Julie Couse, Director of Lands and Natural Resources, ʔaq̓am, jcouse@aqam.net 

She is an Ecologist/Registered Professional Biologist with over a decade experience working in the land management sector and enjoys the diversity/challenges that her work brings. In her free time she enjoys living the Kootenay dream and losing sleep over climate change. 

ABSTRACT

Building Resilience in Dry Forests of the East Kootenays: Planning, Operations, and Lessons Learned. 

Julie Couse, Director, Lands and Natural Resources, ʔaq̓am  

Robert W Gray, Fire Ecologist, R.W. Gray Consulting Ltd 

ʔaq̓am, a First Nations community in the east Kootenay Region of southeastern British Columbia, is embarking on an ecological restoration program in the dry conifer forests on Reserve. Over a century of fire exclusion, coupled with rapidly changing climate, has resulted in forest patterns, structure and composition unsuited to withstand emerging disturbance regimes. In order to build resilience to drought, insects, diseases and fire, ʔaq̓am is proactively planning and carrying out treatments including mechanical thinning, prescribed burning and the mechanical and biological control of non-native invasive species. This presentation will detail elements of planning and operations while highlighting the many lessons learned along the way.