We’re pleased to share an update on the Pennask (penasq’t) Access Management Project—one of the most ambitious and collaborative habitat restoration efforts we’ve undertaken to date.

Projects like this don’t happen without strong community support. From the early planning stages to where we are today, member contributions—time, donations, and belief in our mission—have been instrumental.Your support has helped us build momentum, secure major grants, and demonstrate that grassroots leadership can deliver real outcomes for wildlife.

This project began 4.5 years ago with a single conversation between our team and Region 8 biologists: Where is habitat restoration most urgently needed in this Region? That question launched hundreds of volunteer hours, early mapping and data work, and broad engagement with stakeholders and First Nations.  We eagerly welcomed collaboration with Okanagan Nation Alliance that has developed into a meaningful relationship with shared values for habitat restoration.

Thanks to the financial support of our sponsors and members, including significant financial contributions from Continental Equipment Ltd., Abbotsford Fish & Game Club, and a seed grant from the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation, we laid the foundation for success. In 2024, the project secured a $500,000 grant from the Government of Canada’s 2 Billion Trees program, positioning it as a flagship effort in targeted road rehabilitation and habitat recovery.

To date, we’ve reviewed more than 1,400 km of roads to identify priority areas within 3 of our 9 maps where strategic rehabilitation can reconnect fragmented habitat, improve riparian buffers, and reduce predator access. Our first field assessments are complete, and we’re preparing to plant 50,000 trees in 2026, with another 50,000 to follow in 2027.

This is more than a one-off project. With all we’ve learned in the past 4.5 years, we believe we now have a proven recipe for initiating and supporting more of these restoration projects across the province—and we hope the energy behind this work becomes contagious.

Do you know of a region where wildlife habitat could benefit from targeted road rehabilitation? Whether it’s improving a migration corridor, restoring a riparian zone, or reconnecting critical habitat—we’d love to hear from members with local knowledge and passion for wildlife.

Thank you to everyone who believes in this work. Together, we’re proving that when communities come together for wildlife, meaningful change is possible. 

Originally posted here: https://huntersforbc.ca/conservation/pennask-project-update/