birds may be undergoing losses from more intensive
forms of agriculture such as row crops, orchards and vineyards.
Priority Species and Population Objectives
Table 7: Priority species in grassland habitat
Shorebirds
American Golden-Plover
Long-billed Curlew
Upland Sandpiper
Migrant –
Assess / Maintain Maintain Current
Landbirds
American Kestrel
Bank Swallow
Barn Owl
Barn Swallow
Black-billed Magpie
Bobolink
Brewer’s Sparrow (breweri)
Burrowing Owl
Canyon Wren
Common Nighthawk
Common Poorwill
Dusky Grouse
Ferruginous Hawk
Golden Eagle
Grasshopper Sparrow
Gyrfalcon
Horned Lark
Lark Sparrow
Long-eared Owl
Northern Harrier
Prairie Falcon
Rock Wren
Rough-legged Hawk
Sage Thrasher
Sharp-tailed Grouse
Short-eared Owl
Swainson’s Hawk
Western Meadowlark
White-throated Swift
Increase 50% –
Increase 100% –
Recovery Objective –
Increase 50% –
Increase 100% –
Increase 50% –
Increase 50% –
Increase 50% –
a Population objectives for waterbirds, shorebirds and landbirds are from the Bird Conservation
Region (BCR) 9 and BCR 10 Conservation Strategies92.
Long-billed Curlew/Ian Routley

• Agriculture and development are the largest
threats to grassland and shrub-steppe birds.
BC’s grasslands are limited in extent and have
already lost a significant portion of their area to
agriculture and urban/suburban development.
Losses are ongoing, as more grassland
continues to be subdivided and developed or
converted to intensive agriculture.
• Poorly managed cattle grazing can degrade
grassland and shrub-steppe habitat by reducing
ground cover, removing litter and altering
vegetative structure and species composition.
• Fire suppression has led to local grassland
losses due to forest encroachment.
• Pesticides may impact some grassland birds either through toxic exposure (including consumption of poisoned prey) or
by a reduction in food resources (insect prey).
Actions
• Secure high-value and vulnerable grasslands via purchase, conservation covenant or long-term landowner agreement.
• Work with local governments to enact policy tools, such as green bylaws, to protect grasslands and other sensitive
ecosystems. Encourage “smart development” and encourage development (housing, industrial, agricultural, roads and
highways, etc.) away from sensitive grassland areas.
• Maintain working ranches on the landscape to prevent their conversion to intensive agriculture or development as
residential/industrial areas. Work with ranchers to manage grazing to maintain the full range and diversity of seral
stages on the landscape and to ensure ranching activities coexist with grassland birds.
• Encourage environmentally friendly farming practices.
• Where possible, use prescribed fire and controlled burns to prevent forest encroachment and maintain grassland habitat.
For more information on threats to priority grassland species and actions that can be taken, see the regional BCR plans94.
Habitat Objectives
The CIJV has not set numerical habitat objectives for grassland habitat; however, objectives are needed to track actions
and assess progress in meeting CIJV goals. Habitat objectives should reflect current and future risk of grassland loss and/or
degradation, and should be based on biological relationships, such as habitat-species models, or on historical information on
distributions or population sizes. The benefits of conservation practices, such as grazing management or prescribed fire (and
the consequences of inaction), should also be quantified.
0 5 10 15 20 25
Development
Mining, oil and gas
Crop Agriculture
Ranching
Fire and ﬁre suppression
Disturbance
Climate change
Other
L
M
H
VH
Figure 4: Identified threats to priority species in grassland habitats,
by category. Data adapted from regional BCR plans93.

Although grassland objectives have not been set, there is information that provides important first steps towards establishing
numerical habitat objectives. The Grassland Conservation Council’s (GCC’s) Grassland Mapping Project95 provides a picture
of the location and extent of grassland habitat throughout the Canadian Intermountain region, and it also provides an
assessment of historical losses of grasslands resulting from urbanization and agriculture. The GCC has completed the first
part of its Priority Grasslands Initiative which aims to identify and map high-value priority grassland areas for conservation
and stewardship. A Grasslands Portfolio has been completed for the Thompson Basin, which identifies 87 priority grassland
areas (including riparian grasslands), provides descriptive and mapping information for all identified priority areas and offers
strategic recommendations both within the priority grasslands and in surrounding grassland landscapes96. There is initial
research available to inform the CIJV on the benefits of conservation treatments, such as recent studies by Environment
Canada and Simon Fraser University quantifying the effects of various intensities of cattle grazing on grassland birds in the
Cariboo-Chilcotin area of the BC Interior97,98.
Making the best use of available information, in conjunction with targeted research and assessment of the effectiveness of
conservation actions, will help establish numerical habitat objectives for grassland habitats and guide future CIJV activities.
95 Grassland Conservation Council of British Columbia 2004
97 Harrison et al 2010
98 Harrison et al 2011
The Canadian Intermountain region contains 90% of BC’s grasslands./K. Barry

