In planning the 90 km Okanagan Connector, a limited access freeway located in the interior of British Columbia, large populations of ungulates (moose and deer) and their use of critical winter ranges were identified as the key environmental issue. Wildlife studies commenced in 1984, with a winter aerial census of moose populations. In 1985, as part of the corridor and alignment selection phases, wildlife species, habitat utilization and biophysical mapping studies identified highest and best use of the area to be avoided. However, the selected alignment sill bisected suspected migration routes and winter ranges of an estimated 6000 deer and 650 moose populations. Thirty-nine deer and nineteen moose were captured nineteen moose were captured and radio-tracked from December, 1986 to February, 1992. The radio collared animals provided valuable pre-construction data on movements, range use, biological and ethological information. This paper describes results of the studies which led to a comprehensive mitigation program to ensure migrating ungulates have access to critical winter ranges, the elimination of wildlife/vehicle collisions and the re-establishment of deer habitat. Twenty-three crossing structures were built (seven underpasses and one bridge totally dedicated to wildlife use) that provided wildlife passage; 2.4m exclusion fencing with one-way gates were designed and constructed to exclude wildlife from the right-of-way; borrow and aggregate sites along with severed property were rehabilitated and returned for use as wildlife habitat. In particular, this paper will examine the post-construction monitoring of wildlife use of the crossing structures, the affect of the fencing and the long-term maintenance requirements. (A)
Abstract