project completion report 2009 - selkirk college

Project Completion Report: Badger Roadkill Mitigation in the East Kootenay

October 2009

Prepared for: Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program – Columbia Basin

Nelson, British Columbia

Prepared by: Trevor Kinley, R.P.Bio. Sylvan Consulting Ltd.

Invermere, British Columbia [email protected] (250) 342-3205

Table of Contents 1. Introduction 1 2. Summary of Activities 2

2.1 Working Relationships 2 2.2 Upgrading Existing Culverts 2 2.3 Opportunities to Install New Culverts 7 2.4 Drift-Fencing Trial 8 2.5 Work Plan for 2010 Onward 10

3. Acknowledgements 12 4. Literature Cited 12 Appendix 1. Site maps of highway segments investigated for potential culvert upgrades,

installation of new culverts or drift fencing trial. 13 Appendix 2. Design for drift fence trial approved by Ministry of Transportation and

Infrastructure, Cranbrook, for Highway 3/93 at Mayook. 35

List of Figures Figure 1. Culverts with a high likelihood of use by badgers. 3 Figure 2. Culverts with little or no likelihood of use by badgers. 4 Figure 3a. Overview of sites assessed for opportunities to mitigate roadkill risk (north) 5 Figure 3b. Overview of sites assessed for opportunities to mitigate roadkill risk (south) 6 Figure 4. Location of proposed culvert on Athalmer Road. 7 Figure 5. Drift fencing installed in October 2009 on Highway 3/93 at Mayook. 9 List of Tables Table 1. Recommended schedule for ongoing badger roadkill mitigation work. 11

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1. Introduction Badgers are provincially red-listed and the B.C. subspecies is nationally Endangered. In B.C., vehicle collisions are the leading cause of badger death everywhere they have been studied, i.e. within the South Cariboo (R. Klafki, Thompson Rivers Univ., Kamloops, unpubl. data), Thompson-Okanagan (Weir et al. 2004), and East Kootenay (Kinley and Newhouse 2008) regions. Half of known-cause deaths among radio-tagged study animals in the East Kootenay were roadkills (Kinley and Newhouse 2008), so with total annual adult mortality averaging about 18%, this suggests that vehicles kill about 9% of the local badger population annually. Assuming that the East Kootenay has about half of the provincial estimate of 230-340 badgers (jeffersonii Badger Recovery Team 2008), i.e. about 143 badgers, a 9% roadkill rate translates to 13 roadkills in the East Kootenay annually. The East Kootenay Badger Project has records of 88 badger roadkills between 1996 and October of 2009, 78 of which were non-tagged animals reported by the public (5.6/yr). If these numbers are representative, roughly half of the badgers killed by vehicles are reported. Anecdotal reports from the public and observations of researchers indicate that badgers commonly use culverts for refuge or to pass safely under roads. “Badger pipes” are sometimes installed for that purpose for European badgers (Meles meles; Bekker and Canters 1997). When rebuilding a section of Highway 3/93 near Elko, B.C. in 2004, the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI) installed a culvert specifically for badger use, on the advice of an environmental consultant. Recent track monitoring has shown that it is occasionally used (R. Forbes, Nature Conservancy of Canada, Cranbrook, unpubl. data) despite having being installed opportunistically rather than in prime badger habitat. Consistent with this, badger roadkills in the East Kootenay disproportionately occur where the number of passable culverts per kilometre is below average (Kinley and Newhouse 2009). The same study noted that many culverts were not usable by badgers due to being crushed, plugged or raised above ground level, or were obscured during summer by dense vegetation. Given the status of badgers and the potential to aid recovery by limiting roadkills, there is an obvious value to making culverts more readily usable by badgers, and potentially by installing more culverts as highway crossing structures in key locations. Decreasing road mortality has been identified as a recovery action in the national recovery strategy (jeffersonii Badger Recovery Team 2008). This report summarizes efforts to address that opportunity, based on work conducted in 2009. Initial efforts were aimed at establishing working relationships among relevant agencies and individuals, identifying the most promising locations for culvert improvements or additions, developing a plan of action, and beginning feasibility testing both for improving the usability of existing culverts and installing drift fencing to guide badgers into culverts at a key location.

