April 2006 • Vol.14, No.2

AWA

Panther River valley, March 2006 – (S. Bray)

THE QUIET URBANIZATION OF THE BACKCOUNTRY / 4

ALBERTA ENERGY HIJACKS RUMSEY AGAIN / 14

WILLMORE’S FIRE PLAN PROMISING / 17

SWIFT FOX BREEDING PROGRAM IN PERIL / 25

Editorial Board: Shirley Bray, Ph.D. C AprilONTENTS 2006 • VOL.14, NO. 2 Andy Marshall Joyce Hildebrand OUT FRONT Printing by: 4 THE QUIET URBANIZATION OF THE 23 FINDING WAYS TO LIVE WITH Colour printing and process is BACKCOUNTRY: PART 3 WOLVES IN CATTLE COUNTRY sponsored by Topline Printing

10 SOLVING THE PROBLEM OF 25 SWIFT FOX BREEDING PROGRAM AGRICULTURAL SUBSIDIES IN PERIL

28 LAND SWAPPING MAY HELP SAVE ALBERTA WILDERNESS WATCH VALUABLE BOREAL FORESTS Graphic Design: 14 BULLY TACTICS AND CARELESS PROFILE Ball Creative PROMISES: ALBERTA ENERGY HIJACKS RUMSEY AGAIN 29 ARTIST: IAN SHELDON Wild Lands Advocate is 17 WILLMORE’S FIRE PLAN published bimonthly, 6 times PROMISING BUT NEEDS MASTER LETTERS TO THE EDITOR a year, by Alberta Wilderness MANAGEMENT PLAN AS Association. The opinions FOUNDATION 30 ANDY RUSSELL WILDLAND PARK expressed by the authors 19 RADIO PROGRAM FEATURES in this publication are not ANDY RUSSELL EVENTS necessarily those of AWA. The editors reserve the right 20 GRIZZLY HUNT SUSPENSION FIRST to edit, reject or withdraw STEP TOWARD RECOVERY 31 SUMMER HIKES PROGRAM articles and letters submitted. 21 REQUEST TO REVOKE CARIBOU 31 PEKISKO RANGELAND BUS TOUR MOUNTAINS PARK STATUS 32 ALBERTA WILDERNESS Please direct questions DISGRACEFUL BACKPACKING TRIPS and comments to: 22 QUESTIONS CONTINUE TO Shirley Bray SURROUND LITTLE SMOKY Phone: (403) 270-2736 WOLF KILL Fax: (403) 270-2743 [email protected]

© Ian Sheldon

Box 6398, Station D, Calgary, Alberta T2P 2E1 Ph: (403) 283-2025 Toll-free 1-866-313-0713 www.albertawilderness.ca AWA respects the privacy of members. Lists are not sold or traded in any manner. AWA is a federally registered charity and functions through member and donor support. Tax-deductible donations may be made to AWA at Box 6398 Station e-mail: [email protected] D, Calgary, AB T2P 2E1. Ph:(403)283-2025 Fax:(403) 270-2743 E-mail: [email protected] www.albertawilderness.ca SUPPORT ALBERTA WHAT WERE WILDERNESS THEY THINKING? BECOME A LIFETIME AWA MEMBER

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SUPPORTER Although AWA and many others don’t think Trident Exploration should be drilling for coalbed methane in the Rumsey Natural Area at all, the company WILDERNESS CIRCLE $2500+ has been pretty conscientious about minimizing their impact so far. So what PHILANTHROPIST $1000 was Trident thinking when they outlined a plan to camouflage their well sites SUSTAINER $500 in Rumsey with life-sized photos of rocks and vegetation around them? They ASSOCIATE $100 are also experimenting, says spokesperson Glynn Davis, with Styrofoam SUPPORTER $50 mockups of rock outcroppings that could be placed over the top of well heads. OTHER $

“If you were walking along an adjacent hill and you looked over, all WILDERNESS PARTNERS you would see is a strand of S. Bray Donate on a monthly basis through direct debit cottonwoods, a rock outcrop or credit card payment. or something that would be I would like to donate $______monthly. compatible to the area,” Davis Here is my credit card number OR my voided told the Red Deer Advocate. cheque for bank withdrawal. Monthly donations Compatible? One of our are processed on the 1st of the month. members said (sarcastically) (minimum of $5 month) she is thinking of phoning Davis and offering him some WILDERNESS LEGACY CIRCLE leftover Styrofoam in her Make lasting planned gifts by designating your shed. She can’t get rid of it for bequest directly to AWA or AWA’s Wilderness environmental reasons. They and Wildlife Trust Fund managed by the just don’t get it, she says. The real Rumsey. Calgary Foundation. Please call for details. Why is the company even thinking of littering our protected areas with polluting fake scenery? Why would we want the Disney-fication of our precious wild spaces? The last I PAYMENT INFORMATION heard, Trident was thinking of merely painting well heads for camouflage, although the seasonality of colours was an issue. If the government lets this go CHEQUE VISA M/C ahead, we’ll know that some sort of collective madness has taken over. Someone should also let Trident know that cottonwoods don’t grow in AMOUNT $ Rumsey and that the area is overlain with a thick layer of glacial till, so there are no outcroppings of bedrock. Maybe they are trying to increase biodiversity CARD # by adding species. I don’t know whether to be surprised or disappointed that they didn’t think of adding plastic bison. EXPIRY DATE: Contrasting with Trident’s misguided attempt at window dressing is a new high-speed internet service installation by Pat Dwyer that now sits atop a NAME: ridge at the southern end of the Livingstone Range. Described by one of our members as R2D2’s ugly father, the strange looking device sits askew, with ADDRESS: its propane tank, at the end of a newly blazed access road. I hope Alberta’s tourism people are taking note. CITY/PROV:

Shirley Bray POSTAL CODE: WLA Editor PHONE: D. McIntyre

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Send payments to: Tourist hot spot? P.O. Box 6398, Station D Calgary, AB T2P 2E1 or donate online @ www.albertawilderness.ca 1-866-313-0713

None of those people who fought Ironically, the establishment of Ironically,

the FLUZ and agreed with a request by Forestry to trade their lease on the north side for one on the south side at the site of PRA, where they eventually They built a lodge and some cabins. subsequently sold the lease and it has been resold several times. for the FLUZ wants to repeat that struggle, but neither are they willing So they are to give up their victory. starting to raise questions about on further development in the valley, is not PRA either side of the river. the first to expand its lease, but it is worry of those who fought hard for the worry of those who thinking that has FLUZ is that the same on the south side allowed development development on will allow increasing the north side. side in 1985 the FLUZ on the north development of may have led to the Amos at PRA. the current lease site and Heather Neufeld had a 10-acre lease on the north side of the river, where the Dormer River runs into the that allowed them 10 cabins, Panther, They although they built only one. for were deeply involved in the fight OF

3 ART : P RBANIZATION U UIET ACKCOUNTRY A: Panther River; B: Sheep Cliffs; C: Panther River Adventures; A: Panther River; B: Sheep Cliffs; C: Panther River Q erosion from the river. from erosion B HE D: Area of Proposed Expansion; E: Old Reclaimed Road; F: Panther Road Expansion; of Proposed Area D: But the increasing urbanization THE Pharis Bray and Vivian By Shirley T

The southern bank of the Panther River The southern bank of the Panther River

in the area has left an indelible mark in in the area has left an indelible mark memories. people’s on the south side, with base camps tourism resorts turning into four-season and now pursuing industrial clients as well, does seem accidental, the result of expediency and lack of long-term The greatest planning or foresight. restore a more natural order to what had what to order natural more a restore become a state of increasing anarchy north side in the Panther Forest Land north side in the Panther As is no accident. Use Zone (FLUZ) of this series, the described in Part 2 use and fight to eliminate motorized side. The wildness preserved on the The side. adjacent to the proposed expansion shows expansion adjacent to the proposed S. Bray S. The river cuts through this valley The road used to follow the river There are four miscellaneous Both the current lease and Walking through the slushy snow through the slushy Walking between the increasingly urbanized southern side and the still wild northern propose to reuse part of the reclaimed road to access the site, and permanent foundations are planned. upslope and the old road was reclaimed. Now that lesson seems to have been plans the current expansion forgotten; closely before this curve until it was washed out. It was repositioned further north side where bighorn sheep come for the natural mineral lick. down the valley and then makes a tight curve around a corner between the on the wooded south bank and the cliff along the road, at least three lying on along the road, at least three lying on the floodplain between the road and Adventures is Panther River the river. positioned on a furthest up the valley, sweeps river the where peninsula of sort in the valley these days. lease sites for commercial recreation gravel road to access their well sites along the south side of the valley: there is a fair amount of oil and gas activity a trail running west from the Forestry a trail running west from the Forestry Valley. Road up the Panther Trunk Shell later improved it to a good quality the river and the decades-old Panther the river and the decades-old Panther Road, which started as little more than the west on just over 7.5 acres. the proposed expansion lie on the floodplain along the south side of the thin strip of land runs between A river. proposal to expand his current lease to proposal to expand his current lease to about where and what we build in this about where and what It is one of the concerns that valley. brought people out to two open houses Adventures hosted by Panther River Safron to view his Terry (PRA) owner vigorous erosion of the southern bank. vigorous erosion of a reminder that we must be cautious It’s along the Panther River on a warm along the Panther River lasting we can see the spring day, great flood in the last year’s of effects