It is important to ensure that CIJV activities are directed where they are most needed on the landscape. This is particularly
true of more costly strategies, such as acquisitions, restoration and enhancement.
In the 2003 Prospectus and Biological Foundation99, Initial Focus Areas were identified by combining output from existing
biologically based decision tools created by CIJV partners to identify areas of high biological significance for most non-forest
birds in the Canadian Intermountain region. These Initial Focus Areas were concentrated primarily along the valley bottoms
of the Canadian Intermountain region where, due to similar patterns of human settlement, they included areas at greatest
risk of habitat alteration or degradation. Initial Focus Areas could not be developed in a similar manner for forest birds, as
they tend to be widely distributed at low densities. For forest birds, conservation must occur by working with existing partner
agencies and engaging new partners, in particular the forest industry, to manage habitat by informing policy, public outreach
and stewardship activities with industry partners.
The CIJV is working to update and refine the Initial Focus Areas. Since the 2003 Prospectus and Biological Foundation100
and formation of the CIJV, many partners have updated and improved decision support tools with new information. For
example, Ducks Unlimited Canada is using recent (2006 onwards) helicopter survey data to update their habitat-species
models and Decision Support System101, the Nature Conservancy of Canada has completed a suite of ecoregional plans which
encompass the Canadian Intermountain region and the Grassland Conservation Council (GCC) has completed mapping of BC’s
grasslands102 and has begun assessing priority grassland areas for conservation and stewardship across BC103. The CIJV is also
investigating ways in which distribution maps from the BC Breeding Bird Atlas can be used to identify areas of high priority
species richness or population density. Together, these tools provide a wealth of information on habitat and biodiversity
values. Current CIJV efforts will integrate these sources and combine them with existing bird “hotspot” identification (such as
Important Bird Areas104 and Ramsar Wetlands of International Importance sites105) to develop and refine Initial Focus Areas
within the Canadian Intermountain region.
These activities and those of CIJV partners will not be restricted to Initial Focus Areas, they will also lead to conservation
opportunities and inform broad, landscape-scale planning.
104 www.ibacanada.com
105 www.ramsar.org
INITIAL FOCUS AREAS

The CIJV provides guidance for the on-the-ground conservation activities of partners such as landowners, land managers, all
levels of government, non-partner non-governmental organizations and private individuals by providing Best Management
Practices and tools to address specific issues facing birds and their habitats. These tools are produced by various agencies
(including CIJV partners) and consequently can be difficult to find. In an effort to make existing information more accessible,
the CIJV has collated the best available Best Management Practices and conservation tools that are applicable to issues facing
birds in the Canadian Intermountain region.
BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
AND CONSERVATION TOOLS
Table 8: Descriptions of Best Management Practices documents and other conservation tools that are
applicable in the CIJV
Issue Title Source Description Target Audience Scope
Bird
conservation
guidance
Bird Conservation
Region plans:
BCR 9: Great Basin
BCR 10: Northern
Rockies
EC High-level conservation guidance for all bird groups in all
habitats. Identifies priority species in each habitat type,
identifies and ranks threats to priority species, and provides
recommended actions to address identified threats. Actions
are higher-level guidance rather than site-specific, but they
provide useful direction.
Landowners, land
managers, industry,
NGOs, conservation
professionals,
general public
Birds
Sensitive
ecosystems
Green Bylaws Toolkit WSP Information on bylaws and local ordinances, and how
they can be used to protect sensitive ecosystems (such
as wetlands and grasslands). Includes examples of
legal language and case studies from regions that have
implemented green bylaws.
Municipal
and regional
government
Biodiversity
and
ecosystems
Wetland
and water
stewardship
Wetland Ways:
Interim Guidelines
for Wetland
Protection and
Conservation in
British Columbia
WSP On-the-ground guidance for activities such as agriculture,
grazing, oil gas exploration and development, mining,
forestry, road and infrastructure development, urban/
rural land development, and recreation, for the avoidance
and mitigation of impacts to wetlands. Includes links to all
relevant legislation and additional guidelines/information.
Landowners,
farmers, ranchers,
developers, mining,
oil, gas and forestry
industries
Wetlands
and surface
water
Wetlands in
British Columbia:
A Primer for Local
Government
WSP Companion to the Green Bylaws toolkit. Provides background
information and rationale on why wetlands should be
protected, with an emphasis on ecosystem services provided
(e.g., water treatment and storage, monetary values, etc.)
Local government,
general public
Wetlands
Standards and
Best Practices for
Instream Works
BC Gov. Guidance for any industry or landowner conducting works in
and around surface water (streams, rivers, ponds, wetlands).
Provides methods to avoid disruption, degradation, or loss
of water quality and fish habitat. Includes links to other
technical documents and relevant legislation.
Any industry
conducting works in
or around surface
water
Water
quality; fish
and fish
habitat