Badger Mitigation in the East Kootenay - 2009

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2. Summary of Activities 2.1 Working Relationships There has previously been no concerted program to limit badger roadkill in the East Kootenay, but several actions have been taken ad hoc. Since the installation of the badger culvert near Elko in 2004, activities related to roadkill mitigation funded by FWCP and others have included the periodic seasonal installation of badger crossing signs at known family-group locations (Newhouse and Kinley 2007), the publication of a journal article summarizing badger ecology in the East Kootenay including the prevalence of roadkill (Kinley and Newhouse 2008), the completion of an analysis indicating that sites with few passable culverts are more likely to be associated with badger roadkills (Kinley and Newhouse 2009), and a 2008 stakeholders’ workshop summarizing key management issues, including roadkill mitigation. The work summarized in this report was intended in part to develop relationships among key players that would be involved in roadkill mitigation, and to promote the concept that mitigation can be part of standard highways management in this region. Activities related to those goals included the following: • Ongoing communication with Stephanie Daniels (MOTI, Cranbrook) regarding research,

roadkill issues, upgrading of existing culverts, possibilities for installing new culverts, and installation of drift fencing.

• Meeting (office and field) with Stephanie Daniels, Irene Teske (MOE, Cranbrook) and Larry Ingham (FWCP, Cranbrook) on July 6, 2009 to discuss options for upgrading existing culverts or adding new culverts, and installing drift fencing trial.

• Successful application to MOTI for permit to install drift fencing trial. • Installation of drift fencing with Larry Ingham and Dave Lewis (FWCP contractor). • Held brief field meeting with Stephanie Daniels as we installed the drift fencing. • Arranged with Mainroad East Kootenay Contracting Ltd. (highways contractor) to install

badger crossing signs at each end of the drift fencing trial section. • Provided a prioritized list of problematic culverts in high roadkill risk sites (see Section 2.2)

to Stephanie Daniels, which she subsequently used to instruct Mainroad to upgrade some existing culverts.

2.2 Upgrading Existing Culverts In the summer of 2009, 22 sections of road ranging from about 0.5 to 6.5 km each were examined on Highways 3, 43, 93, 95 and 95A, and Jaffray-Baynes Lake Road. All were locations with known badger roadkills (often several per section) or considerable badger activity near the highway, based on sightings and telemetry data collected through the East Kootenay Badger Project or burrow records obtained by Sylvan Consulting through other projects. Within them, a search was conducted for every culvert identified in a map database provided by MOTI as passing under the main highway. Culverts that were located but had not been included in the map database were also recorded. For each culvert, it was noted whether it was already in


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nearly optimal condition for badger passage under the highway (i.e. free of obstructions or brush and accessible from both ends), or whether minor to moderate improvements could be made to improve its usability. Results are contained in the file field notes 2009 culvert & site checks.xls. Of the 97 culverts located:

• 15 were already in nearly optimal condition (Figure 1). • 3 had unknown passability (no light or air flow was evident, but no blockage was visible

at either end) and were in important locations for badger movement. Testing is needed at these, possibly with a plumbing snake.

• 13 were not feasible to upgrade (had permanent streams in them, vertical pipes over the culvert ends, etc.).

• 66 would likely provide an immediate or long-term decrease in mortality risk if upgraded through brushing, clearing fill blocking the culvert entrance, placing fill under “hanging” ends, removing an unauthorized screen installed by a nearby landowner, or removing/repairing culvert extensions that have become separated from the main culvert (Figure 2). Of these 66, 43 were rated as being of high or very high priority, based on a combination of their location relative to badger activity and the effort required to make improvements.

