If you have trouble viewing this email click here.


 
Kokanee Egg-To-Fry Survival
-"Best Ever"

.
This spring’s egg-to-fry survival rate for kokanee at the Hill Creek Spawning Channel hit almost 70%, making it one of the best survival rates on record. For the last two decades the typical survival rate was about 40%.
M. Beaucher


Largest Private Land
Conservation in Canada

.
The FWCP helped fund the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s purchase of 55,000 hectares of land on Kootenay Lake between Nelson and Creston. The largest private conservation project in Canada includes 50 lakes, 17 watersheds, old growth forests, and important habitat for several species including grizzly, caribou and bull trout.

.

.
Help a Species-at-Risk

.
With keen eyes and just a few clicks of your mouse, you can help local species-at-risk. Report your sightings of Western Screech-Owls, Common Nighthawks, western skinks, and caribou. By reporting the location of a Bald Eagle nest you can help Great Blue Herons.

.

.
Spawning Channel Open House
.
You’re invited to a free open house this fall at the Meadow Creek Spawning Channel which will be full of spawning kokanee by the thousands. The date is being finalized but make a note to take the drive to Meadow Creek, north of Kaslo in September. Find out how the FWCP and the B.C. Ministry of Environment are restoring kokanee by adding nutrients to the north arm of Kootenay Lake. Email us and we will send you a reminder with the date and time.

.

Spawning Run 2008
.
It started later than usual but this year’s run of spawning Gerrard rainbow trout finished strong. On May 13th 517 Gerrards were observed at the spawning grounds in the Lardeau River at the Trout Lake outlet. This is the 2nd highest daily peak count since 1961.

.
Angling For a Tagged Gerrard
.

If you reel in a Gerrard rainbow trout in Kootenay Lake with a specially marked tag you will walk away with a cash reward. Twenty Gerrard rainbow trout, each with a fork length of more than half a metre, have been given bright orange, easy-to-see, tags bearing the text “$100 REWARD.” The goal of the project, which is being spearheaded by the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation (HCTF) in cooperation with the B.C. Ministry of Environment, is to better understand the population dynamics of the mighty Gerrard rainbow trout of Kootenay Lake.

.
Changes at Fort Shepherd
.
A Land Management Plan has been prepared for the 1,000 hectares approx. of land near Trail known as the Fort Shepherd Conservancy. One of the first changes is to restrict motorized vehicles – ATVs, dirt bikes, cars and trucks – to the existing, main roads to prevent further habitat damage. Restoration work will come later and will help protect the diverse habitats and species in the area.
.
John Krebs Leads FWCP Crew
.
John Krebs, the FWCP’s long-time Senior Wildlife Biologist, is now serving as the Crew Lead. With the new title comes new management responsibilities for John who will continue to oversee the delivery of wildlife projects with the assistance of both staff and contract biologists. John has been working with the Compensation Program since its inception in 1995 and is well-known across the Columbia Basin. He has published more than 15 reports on his research work and is an active member of the East Kootenay Conservation Program, the Ecosystem Restoration Steering Committee, and the Northern Leopard Frog Recovery Team.
.

.

.

Conserving & enhancing fish & wildlife
affected by the construction
of BC Hydro dams in the
Columbia Basin since 1995