Effects of Grassland Restoration Treatments on Ungulate Use of Northwest BC Grasslands

INTRODUCTION

Dry, south-facing slopes in the SBSdk zone of the Bulkley Valley and Lakes District of Northwest BC provide critical habitat for a wide variety of wildlife and are particularly important as late winter and early spring habitat for mule deer. As part of its grassland restoration project, the Bulkley Valley Research Centre is counting ungulate (cervids) pellet groups on all grassland monitoring sites to assess trends in use of these habitats by cervids (deer, moose, elk) and how they are affected by restoration treatments. This report summarizes early results from pellet group counts in the Spring of 2008 and 2009 at seven grassland sites located between Smithers, BC and Francois Lake (near Burns Lake), BC .