Maps were then created for each site where upgrades were recommended (overview map in Figure 3; detailed maps in Appendices 1a – 1t). The prioritized list and mapping were provided to Stephanie Daniels of MOTI. She then met with Mainroad East Kootenay Contracting Ltd. and arranged to have them begin the culvert upgrades. At the time of writing, Mainroad had removed the unauthorized screen, had cleared several blocked culverts in the Mayook area, and was in the process of upgrading the other identified culverts as part of their regular maintenance program. It is recommended that sites on the list be checked in 2010 to see how many of the higher-priority culverts have been upgraded, and whether their condition will allow unhindered badger movement (see Section 2.5).

Figure 1. Culverts with a high likelihood of use by badgers. They are at ground level with

unobstructed access. The culvert on left is at eye level for badgers approaching the highway, has high visibility, and offers an easier option than climbing the bank onto the highway. The culvert on right is less visible but offers clear passage.


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Figure 2. Culverts with little or no likelihood of use by badgers. From upper left to lower right:

culvert obscured by brush; culvert plugged by fill where extension added onto original culvert; culvert end suspended several metres above ground (“hanging”); screen added by nearby landowner to prevent movement by ground squirrels (subsequently removed); culvert end crushed; sump dug below culvert to enhance water flow.


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Map produced 2 June 2009Trevor KinleySylvan Consulting Ltd.

Proposed Badger Passage Enhancements

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Figure 3a. Overview of sites assessed for opportunities to mitigate badger roadkill risk, 2009 (north half)

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Figure 3b. Overview of sites assessed for opportunities to mitigate badger roadkill risk, 2009 (south half). Legend in Figure 3a.

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2.3 Opportunities to Install New Culverts While looking for opportunities to upgrade existing culverts, locations were identified where the installation of a new culvert specifically for badger movement would likely have a significant effect on badger mortality rate. Twenty-one sites were considered. Of these, 15 were rejected because of logistics (ditch too shallow, highway below grade of adjacent land, etc.) or because there were already good alternatives nearby. In contrast, six sites were identified as moderate to very high priority for placing culverts to allow badger passage (see field notes 2009 culvert & site checks.xls). If approved, the timing of these would no doubt be based on funding availability and opportunities presented by highway reconstruction. However, one site (Athalmer Road, at the power transmission line crossing; Figure 4) is rated as a very high priority because it is the only remaining undeveloped crossing in an area of heavy badger use that provides a key landscape-level link (Appendix 1c). This link is recognized in Regional District of East Kootenay’s official community plan for the Lake Windermere area (ftp://ftp.rdek.bc.ca/PlanningBylaws/Windermere%20OCP/BL2061LakeWindermereOCP_Aug09.pdf). Of the potential sites for new culverts, the Athalmer Road one should be given the strongest consideration as a stand-alone project. The culvert would need to be about 24 m long. Its diameter is probably not critical; ongoing research in the South Caribou region (R. Klafki, Thompson Rivers Univ., Kamloops) may indicate a preferred diameter but diameters of 45 and 60 cm are commonly used by badgers, along with smaller and larger sizes. Further details for this proposed activity are in Section 2.5.

Figure 4. Location of proposed culvert on Athalmer Road. This segment of east-west road

between Invermere and Highway 93/95 supports regular badger movement across a busy highway and through a developed landscape. It is a key link in connecting badger populations to the north and south. In particular, the north-south oriented right-of-way of a power transmission line (taller poles perpendicular to road in photos) appears to support most of the road crossings. Left: view from north side; culvert recommended toward right portion of photo. Right: view from south side; culvert recommended near dead tree toward left edge of photo. Ditch is about 2.5 m deep on north and 2 – 2.5 m deep on south at proposed crossing point.


ftp://ftp.rdek.bc.ca/PlanningBylaws/Windermere%20OCP/BL2061LakeWindermereOCP_Aug09.pdf

ftp://ftp.rdek.bc.ca/PlanningBylaws/Windermere%20OCP/BL2061LakeWindermereOCP_Aug09.pdf

