Omineca Regional August Site Visit to the Vanderhoof Area
Sep 22, 2026
On August 26th, the Omineca Restoration Community of Practice headed west to the Vanderhoof area for a day of field-based learning focused on wildlife habitat, forest management, stream restoration, and water retention. The day brought together restoration practitioners and partners from Nazko First Nations, CNC, BCWF, and SERNbc to see firsthand how different restoration approaches are being used across the landscape.
Our first stop took us out a Forest Service Road where we explored a large-scale forest thinning project designed, in part, to improve moose habitat. Led by Brandon Geldart, we discussed the approach taken by the Prince George South Moose Habitat Enhancement Trial, funded by the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation, Together for Wildlife, and the Province of B.C. Approximately 500 hectares were mechanically thinned in 2020 in an effort to recruit moose habitat features in dense pine plantations. It is the largest project of its kind in North America, costing $1.8 million.
The difference between an untreated pine plantation (background) and a mechanically thinned site (foreground) is amazing. The untreated area has a very dark understory with little vegetation growing through the dense and skinny trees, while the thinned area has thicker trees, much more sunlight reaching the ground, and a large variety of vegetation established.
Walking through the site, we could see the results under our feet. Blueberries were thriving (making a great walking snack) as we walked through three areas of varying thinning density. We learned that when pine stands reach around 5,000 stems per hectare, timber value can begin to decline because competition prevents the trees from reaching their growth potential. In this case, thinning has the potential to benefit both wildlife habitat and future timber production. Brandon discussed that a key step in restoration projects such as this, is for foresters and biologists to work together.
Mule deer have already responded well to the treatments, while moose are beginning to show a response more gradually. The project also considers other pieces of the habitat puzzle, including forage availability, predation risk, roads, and the need to create more diversity across the landscape. Exploring different treatment densities can help practitioners learn more about the connections between silviculture and forest management, vegetation, wildlife habitat, and hydrology.
After a quick stop at the Vanderhoof bakery to refuel, we travelled into the Nechako agricultural belt, where Wayne Salewski, President of the Nechako Environment and Water Stewardship Society (NEWSS) and a founding member of SERNbc, introduced us to a very different kind of restoration challenge: keeping water on the landscape. The Nechako agricultural belt contains 32 streams, with all 5 species of salmon present in the majority of them. After several years of significant drought, keeping those streams flowing through the summer has become increasingly challenging. Streams that hold large numbers of small fry in the spring can become dangerously low or even dry by July. One of the tools being used to address this challenge is the beaver dam analogue, or BDA.
The first project location was started two years ago and was dry and dominated by reed canary grass, with very little established riparian vegetation. By using BDAs to slow spring runoff and hold water within gullies and streams for longer, the hope is that these projects can improve riparian habitat while also helping water move deeper into the soil and eventually recharge local aquifers. The monitoring wells at this site indicated a huge success with the BDAs helping drive water 25 meters down into the soil in only one year.
As we moved downstream to older sites, each site became noticeably wetter and the riparian areas increasingly developed. Our final stops took us along East Murray Creek, where we were able to see several stages of restoration in a relatively short distance. More than 60 projects have now been completed throughout the Nechako agricultural belt, providing an impressive opportunity to see restoration happening not as a single isolated project, but across an entire watershed landscape.
The newest project site (left) has several BDAs that are beginning to establish a riparian zone in a gully separating fields on a local farm. In just a few years it will begin to look like the picture on the right, minus the timber that was already established on the outskirts of this older site. Creating these overwintering ponds for wildlife, including beavers, can benefit landowners through increased shade and biodiversity, creating fire breaks, and helping with irrigation through replenishing the natural aquifers in the Nechako watershed.
Wayne heavily emphasized using these times of drought as learning opportunities to teach the community about the importance of beavers and restoring riparian habitats. Working with farmers to develop new ways of thinking and using the land for the greatest success of its ecosystem is a huge step towards restoration. In his own words, “We are 20 years into a 100 year project” and while there is still a lot of work ahead, getting members of the community from all different backgrounds, careers, and education together is inspirational and heartwarming.
While our stops ranged from thinning pine trees for moose habitat to building structures designed to imitate beavers, the conversations throughout the day continually came back to the same idea: landscapes are connected.
Thank you to everyone who joined us and shared their knowledge throughout the day, and especially to the landowners who welcomed us onto these project sites.
If your organization would like to be on the CoP organizing team, please get in touch with one of us through our organizations, or reach out to Mae directly.
The Community of Practice Organizing Team, representing: Society for Ecosystem Restoration in Northern BC (SERNbc), Caribou Habitat Restoration Fund (CHRF) via the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation (HCTF), Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program (FWCP), and the BC Wildlife Federation (BCWF).
