The Fernie Rod and Gun Club‟s Wigwam Flats Wildlife Habitat Enhancement Project was a huge success as seventy volunteers showed up to work on this “Class I” winter range feeding area. Along with members from the FRGC, there were representatives from the Sparwood and Elkford Wildlife Associations, the East Kootenay Wildlife Association and Big Game Clubs, the Forestry Service, Nature Trust, the Ecosystem Restoration Group and Ministry of Environment.

The volunteers showed up bright and early to get a jump on all the work that had to be done. After some briefing on safety, area work boundaries and some chainsaw review the group headed out to get the job done. The volunteers managed to slash/thin approximately 50+ hectares of land throughout the day. The Club provided all the equipment, refreshments, snacks, lunch and a BBQ at the end of the day for all the volunteers.

“It was great to see so many people come out to get the job done,” explains Kevin Marasco, FRGC President. “People gave it their „ALL‟ as there was no heavy machinery allowed on the site so we did everything by hand. It was a large area to cover with just chainsaws, brush cutters and axes!!”

The Fernie Rod and Gun Club has been actively involved in this area for the past 35 years. They have completed many different types of projects (burning, thinning, slashing, etc ) in the Mt. Broadwood /Rocky Ridge area to help improve Wildlife Habitat and will continue to do so in the years to come. Conservation has been and always will be a priority of the Club. The Club will be working along with the Forestry Service to complete this project during the next two weeks. Once this project is completely wrapped up the Club will be focusing on the up and coming 3-D Archery shoots and Youth Programs starting in May and June.

Kevin Marasco
FRGC President