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2.4 Drift-Fencing Trial Based on inspecting highway segments associated with badger activity (Section 2.2), a site on Highway 3/93 in Mayook was identified for drift fencing (Appendix 1p). This location supports a lot of badger activity, and several roadkills have been reported nearby. The highway sits roughly on grade with the surrounding landscape (with broad, shallow ditches), making it easy for badgers to see across the highway here, and so decreasing the likelihood of them using the two culverts that are present. The culverts are 250 m apart. This site offered a good opportunity to test whether placing drift fencing between and slightly beyond the culverts would guide badgers trying to cross the highway here toward the culvert entrances (Appendix 2). It also offered a chance to test material and construction methods. After receiving a two-year permit from MOTI to conduct the project, 300 m of fencing was installed on each side of the highway by Larry Ingham, Dave Lewis and Trevor Kinley in October, 2009 (Figure 5). The plans (Appendix 2) were modified slightly during installation: • MOTI requested that black rather than orange snow fence be used. Black fencing was

available locally only in poor quality, or in high quality but at a high cost. As an alternative, X-treme Deer Barrier was used (http://www.easygardener.com/index.cfm?fuseaction= category.display&category_ID=97). It came in 8’ x 100’ rolls (2.4 m x 30 m), which were split into 5 strips 48-cm wide.

• When the site was first identified, corrugated steel extensions to the northwest culvert had become separated from the main concrete culvert running under the highway and so had filled with gravel. The extensions were then removed by Mainroad as part of their upgrades for badgers (Section 2.2). As a result, the fencing was attached to boards fastened to the end of concrete culvert (Figure 5).

• The southeast culvert was settled into the ground so wooden frames were built around its ends to ensure that badgers could not get onto the highway at those locations (Figure 5).

• The bottom of the fence was staked to the ground to deter badgers from slipping under it.1 • A plastic tape was installed along the top to increase the height of the fence, deter badgers

from climbing over it, and to signal its presence to ungulates.1 The low height of this fence should allow animals coyote-sized and larger to step or jump over it. Its open mesh should allow animals squirrel-sized and smaller to get through it. Badgers and other similar-sized animals should normally be directed through the culverts. If they do come in from the ends of the fence section or otherwise get on the highway side of the fence, an escape gate (Figure 5) on each side of the highway should allow them to get out. At the request of MOTI, badger crossing signs were installed at each end of the test section. The fencing is being monitored to determine if badgers are using the culverts (as determined by tracks in the sand at culvert entrances) and if the materials hold up over the two-year test period. Larry Ingham (FWCP, Cranbrook) drives past this site between home and work so he or other FWCP staff or contractors will do the monitoring.

1 About to be completed at time of writing.


http://www.easygardener.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=%20category.display&category_ID=97

http://www.easygardener.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=%20category.display&category_ID=97

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Figure 5. Drift fencing installed in October 2009 on Highway 3/93 at Mayook, east of

Cranbrook. Top row: fencing (woven plastic ribbon not yet installed along top). Middle row: junction of fencing and culverts. Note tracking sand at culvert mouths. Bottom row: escape gates (wooden laths flex when pushed from wide side, allowing animals to move through if caught on highway side of fence.


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As outlined below, the cost of the drift fencing trial for 300 m x 2 sides of highway was about $2,050, including PST but exclusive of GST, travel and monitoring costs. This translates to almost $7,000/km of highway, but there would be economies of scale for larger sites. About 7 person-days were required to purchase materials, build gates and install fencing and gates (23 days/km), but this would be considerably lower for subsequent projects and longer sections. • Fencing material $850 • Stakes, laths, ribbon, and miscellaneous hardware $550 • Badger crossing signs (2) $250 • Sign installation (done by highways contractor) $400

