Post-secondary wildlife stewardship research to receive provincial support

The B.C. Government is promising up to six grants to university graduate students working towards guiding wildlife stewardship and strategies.

The province has said up to six research grants of $25,000 will be provided to university graduate students through the Together for Wildlife research fund.

“The more we understand about wildlife and how they interact with the ecosystems around them, the better our decisions on wildlife stewardship and biodiversity conservation will be,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Land, Water and Resource Stewardship.

“This research funding supports students and draws together the expertise of academics, First Nations and other partners to gather the knowledge and data needed to make well-informed, collaborative decisions about wildlife management.”

The fund was established through a partnership of the B.C. Government and the Interior Universities Research Coalition (IURC), with support of the Minister’s Wildlife Advisory Council.

The coalition is made up of the University of British Columbia Okanagan campus, Thompson Rivers University and University of Northern British Columbia.

Graduate students from any post-secondary institution can apply for the grants, though students with proposals involving the IURC schools will be prioritized.

“Our government is committed to supporting graduate students and the studies they pursue. I am proud of our graduate students, as they are shaping a brighter future for our province,” said Anne Kang, Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Training.

“These research grants will help graduate students undertake wildlife research that will have an impact on our lives, in our communities and for our future.”

Proposals can focus on numerous research themes that align with the goals of the Together for Wildlife strategy, which was developed in collaboration with Indigenous Peoples, rural communities, academic institutions and other stakeholders.

The research themes include ecosystem restoration and habitat enhancement; Indigenous knowledge related to wildlife and wildlife habitat; effects of human activities on wildlife and the regulation of such activities; impacts of natural disturbance, such as wildfires and climate change; impacts of resource use, such as mineral extraction, on wildlife and habitat; and wildlife diseases and health.

In a statement, the IURC stated that competitive proposals from the students involved in the three institutions will focus on key species and issues affecting B.C. wildlife stewardship, will bring together scientists, Indigenous communities and wildlife stewardship managers as part of a research team and will support transparency, outreach and engagement with the research and results.

“This grant program presents exciting opportunities for our graduate students to develop valuable skills and expertise, build important multi-stakeholder collaborations and do research that will have an impact,” said Janice Larson, director, Tri-University Partnership Office for the coalition.

“With the partner universities’ strengths in wildlife research and our key regional presence, the IURC is pleased to advance B.C.’s wildlife stewardship objectives.”

The call for research proposals will be issued on May 30, and successful applicants will be notified in August.

The province noted the $150,000 committed for research grants aids in the effort to improve wildlife and habitat health and resiliency.