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O F 4 OUT FRONT WLA April 2006 • Vol.14,No.2 5

One person who wanted Besides unanswered questions, Besides unanswered of Safron was When an employee clarification on the phases of the clarification being slanderous after asking about the digging up of the meadow across the road (see Part 1). Safron has told people that if they did not see who the driver of the caterpillar was who did the damage, they cannot blame him. requiring Safron Forestry is However, to repair the damaged meadow. “followers” liked to cause trouble. project from Safron was told she was Another was told he was being rude. ground because frost heaves can break can frost heaves because ground lines glycol yet underground the lines, providing the property, crisscross Glycol existing facilities. heating to are although the lines is toxic, and is inevitable in sand, leakage buffered to detect. difficult and may be other glitches at there were only a few When a community the open houses. why only one member asked Cove and that on open house was scheduled, that Safron he was told a working day, and people would wanted it that way it. People had just have to work around open house on to lobby to get a second a Saturday. asked who he was and why he was taking pictures of guests, he told people it was none of their business. In a Safron was reported Sundre newspaper, to saying nasty things about opponents his proposal, and claimed they and their lick for bighorn sheep across the river on the north shore. the river on the north shore. lick for bighorn sheep across placed to protect the bank from erosion, a gazebo, and the natural mineral erosion, the bank from placed to protect The western shoreline along the Panther River Adventures lease shows rocks Adventures along the Panther River The western shoreline Fuel tanks sit askew on home- For example, Safron wants to For example, Safron Other than riparian specialists specialists than riparian Other

put in another septic field, yet no yet field, put in another septic Another fuel tank sits beneath the eaves of a tack shed without any containment application says ATRL The system. electrical cables are placed above tubs, laced with chemicals unsuitable for disposal in rivers or septic systems, stream flows beside A be disposed of? a corral but no one knows if manure is seeping into it. made frames in plastic catch basins yard light is A beneath conifer trees. wood/coal A nailed to one of the trees. meters away. boiler sits a mere five that the water table was a mere three feet below surface where the pipes were laid. How will water from hot should be available to the public available to the public should be nothing it does prior to consultation; when confidence to generate public developments obviously questionable place on this site have already taken are not seen to be and forestry officials Why is it up to the public to concerned. point these things out? of the soil and one knows the depth has been done. no percolation test feet require five Provincial standards infiltration between the point of effluent and the water table, yet when the first septic field was put in, we were told from Edmonton, it is uncertain who who it is uncertain Edmonton, from the site in to evaluate will be called their or how thorough environmentally This information will be. investigation S. Bray S. Of great concern is that Safron The two open houses at PRA were The two open houses at PRA Forestry officials Tracey Cove and Tracey Forestry officials on the north side of the Panther River. the Panther River. on the north side of

begin along this river that was never envisioned. He plans to build a large shop on his current lease: some speculate that this will service his oilfield business. No one seems to know what the final plan will really be. wants to cater to industrial clients, not just tourists, and that means that type of industry may a different applies to everyone, and discretion in decision-making is rampant. There is no long-term planning or management plan for the area either. Neither is there any set of rules that Cove said there is no government policy dictating what sort of tourism development is allowed in this area. Norman Hawkes, obviously reluctant Norman Hawkes, obviously reluctant to say anything about the proposal, directed questions to Safron, who often appeared to have no answers either. buildings required, or even a legible site plan drawn to scale. evidence for claims they make about the site, the business, or the need for the project, nor are proper drawings for sites and about the lack of clarity and sites and about the lack of clarity and Applicants are detail in the application. not required to provide any substantive through the existing lease, which has through the existing lease, which has process. ATRL never gone through the Many guests had concerns with both allowed to walk not only through the allowed to walk not only through the area of the proposed expansion covered Recreational Tourism Alberta in the application, but also Leasing (ATRL) well-attended but left people with more well-attended but left people with more The public was questions than answers. Open House at Panther River Open House at Panther established backcountry rules in the backcountry rules established FLUZ. the first to propose such a high level a high level such to propose the first with most notably of development, to push foundations, and permanent Bighorn sheep on the natural mineral lick Bighorn sheep on the J. Nyland J.

noted At the time the ES were sparsely Land Use and Resource The 1974 Land Use and Resource The report identified three major The report identified A 1973 Red Deer Regional 1973 Red A uses: wildland recreation, tourism and urbanization, and primary resource development. Regardless of the recreation, tourism or urbanization project, the report recommended that the scenic values of the ES be undiminished or enhanced. possible human uses, they all supported possible human uses, they all supported retaining the essential qualities of the ES, including protection of wildlife, certain wilderness areas, treasured to scenic outlooks, and the opportunity escape from urban settings. considered during the hearings, the hearings, during considered government the federal since especially outside decentralize services wanted to parks. the national says, Commission report Planning considerable potential “Although and forest energy exists for water, it is likely that resource development, lies within the the greatest potential In a hypothetical realm of recreation.” a dam on land plan, they proposed supply power for the Panther River to the 1976 Coal coal mining. However, Panther from coal Policy excluded the did not The Commission development. the dam and their see a clash between as preservation zoning of river valleys areas – prime winter range where only essential facilities should be allowed. Development in the Eastern Slopes: Report and Recommendations that although proposals concerned and a power pole in the distance indicates Panther Road. The map in the ATRL proposal ATRL in the The map Urbanization in the Eastern Safron has already complained The area of the proposed expansion showing the reclaimed road, the river (left) road, expansion showing the reclaimed of the proposed The area

shows a 20m buffer along the river along the buffer shows a 20m shoreline next to the PRA lease would lease would to the PRA next shoreline really no one but sadly, be maintained, believed her. about AWA representatives “sneaking AWA about the ES for decades, recreation and tourism began to be more formally Urbanizing the Eastern Slopes Slopes (ES) was a concern and was given serious thought during the 1973 hearings that led to the 1977 While outdoor recreation and policy. had been using commercial outfitters around” his place, even though they simply exercised their shoreline access rights. He said such activity might scare people, especially single women, who might be sleeping in nearby He cabins, apparently during the day. told us that he can help protect the across the bighorn sheep on the cliffs river simply by closing his gates. Did about shoreline access? he forget side of the proposed expansion, but proposed expansion, side of the People the existing lease. none around existing lease walking around the zone will walk within the 20m buffer trailer (and the by or into a house outlet for sewage pipe and electrical rusting old propane it), a gazebo, and a to stay at sign warns people A tank. bank which least 15 feet from the feeling of The has eroded unevenly. property is walking on someone’s existing structures unavoidable because river. are so close to the S. Bray S. Continued access to the shoreline The most important thing, says The issue of buffers along the The issue of buffers Cove says the reduced buffer at Cove says the reduced buffer Adventures lease close to a corral. lease Adventures

A stream runs through the Panther River runs through stream A Cove, is not the size of the buffer but Cove, is not the size of the buffer from the top of the bank. Cove assured us that access along the Panther River to access the beds and shores of rivers up to the “ordinary” high water mark. They also have a right to access buffers contamination. was of great concern to those at the Albertans have the right open house. facilities is lost, then they might have to be removed if there is a risk of water survey has apparently been done, but erosion of there has been significant the shore. Cove says if an appreciable amount of land that could affect PRA was due to recommendations sent PRA to Edmonton prior to Calgary taking legal A over administration of this area. contamination could be avoided. are entering the river either from seepage. or underground surface runoff a development like this on a With floodplain, with thin soil underlain by water hard to see how river rock, it’s whether any deleterious substances but this has been reduced to 30m in the but this has been reduced to 30m in the standard operating conditions. use 30m, although many do not allow development on floodplains as hazard lands. that are classified Riding Policy Trail The Commercial for base camps, specifies a 150m buffer 60m for forestry and 100m for oil and gas. Municipalities generally Panther River remains an enigma. Panther River remains is 20m from the top of the The buffer bank for buildings, 30m for latrines, This is and 50m for fuel storage. for other users, smaller than buffers Aire Lodge on including Mountain is The buffer the Red Deer River. Buffers and Shoreline Access Buffers and Shoreline S. Bray S.

