Detours around the town are equally unsafe or require extreme energy expenditure. At Field, the valley bottom is only 1km wide and the sides of the valley are steep. Like people, most animals find it easier to move through the valley rather than on the steep mountain slopes. To pass by the village, wildlife travels along a narrow strip of terrain on a low north facing slope of Mount Dennis and Mount Stephen. This brings them close to the Community, particularly at the west end.
Tracking indicates that animals avoid the trailer court.
This forces them on to steep terrain immediately behind the trailer court. Free movement through this area is already difficult for wildlife. If the community grows and the TCH is upgraded without mitigative measures, the situation for wildlife around the town will worsen. In the long term, without mitigation, this development could affect the population health of vulnerable species like the grizzly bear. Removal of the trailer court and recreation centre will help safeguard wildlife populations by eliminating barriers to free movement.