In the Crowsnest Pass area of southwestern Alberta, the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s (NCC’s) 106-hectare (260-acre) Lusicich property is a forested haven for wide-ranging carnivores, including the grizzly bear and the grey wolf. It also serves as a critical wildlife corridor.

Diversity leads to more diversity

Elevations in the Crowsnest Pass range from 1,113 metres at the Crowsnest River to 2,804 metres at the highest mountain peak. The region is characterized by a rapid ecological transition from prairie to alpine. The change in environmental conditions between those two landscapes, along with the influence of the Chinook winds, results in a rich diversity of flora and fauna. The vegetation is a mosaic of grasslands and deciduous and conifer woodlands that includes a wide variety of rare plant species.

Ecological significance

Many small mammals, birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians of ecological importance are found in this area. The Crowsnest Pass is a critical area for overwintering elk and deer and provides habitat for important wildlife species such as grizzly bear, grey wolf and cougar.

The Crowsnest Pass is an essential wildlife passage through a chain of north-south mountains and valleys in the Canadian Rockies. The Crowsnest Pass Transportation Corridor, which consists of a major highway and a major railway line, bisects the pass, posing a barrier to the north-south movement of wildlife, particularly wide-ranging carnivores. The Lusicich property provides a much needed corridor for wildlife, enabling north-south movement.