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O F 6 OUT FRONT WLA April 2006 • Vol.14,No.2 7 The revised policy wanted to In 1984 the government One tourism and marketing goal The study said that outfitters The study said that outfitters Another Travel Alberta study Travel Another uses of the ES, the 1984 version raised from recreation and tourism benefits private and public sections to an almost equal level with watersheds. Even for its viewed wildlife was now largely ability to provide “recreation benefits Albertans followed by economic to benefits gained from various uses of wildlife through tourism.” more development to service visitors more development to service visitors in the fringe area and the communities to the east. Up the Panther Road, camping was to remain the main form of accommodation and other facility developments to be provided were trail systems, base camps for outfitting or operations, and interpretation centres displays. would be more profitable if they were located in a community with services for both residents and guests so that guests could have a good start and a good finish before they went home. Because of the seasonal nature of outfitting, the report suggested four-season diversifying to offer activities to make it more viable. revised the ES policy without public consultation to allow more tourism While and industry in the region. the 1977 version made watershed management the highest priority and relegated tourism to one of the many “market survey of existing backcountry backcountry of existing survey “market other lodges and guest ranches lodges, land use conflicts significant indicates for future problems and the potential of some the viability affect that may As well, legislation present operations.” wilderness developed without had been development in backcountry lodge mind. Alberta in central in 1981 on tourism in oil and gas and found that workers in temporary forestry tended to live area or commute camps set up in the where from bordering communities was used. commercial accommodation Aire Lodge, at the junction Mountain Road and the Red Trunk of the Forestry was built in 1960 by Shell Deer River, to accommodate workers in the area. was “to maintain the integrity of the west country” by limiting development to designated nodes and encouraging

Tourism Tourism Analysis of Backcountry concluded that substantial Recreation and tourism trends However, it pointed out that a it pointed out However, A 1981 A Prime Protection zones and relatively near a resource road but not proximate to any industrial activity. Alberta markets existed for properly developed backcountry lodges in the foothills and mountains and that they should a range of operate year round and offer activities for best economic potential. The analysis noted that the 1977 ES policy generally accommodated recreational activities in multiple use zones and thought this would detract from the wilderness aspect necessary for backcountry lodges and shelters. It recommended placing lodges near to wilderness experiences was expected wilderness experiences was expected to increase, and less intensive activities photography, such as natural history, trail riding and wilderness camping At the would become more popular. segment of the same time, a large population was expected to continue to demand urban amenities in a non- of urban setting, thus increasing the use Tent resorts, motor homes, and trailers. camping was expected to decrease. Lodge and Shelter Opportunities in primitive facilities available, such as trails and shelters, and “wilderness” as land that exists in its natural state. described in the 1978 Development in the Eastern Slopes indicated that the demand for bank slopes up towards Panther Road. bank slopes up towards Part of the proposed expansion. Many of these trees would have to be cleared Many of these trees expansion. Part of the proposed The 1976 Land Use Forum noted The 1974 report concluded that to make room for proposed buildings and camp sites. To the right an old river the right an old To buildings and camp sites. for proposed to make room

“backcountry” as basically land with It recommended that public land be considered for lease for private recreation development that was facility oriented, such as backcountry defined AWA At that time, lodges. viable on a one-use basis but must be developed with a variety of different uses to be commercially successful.” that due to wide seasonal demand for “most types of recreation, different commercial recreation areas are not trends also needed to be taken into account. balance of private and public recreational enterprise the ES could viably support, and changes in tourist recreation and tourism, if properly managed, were a renewable resource, but it remained to determine what the corridors be encouraged only when the corridors be encouraged only when they were indispensable to appropriate and desirable recreational uses. corridors and within the present or projected borders of established townsites, and that facilities outside was recommended that facilities, or increased urbanization, be concentrated within established transportation would be necessary for diverse tourists would be necessary for diverse tourists and that this would introduce an to element of urbanization. However, minimize disturbance of the area, it populated and it was recognized that types of accommodation different S. Bray S. They noted that the intent of The authors recommended having They recommended a zoning However, the authors agreed that However, said the “There is a view,” system that would recognize different system that would recognize different said, just reduce the level of intensity and have activities that create minimal disturbance. Integrated Resource Plans with respect to tourism is to maintain areas with significant tourism potential for possible future use for recreation they also and tourism. However, noted there are frequent exceptions of well-planned development, it should of well-planned development, it should be noted that economic forces only win over non-economic forces when It based on extremely short time-lines.” they said, that non- could be argued, development is like an investment in our future. a spectrum of tourism opportunities markets, from that cater to different those content to view wild spaces from a car to those who desire more direct or experiences, including front country backcountry lodges, chalets in scenic areas, commercial bases with recreation facilities, roadless primitive recreation areas, or wilderness backpacking. resource values, recreation uses, and specific management requirements for parcels of land to prevent overcrowding and degradation of wilderness areas. The designation of an area as a wildland or wilderness is not meant to exclude human involvement, they they are not generally concerned with concerned are not generally they the overall into fits this parcel the way interest. long-term public scheme of is ad-hoc development.” The result necessarily this is not Unfortunately, development on from that different public land. industry could government and private partnership, form a more interactive principally with government agencies of the environment active as managers developing and the private sector zones. in specified services or facilities economic authors, “that, eventually, over non-economic forces will win out such as parks forces and that areas will have to justify their existence in economic terms, which clearly makes well-planned tourism development the preferable alternative to unplanned While there activities thrust on an area. against the preference is no argument

An electrical panel nailed to a tree.

The paper noted it was in the The Alberta Conservation The the ground near the river bank. the ground boiler at Panther River Adventures Adventures boiler at Panther River

a hopper that feeds fuel to an adjacent

A sewage pipe for a house trailer enters A S. Bray S. own interest not to tourism industry’s tend to have relatively short planning horizons and focus on maximizing profits. Private operators “may manage but their land base to their own benefit, forced to take a back seat to other departments (which did not often consider tourism potential) in land it was -use decisions, and some argued preoccupied with infrastructure. reach levels or take forms that would destroy the resource base on which it is built. It noted that private operators well managed, orderly, and appropriate well managed, orderly, The for the surrounding environment. was usually Tourism Department of Strategy’s 1988 discussion paper on Strategy’s develop a series of tourist areas up and series of tourist areas develop a its own foothills, each with down the attraction. public land is a tourism noted that future generations. resource in trust for that it is the government’s It argued through its broad land- responsibility, to ensure use policies and regulations, and that that land is used appropriately on public land are any developments Bighorn FLUZes were announced, announced, were FLUZes Bighorn Alberta and MLA Reid, Edson Ian Dr. that the General, indicated Solicitor to government wanted provincial Fuel tanks, a concrete pad for a shop and Fuel tanks, a concrete elicited a , a new industrial and White Paper In 1985, the same year the These businesses could be The AWA condemned the new changes condemned the new AWA A critical change was made to A White Paper adventure activities. extras that make “roughing it” a little less rough; additional services; where operation; and possible, year-round package tours combining several of the improved, the report said, by more attention to comforts – providing good accommodation and meals, and the western theme vacations, including horse pack trips and guest ranches. freedom of space and full-service outdoor adventure vacations and Position and Policy Statement on tourism strengths Alberta’s . Tourism Alberta’s and opportunities included destination point, and government would continue investment in basic services and major facilities. the science strategy that promoted tourism Alberta as a key economic opportunity. was to be billed as a four-season and the lack of public consultation. But shortly after these revisions were announced the government released were formerly allowed only in Facility were formerly allowed only in Facility and Multiple Use Zones. version allows resource extraction and “commercial development which The latter serves the general public.” natural environments for a wide range natural environments for a wide range of outdoor opportunities, the 1977 policy did not allow industrial or The revised residential development. same zone that follows the Panther While both versions agree River. that the intent is to retain diverse found. the General Recreation Zone, the would be considered, and if a proposal would be considered, policy provisions did not fit into the location would be for an area, another maintaining the high aesthetic quality maintaining the high experience and value of the tourism The preface says were also important. use proposals that all legitimate land the same time, provision of an adequate time, provision of the same activities, land base for tourism impact, and minimizing environmental operations, and private sector and private sector operations, the and to promote development, At of facilities and services. grouping encourage the provision of a wider of a wider provision the encourage opportunities of tourism variety in the ES, year-round and services

