Caribou habitat near Tumbler Ridge receives nearly $1 million in conservation funding

TUMBLER RIDGE, B.C. — A caribou habitat has received nearly $1 million in funding as part of a wildlife conservation effort.

The habitat restoration project near Tumbler Ridge will receive $965,679 over the next three years as part of a broader effort to protect wildlife and ecosystems across northeastern B.C.

According to B.C.’s environment ministry, the herd primarily lives in the Mount Spieker and Quintette Mountain areas.

The funding comes from the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation (HCTF), which announced more than $9.4 million in grants for 163 conservation projects across the province. 

Over $2 million of that total has been allocated to the Omineca and Peace regions.

The Tumbler Ridge project focuses on restoring high-priority caribou habitat to benefit the quintette herd, which the HCTF said has faced significant population pressures due to habitat loss and fragmentation. 

By repairing disturbed areas and improving forest health, the project aims to support long-term recovery for the region’s caribou.

“This project is a great example of working in partnerships to reduce habitat degradation and return the area back on a trajectory of improving forest health,” said Dan Buffett, chief executive of HCTF.

“Restoring intact, unfragmented forests is critical for caribou and other wildlife species that depend on them.”

The quintette herd project is one of several initiatives receiving funding this year:

• $20,000 to restore trout habitat in Sitlika Creek.
• $45,645 to study porcupine populations and survival in north-central B.C.
• $70,000 to track elk behaviour and migration patterns in the Vanderhoof area.
• $25,000 to develop a wildlife population and land use plan that aligns with the Nak’azdli Whut’en land stewardship plan
• $3,850 to install duck nest boxes and hen houses to boost waterfowl populations in key wetlands.

For a full list of funded projects, visit the HTCF’s website.