Vegetation is important to both forest and stream ecosystems.For terrestrial wildlife, understory vegetation provides important habitat characteristics, which include but are not limited to, providing cover and security, habitat for prey, and a safe travel corridor.The lack of habitat found in dense second-growth forests or disturbed harvested sites can result in wildlife, such as deer, wolves, bears and cougars, coming into the margins of nearby communities......There has been a dramatic increase in large mammals and ungulates making their way into unnatural terrain over the last few years.We are currently experiencing a high volume of wolf activity in our neighbourhoods. This increase is relative to habitat degradation caused by industrial operations and development, and a lack of attention to areas affected by historical logging......Parks Canada wildlife biologist, Bob Hansen states, "As always I think it is food driven. If they have an abundant and dependable localized food source then their need to travel outside these areas diminishes significantly." We can support diverse and healthy ecosystems within our woodlands by increasing food availability, which will help keep our communities safe by working to limit predator and people interactions.

Habitat issues for local wolves

Westerly News; canada.com

Imagine walking into a grocery store and all the shelves and aisles are barren and bleak. Where has the food gone? Would you return to that store or would you look for your groceries elsewhere?

This is what it is like for the terrestrial wildlife of our coast when they are in some forests that were harvested between the 1950s and 1980s, using historical methods like clearcutting.

Many of these areas, like parts of the Kennedy Flats, were later replanted as second-growth forests with Douglas-fir.Unfortunately, Douglasfir is better suited to well drained soils and is considered offsite and ecologically inappropriate for most of the Kennedy Flats.n these second-growth forests, trees usually grow close together and are dense, with little to no gaps in the canopy.

This canopy cover limits the amount of light reaching the forest floor, which inhibits plant growth and diversity, creating a dark, un-vegetated forest.

Wolves in mature forest

Vegetation is important to both forest and stream ecosystems.For terrestrial wildlife, understory vegetation provides important habitat characteristics, which include but are not limited to, providing cover and security, habitat for prey, and a safe travel corridor.The lack of habitat found in dense second-growth forests or disturbed harvested sites can result in wildlife, such as deer, wolves, bears and cougars, coming into the margins of nearby communities.

Grizzly in mature riparian habitat

Central Westcoast Forest Society (CWFS) and Pacific Rim National Park Reserve are working together to restore the second-growth forest in the riparian area.The riparian zone is the area adjacent to streams. It offers many benefits to wildlife, from providing travel corridors for safe movement between habitat types to promoting the dispersal of wildlife populations.

Although it can take hundreds of years for a forest to acquire old-growth characteristics, there are silviculture treatments like thinning, creating snags and gaps, which can accelerate the process. For 15 years, CWFS restoration crews have used silviculture treatments and planted native vegetation and conifer seedlings to rebuild the biodiversity of the riparian areas that feed wildlife.The goal is to revitalize these areas to resemble the neighbouring old growth forest and to allow nature to do the rest. As vegetation returns, the hope is that species such as deer, wolf, bear and cougar will follow.

Puma in established grassland

There has been a dramatic increase in large mammals and ungulates making their way into unnatural terrain over the last few years.We are currently experiencing a high volume of wolf activity in our neighbourhoods. This increase is relative to habitat degradation caused by industrial operations and development, and a lack of attention to areas affected by historical logging.

Parks Canada wildlife biologist, Bob Hansen states, "As always I think it is food driven. If they have an abundant and dependable localized food source then their need to travel outside these areas diminishes significantly." We can support diverse and healthy ecosystems within the park by increasing food availability, which will help keep our communities safe by working to limit predator and people interactions.

Local organizations, including Central Westcoast Forest Society, complete valuable work as they restore forest and stream habitats by hand and saw. The resulting replenishment of the forest may provide an increase to the 'groceries' local wildlife need to thrive.