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O F 8 OUT FRONT WLA April 2006 • Vol.14,No.2 9 In Part 4 of this series, we will continue Forestry has said there will be These same concerns can be concerns can be These same The Calgary forestry office has The Calgary forestry office ATRL If Forestry approves PRA’s Up to that time, Mountain Aire Up to that time, Mountain with the Panther River story, examine other with the Panther River story, process. ATRL applications and the ATRL applied to the Panther River Valley Valley the Panther River applied to of this When the administration today. application and the numerous questions and concerns have not been answered satisfaction, many to the public’s will wonder how the public interest regarding our public lands is being served. catering to industrial clients and retail catering to industrial clients and retail sales of fuel and liquor. been criticized for its “Kananaskis attitude” regarding backcountry The rapidly urbanizing development. seem to doesn’t Valley Panther River be an issue for them. Most people are not opposed to low impact commercial outfitting operations that are compatible with the wilderness character of the area. Some do not object to a few and others AWA rustic cabins, although believe no development should occur on the floodplain. no more meetings about PRA, and of please the community that doesn’t see their They don’t concerned citizens. request for better communication being make for realized and that doesn’t want to feel They don’t greater trust. that their submitted comments have entered a black hole. extent of its lease or appropriate more or appropriate of its lease extent land.” leased and more the Panther Urbanizing the Clearwater region changed from ago, a few years to the Calgary office the lease allowed the Clearwater office and Outfitting, a for Sunset Guiding to be expanded base camp east of PRA, commercial and to 20 acres and have similar to Mountain industrial activities Aire Lodge. in the area had been the only facility as selling permitted such activities fuel and having a restaurant. Now Sunset has been bought out by Capital Pressure, a Sundre oilfield service be more likely they Will company. to serve industrial clients or tourists? is looking for a similar lease, Now PRA commercial operation a year-round

Kananaskis was cited as an AWA argued that the policy failed argued AWA While AWA commented that the AWA While that cater to an international clientele. wrote, “to AWA “The pressure is on,” allow a development to build to the full sited and poorly planned “ecotourism” developments built close to protected areas or proposed protected areas and warned that such development would soon seek to expand in order to remain viable. example where commercial recreation operations, such as modest alpine cabins that were built with the intent family,” Alberta to serve the “average resorts soon gave way to four-season lands. AWA noted a number of poorly AWA lands. in Kananaskis in 2000 noted that in Kananaskis in 2000 providing “roofed accommodation” was the key factor to allowing a tourism industry to grow. to recognize the importance of keeping as much commercial recreational development in areas that were already urbanized and instead encouraged new urbanization in increasingly scarce wild environment; recognizing existing recognizing existing environment; and traditional uses, commitments, and values and use; general public by commercial promoting stewardship operators. a policy was development of such concerned with overdue, they were backcountry the focus on increased permanent development, including structures with roof structures and Proponents of multi-season uses. development the proposed Genesis research that will help determine help determine that will research use (both of densities acceptable area; and social) in an biophysical to the natural limiting damage prepared for prepared various items from the lease within the buffer zone. various items from A view of the western shore of Panther River Adventures shows Adventures of Panther River view of the western shore A Of interest here are It was felt that the old policies In 1994 the government had a Foothills Tourism Tourism Foothills The 1990

governing fishing lodges, trappers’ governing fishing lodges, trappers’ establishing a resource management fund for resource inventories and recommendations ensuring that proposed developments comply with land and resource plans and policies; in the green area were out of date and were not integrated with newer policies. commercial trail riding, island leasing, trophy lakes, and private residences cabins, backcountry camping standards, campsites, and outfitters’ guides’ commercial recreation on public land. develop an integrated policy to guide develop an integrated policy to guide arisen between commercial recreation arisen between commercial recreation operators and other users of public particularly land, especially industry, The goal was to in the backcountry. public stakeholder process called the Commercial Recreation Policy Review to address various conflicts that had do, good food, accommodation, and do, good food, accommodation, specialty goods. ranches, rafting tours, and ski hills. ranches, rafting tours, is to create market The important thing is much to see and perception that there relatively underdeveloped for tourism relatively underdeveloped more operators, there is still room for to outdoor or especially those catering including guest adventure vacations, opportunities are the strength of the opportunities are the in a region still foothills area, and everywhere. Resort Plan Destination to IRPs, that government can change can change that government to IRPs, of development, in favour priorities appropriate use is not and that multiple Alberta Tourism said that recreation that recreation said Tourism Alberta V. Pharis V. R. P. Pharis

: As an example, consider the As an example, consider Worse yet, the failure to support Worse ONSERVATION UBSIDIES production is hopelessly fragmented making it all but useless for real ecological restoration. with other needed reforms has CRP meant that most farmers have been forced to supplement their incomes by, land plowing up virgin paradoxically, land and/or converting to replace CRP land to grazing by domestic CRP money for taking land out of crop sold to The program was production. conservationists as a way to restore habitat and to farmers as a way to bolster the economy by reducing excess production. Neither goal has been achieved. Because money is available to all farmers, the land taken out of use is the essence of the geographic use is the essence of seem a radical alternative and may it solves all the departure, but in reality, system purports to problems the present solve but never does. the principal workings of one of the Conservation subsidies in the U.S., Reserve Program (CRP). Farmers get signing up under the CRP C S LOBAL G GRICULTURAL CHIEVE A OF A

TO

By Robert B. Scott By Robert

In all likelihood, more than 70 The solution has been right in The solution has been by permanent conversion of agricultural land to natural habitat indigenous food production on the remaining agricultural land ROBLEM P the essential fuel that propels it. And propels it. the essential fuel that the remaining 30 percent of the agricultural land base will be more This than adequate to feed humanity. fundamental restructuring of land of redirecting all subsidy funds to two things: restoration of ecosystems 1. percent of the land now in worldwide commodity production can be returned to native species. If properly utilized, purpose. I propose the simple expedient front of us all along, like the sword front of us all along, beside the Gordian knot. Instead of “eliminating” subsidies, change their it is the machine itself that must be it is the machine itself redesigned. Alternative Based on Geography An and Ecology protection and support of local and 2. UBSIDIES S THE

ROSPERITY P EDIRECT OLVING AND S R Government subsidy for Government subsidy In my view, the only real way In my view, subsidies are not mere trim on the global agricultural machine; they are seem to be operating from the premise that subsidies can simply be stripped away leaving the rest of the system current unchanged. Unfortunately, subsidy critics have made progress The critics in eliminating subsidies. forward is to radically restructure the entire system. In spite of the recent pressure from less developed nations, nor the more liberal WTO neither the subsidy practices that are central to its maintenance. succeed, they are going to have to put the global into reforming serious effort agricultural system, beginning with the that is wreaking havoc with our planet. that is wreaking havoc form a major Agricultural subsidies impediment to global conservation If wildland advocates want to efforts. earnest during the Great Depression, earnest during the the enabler of a subsidies have become agricultural system pervasive industrial agricultural production is a worldwide agricultural production they began in phenomenon. Since

