Successful and unsuccessful attempts to resolve caribou management and timber harvesting issues in west central Alberta

Abstract

Research studies of woodland caribou in west central Alberta began in 1979 in response to proposed timber harvesting on their winter ranges. Using results from initial studies, timber harvest guidelines were developed. A recent review of these guidelines, and the assumptions on which they were based, has resulted in a renegotiation by government and industry of timber harvesting on caribou range in west central Alberta. Caribou range in west central Alberta overlaps many jurisdictional boundaries: federal and provincial lands, four Forest Management Agreement Areas, three Alberta Land and Forest Service Regions and two Alberta Fish and Wildlife Service Regions. This jurisdictional complexity in combination with other factors such as total allocation of the timber resources, high levels of petroleum, natural gas and coal extraction activities, a high level of concern by public groups for caribou conservation and recent understanding of woodland caribou needs for abundant space has made resolution of caribou/timber harvest conflicts exceedingly slow and often relatively unproductive. This paper reviews 10 years of trying to resolve conflicts between timber harvesting and caribou conservation through meetings, committees, integrated resource planning, policy papers and public consultation. We describe what might be learned by other jurisdictions that are trying to resolve similar caribou/timber harvesting issues. We conclude with an overview of recent timber harvest planning initiatives on caribou range in west central Alberta.

Forest management guidelines for forest-dwelling caribou in Québec

“…Forest-dwelling caribou generally exhibit fidelity to sites used on a seasonal basis (Schaefer et al 2000, Courtois 2003. Cuts in small blocks (< 60 ha; two-to three-pass system with sites logged once regeneration has reached 2-3 m) or with retention of small forest islands are not suitable for forest-dwelling caribou (Cumming and Beange 1993, Hervieux et al 1996, Stuart-Smith et al1997. These practices do not favour regeneration of the original composition of the forest, but instead promote regrowth of deciduous species, which contributes to increases in moose and wolves, hence to an increase in caribou predation (Bergerud 1974, Stuart-Smith et al 1997, Rettie and Messier 1998, Seip 1998, Courtois 2003.…”

Winter Habitat Use by Wolves, <em>Canis lupus</em>, in Relation to Forest Harvesting in West-central Alberta

“…Energy sector activities (oil and gas exploration and development) are also altering these landscapes, resulting in cumulative land use impacts (Hervieux et al 1996). For decisions concerning long term wildlife conservation, resource managers and land-use planners require new information about how Wolves use habitat in logged forests and under changing landscape conditions.…”

Biodiversity Conservation in Canada: From Theory to Practice

“…The ensuing period was characterized by relative stasis (except for caribou, which continued to decline). Every few years a new strategy or set of management guidelines would be released, but meaningful on-the-ground protection of caribou was not forthcoming (Hervieux et al 1996). The only area of substantive progress was in research.…”