Northern Rockies Bird Conservation Region (NR 10):

Planning and Implementation:

Wetlands, forests and alpine habitats support a wide diversity of bird species in the Canadian Intermountain region. Photo: © A. Michael Bezener/ OWE Photography

Landbird conservation planning and implementation has initiated as part of the Canadian Intermountain Joint Venture (CIJV).

The CIJV is a formal, coordinated effort by multi-sector partners to conserve habitat for all birds and all habitats in the Canadian Intermountain region, consisting of the Canadian portions of BCRs 9 and 10.

Covering over 489,000 km2 (almost 50% of the total area of BC), the Canadian Intermountain landscape features a wide spectrum of habitats including semi-arid grasslands and shrub-steppe, riparian and wetland habitats, dry and moist coniferous forests, high-elevation alpine tundra, and an immense network of lakes, rivers and streams.

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CIJV partners have agreed upon a common “vision” for the Canadian Intermountain region:

A landscape that supports healthy populations of birds, maintains biodiversity, and fosters sustainable resource use.

The CIJV Biological Foundation and Prospectus identifies the cooperative approach partners have agreed to engage in to protect all birds and habitats in the Canadian Intermountain region.

Partners and Flight BC/Yukon goals and strategies for the British Columbia and Yukon portions of BCRs 9 and 10 will be implemented through the CIJV.

The following summarizes a draft list of priority species, habitats and conservation concerns for landbirds within this region (BC only)

NORTHERN ROCKIES BIRD CONSERVATION REGION #10	% PRIORITY SPECIES WITHIN EACH HABITAT CLASS
Migration Monitoring Stations highlighted

Conservation Issues:

High regional responsibility for several range-limited species and subspecies. Most priority species do not have population trend data. Of the few species with trend data, declines are noted over a wide range of habitats. Threats include landscape changes in habitat structure, composition, and distribution due to wide-ranging management practices such as hydroelectric projects, overgrazing, fire suppression, salvage logging after fire and sanitation logging during bark beetle infestations, increase of hardwood harvest for production of composite wood fibre, vegetation management and logging. Habitat degradation intensified by loss of snags and large trees, loss of native shrubs and grasses, loss of hardwoods, loss of natural riparian systems, fire suppression, fragmentation of habitats, and introduction of exotics and toxins. Forest practices that promote large-scale even-aged, monocultures of young lodgepole pine and fire suppression threaten biodiversity and create ideal conditions for future catastrophic bark beetle epidemics.

Monitoring Needs:

• Habitat-based inventories of landbirds
  
  
• Increase BBS coverage and expand migration monitoring
  
  
• Forest bird monitoring program
  
  
• Owl and cavity nester monitoring program

Research Needs:

• Landscape and stand-level studies on impacts of fire suppression and grazing on grassland species; fire suppression, vegetation management, salvage logging, sanitation practices, wildlife tree patches, and harvesting on forest birds
  
  
• Ecosystem studies on relationship of landbirds, bark beetles and fire
  
  
• Population studies on role of cavity nesters and riparian species
  
  
• Connectivity of habitat patches for dispersal, survival and productivity

Conservation Needs:

• Restoration and maintenance of large trees and snags
  
  
• Forest and agricultural stewardship programs
  
  
• Restoration of diversity in composition, age class and structure in forests
  
  
• Controlled burning program
  
  
• Restoration and conservation of connectivity and composition of riparian habitats and surrounding upland forests
  
  
• Patterns and processes influencing the connectivity and quality of habitat