2.5 Work Plan for 2010 Onward Recommended activities for future years (ongoing maintenance or upgrading of existing culverts, possible installation of new culverts, and monitoring of drift fencing trial) are scheduled in Table 1. Reporting of progress and results is not identified in that table but should be done depending on the activities undertaken and timing of them. As noted earlier, recommended upgrades at some of the higher-priority existing culverts will probably not be done by MOTI’s contractor because they are not part of normal culvert maintenance (e.g., “hanging” culverts). When contractors have completed all that they will do, the cost and feasibility of upgrading other high priority sites (as identified in field notes 2009 culvert & site checks.xls) should be assessed. Approximate volumes of fill required are identified in the above-mentioned file, but other options to make such culverts passable by badgers may need to be identified, as noted in Table 1. The greatest cost for activities identified in Table 1 would be for installing new culverts. If MOTI is willing to grant a permit for the Athalmer Road site, it would be the highest priority. A conservative (high) estimate provided by Malcolm Bachand of Kamloops Augering and Boring (http://www.kamloopsaugering.com/) is $15,500: • Horizontal boring contract (24 m @ $500/m including 400 mm steel pipe) $12,000 • Local excavator for site prep, levelling, etc. $3,500

A large portion of this cost is mobilizing the equipment. If two or more culverts are installed the estimate drops to about $400/m, in which case the Athalmer Road site would drop to about $13,000. Engineering is not normally required for boring, so this is assumed to be the case. Coordination of the work would include the permitting process with MOTI (meetings, proposals, etc.), hiring and supervising a boring contractor, hiring a local excavator contractor, and providing communications for local media and government agencies. Coordination could be done by FWCP staff with a commitment of about 10 days or, if contracted out, it would cost an estimated $6,000. The work might need to be split across two years (discussions and permitting with MOTI one year, installation the next). The total cost is estimated at $15,500 if coordinated by staff or $21,500 if coordinated by a consultant, assuming the installation of just one pipe (about $2,500 less for this site if part of a multi-site project).


http://www.kamloopsaugering.com/

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Table 1. Recommended schedule for ongoing badger roadkill mitigation work in the East Kootenay. Fiscal Year (April 1 – March 31) Component

2010/2011 2011/2012 2012/2013 Culvert Maintenance/ Upgrades

• Check progress on culverts identified for upgrading • Where upgrades feasible but not yet completed,

encourage MOTI and contractor to complete as many as possible (or obtain permission from MOTI for FWCP staff, contractor, or youth crew to do upgrades)

• Where not feasible to upgrade with normal maintenance, discuss other options with MOTI to make them usable by badgers, and determine costs (e.g., where end of culvert suspended above ground, consider building “gangplanks” or rock piles to allow access)

• Have FWCP staff, contractor, or youth crew do upgrades identified in previous year (i.e. where regular maintenance by MOTI is not adequate to allow badger passage) - Alternatively, do in previous year if

possible

Drift Fencing Test Section(s)

• Continue monitoring sand beds to determine use by badgers or other animals

• Continue monitoring physical structure and repair if needed

• Advise MOTI of monitoring results

• Continue monitoring sand beds until end of permit period (Sep 1, 2011) to determine use by badgers or other animals

• Continue monitoring structure until end of permit period and repair if needed

• If little indication of success, remove at end of test period; if successful, build a more permanent structure (requires permit from MOTI) and consider other sites (possibly build)

• If other sites selected for drift fencing in previous year, build this year

• If fencing remains or new sites built, continue to monitor

Installation of New Culverts as Highway Crossing Structures

• Discuss project with MOTI; if possible obtain permit (for next year)

• Finalize quote for boring. • Arrange funding (discuss with FWCP, MOTI, CBT,

HCTF, possibly Kinbasket Development Corporation)

• Install Athalmer Road culvert if permits and funding obtained

• Monitor its use • Discuss options for installing more

culverts with MOTI; if successful apply for funds and permits for other culverts

• If permits and funds obtained, install other culverts

• Monitor use of culvert at Athalmer Rd (and elsewhere if installed at other sites)

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3. Acknowledgements This project was funded by the Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program – Columbia Basin. Larry Ingham administered the contract and, along with Dave Lewis, worked with me to install the fence. Stephanie Daniels of MOTI facilitated the permit for the drift fencing and arranged to have Mainroad Contracting upgrade culverts to allow badger passage. Irene Teske of MOE supported activities undertaken for this project, in discussions with other agencies. Willie Sissons of Mainroad Contracting coordinated the installation of the badger crossing signs. 4. Literature Cited Bekker, G. J., and K. J. Canters. 1997. The continuing story of badgers and their tunnels. Pp.

