NEWS RELEASE
FORT SHEPHERD CONSERVANCY AREA TO OPEN FOR SEASONAL RECREATIONAL USE
Visitors are asked to respect in-progress population studies and restoration activities
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 30, 2021
Trail, B.C. – The Fort Shepherd Conservancy Area will open to the public for the 2021 season on May 1st for limited recreational use including fishing, hiking, horseback riding, and picnicking on the property. Visitors are asked to remain on existing trails to limit impact to restoration activities and scientific studies. This year volunteers, staff, and partners are facilitating a variety of initiatives including:
• Improving winter range habitat for deer, elk, moose, and other ungulates including increasing shrub and forage foods, and adjusting infrastructure to support unrestricted wildlife movement;
• Planting native shrubs to improve plant diversity and opportunities for pollinators and foraging;
• Removal of invasive plants;
• Endangered plant and animal species inventories;
• Improving habitat for birds by installing nesting boxes for the endangered Lewis’s woodpecker, bluebirds, and other species; and
• Promoting training and educational opportunities with post-secondary institutions.
Hunting is not permitted at this time as stewards are conducting research on ungulate population health and long-term sustainability to inform the area’s revised management plan funded by Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation. Recent vandalism and theft of monitoring equipment has hampered the study; researchers request that the community cease these unlawful actions which prolong the hunting moratorium as gear and data must be replaced.
Horseback riding remains restricted to the main road or Dewdney Trail to minimize the potential for soil disturbance and invasive plant spread. No harvesting of species, fires, or overnight camping are permitted on site. Bicycling and dogs on leash will be permissible on a trial basis.
Due to current COVID-19 concerns, visitors are to adhere to the safety protocols recommended by government and the local health authority including wearing face masks to limit spread, maintaining physical distancing of 6ft or 2m, and reschedule your visit if you are experiencing coughing, sneezing, runny nose, sore throat, fatigue, or other COVID-19 symptoms.
Fort Shepherd Conservancy Area is 964 hectares of grasslands, dry forests, rocky slopes, cliffs, and caves running along more than eight kilometres of the Columbia River. Located just six kilometres south of Trail, the area provides habitat to numerous species-at-risk including Great Blue Herons, Nighthawks, Canyon Wrens, Townsend’s Big-Eared Bats and Racer Snakes. The area also provides a valuable refuge for Mule Deer and Elk.
TLC acknowledges the dedicated stewardship of Fort Shepherd Conservancy Area by local partners including the Indigenous Guardians, Okanagan Nation Alliance, and the Trail Wildlife Association (TWA). TWA, a volunteer run conservation organization that works to protect, enhance, and encourage the wise use of the environment, oversees local management of the area.
If you are interested in getting involved in restoration activities at Fort Shepherd Conservancy Area, contact Karen Iwachow, TLC’s Environmental Technician & Land Manager, at (250) 479-8053 or email kiwachow@conservancy.bc.ca.
About The Land Conservancy of British Columbia:
The Land Conservancy of BC (TLC) is a non-profit, charitable Land Trust working throughout British Columbia. TLC’s primary mandate is to benefit the community by protecting habitat for natural communities of plants and animals. Founded in 1997, TLC is membership-based and governed by an elected, volunteer Board of Directors. TLC relies on a strong membership, donor and volunteer base to help maintain its operations.