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O F 10 OUT FRONT WLA April 2006 • Vol.14,No.2 11 Could enough food be locally As a single example representing It is evident that even a small These local systems are highly These local systems efficient and productive, but have been efficient and productive, reductions in the need for pasture and cropland, particularly on the world’s that There is no question grasslands. both the quantity and quality of food production can be increased with sustainable, natural, locally based systems, particularly if humans convert to a healthier diet. simultaneously exporting agricultural simultaneously exporting agricultural products to earn foreign exchange funds. produced and consumed to meet human The answer is yes, nutritional needs? and on a fraction of the land now used for industrial agriculture. one possibility among many for improvement in our present system, consider that more than half of all U.S. grain production goes into industrial meat production, a demonstrated health hazard. Consider further that the majority of the agricultural land base is used for grazing domestic livestock, mostly cattle, and of all domestic meat sources, cows are the most inefficient, consuming more than 16 kilograms of plant protein and enormous amounts of water to produce a single kilogram of animal protein. reduction in meat production, or a protein conversion to more efficient production, would result in large systems; hunting and gathering in many in and gathering hunting systems; farms organic local of the world; parts a few nations; and in the industrial licensed, big-scale highly regulated, of wheat, producers (but low-energy) not identified etc. on lands rice, timber, essential wildlife as prime and emphasis would be on The habitat. produced food. consumption of locally worldwide suppressed by the massive crops industrial few a of sale and output cotton, etc.) at very (wheat, rice, corn, lowered artificially low prices – prices The very system. through the subsidy themselves have people who once fed the land and can no been forced off they yet, Worse longer produce food. to buy food – a can no longer afford phenomenon brilliantly portrayed in the highly successful documentary This film was . Nightmare Darwin’s shot in Kenya, a nation that has insufficient food for its people while Alberta. What the doubters need to This production would be Few people would dispute the would dispute the Few people comprised of a combination of enhanced and restored native multiple Andes, and Africa, the crop systems in Asia; ancient quasi-agricultural tribal survive on 30 percent of the present agricultural land base. carefully examine is not the quantity of the land in modern agricultural production, but the nature and quantity of the actual production. In the geographic alternative, local and indigenous food production (on 30 percent of the present agricultural land base) would supply most human food needs. positive contribution to the health of our biosphere. Most would even concede that these restored lands could through needs food human to contribute expanded hunting and gathering. restoring But, they will certainly say, landscapes is just utopian dreaming: we would all quickly starve because everybody knows that humanity can’t value of having a thriving natural a thriving natural value of having of the ecosystem on 70 percent logged, or grazed land now plowed, They would by domestic animals. its value for immediately recognize air, for water, inherent aesthetics; and for a general and native species; the pervasive belief that the world is the world belief that the pervasive the other is The food. out of running continuously increasing notion that is agricultural trade international “economy.” to maintaining the essential An intensive livestock operation and conventional farms in Southern An intensive livestock operation and conventional In order to gain acceptance for The money paid out would have If the ecological alternative If the ecological

were applied to the CRP, a first a first to the CRP, were applied misconceptions that have become part of conventional wisdom. One is More from Less from More these ideas for fundamental reform, we must dispel two fundamental could become a model for global agricultural renewal. Some non-agricultural economic activities could be allowed on restored lands, but the goal must be based restoration of scientifically This pragmatic and critical habitat. program simple reform of the CRP to be substantial, and permanent conversion of some land from agricultural production is essential. be restored, not fragmented parcels scattered everywhere. value, yet this is essentially what the assumes by offering present CRP the money to virtually every farmer. contiguous landscapes must Large acres are not equal in conservation and fast reductions in commodity and fast reductions As those of us who production. of the have worked for restoration learned, all Northern Plains have practical step would be to convert the step would be to convert practical based program to a geographically and tie it to hard conservation system livestock. After many years of the CRP, CRP, of the many years After livestock. has not declined production commodity recovered species have not and native of success. the definition – not exactly C. Olson C. Fourth, the worldwide agricultural Fifth, the system enabled by Second, there is a chronic Second, there oversupply Third, the chronic The world’s economy favours the economy The world’s and use of food is now a complex global machine that uses irreplaceable resources in every step. Experts (such as Paul Hawken and others) have estimated that our modern economy is than it five to six times less efficient The needs to be to supply human needs. resources of the earth are treated as free inputs in prevailing economic models. malnutrition, and outright starvation, malnutrition, and outright starvation, sometimes simultaneously maintaining they subsidies to export what foodstuffs do produce. the profits of the corporations, wealthy, and established power over the poor, the disenfranchised, and the powerless. Using subsidies to increase exports rather than to increase ability of local populations to feed themselves is a This central defect of the entire system. to spread commodities relentless effort is a dismal around, instead of money, failure. system is damaging our planet. Industrialized agriculture is implicated as a causative agent in global warming, water pollution, soil destruction, habitat fragmentation, species loss, invasive that and other huge forces organisms, are tearing away at the biosphere. agricultural subsidies is monumentally has The system that inefficient. local harvest supplanted efficient wild environments. It is on this tragic on this It is environments. wild conservationists that margin expanding heroic battles. their fight traditionally of basic agricultural oversupply results This oversupply commodities. the subsidy system, directly from prices just which keeps commodity producers to high enough to allow enough to allow survive and just low Monsanto, corporations (Cargill, to continue to make Exxon-Mobil, etc.) world consumers a profit selling what think is cheap food. is tragically of world commodities of the world live maldistributed. Parts surfeit of food with an embarrassing and use subsidies of all sorts, especially subsidies to exports, in a hopeless attempt to get rid of the surplus. Other parts of the world, the parts with the majority of the human population, live with perpetual shortages, chronic

© Ian Sheldon First, the amount of land in The land losses (from erosion, Conventional thinking tends to Objections to the prevailing created by these harsh industrial methods, and due to urbanization and industrialization, are replaced by steady agricultural expansion into virgin, tend to overlook crucial aspects of the system. mechanized agricultural production is huge and never really declines. Cropland and pastureland account for terrestrial 38 percent of the earth’s surface and 48 percent of the land area all of this land Virtually of the U.S. farming utilizes industrial, high-energy methods or intensive grazing methods. sterilization, salinization, etc.) practical alternative to the modern industrial system of agriculture, a system invented by the Sumerians, developed by Europeans, and spread around the planet. narrowly focus only on the money/ commodity side of the problem and ignore the deeper aspects having to and sustainability, do with ecology, the psychological, nutritional, and political welfare of the human race. The purveyors of conventional wisdom (who get convenience and what they (who get convenience perceive as cheap food), and the giant transnational corporations (who get from the system). the only real profit On the outside are the taxpayers, poor urban dwellers, environmentalists, indigenous peoples, and others, all of whom raise periodic and varied objections to subsidies. system are routinely dismissed by The appealing to fear and ignorance. unstated premise is that there is no The worldwide system is Agriculture is supported on Stripped of the protection supplied To start with, enormous amounts To farmers and ranchers (who get to keep consumers their land), the affluent maintained in perpetual existence by an iron triangle of support from the wheat production regardless of other forces in play. (CWB) is technically not subsidizing grain production as is done in Europe and the U.S., but as the only buyer, ongoing supports the CWB effectively farmers going, and Canada insures that prairie wheat production remains high. Wheat Board the Canadian be fair, To a similar scale in other countries. France keeps grape producers in business, Japan props up national rice Australia keeps sheep production, would not survive. assistance to agricultural operations. full-time In the coming decade, large farms can expect to receive more than $1 million each from the U.S. taxpayer. U.S. farms subsidies, most Without array of support programs, grazing subsidies, export aid, lowered fuel costs, and miscellaneous peripheral of money are involved. The U.S. of money are involved. spends more than $14 billion per year in direct cash payments to farmers and billions more in maintaining a vast the china shop of human culture and its the china shop of human culture and nurturing biosphere. system of industrial agriculture is exposed as a monumental failure, a blind, stumbling giant crashing through by conventional rhetoric and popular by conventional rhetoric and popular misunderstandings, the present global The Realities of Industrial The Realities of Industrial Agriculture

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O F 12 OUT FRONT WLA April 2006 • Vol.14,No.2 13 Bob Scott is an environmental, Bob Scott is an environmental, The simultaneous benefit of The simultaneous benefit A new generation of farmers A transport of The inefficient political, and social activist in he serves Hamilton, Montana, where on the City Council. He is the founder of Montana Big President and current working for group Open, a non-profit of the Northern Plains. He restoration at [email protected]. can be reached commodities in all directions would be commodities in all directions would be vastly reduced. Mangoes would still come to Montana and apples to Costa Rica, but there would no longer be cows shipped from Montana and beef shipped back in, or rice shipped from India and other rice shipped back in. something The endless drive to find typified to do with surplus foodstuff, by such programs as the production of ethanol, would end. Food would be produced so that it could be eaten by people, and eaten locally. plentiful food and thriving native ecosystems close at hand would bring an immeasurable improvement in human happiness. Perhaps it would take several generations to reap the full benefits of this global alternative, but there is no reason, other than lack of collective will, that should prevent us from making changes that could start to benefit all of us tomorrow. such a good deal for them. But, hey, But, hey, for them. a good deal such and certainly powerful are big and they after work, which is, can find other to be capitalism is supposed all, what been just what they have good at and a couple rest of us to do for asking the consumers, Some affluent of centuries. homogeneity, accustomed to global by will no doubt be inconvenienced within a local the conversion to living sustainable culture. operating real would find themselves more money. businesses and making land base The limitation on the licensing of available might require competition to get farmers, and actual might ensue. into the farming business Consumers would probably pay a bit more, but the increased efficiency of the overall system would boost employment and incomes, lifting consumers, on average, to a better position. Pie in the sky? Emphatically not. Maintaining the present global within need to begin to work We