344-353 in K. Canters (editor). Habitat fragmentation & infrastructure. Proceedings of the International Conference on Habitat Fragmentation, Infrastructure and the Role of Ecological Engineering, 17-21 September, 1995, Maastricht and The Hague, The Netherlands. Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management, Delft, The Netherlands.

jeffersonii Badger Recovery Team. 2008. National recovery strategy for the badger (Taxidea taxus) in British Columbia. Ministry of Environment, Victoria, B.C.

Kinley, T. A., and N. J. Newhouse. 2008. Ecology and translocation-aided recovery of and endangered badger population. Journal of Wildlife Management 72:113-122.

Kinley, T. A., and N. J. Newhouse. 2009. Badger roadkill risk in relation to the presence of culverts and Jersey barriers. Northwest Science 83:148-153.

Newhouse, N. J., and T. A. Kinley. 2007. East Kootenay Badger Project 2006-2007 progress report. Prepared by Sylvan Consulting Ltd., Invermere, B.C. for Parks Canada Agency, Radium Hot Springs, B.C.

Weir, R. D., H. Davis, C. S. Hoodicoff, and K. W. Larsen. 2004. Life on a highway: sources of mortality in an endangered British Columbia badger population. In: T. D. Hooper (editor). Proceedings fo the Species at Risk 2004 Pathways to Recovery Conference. March 2-6, 2004, Victoria, B.C. Species at Risk 2004 Pathways to Recovery Conference Organizing Committee, Victoria, B.C.


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Appendix 1. Site maps of highway segments investigated for potential culvert upgrades, installation of new culverts or drift fencing trial.

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Appendix 1a. Proposed upgrades along Highway 95 in Snider Road area, south of Brisco.

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Appendix 1b. Proposed upgrades along Highway 95 near Edgewater transfer station.

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Appendix 1c. Proposed upgrades along Highway 93/95 and Athalmer Road near the Shuswap Indian Reserve.

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Appendix 1d. Proposed upgrades along Highway 93/95 near Holland Creek, east side of Lake Windermere.

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Appendix 1e. Proposed upgrades along Highway 93/95 near Akisqnuk Band Office, east side of Lake Windermere.

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Appendix 1f. Proposed upgrades along Highway 93/95 and Columbia Lake Road near Columbia Ridge, west side of Columbia Lake.

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Appendix 1g. Proposed upgrades along Highway 93/95 near Larsen property, south of Canal Flats.

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Appendix 1h. Proposed upgrades along Highway 95a south of Ta Ta Creek.

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Appendix 1i. Proposed upgrades along Highway 95a near Thomason Road, northeast of Kimberley.

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Appendix 1j. Proposed upgrades along Highway 95a near The Land Conservancy properties, Wycliffe.

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Appendix 1k. Proposed upgrades along Highway 95a near Cranbrook sewage lagoons and Highway 3/95 at Cranbrook Interchange.

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Appendix 1l. Proposed upgrades along Highway 3/95 near Elizabeth Lake, Cranbrook.

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Silver Spring Drive

ElizabethLake

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Appendix 1m. Proposed upgrades along Highway 93/95 near Bummers Flats, south of Wasa.

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Appendix 1n. Proposed upgrades along Highway 93/95 at Fort Steele.

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Wardner - F t Steele Rd

Wildhorse River

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camp-ground

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Appendix 1o. Proposed upgrades along Highway 33/93 near City of Cranbrook spray irrigation fields.

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restarea

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Appendix 1p. Proposed upgrades along Highway 93/95 near Mayook, east of Cranbrook.

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wing fencing proposed between these culverts








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BC HydroSubstation

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ook

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Appendix 1q. Proposed upgrades along Highway 93/95 west junction of Rosicky Road, east of Wardner.

