Evaluation of Park Opening on Wildlife Abundance and Distribution

Widgeon Marsh Regional Park comprises of 621 hectares of wetland and forest ecosystems. It is part of the largest freshwater marsh in southwest BC and protects some of the most sensitive lands in the regional parks system. The park is currently closed to public access but it is slated to open in the near future. This study is designed to gather information on current wildlife species diversity, abundance, and movement patterns for several years before and after the park is opened. 21 cameras are installed in clusters to examine wildlife usage of roads, upland, and lowland game trails. The objective is to evaluate how allowing public access into a previously closed protected area impacts wildlife diversity, abundance and spatial and temporal usage of the habitats.

Project Leads: Brian Titaro

Affiliations: Metro Vancouver Regional Parks

Project Collaborators: Markus Merkens ; Brian Titaro

Focal Species: All