Environmental Farm
Planning
BC Gov.
ARDCORP
A series of guidebooks covering a range of topics, with
guidance on how to maintain or increase biodiversity and
wildlife habitat values on farmland.
Farmers, ranchers Biodiversity
and
ecosystems
Caring for the
Green Zone
Cows and
Fish
Provides information on the importance of riparian areas,
tools to assess riparian health, and management options.
Developed for Alberta, but is applicable in the foothills
region.
Farmers, ranchers,
livestock owners,
rural property
owners
Riparian
Riparian Areas:
A User’s Guide to
Health
Backcountry
recreation
Wildlife Guidelines
for Backcountry
Tourism/Commercial
Recreation in British
Columbia
BC Gov. Guidance for backcountry recreationists (individuals,
organizations/associations, guides and outfitters) on how
to avoid and/or minimize negative impacts to habitat and
wildlife.
Commercial guides
and outfitters;
recreation clubs
and associations;
individual
backcountry
recreationists
Biodiversity
and
ecosystems;
wildlife
Urban
and rural
development
Develop With Care:
Environmental
Guidelines for Urban
and Rural Land
Development in
British Columbia
BC Gov. Guidelines for environmentally-sensitive development.
Provides information on identifying and avoiding
important habitats and features, and methods to reduce
a development’s footprint and impact on the surrounding
landscape. Regional sections discuss local issues and
regionally-important wildlife, including birds. Includes
information on relevant provincial and federal regulations,
as well as links to many other resources that address specific
development issues (e.g., stormwater control, shoreline
stabilization, timing windows for instream works, etc.).
Developers, local
government
Biodiversity
and
ecosystems;
wildlife
Best Management
Practices for Raptor
Conservation During
Urban and Rural
Land Development
in British Columbia
BC Gov. Companion document to Develop With Care. Provides
guidance for developers and landowners on retaining
features for raptors on urban and rural lands during and after
development. Contains both general and species-specific
information (e.g., buffer widths, nesting dates, required
habitat features).
Developers, land
owners, land
managers (e.g.,
NGOs), local
government
Raptors
Best Management
Practices for Tree
Topping, Limbing
and Removal in
Riparian Areas
BC Gov. Provides guidance on when to retain wildlife trees and other
valuable trees in urban/suburban environments, and how
to minimize the impact of removing or partially removing
danger trees. Contains links to relevant legislation and other
sources of information.
Developers, land
owners, land
managers (e.g.
NGOs), arborists
Wildlife,
worker
safety
Forestry and
trees
Hanging Wildlife
Tree Signs
BC Gov. Provides information to the public and firewood cutters on
what wildlife trees are, how to identify them, their value, and
why they should be retained.
Landowners, land
managers (e.g.
NGOs), firewood
cutters, general
public
Wildlife
Firewood or Wildlife
Tree?
Grassland
stewardship,
ranching and
agriculture
Grasslands
Monitoring Manual
for British Columbia
GCC Detailed guidance to ranchers and range tenure holders on
how to assess and monitor range health over time to assist in
grazing management.
Ranchers Grasslands
Grasslands in
British Columbia:
A Primer for Local
Government
WSP Companion to the Green Bylaws toolkit. Provides background
information and rationale on why grasslands should be
protected, with an emphasis on ecosystem services provided
(e.g., water treatment and storage, pollination, recreation,
ranching industry, etc.)
Local government,
general public
Grasslands
Best Management
Practices for
Recreational
Activities on
Grasslands in the
Thompson and
Okanagan Basins
BC Gov.
GCC
General guidance to backcountry recreationists (individuals,
organizations/associations, guides and outfitters) on how
to avoid and/or minimize negative impacts to habitat and
wildlife in grasslands.
Commercial guides
and outfitters;
recreation clubs
and associations;
individual
backcountry
recreationists
Grasslands
Table 8: Descriptions of Best Management Practices documents and other conservation tools that are applicable in the CIJV – Continued