Corporations would scream, of course, as their volumes were reduced, and commodity dealing might not look like Remember the facts: we produce too many commodities that are transported with too too far and too inefficiently few beneficiaries. Local, sustainable methods can provide all we need on a fraction of the land. So what’s the catch? For 95 percent of the population there is no catch. world’s roads, bigger houses, more goods, more roads, bigger houses, etc.) and agriculture, more industry, save the earth by protecting only those areas not yet consumed. system of agricultural subsidies is certainly no longer rational. It is far more rational to change the way subsidies are spent and begin to radically alter the ways we feed ourselves. powerless, destroys ancient wisdom, destroys ancient powerless, Why do not sustainable. and is clearly with such folly? we continue Future Better A of conservation: the the new paradigm are part of the recognition that humans activities must be earth and that all our with nature. sustainable and compatible to believe It is no longer rational increase that we can simultaneously earth (SUVs, more consumption of the enable a pervasive system that occupies that occupies system a pervasive enable consumes surface, of the earth’s most biosphere, damages the finite resources, oppresses the the wealthy, benefits only © Ian Sheldon Ian © Sixth, the agricultural subsidy agricultural subsidy Sixth, the In quick summary, subsidies In quick summary, Seventh, and finally, comes one Seventh, and finally, A relatively small percentage relatively small percentage A system has few real beneficiaries. few real beneficiaries. system has global crisis, such as overpopulation, the rise of impoverished megacities etc.) (Mumbai, Sao Paulo, Mexico City, around the world, and the spectres of famine, and disease. war, of local indigenous food production can be reliably linked to all the major problems that comprise our current in stark contrast to wasteful, subsidized The tragic decline modern agriculture. locally adapted, environmentally compatible, low tech, low energy, and above all sustainable. organic, and stand They are, in a word, efficient, some of which have very ancient of such The common features origins. indigenous systems are that they are displaces, and destroys viable indigenous systems of agriculture, of the most devastating and least appreciated aspects of the modern The dominant agricultural system. agricultural system marginalizes, nutrition and, in most cases, outright harm to their physical, psychological, and social health. All consumers, workers, and others caught up in the vast machine made reduced possible by subsidies suffer but the vast majority of consumers and those too poor to consume the processed products of industrial agriculture receive little or no benefit. of consumers are affluent enough to in shopping receive some benefits convenience and perceived low prices, in taxes about $4,700 to farmers over in taxes about $4,700 to farmers over the next ten years. to possess their land but little else. to possess their land are big losers – each U.S. Taxpayers household can look forward to paying operate constantly on the edge operate constantly numbers are of failure and their survivors allowed dwindling, with the many farmers and ranchers perceive many farmers and they themselves as beneficiaries, businesses and corporations reap businesses and corporations share of all profits in the lion’s Although the agricultural system. Those that are harmed by the system are harmed by the Those that benefit those that vastly outnumber transnational handful of A from it. Both theoretically and practically, and practically, theoretically Both system is agricultural the modern unsustainable. demonstrably S. Bray Calgary Sources close to Alberta Energy Alberta Energy Sources close to Energy Minister Greg Melchin Minister Greg Melchin Energy southeast of Red Deer. Protection of southeast of Red Deer. would happen there or not” ( his Herald, March 22/06). However, opens the decision clearly department’s door to drilling applications for CBM since permission for surface access must precede permission for drilling. say that approval of applications Exploration for drilling Trident by tried to mitigate concerns by saying there is no drilling at this stage so far too premature to say anything “it’s Rumsey is critical to ensuring that Rumsey is critical grasslands do not plains rough fescue over the studies go extinct. Scientific last ten years show that native plains rough fescue habitats are extremely scarce, at high risk of invasion by non- to native species, and nearly impossible restore following human disturbance. GAIN A ROMISES P UMSEY R ) and Rumsey Natural 2 Easily made vehicle tracks in the Rumsey Natural Area. Easily made vehicle tracks in the Rumsey Natural ARELESS ) protect the largest ) protect the largest 2 IJACKS C H Together Rumsey Ecological Together AWA is asking for EUB hearings is asking for EUB AWA AND

Area (149 km remaining block of aspen parkland on the planet – an area of woodlands, wetlands, and rough fescue grasslands in protected areas as a short-term measure to deal with these situations until they are resolved. For the long term, we are asking for a province-wide review of protected areas, policy and legislation, and what the public wants done with them. Reserve (34 km is one of the worst abuses of public trust he has seen in 30 years of working wild places. Alberta’s to protect on any new proposed industrial activity dishonourable behaviour to bully their dishonourable behaviour more development way into opening up will oppose this We in this unique area. said this Wallis every step of the way.” NERGY E ACTICS T LBERTA ULLY A Shirley Bray By Dr. B Alberta Community Development Alberta Energy has hijacked the Alberta Energy “Alberta Energy’s conniving “Alberta Energy’s AWA learned in March that learned in March that AWA They were careless people, Tom and Daisy. They smashed things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or back into retreated and then creatures They smashed things and and Daisy. people, Tom careless They were made. people clean up the mess they had and let other kept them together, or whatever it was that their vast carelessness, Gatsby The Great – from (ACD) and Alberta Energy have Energy Alberta (ACD) and that they have used unethical and development. and duplicity are a grand betrayal of Wallis, the public trust,” said Cliff outrageous past-president. “It’s AWA to tell them which environmentally to mineral sensitive areas are off-limits SRD Minister David Coutts sounded like a hostage when he told the media Energy Alberta that they should refer to access for CBM development in this protected area. globally significant opening Rumsey to land-intensive Alberta Energy CBM development. say on surface will have the final ACD had lost the battle to protect Rumsey from surface access for new dispositions. Strong objections were Alberta Energy’s swept aside by “develop at any cost” mentality, subsurface mineral dispositions sold after the designation of a protected area. does not allow surface access for which has served as a management plan since 1993 and allows oil and or gas development in perpetuity, Alberta Energy the provisions of an 2003-25), which Information Letter (IL been battling behind closed doors over what rules should take priority Area – the in the Rumsey Natural Regionally Integrated Decision (RID), commitment to protected areas. overridden protection interests both inside and outside the government while reneging on their public time demanding that surface access time demanding that methane (CBM) be given for coalbed The department has development. agenda in Rumsey once again, this agenda in Rumsey

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W W 14 WILDERNESS WATCH WLA April 2006 • Vol.14,No.2 15 “I think one of the first things we “I think one of the first “Alberta Energy’s actions show “Alberta Energy’s When the Rumsey Natural Area Rumsey Natural When the will follow suit. If Lund’s comments in comments If Lund’s suit. will follow need to clarify,” said Melchin in the need to clarify,” of its rolling aspen parkland and fescue grassland, one of the most threatened ecosystems on the planet,” past-president. AWA Wallis, says Cliff “Rumsey is simply the biggest and Melchin best example left, but Mr. and his department are treating it with What they haven’t utter contempt. done speaks volumes about their commitment to protection.” Conservationists objected, asking for a Conservationists objected, asking for revision to the plan that would preclude new mineral commitments, but this did not occur. Smashing Rumsey legislature (March 21/06), “is that the Rumsey area is an area that has been valued.” But values are obviously in the eye of the beholder. Rumsey has been valued for its oil and gas, not for the rich biodiversity the legislature have no substance, what substance, have no the legislature Hansard? say for anything in does that in 1996, a decision was designated as the to let the RID stand was made it was plan, even though management Area. It was Natural not sufficient for a department convenient since Parks and oil and resources were scarce be winding down. gas was thought to A weedy access road to an unreclaimed well site in the Rumsey Natural Area. Area. in the Rumsey Natural well site to an unreclaimed weedy access road A Following the Rumsey Natural Following the Rumsey However, also in 1997 also in 1997 However,

