110279

In the past, crabapples were an important source of food for humans, bears, and other animals. Wuikinuxv Elders have recollections of tree management by fertilizing, pruning, and transplanting crabapples. However, colonial displacement and disease took these management practices away. Crabapple trees in Wuikinuxv territory are no longer producing an abundant amount of crabpple fruits. This could be due to encroaching bushes, epiphytes such as lichens and moss, or lack of management by people. The goals of this project are to increase the productivity of crabapple fruits through re-management, to provide bears with more food in the form of crabapple fruit and entice them away from the village, and to reconnect the community with harvesting and managing crabapple trees. The objectives of this project are to: 1) Survey existing orchard sites throughout Wuikinuxv territories (including all parks and conservancies). 2) Increase crabapple production at sites with existing crabapple trees. (Kilbella Estuary Conservancy and sites along the Wannock River). 3) Transplant and propagate more trees to old village sites (to be done on reserve). 4) Monitor the survival/production of transplanted and re-managed trees (Kilbella Estuary Conservancy and sites along the Wannock River). 5) Monitor the bear consumption of crabapples at transplantation and re-management sites (Kilbella Estuary Conservancy and sites along the Wannock River). 6) Engage and encourage community participation. The methods we will use to achieve these objectives are as follows: To accomplish Objective 1 we will survey Wuikinuxv territories by boat (with a focus on visiting historical habitation sites), and record all crabapple trees that exist in groups of four or more and that are easily accessible for future harvesting. To accomplish Objective 2 we will apply four treatments to crabapple trees: clear encroaching brush, prune, remove epiphytes, and fertilize. We will start with four sites: two at Kildala (Kilbella Estuary Conservancy) and two along the Waanukv River (near the rapids and west of Bead Island) and will add more sites yearly (as appropriate). To accomplish Objective 3 we will propagate new, young trees from branches collected off of older trees. We will root the branches in peat moss and rooting hormone before transplanting them to new sites. To accomplish Objective 4 we will collect ecological data on the trees before treatments and once a year post-treatment. Ecological data will include variables such as: tree height, trunk diameter, tree/shrub form, dead branches, amount of epiphytes, amount of fruit, and soil moisture. To accomplish Objective 5 we will deploy camera traps at sites during the fall crabapple fruiting season and survey bear scat for evidence of crabapple consumption. To accomplish Objective 6 we will engage with the Stewardship Committee yearly and organize school visits to project sites.