Central Chilcotin Rehabilitation Ltd. (CCR) is working to restore a network of logging roads in the Cariboo Chilcotin to a more natural state, benefiting local wildlife, including endangered caribou. The area’s extensive logging roads, now mostly unused except for hunting, have created “predator super-highways,” allowing predators like wolves and human hunters to travel faster and further, making it harder for caribou to survive. Daniel Persson, Forestry Superintendent at CCR, emphasized that rehabilitating these roads could help level the playing field for the struggling caribou herds.
Historically, First Nations people, as caretakers of the land, helped manage wildlife populations through their movements, keeping predators in check. However, with the establishment of Indian Reserves, their ability to hunt and manage the land was restricted. Percy Guichon, Executive Director of CCR and Councillor of Tŝideldel First Nation, explained that using traditional knowledge to manage wildlife is key to restoring ecological balance in the region.
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