MWCS Supports Stone's Sheep Habitat Restoration

Prescribed Burns for Stone’s Sheep Habitat in Northern BC (2025)

British Columbia holds a globally important responsibility for Stone’s sheep. An estimated 90% of the world’s Stone’s sheep live in B.C., with over half of that population in northeastern B.C. 

Protecting these sheep means protecting the habitats that sustain them—especially their winter ranges, where forage quality and predator detection can make the difference between a stable population and a declining one.

In 2025, Mountain Wildlife Conservation Society is supporting a habitat-focused project that uses a natural, proven tool—fire—to help maintain and restore high-value Stone’s sheep range.

Project overview

Project: Stone’s Sheep Habitat Prescribed Burns in Northern BC (2025) Proponent: Ridgeline Wildlife Enhancement

Project Lead: Alicia Woods, MSc., RPBio., PAg. (Senior Wildlife Biologist) 

Why prescribed fire matters for Stone’s sheep

Across parts of the Stone’s sheep range, habitat management activities haven’t occurred for decades—in some cases, upwards of 40 years.

This is a challenge because Stone’s sheep habitat is naturally shaped by disturbance. Fire helps maintain the open vegetation communities sheep rely on by:

• Inhibiting tree growth and establishment

• Increasing soil nutrients

• Improving forage quality and quantity

When fire is absent for too long, forage quality declines, and shrubs encroach, which can reduce herbaceous growth and even decrease the ability of sheep to detect predators—potentially concentrating animals into the remaining pockets of suitable habitat.

Research and field experience in the region also point to the importance of maintaining appropriate burn frequency. In many Stone’s sheep systems, the recommended interval is every 5 to 10 years—yet some ranges have gone far longer without treatment.

Why this work is urgent in the area

Prescribed burns in Stone’s sheep habitat have not been conducted in the southern-most Stone’s sheep population in northeast B.C. for over 30 years. The purpose of this project is to conduct prescribed burns in Stone’s sheep winter range habitat —helping restore and maintain the kind of open, productive range that supports sheep through the hardest season.

What the project will do

This project is designed to be operationally sound, safety-focused, and aligned with approved burn prescriptions. Core activities include:

• Pre-burn site reconnaissance to confirm site conditions …

• Black lining around the burn perimeter to support containment during ignition …

• Full-block prescribed burning carried out according to the approved burn prescription Post-burn monitoring to ensure the fire is fully extinguished …

• Ongoing coordination with BC Wildfire Service before, during, and after operations …

Budget and leverage

This is a strong example of conservation dollars being leveraged through partnership.

• MWCS proposal amount: $10,000 

• Partner money approved: $12,000 

• Total project budget: $22,000 

MWCS funds are directed primarily toward equipment rental, which is a key cost driver for completing prescribed burns safely and effectively in remote, rugged sheep country.

Looking ahead

Prescribed fire isn’t about changing the landscape—it’s about restoring the natural processes that built it. By reintroducing fire in a controlled and carefully planned way, this project will help maintain open winter range, improve forage conditions, and support long-term habitat sustainability for Stone’s sheep.

Mountain Wildlife Conservation Society is proud to support projects like this—practical, science-informed habitat work that helps keep wild sheep and wild places thriving in British Columbia.