Invasive
species
TIPS: Targeted
Invasive Plant
Solutions fact sheets
IPC BC Outlines various industries and activities that can spread
invasive plant species, and presents prevention and
management options. TIPS fact sheets are available for
forestry, highway maintenance, commercial and/or private
gardening and seeding, boating and water recreation, and
aquarium and water feature management.
General public;
any industry with
an interest or
responsibility to
control invasive
species
Biodiversity
and
ecosystems
Invasive Plant Pest
Management Plan
for the Southern
Interior of British
Columbia
BC Gov. Management plan for invasive plant species in southern
British Columbia. Identifies common sources of invasive
species and common methods for spread and/or
establishment of invasive species. Presents available methods
to control or eradicate infestations (mechanical, biological,
chemical), as well as methods to prevent spread and
establishment of new species.
Landowners, land
managers, any
industry with a
responsibility to
control invasive
species
Biodiversity
and
ecosystems
Collision
mortality
Wildlife Guidelines
for Alberta Wind
Energy Projects
SRD Guidance on where to locate wind developments in Alberta
and what sensitive habitat/habitat features should be
avoided. Describes inventory and survey work to be done
pre- and post-construction. Links to other more detailed
technical documents for survey methodology.
Renewable energy
developers
Birds, bats
Fatal Light
Awareness Program
Toronto Bird
Friendly
Development
Guidelines
Calgary Bird Friendly
Urban Design
Guidelines
New York Audubon
Bird-Safe Building
Guidelines
FLAP
City of
Toronto
City of
Calgary
NY
Audubon
Provides background information on bird-building collisions,
including causes and scope of the issue. Presents options on
how to reduce collision risk in buildings, in both new building
design and retrofits (visual barriers, window reflectivity,
vegetation placement, light management).
Developers,
architects, building
managers,
homeowners,
general public
Birds
A Landowner’s
Guide to Wildlife-
Friendly Fences:
How to Build Fences
With Wildlife in
Mind
Montana
Fish,
Wildlife
and Parks
Provides detailed information to ranchers and livestock
owners on how to build or modify existing fencing to
be wildlife-friendly. Directed primarily at allowing free
movement of ungulates and other large mammals and
preventing entanglement, but also contains tips on making
fences friendlier to birds.
Ranchers, farmers,
rural homeowners
Birds,
ungulates,
other large
mammals
Domestic cat
predation
American Bird
Conservancy’s Cats
Indoors! materials
ABC Provides information on why domestic cats should be kept
indoors (including pet health and wildlife impacts) and how
owners can convert outdoor cats to indoor cats. Includes
downloadable brochures, fact sheets and videos.
Cat owners Birds,
wildlife, pet
cat health
Species-
specific
reports and/
or recovery
plans
COSEWIC Reports
Federal Recovery
Plans and
Management Plans
BC Status Reports
BC Recovery Plans
Alberta Status
Reports
Alberta Recovery
Plans
COSEWIC
EC
BC Gov.
BC Gov.
SRD
SRD
Federal and provincial species-specific reports, management
plans, and/or recovery plans. Contains species-specific
information on threats and actions to reduce, mitigate, or
avoid threats.
Anyone with a duty
to adhere to SARA,
MBCA, or the BC
or Alberta Wildlife
Acts; any persons or
industry conducting
activities within the
species range and
habitat.
Birds
(individual
species)
Identified Wildlife
Management
Strategy: Accounts
and Measures for
Managing Identified
Wildlife
BC Gov. Details management activities required for a suite of specific
species (considered species at risk under the BC Species at
Risk Act or regionally important wildlife under the BC Wildlife
Act).
Those undertaking
activities on
provincial crown
lands
Birds
(individual
species)
Table 8: Descriptions of Best Management Practices documents and other conservation tools that are applicable in the CIJV – Continued

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