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Appendix 1r. Proposed upgrades along Jaffray-Baynes Lake Road, north of Kikomun Creek crossing.

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Appendix 1s. Proposed upgrades along Highway 43 near Nordstrom Creek, north of Sparwood.

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Appendix 1t. Proposed upgrades along Highway 43 near junction with Line Creek Mine Road, north of Sparwood.

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Elk River

Brule Creek

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Appendix 2. Design for drift fence trial approved by Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, Cranbrook, for Highway 3/93 at Mayook.

Note: some modifications to this design were made during installation; see Section 2.4.

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Plans for a Trial Wing-fencing Installation to Limit Badger Roadkill Mortality Trevor Kinley, R.P.Bio., Sylvan Consulting Ltd. (contracted for this project to BC Hydro/Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program – Columbia Basin; contract manager and permit applicant is Larry Ingham, BC Hydro, Cranbrook) 6 August 2009 American badgers occurring in BC are nationally identified as Endangered and are on the provincial Red List. Roadkills are the main cause of death. Studies show that badgers use culverts when they are available and unobstructed, and that greater numbers of passable culverts reduce the chance of roadkill. In conjunction with plans to make some culverts more usable by badgers, we propose to set up a temporary fencing trial to specifically direct badgers into culverts. Results from the trial will indicate whether this method is worth pursuing for sites with a high incidence of badger-vehicle collisions. The intention is to string plastic snow fence between two culverts 250-m apart, on each side of the highway. Badgers attempting to cross the road would encounter the fencing and be obliged to walk parallel to the highway to the point where the fencing reaches one of the culvert ends. They would then be able to travel through the culvert to reach the other side of the highway without exposure to traffic. Fencing would extend about 30 m past the culverts to further encourage their use. As shown in the attached drawings, commercially available snow fencing (1 m width) would be cut in half lengthwise so that the fence would only be 50 cm high. This would allow larger

species such as deer and coyotes to get over without difficulty, especially because the holes in the fencing would afford a good view of the area beyond. Very small animals, such as mice and chipmunks, would almost certainly go under the fence or through its holes. It would therefore be expected to affect only medium-sized animals such as badgers. “Escape gates” would be installed (one on each side of the highway, midway between the two culverts) to allow badger-sized animals to escape if they happened to walk along the highway surface into the fenced area. Location The selected site is along Highway 3/93, 200 – 500 m southeast of the entrance to BC Hydro’s power substation at Mayook, just east of Cranbrook. This site has abundant evidence of burrows of badgers and their main prey, Columbian ground squirrels, on both sides of the highway, and our database includes a number of sightings and radiotelemetry records there, including one roadkill record nearby. The continuity of occupied habitat across the highway and the high number of roadkills throughout the Rampart-Mayook area, combined with the high traffic volume of this highway segment, indicate that this site is part of a highway segment presenting a high risk for badgers. Schedule If approved, the fencing will be installed in August, 2009. Monitoring and (if required) maintenance will occur for just over two years, to October 31, 2011. At that time, either all

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materials will be removed or an application will be made to MOTI for a more permanent installation. Monitoring and Maintenance Unless MOTI requests otherwise, all construction, maintenance, monitoring and removal will be completed by the Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program staff or contractors. The project applicant, Larry Ingham of BC Hydro, drives past this section almost daily between his home near Jaffray and workplace in Cranbrook. If any major damage to the fence occurs, it will be evident when driving through. In addition, the length of the fence on both sides of the highway will be walked weekly for the first month then monthly thereafter to check for maintenance issues. Necessary repairs will be made in a timely fashion. In the unlikely event that the installation does not withstand the conditions, it will be removed or an application to upgrade it will be submitted. Sand spread at the culvert entrances will be checked at least monthly to check for tracks, then raked. Results will be provided to MOTI annually. Safety No safety hazards are anticipated. The fencing itself is soft, flexible plastic. The posts would be 1”x2” stakes (2”x2” stakes at the escape gates), so should easily break if struck by a vehicle. Break-away points (holes drilled through those posts at ground level) can be created if requested by MOTI. The fencing would be in straight lines along the bottom of the ditches, between the ends of the two culverts, so would be well off the highway surface. MOTI-approved badger crossing signs will be installed at each end of the test section.