Area designation in 1996, Alberta Area designation in 1996, continued to sell subsurface Energy to it failed mineral rights. However, Environment Minister Ty Lund Ty Environment Minister for the sale clearly indicates that there Trident would be no new access.” Now is planning on putting in new pads and some new access, and other companies 1997 comment still rings true for our intention “It wasn’t Alberta Energy: a piece of the ever to sterilize that large province from our natural resources.” claimed, “There will be no new roads, no new well sites in that area … they cannot go and build any more pads. If to be any more drilling in the there’s area, they have to directional drill from existing pads. In fact, the advertising apply “no surface access” conditions, in apply “no surface access” conditions, clear violation of this agreement. Now surface is saying that Alberta Energy access will be allowed in Rumsey for all mineral dispositions sold to date, West’s many of which date post 2000. as one of the 81 sites. Is it possible the 81 sites. Is it possible as one of of three as one Energy, Alberta that did not realize to this letter, signatories If this letter that Rumsey was included? how to Rumsey, now no longer applies areas? safe are other protected network of parks and protected areas.” areas.” and protected of parks network list of Development’s Community date by designation Special Places Area (#29) Natural has the Rumsey S. Bray S. , March 22/06), , March 22/06), Calgary Herald The cabinet decision was slated During Special Places, a cabinet IL 2003-25 states that when the IL Although Trident planned to drill planned Trident Although to go into the Natural Heritage Act to go into the Natural Heritage Alberta in 2000, but was opposed by which wanted to allow oil Energy, were designated, adding nearly two million hectares to the province’s déjà vu. Special Places program concluded in 2001, “a total of 81 protected areas commitment on which the department ACD Minister Mar is now reneging. must be experiencing a hefty dose of the letter is only policy and not legally enforceable, it represents a public and gas development in protected Then-Environment areas in perpetuity. Minister Gary Mar battled it out with Act The West. Minister Steve Energy was The decision was never passed. Alberta Energy later formalized in an Although Information Letter in 2003. companies would have to develop the companies would have to develop the subsurface resource from outside the protected area. protected, new mineral dispositions were to be issued with a “no surface access” addendum, which means that decision was reached to allow existing decision was reached to allow existing mineral commitments in protected areas to be developed. No new mineral dispositions were to be issued in status candidate sites until their final IL Alberta Energy was determined (see 97-28). Once an area was 97-1 and IL Careless Promises Careless informed that other companies are pursuing drilling plans in Rumsey. already approved 18 applications for already approved 18 Then pending. well sites and 10 are must apply to the EUB for Trident has been AWA permission to drill. process. Drilling must occur in the process. Drilling must to the grassland. winter to limit damage has Still, Community Development plans. they failed to 28 wells this past winter, their application adequately complete company representatives have told representatives have company past meetings that they have in AWA with their every intention of proceeding executives have not decided whether have not decided executives to the EUB for permission to apply to drill ( in at least 28 sections is imminent. imminent. is least 28 sections in at Kyla spokesperson Trident Although the media that company Fisher told , March Red Deer Advocate Red Deer Further information about Rumsey Rumsey about information Further It is a sign of poor management of poor management It is a sign Doreen Rew, a feisty citizen Doreen Rew, 24/06). Tom and Daisy would be proud, Tom 24/06). if they cared. can be found on our website. Please let the government know your concerns. trip to is hosting a guided field AWA June 17. Rumsey on Saturday, development? Do we really need need Do we really development? in resources mineral the to develop sea of island within a this last little land? developed wreck the few remaining to have to finest of the world’s examples days of Canada’s ecosystems for a few do need We supply. total energy but we to change and re-assess, to better should always be moving not worse. environmental performance, oil and gas in the Why not leave the parks and ground under our precious in the bank? If consider it money 5,000 years, the we really need it in there to extract it technology may be the surface. without damaging said it best: “The from Red Deer, government has gone absolutely bonkers and is not considering our future and the future of the Rumsey area” (

S. Bray Sheldon Ian © If the study shows that the SRD is planning to implement Due to inadequate resourcing, Due to inadequate and representative of the Alberta Native Alberta Native of the and representative and studying “Without Council. Plant we ecological integrity, monitoring about management in Rumsey be based about What solely on such a study? on Albertans place the value many protected areas being free of industrial Alberta Native Plant Council, SRD, Community Development, and the Alberta will design and University of The study is studies. manage the field intended to guide future management decisions. ecological integrity of Rumsey will be compromised with continued CBM development, will CBM be stopped? Does it make sense to allow full-scale CBM development before such a study is completed? Should our decisions rough fescue communities and that of land-use activities cumulative effects are not harming the ecosystem, says guidelines Even the EUB’s Bradley. on oil and gas development in native prairie (IL2002-1) suggests that a assessment should cumulative effects be done. one recommendation – a study of the success of past and current reclamation Group composed Technical A activities. the of representatives from industry, be prevented from invading plains restoring past industrial disturbances, past industrial disturbances, restoring new ones.” not making to demonstrate, government has yet RID, that past as required by the successfully disturbances can be species can restored, that non-native do not know if the management goal if the management do not know to focus on need We is being met. A muddy access road to a producing well in Rumsey. well in Rumsey. to a producing muddy access road A “Government has followed The 1993 RID recognized these Melchin says the RID has strict the RID has says Melchin However, field investigations have However, guidelines for oil and gas activity. activity. oil and gas for guidelines AWA, 2005 letter to April In an plan governing continued use of mineral resources, but it has not followed through on key recommendations aimed at protecting says ecological integrity,” the area’s professional botanist Cheryl Bradley, activities were subsiding. recommendations in the management considered CBM activity; everyone believed that petroleum-related impending CBM development will ecological integrity. harm Rumsey’s Neither the RID nor an internal 2001 Assessment by regional managers Plan uniqueness of the Parkland had not There is no been fully determined. baseline data that will show whether and other problems and noted that the extent to which these impacts and the overall integrity will affect loss of biodiversity in reclaimed areas. loss of biodiversity in reclaimed areas. Who will clean up this mess and who will pay the bill? unreclaimed well sites, invasive non- native species along roadsides and on industrial sites, hillside erosion, and a never know they had been there. These have revealed proved otherwise. comment in 1997 that all the land comment in 1997 that so that a couple would be reclaimed left, you’d of years after the industry complete reclamation of oil and gas reclamation of oil complete This is reminiscent of disturbances.” West’s Minister Steve former Energy he wrote, “Management direction “Management direction he wrote, the by the RID ensures provided and the of the environment protection

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ASTER M AWA has long advocated AWA According to wildfire prevention According to wildfire The draft FMP recognizes that The draft FMP Other significant changes to These goals, however, stray into These goals, however, EEDS prescribed burning in Willmore to Willmore prescribed burning in regimes, which restore more natural fire the prescribed burning actions in the plan, as well as some of the activities to control mountain pine beetle, have already begun. officer Kevin Quintilio of SRD, who process with is co-chairing the FMP Parks and ACD’s Laura Graham of Areas Division, the current Protected Alberta fire suppression policy in development. In 2004, motorized These are recreation was prohibited. Willmore in keeping all significant as pristine and natural as possible, but it illustrates that even though the Park has a vary rare characteristic in Alberta – a protected area with its own actual legislative protection – master management planning, backed by solid public input, is integral to the long-term just as it is Willmore, management of for other protected areas. there is no overall management plan in place, but includes no commitment believes that the FMP AWA for one. would be significantly strengthened and would be more publicly accountable if it were developed as part of a long-term strategic plan. Management Plan The Fire is a stated goal of the plan. Some of the domain of management plans. the domain of management circa 1980 This was recognized Park Wilderness Willmore when the comprehensive A Act was amended. drafted for the management plan was Alberta Forest Service, but park by the and implemented. it was never finalized management It included sections on fire but was not driven by it. have occurred over the years. Willmore In 1996, the government declared to industrial the Park off-limits

N V. Pharis BUT

ROMISING OUNDATION P F AS the Muskeg River. the Muskeg River.

