Nature Guide OF THE NECHAKO VALLEY VANDERHOOF COMMUNITY TRAILS District of Vanderhoof Resources: Conservation Officer • 250-567-6304 Report a Forest Fire • 1-800-663-5555 Department of Fisheries and Oceans • 250-561-5366 BC Fishing Regulations • http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/fw/fish/regulations/ Nechako White Sturgeon Recovery Initiative • www.nechakowhitesturgeon.org Bird Calls • www.birdjam.com References: BC White Sturgeon: Life History, Life Cycle and Population Decline. Student handout part C: Reasons for white sturgeon decline background reading for students. Fisheries and Oceans Canada. British Columbia: A natural history. Cannings and Cannings.1996. Butterflies of British Columbia. Acorn and Sheldon. 2006. Freshwater Fishes of Canada. Scott and Crossman. 1973. Life history characteristics of freshwater fishes occurring in British Columbia and the Yukon, with major empha- sis on stream habitat characteristics. M. Roberge, JMB Hume, CK Minns, and T Slaney. 2002. Can. Manuscr. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 2611: xiv + 248 p. Moose in British Columbia: Ecology, Conservation and Management. BC Ministry of Environment, Lands and Friends. 2000. Peterson Field Guides: Animals Tracks. Murie. 1974. Peterson Field Guides: Insects. Borror and White. 1970. Peterson Field Guides: Mammals. Burt and Grossenheider. 1976. Peterson Field Guides: Western Birds. Peterson. 1990. Peterson Field Guides: Western Reptiles and Amphibians. Stebbins. 1985. Plants and Medicines of Sophie Thomas. Young and Hawley. 2002. Plants of Northern British Columbia. Mackinnon, Polar and Coupé. 1999. Recovery of the Endangered Nechako River White Sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) Population. T. French, D. Cadden, and K. Zimmerman. Streamline Watershed Management Bulletin Vol.7/No.4 Winter 2003/04. Page 8. The BC Roadside Naturalist. Cannings and Cannings. 2002. The Breeding Ecology and Management of White Pelicans at Stum Lake, British Columbia. Dunbar. 1984. Fish and Wildlife Report No. R-6. The Ecology of the Sub-Boreal Spruce Zone. Ministry of Forests. 1998. The Incomparable Honeybee and Economics of Pollinations. Halter. 2009. The Sibley Guide to Bird Life & Behavior. Sibley. 2001. The Sibley Guide to Birds. Sibley. 2000. Trees in Canada. Farrar. 1995. Wikipedia sites (various). Photo Credits: Special thanks go to: AG • Annerose Georgeson Annerose Georgeson, Artist in Residence DM • Debra Montgomery College of New Caledonia DS • Daniel Stanyer Jon Aebischer, Sweet Nechako Honey EK • Ernest Keeley Olin Albertson, Wildlife Biologist, Avison (www.zoology.ubc.ca/~keeley/) Management Services JA • Jon Aebischer Ray Pillipow, Fisheries Biologist, Fish & MP • Mathieu Pilon Wildlife Branch Ministry of Natural MR • Michelle Roberge Resource Operations/Omineca NWSRI • Nechako White Sturgeon Recovery Wayne Salewski, Vanderhoof Fish and Game Initiative Club RN • Rod Nelson RW • Ryan Wagner Cover images top left: Rose hip (MR); top right: WM • WD McIntosh Land Surveying Ltd. Butterflies (AG); bottom left: Bear tracks (AG); WS • Wayne Salewski right: Child with rainbow trout (RN). Vanderhoof Contents Community Trails Nechako River Ecology of the Nechako River .....2 The Vanderhoof Community Trail Nechako White Sturgeon ............3 system is a network of walking trails Chinook and Sockeye salmon ......4 around and through the community. Rainbow and Bull trout ...............5 The trail network is an ever expanding Aquatic and Riparian Vegetation .6 project. New sections of the trail are Invertebrates ................................7 added each year, so be sure to contact Migratory Bird Sanctuary the Vanderhoof Visitor Centre, History and Significance ..............8 located at 2353 Burrard Avenue, for Songbirds ....................................9 up-to-date information. Trumpeter and Tundra Swans ......10 Canada Geese ..............................11 About this Guide American White Pelican ..............12 This guide is for the enjoyment of all Shorebirds ...................................13 residents and visitors to the Nechako Bats and Bat Boxes ......................14 Valley. This guide provides general Butterflies ....................................15 descriptions, interesting facts, and Woodlands key features of some of the common Ecology of Woodlands .................16 ecotypes, and animal, plant and Deciduous Trees ..........................17 invertebrate species that are found Understory Vegetation .................18 in the Nechako region, with specific Hybrid White Spruce ..................19 examples pertaining to those seen on Grouse .........................................20 the Vanderhoof Community Trails. Mammals ....................................21 The guide also provides suggestions for fun, nature friendly