Fencing installation at Horsethief Creek Parcel Columbia NWA

1. Background The Horsethief Creek parcel (PID 009-592-261) was recently purchased by Environment and Climate Change Canada and is tangent to the current Wilmer Unit of Columbia National Wildlife Area. Wilmer Unit is approximately 405 ha of dry forests, grasslands, and wetlands that are managed for critical wildlife habitat and biodiversity. The recently purchased Horsethief Creek parcel is approximately 43 ha, and is intended to be added to Wilmer Unit, thereby providing additional habitat for wildlife. In order for the Horsethief Creek parcel to be added to Wilmer Unit, the Wildlife Area Regulations (WAR) will have to be amended via posting in the Canada Gazette. However, prior to the amendment of the WAR, Protected Areas Operations staff have identified a critical need for the installation of fencing to delineate the property boundaries and support enforcement of the WAR by ECCC’s Wildlife Enforcement Directorate (WED). Fencing and boundary signage is necessary for successful enforcement. Due to close proximity to the village of Wilmer BC, and the nature of the site being mixed grassland and open forest, the local residents of Wilmer routinely are found to have unauthorized access to the property for recreation (e.g., ATVs, dirt bikes, mountain bikes, snowmobiling, removal of trees for firewood, walking off-leash pets, etc.). For this reason, the installation of fencing and application of the WAR is required as soon as possible for the benefit of the wildlife that use the property. The risk of a serious wildfire in the summer months is a liability that can be reduced by restriction of access. 2. Objective The objective is to engage the services of a contractor with the expertise and resources such as labour, supervision, equipment, tools and materials to install and complete fencing around the property boundary as described. Environment and Climate Change Canada will provide access to the site and relevant data. The Contractor must supply their own equipment and accessories as required to complete the work (e.g., machinery, tools, etc). 3. Tasks 3.1 The Contractor must install 1.75km of fencing around the three sides of the property as shown by the red solid lines in Figure 1 below. Google Streetview images of the property can be found in Figure 2 and 3. 3.2 The Contractor is responsible for working with the Technical Authority to determine the final locations of fencing installation. 3.3 The Contractor is responsible for the trimming of minor vegetation and branches to install fencing. Where large vegetation (e.g., trees) or wildlife residences (e.g., American badger dens) are within the project footprint, the fence line will be moved to avoid impacts to these habitats. The Technical Authority and the Contractor will walk the entire boundary prior to the installation of the fence to determine these areas. 4. Fencing Specification and Installation Instructions. 4.1 The Contractor must use tracked machinery for driving fence posts into the ground. o Tracked machinery results in far less ground/soil disturbance compared to wheeled equipment, thereby resulting in reduced impacts to substrates, ground vegetation, and therefore habitats and residences of species such as American badger that burrow in soils. 4.2 The Contractor must use machinery to drive fence posts into the ground instead of using digging machinery. o By driving the posts into the ground using machinery rather than digging holes, soil and vegetation will remain far less disturbed compared to holes being dug. In addition, the project footprint will be greatly reduced compared to if excavation were to occur. A compact excavator must be used (no more than 5800 kg, with rubber tracks and contact pressure of less than 5.00 psi (0.35 kgf/cm^2)) to drive corner and brace posts in a single pass, and to drive line posts during return pass. An ATV with wide tires will be used for all works that follow and must not exceed 500kg. 4.3 The Contractor must ensure the fence is installed 3m inset from the legal boundary, so that the fence can deviate from the boundary if necessary to avoid high-value wildlife habitats or residences. o For example, small shrubs, or limbs of trees may be slightly trimmed to accommodate the installation of the fencing, however where large trees or vegetation are along the proposed fence line, the fencing will be moved slightly to go around the tree to avoid tree removal. Any trimmed vegetation will be left on the ground nearby to provide ground cover, forage, refugia, moisture, and nutrient cycling. 4.4 Fencing must be approximately 42" in height once installed, with 24-36" of post underground. o The bottom row of smooth wire must be 18" from the ground. These dimensions allow smaller wildlife to crawl under the fence, and larger wildlife (e.g., ungulates) to jump over the fence 4.5 Fencing must consist of “Hanger or Spreader” posts every four meters, and buried posts every 20m, with five strands of wire stretched between. o The top and bottom rows of wire must be smooth wire, and the middle three wires must be barbed. o The lowest row of wire must be at least 12”off the ground to allow small wildlife to crawl under the fence. o The top row must be smooth wire, so that any wildlife jumping over the fence does not get snagged (and injured or stuck) by the wire. o The middle rows of barbed wire deter humans from slipping through the fencing by spreading the wires. Hanger/spreader posts are shorter posts that are not buried in the ground, but instead hang, or rest one end of the post on the ground. The purpose of spreader posts is to stop the wires from spreading apart. This has the benefit of helping to prevent humans from slipping through the fence, while also helping to hold tension in the wires, and helping to prevent wildlife entanglement in the wires. o Lastly, the use of hanger/spreader posts means that less traditional (buried) posts are needed to be pounded into the soil, thereby mitigating unnecessary ground disturbance and associated potential impacts to wildlife and their habitats. 4.6 Environment and Climate Change Canada will provide boundary signage that must be installed along fence posts and spread out such that signage is visible when approaching the fencing. 4.7 Prior and during the installation process, the fence line will be walked, and wildlife use and features will be observed and noted. o If listed species or habitat features of listed species are identified, fencing and fencing operations will remain clear of these locations, and/or installation within a reasonable buffer will cease until the species have left the site. 4.8 The Contractor must supply the following materials o Approximately 1.75km of fencing to be installed, hanger/spreader type fencing, all metals galvanized steel as per Section 4 o 5 rows of galvanized steel wire along entirety of fencing; top and bottom rows of wire are smooth; middle three rows are barbed, rows spaced evenly o Wiring stapled to posts, all necessary hardware securely fastened, made of galvanized steel o Buried wooden posts every 20m; buried posts are to be treated (for longevity) round posts, 7 feet long and at least 4-5” diameter to ensure fencing stability; posts may need to be greater diameter to ensure stability, but aim for a minimum of 4-5” diameter o Two galvanized steel cattle gates to be supplied/installed by Contractor, with each gate to be at least 3m wide to accommodate vehicles and machinery; gates must be lockable and durable for use. The installed gate height is to be the same as the fencing height. Gates are to be installed at the locations indicated in the following figure. 5. Deliverables 5.1 The Contractor must install fencing as described in 4. Fencing Specification and Installation Instructions along the locations indicated in Figure 1 above, within the contract period, with 50% of the fencing to be installed in contract year 1, and 50% installed in contract year 2. Vegetation removal or disturbances to vegetation or nests must not occur within the avian nesting window, which is typically from around mid-March to mid-September each year, as per: Nesting periods - Canada.ca. Any work that will not result in disturbances to vegetation or nests can occur at any time of the year. Prior and during the installation process, the fence line will be walked, and wildlife use and features will be observed and noted. If listed species or habitat features of listed species are identified, fencing and fencing operations will remain clear of these locations, and/or installation within a reasonable buffer will cease until the species have left the site. The Technical Authority will identify a mitigation strategy in communication with the contractor. The buffer size and association mitigation will depend on what features are found. 5.2 The Contractor must submit weekly updates on progress in addition to communicating with the Technical Authority as necessary so that any questions or concerns can be addressed in an appropriate and timely manner.