The purpose of this project is to enable Constance Lake First Nation to address the threat of habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation for the Woodland Caribou, boreal population (Threatened) primarily associated with human-land use activities such as forestry, development, and road construction. The project will develop a traditional knowledge base habitat supply model to delineate important Woodland Caribou habitat and prioritize areas for Woodland Caribou management to inform land use planning.

Project Description:

This project will improve critical habitat for boreal caribou in Chinchaga range by restoring linear corridors, using techniques such as mounding, seeding, planting, and visual barriers. Through previous Habitat Stewardship Program (HSP) funding in 2017-2018, Blueberry River First Nation identified priority locations and developed initial plans for habitat restoration to support boreal caribou recovery. This project will allow Blueberry River First Nation to refine initial site selections, finalize habitat restoration plans, and implement on-the-ground habitat restoration work in these previously-identified areas and monitor vegetation regrowth and wildlife use in restored areas to assess project success. Community members will be trained on monitoring and habitat restoration techniques, building capacity within the community to conduct further habitat restoration work in the future.

Project Outcomes or Intended Outcomes:

• Conservation planning (identify restoration sites: target of up to 10 segments of linear corridors, up to 5 km in length each)
• Land management (habitat restoration)
• Monitor (restored areas)
• Training and capacity building (train community members in monitoring and habitat restoration)