Moose populations are affected by the condition of the land and the capacity of moose habitat to provide adequate food and shelter. For the purposes of RSEA moose assessment, it was assumed that better habitats are better for moose populations. The main factors believed to influence habitat effectiveness are the amount of mature and old forests for winter shelter, having adequate forage near winter shelter and security cover, and distance from human disturbances such as roads.

RSEA developed a moose risk rating that combines population trends with information on land-based disturbance. This risk rating, therefore, captures a broader view of the condition of moose and their habitats for the northeast (NE) than just looking at habitat alone. The rating assigns several flags to each Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) depending on the population trend (decreasing, stable, increasing) and the condition of key habitat indicators such as road density, area of effective seasonal shelter and forage habitat. The more moose population flags, the higher the overall risk rating (Low, Moderate or High Risk).

A habitat effectiveness assessment, focused on four factors (outlined below), informed the overall moose risk rating results.

Winter Shelter

Winter shelter habitat suitability is estimated from Biogeoclimatic Zone (BEC) unit, leading tree species, structure (age), and stand composition (i.e., coniferous was rated higher than mixed stands which was rated higher than broadleaf leading stands).

To receive the highest rating, stands need to be mature or old forests with mixed to coniferous crown cover.

Winter Forage

Winter forage habitat suitability for moose is based on BEC unit, ecosystem type (e.g., wetland, forest, riparian, meadow, cultivated fields, etc.), structural stage (e.g., shrub vs. dense young forest), and stand composition (i.e., deciduous is rated highest). Winter forage habitat is further stratified into: (a) static habitat that does not progress through significant seral succession and includes wetlands, riparian areas, self-sustaining deciduous forests and floodplains; and (b) dynamic habitat that is created by disturbances such as fire or forest harvesting which put forested sites back to an earlier, shrubby successional stage that lasts for a relatively short period of time at a specific location.

To be considered effective, winter forage habitat must be located outside disturbance buffers and close to suitable winter shelter.

Core Effective Areas for Winter Shelter and Forage

Areas where winter shelter and forage are in proximity to each other are considered of higher value to moose compared to large areas of just shelter or just food. This indicator measures moose winter range potential containing effective shelter AND static and dynamic forage within a 10km2 search area. (Figure 1)

Data Contact Information:

Angela White, Section Head, Resource Stewardship Operations, Northeast Region. Email: Angela.White@gov.bc.ca or Jennifer Brooks, NE Geospatial Services Team Lead. Email: Jennifer.Brooks@gov.bc.ca