things to do and Wetlands see in the beautiful Nechako Valley. Ecology of Wetlands ....................22 Blackbirds and Cattails ................23 For more information on the topics Dragonflies ..................................24 covered in this guide, please contact Moose .........................................25 the Vanderhoof Visitor Centre. The Visitor Centre has available: directions Agricultural Lands and details about the Vanderhoof Agricultural Land Ecotype ...........26 Community Trails; area hiking trail Farmer’s Fields .............................27 maps; and more details about the Bees .............................................28 “Try This!” suggestions in this guide. Northern Harrier .........................29 1 Y IS! R Nechako River T TH View of the Nechako River from Riverside Park. (MR) About the Nechako River The Nechako River is a major tributary to the Fraser River, which is the largest river in BC. The DID YOU KNOW? Nechako River joins the Fraser River in Prince Stoney Creek and George, approximately 100 km east of Vanderhoof. Murray Creek are two The Nechako River is 290 km long and many large important tributaries to and small rivers flow into it, including the Stuart the Nechako River just River and the Nautley River. The Nechako River upstream of Riverside was dammed in 1952 and the majority of the flow is Park. Visible from the controlled at Skins Lake Spillway, 150 km upstream Observation Tower in Riverside Park, Stoney of Vanderhoof. Creek joins on the south The Nechako River is made up of a variety of river bank, and Murray Creek sections, including a canyon, rapids, wide slow on the north bank. flowing areas, islands and many side channels. Salmon and trout spawn in the lower reaches of The river is home to over twenty species of fish and these creeks, and the hundreds of invertebrate species and plants. Fishing young fish can spend is permitted in the Nechako River, however some up to two years living in special regulations apply. Ask at the Visitor Centre them before migrating. for more information about fishing in the river. 2 View of Murray Creek joining the Nechako. (WS) Fish spying! Walk along the shore or wade in the water to look for large Y schools of small fish. Young salmon, trout and minnows hide in the shallow, IS! R slow edges of the river where they are safe from big fish and fast water. These fish are fast, so move quietly along the river’s edge to watch these little fish swim T TH together in search of food and shelter. Nechako white sturgeon, roughly 5-10 years old. (NWSRI) View of the Nechako River from Riverside Park. (MR) Nechako White Sturgeon STURGEON FACTS Distinctive Markings: The Nechako River is home to a genetically distinct Bony plates (no scales) population of white sturgeon (unique from other in rows down its body. Broad, flattened head, sturgeon populations) that are currently listed as an tiny eyes and shark- endangered species in Canada. like tail. No teeth. Nechako white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) Size: Largest inhabit deep areas of the river, but can occasionally freshwater fish in North be seen from the bridge in Vanderhoof, or surfacing America—over two in the river. They spawn in wide fast flowing areas. meters in length. With a life span of over 100 years, sturgeon in the Habitat: Deep river pools, slower backwater, Nechako River reach up to 250 cm in length and below rapids, and weigh over 140 kg. large lakes (winter). The Nechako White Sturgeon Recovery Initiative Eats mostly salmon. was formed to lead the recovery efforts for this fish. Behaviour: Migrate for This group is committed to ensuring that sturgeon spawning in May-June. continue to live in the Nechako River for many Mature after 15 years of generations to come. Visit the Nechako White age and mate roughly Sturgeon Recovery Facility for more information. every 2–5 years. View of Murray Creek joining the Nechako. (WS) Fishing for Nechako white sturgeon is illegal! 3 Y IS! R Nechako River T TH Adult Chinook salmon. Adipose fin. Chinook and Sockeye Salmon Two species of Pacific salmon spawn in large DID YOU KNOW? numbers in the Nechako River—Chinook salmon Spawning salmon are (Oncorhynchus twshawytscha), and sockeye salmon a major food source (O. nerka). Both species spawn in the main channel for bears and other of the Nechako River and its tributaries during mammals and birds. September each year. The young salmon emerge After they spawn, from the gravel in the early spring, and stay in the these decaying fish river for a few months to a year before migrating release nutrients into to the Pacific Ocean. The adult salmon do the the water that are taken up by young fish return migration from one to four years later. The and invertebrates. As migration is approximately 1,500 river kilometers. well,