Grasslands Restoration Begins with Young People
Seeing the patch of black mud is a jolt in a rolling sea of new spring green on the hills north of Grand Forks—the damage caused by a vehicle driving off into the grasslands recently purchased by the Southern Interior Land Trust to conserve habitat.
But on Earth Day, Apr. 22, a group of students from Perley Elementary School accepted seedling trees, a small shovel and detailed instruction from Interfor professionals, then went off into the damaged areas to take on the responsibility of restoration.
Both silviculture supervisor Jamie Hibberson and environment and land use superintendent Randy Waterous of Interfor organized the day and not only helped the students out in their task, but rewarded them with hotdogs for lunch.
Tramping through muddy areas where tires had churned up the budding wildflowers and fresh grasses, the grade six and seven class of Sarah Mace spread out with their shovels and yellow pine seedlings and worked all morning.
In all, they planted nearly 300 seedling trees with the intention of returning often in the future to watch them grow and provide shade for Chocolate Lilies and Arnica, and habitat for the wide variety of birds which call this grassland home. Mature trees, even once they die and begin to decay, provide vital homes, shelter and foraging for more than 70 species of birds and wildlife, insects, fungi, mosses and lichens
“It was an inspiring day, to watch all these young people talking to their little trees and encouraging them to be happy,” commented SILT president Judie Steeves, with a grin, adding, “They really seemed to take their job seriously and realize restoring the land to its natural habitat is important.”
If further vandalism to this land is prevented, the little trees will grow tall and strong and anchor the land from melting snow, which today is flowing down the fresh tire ruts and down the track, eroding the earth and carrying it away down the hill.
In 2020, SILT bought this 109-hectare parcel of open bunchgrass with thickets of aspen and hawthorn, District Lot 492, to conserve it for a herd of bighorn sheep and the deer who are desperate for the late winter flush of green provided here.
It was found that rattlesnakes, gopher snakes, spadefoot toads, tiger salamander and badger also make this home, as well as a great variety of birds, some endangered.
The purchase was a joint effort of the family of the late Walter Mehmal; the B.C. Conservation Foundation Land for Wildlife Fund; the Brandow family; the Wild Sheep Society of B.C., the Grand Forks Wildlife Association and other donors and SILT supporters.
Later that year, an additional 35 hectares of an adjacent property, Lot A of DL 493, also at the end of Morissey Creek Road, was purchased for the same reasons, and with some of the same support, with the addition of Tom and Jeninfer Foss and the Wild Sheep Foundation of Alberta, The Habitat Conservation Trust Fund and the Government of Canada through its Natural Heritage Conservation Program.
Both acreages are open to enjoyment by the public, for hiking, birdwatching, picnics, photography and other recreational pursuits, but the use of motorized vehicles on either property is illegal.
“Our hope is that our Grand Forks Grasslands will continue to provide healthy, natural wildlife habitat forever,” Steeves added.
Elementary Students Plant Trees on Grand Forks Grasslands
Emily Rooke, a student at Perley Elementary, carefully plants a yellow pine tree donated by Interfor on the Southern Interior Land Trust’s grasslands property at the end of Morissey Creek Road, on Earth Day.
In an Earth Day event coordinated by Jamie Hibberson and Randy Waterous of Interfor, students from Sarah Mace’s class from Perley Elementary School in Grand Forks have planted nearly 300 yellow pine seedlings in disturbed, damp parts of the Southern Interior Land Trust’s property.
It was inspiring to watch these young people nurture the little trees they were given by Jamie and Randy, who also explained how to plant them so they would survive,commented Judie Steeves, president of SILT.
It was a beautiful day and great to watch them roam over the greening-up hills, digging a hole and placing the little tree in it. Most said they planned to return over the years to find their trees and see how they grow up, which will be really neat.
The tree planting took place on the Grand Forks Grasslands at the end of Morissey Creek Road, in galleys and drainages, where in some instances, damage had occurred from motorized vehicles illegally being driven into the freshly-sprouting grasses and wildflowers.
The grade six and seven students learned about the importance of conservation of such wild lands, and of restoration where damage has occurred from human activity; the importance of protecting the natural features that make suitable habitat for deer, bighorn sheep, badgers, birds, snakes and other creatures, as well as the plants they rely on for food or shelter.
Nearly 300 trees were planted Friday.
The grade six and seven students learned about the importance of conservation of such wild lands, and of restoration where damage has occurred from human activity; the importance of protecting the natural features that make suitable habitat for deer, bighorn sheep, badgers, birds, snakes and other creatures, as well as the plants they rely on for food or shelter.
Nearly 300 trees were planted Friday.
Photos by Judie Steeves
More Grassland Habitat Conserved
Wildlife habitat protected by SILT purchase
A further 35 hectares (86 acres) of grassland habitat two kilometres east of Grand Forks on Morrissey Creek Road has been purchased for wildlife conservation by the Southern Interior Land Trust (SILT).
Purchase of these open, south-facing bunchgrass slopes with patches of deciduous shrub thickets provide habitat for a number of species, including year-round use by the Gilpin Herd of California bighorn sheep, 200-300 animals, including all ages, for its forage and security habitat.
Funds for the purchase included donations from the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation, B.C. Conservation Foundation, Tom and Jenifer Foss, the Wild Sheep Society of B.C., Wild Sheep Foundation Alberta, other individual donors, and the Government of Canada through its Natural Heritage Conservation Program.
An adjacent 109 hectares (270 acres) was purchased earlier this year by SILT, with support from the Walter Mehmal Family, and contributions from the B.C. Conservation Foundation, the Brandow Family, the Wild Sheep Society of B.C., the Grand Forks Wildlife Association, and other donors.
SILT is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit charity dedicated to conserving land for all living things.
President Judie Steeves comments, “We’re delighted we’ve been successful in our collaboration with so many different interest groups and individuals to conserve these two properties. Now we need to work with the local community to prevent motorized use of these grasslands, so they are not destroyed for use by wildlife. Otherwise, the public is welcome to hike over and enjoy the scenic wild beauty of this land.
“As well as wild sheep, there are both mule and white-tailed deer; rattlesnake, gophersnake and racer; and birds such as canyon wren which I recently spotted there. An endangered badger was sighted on the property this past August. Both properties have habitat for at least six federally-listed species-at-risk.”
We are proud to once again be a partner in this project that leaves a conservation legacy that will forever be upon the landscape. Resources like this will ensure that future generations have the opportunity to see untouched wild spaces in perpetuity…..Kyle Stelter, past-president of the Wild Sheep Society of B.C.
A shout out to the conservation-minded people, the hunters, the non-hunters and the organizations that made all of this possible. SILT and this acquisition are examples of how we can pull together even in these very tough times…..Calgary’s – Tom Foss of the Foss Foundation
The BCCF is pleased to be able to support the SILT acquisition of land for protection of important bighorn sheep and mule deer habitat, as well as other species…..Gerry Paillie of the BCCF Land and Wildlife Committee
SILT owns two other properties in the Grand Forks area, Edwards Pond and at Wards Lake, as well as properties at Keremeos, Cawston, and the R.E. Taylor Conservation Property on Keremeos Creek near Olalla.
SILT welcomes enquiries from people interested in gifting land, or from anyone wishing to donate to help conserve lands containing important natural features. For details, go to the SILT website at: siltrust.ca