Other Potential Risks or Issues The only contact between this fencing and MOTI infrastructure will be that the snow fencing will be fastened to culvert ends using washers and small (#10 or #12) self-tapping screws. There should be no measurable damage to the culverts. Snow fencing is strong and intended for outdoor applications, but it is possible that large animals might break through it or rodents might chew through it. This would result in tattered sections of fencing, but the tight spacing between stakes (3 m) should limit the extent of this. Fencing integrity would be monitored regularly and repaired if needed, as noted above. Snow windrows created by snowplows might bury or damage the fencing. This is not expected to be a logistical problem during the winter as badgers are much less active then, but will require attention when the snow melts. If damage does occur, it will be repaired at an early opportunity each spring. The northeast ditch is very wide so the fence will not provide a barrier to any service vehicles, horses, etc. travelling parallel to the highway there. On the southwest side, the space between the wing fence and barbed-wire range fence is tighter, the terrain is somewhat rougher, and a powerline or telephone line runs directly over the range fence. However, the wing fencing placement should still allow sufficient room for service vehicles or recreationists, and if this proves to be a problem other access options include the Crown land across the range fence (for accessing the utility line) and the opposite side of the highway (for recreationists). The proposed layout was viewed by Stephanie Daniels of MOTI on 6 July 2009.

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Overhead view of site (not to scale) Fencing would extend between 2 culverts (250 m apart) and also 30 m beyond the culverts

culvert fencing

sand tracking pad to monitor use

escape gate

250 m

30 m 30 m

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View from ditch toward highway • Fence is short (50 cm) to allow larger animals (e.g. deer) to jump over but high enough to direct smaller mammals (e.g.

badgers) toward culvert. • Materials are durable but soft (wood and plastic) to minimize potential effects on any vehicle sliding into ditch.

75-cm 1 x 2” wooden stake

cable tie

3 m

break-away point (drilled hole) if required

bottom of ditch

sand tracking pad to monitor use

culvert

plastic snow fence, cut in half lengthwise

screw & washer

50 c

m

30 m to end of fence 250 m to next culvert

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r Mitigation in the East Kootenay - 2009

• One to be placed on each side of the highway midway between culverts so that badgers or similar-sized animals that might enter the fenced area from the ends are able to push through them into the downhill (ditch) side of the fence.

• Laths forming the walls of the gate are fastened to stakes near the fence so are not movable there, but extend 60-70 cm beyond the last stake so are flexible near that end. A badger entering the gate from the highway side can see through a narrow opening at the end of the gate and will spread the laths apart as it pushes its way through toward the opening, allowing the badger to escape. Badgers encountering the gate from the ditch side are unable to spread the gate open to enter because of the sharp angle.

Badge

Escape Gates

• This is similar to gates used for trapping burbot for fisheries research.

Overhead view of escape gate (not to scale)

snow fencing ~50 cm

75-cm 1 x 2” wooden stakes at 3-m intervals

75-cm 2 x 2” wooden stakes

~1 m

2 x 2” support

highway side of fence

ditch side of fence

This portion of gate is flexible because it is made of thin laths and is distant from the point where it attaches to stakes. It will spread as a badger pushes through it (dashed lines).

wooden laths stacked on edge and screwed to 2 x 2” stakes

5-10 cm opening at rest, flexing to 20-

25 cm when spread

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ditch side of fence

Side view of one arm of an escape gate (not to scale) This end of the gate is

flexible because laths are not screwed to stakes here.

1-m laths screwed to stakes

ground

fence material in cross-section

highway side of fence

75-cm 2 x 2” wooden stakes

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Location of proposed badger fencing project.

project completion report 2009 - selkirk college

Documents