Broad Ecosystem Inventory Wildlife Habitat Ratings Interpretations for Birds

The Broad Ecosystem Inventory (BEI) Classification provides broad regional information about the distribution of ecosystems throughout the province and the value of these ecosystems to wildlife. This is done in order to facilitate the use of wildlife information in broad provincial and regional land and resource planning initiatives. Broad Ecosystem Units are mapped based on imagery of the provincial land base generally captured at a scale of 1:250,000. BEI mapping represents forest conditions from approximately 1995 to 2000. The BEI Classification was used to produce wildlife habitat capability and suitability mapping following Provincial Wildlife Habitat Ratings (WHR) Standards (Resource Inventory Committee 1999). Habitat classifications were based on BEI units. BEI units were evaluated and rated to determine the habitat potential (capability) and current habitat conditions (suitability) for selected dry forests and grassland birds within each seral stage within each Broad Ecosystem Unit (and related site modifier variation) within the framework of Ecosections and Biogeoclimatic Sub-zone/Variants for their ability to supply the species’ necessary life requisites. The data represented by the habitat capability and suitability maps for this project was obtained from a team consisting of a bird species expert, a habitat expert, and a data manager. A regional expert review was conducted in September 2002 involving Species at Risk Biologists, Habitat Biologists, and Wildlife Biologists from the Cariboo, Thompson, Okanagan Regions.