LAN Looking into the valley of P LAN of landscape values control These are commendable goals, The FMP lists four key goals: The FMP IRE P given that under the Willmore Willmore given that under the Act “the park is Park Wilderness put forward by Alberta Community put forward by protection of its natural resources and by the preservation of its be maintained for the natural beauty, enjoyment of future generations.” dedicated to the use of the people of education Alberta for their benefit, and enjoyment … and shall, by the management, conservation and ecological integrity and protection • Development (ACD) and Sustainable Development (ACD) (SRD) Resource Development future of regarding the ecological we could see impacts, both Willmore, for this and other positive and negative, protected areas. community protection/FireSmart • forest health/mountain pine beetle • natural fire processes • F S ’ ILLMORE ANAGEMENT M By David Samson, AWA Conservation Specialist Conservation AWA Samson, By David W Willmore Willmore 2 The 4,600 km While resources are being The Alberta government is The A logical approach to logical approach A allocated to access and fire sub-plans, allocated to access and fire While a combination of interesting approaches, ideas, and concerns were lightly penetrated borders. In February attended a meeting in AWA 2006, Hinton to discuss the draft FMP. wasting money in endless squabbling over sub-plans when public lands decisions can often take place largely radar. below the public’s publicly developed master plans were Albertans could avoid given priority, master management plans are being are no The excuse is that there ignored. if budgets for master plans. However, Only 53 of the 521 parks and protected Only 53 of the 521 parks and protected management Alberta have areas in plans in place. plans, like access management plans, plans, like access management plans, are being developed in the absence of overall management plan direction. development of sub-plans for things Instead, the like access and fire. government does the reverse: fire overarching master plan, developed through public input, and subsequent land planning on public lands. land management planning for large and the Willmore areas, such as begins with an Wildland, Bighorn stubborn reluctance to do top-down of the mountain pine beetle epidemic of the mountain pine calls to protect and in response to communities built on the forest fringe. plans may be, However laudable fire government’s our by concerned is AWA Park, to be completed this spring. Park, to be completed for an urgency There appears to be wake plans in the the creation of fire developing a Fire Management Plan developing a Fire Management Wilderness Willmore (FMP) for Wilderness Park in west-central Park in west-central Wilderness “elbow” is roughly half Alberta’s The the size of Jasper National Park. influence and impacts of creating the may extend beyond its FMP Willmore August 2001). WLA Controlling mountain pine beetle beetle pine mountain Controlling Alberta has also experienced MPB has been seen in Willmore Willmore MPB has been seen in Karen Ripley, an entomologist an Karen Ripley, populations MPB reaches large (MPB) is another priority of the FMP. the FMP. another priority of (MPB) is overwintering mortality is thought to be one of the main controls of MPB populations, with younger larvae being most susceptible to cold temperatures. since 1999, and the government has forests consisting of mixed species composition and age, it becomes much more difficult for MPB attacks to be sustained. (State) Washington with the Department of Natural Resources, describes how MPB attacks may be part of a forest ecology balancing act. “Fire suppression combined with a lack of logging means nature will find way is a way to remove trees. Nature’s to have some of the beetles kill some got a lot of stressed We’ve of the trees. and they’re easy trees out there now, pickings.” according to Dr. only periodically, Mary Reid, a professor in biological sciences at the University of Calgary, where she studies the breeding ecology of bark beetles (see She explains that there is a cost to the susceptible trees. beetle to finding When MPB populations are large, they can overwhelm lodgepole pine larger forest stands and kill the older, eventually These trees, however, trees. success become scarce and the beetles’ Also, at finding them dwindles. Mountain Pine Beetle Pine Mountain in infestation of MPB The current British particularly western Canada, According to is significant. Columbia, just under of Forests, the B.C. Ministry of pine on the 300 million cubic metres base has been timber harvesting land and surveys detected destroyed in 2005, of “red attack,” 8.5 million hectares central B.C. in largely the lodgepole MPB outbreaks in Eastern Slopes, pine forests of the not been MPB but historically it has our colder winters. range, likely due to these forests What may have made particularly susceptible to MPB attack suppression. are the decades of fire MPB thrives in simple, thick, and of congested forests composed largely a single species of tree: lodgepole pine. When faced with complex, healthy The point of mentioning these two Although the plan mentions Although the plan With respect to the GCCPP, respect to the GCCPP, With exists in large, contiguous blocks blocks contiguous in large, exists implemented, monitored, and evaluated, the plan suggests that it may be extended to other protected areas. and will be built within the Park. situations is not to debate the details of protection or whether community fire protect to fire suppression is largely They interests. industrial forestry’s simply illustrate that without a publicly developed master management plan Willmore that clearly states the goals of as a protected area, we cannot be will fit into those assured that the FMP will not goals or that outside influences is also concerned AWA override them. has been finalized, that before the FMP The FireSmart concept is based on which fire research, Jack Cohen’s illustrates that beyond 100 metres from Urban Wildland the buildings in the Interface, intensively “managing the forests” is neither economical nor the GCCPP However, very effective. assumes that containment lines should the preparation of the plan. Graham the preparation of the assured us that the creation of the FMP was initiated by Parks and Protected values and Willmore’s Areas and that ecological interests were given top priority when creating the draft plan. it is necessary to allocate believe We more resources to them to complete a master management plan as well. there is no question that protection of personal life and property is a it needs to be However, top priority. or how the two fire plans are if clarified integrated or to what extent the GCCPP The GCCPP Willmore. impacts the FireSmart uses the government’s protocol for protecting the community. Grande Cache, and to the east along the Grande Cache, and highway. with its the necessity of working not provide detail neighbours, it does are doing on what those neighbours or what Willmore to work with in if any, their involvement was, within the FMUs, especially along along especially the FMUs, within with low to Willmore, of the border potential in a homogeneous moderate “Willmore A the Park. pattern within shows in the FMP At Risk” map Values risk areas exist, but fire that “extreme” Willmore are outside almost all of them including on its northern border, V. Pharis Since the Intensive Zone is Quintilio and Graham say this A moose horn sign on a pine tree. A adjacent to the FMUs, AWA is AWA adjacent to the FMUs, could be Willmore concerned that sacrificed as a fireguard and/or insect barrier to protect private financial map A interests outside of the Park. represents a large philosophical shift philosophical represents a large current approach in government’s strongly AWA to fire suppression. Protection Plan (GCCPP) illustrates very clearly that “extreme” potential in the Grande Cache Community Management Units (FMUs) may have in nearby about uncontrolled fire Willmore. preventing this are the concerns that Grande Cache and the adjacent Forest encourages that shift, but we want to see the bar raised quickly to have the declared an Extensive Willmore entire that may be Zone. Some influences Intensive Zone, which will continue to Intensive Zone, which will continue to suppression. include full fire most situations, will be allowed to burn most situations, will be allowed to burn in order to eventually see natural fire regimes and forest structure restored The other third will be an to the Park. is essentially to put out every fire is essentially to put out every fire proposes The new FMP that arises. an Willmore declaring two-thirds of under Extensive Zone in which fires,

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W W 18 WILDERNESS WATCH WLA April 2006 • Vol.14,No.2 19

Andy Russell Andy There is much that is good in the There is much that However, we have concerns However, Send your letters to: The Hon. Send your letters to: Park Act is a good tool for protecting protecting tool for is a good Act Park a commitment and carries Willmore A its natural beauty. to preserve FMP that cannot be detailed here. The that cannot be detailed here. FMP recognizes and is driving toward FMP Willmore, in setting a natural stage 307 Legislature Building, 10800 - 97th T5K 2B7. Alberta Edmonton, Avenue. Phone: (780) 427-2251 Fax: (780) 427-1349 master management plan is completed. master management plan is completed. should be added to the Willmore short list of priority areas needing a This would go a management plan. long way to convincing people that this ACD and SRD joint venture between management plan is to create this fire Willmore. entirely in the interest of management plan could strengthen the plan could strengthen management Willmore’s how Act by establishing and integrity can be values, beauty, Sub-planning would maintained. recreation, deal with ways to manage fire, forest hunting, fishing, trapping, of other activities. pests, and the gamut version may be but an accelerated the Extensive necessary in expanding suppression Zone where little fire at MPB clearly With is performed. the doorstep, and with the forest in a somewhat unbalanced state, we are encouraged with many aspects of the but this should also be just the FMP, beginning of the process. to about a potential over-reaction and about MPB and catastrophic fire, sub-plan before a preparing a fire e-Mail: [email protected] Ralph Klein, Premier of Alberta, Room Alberta, Ralph Klein, Premier of USSELL R Meanwhile, there is still a need for Willmore offers a unique offers Willmore The program, sponsored by AWA AWA The program, sponsored by NDY

A Trees damaged by mountain pine beetle. Trees

and the Alberta Historical Resources and the bear hunt does nothing else, it tells us and that your letters do have an effect really can make a change. as an entertainer, and his ability to as an entertainer, make us laugh. Foundation, will be aired on Park Radio (at 101.1 FM) a number of times It will between July and September. website in AWA’s also be available on late May. people to write letters of support for the If the Wildland. Andy Russell proposed spring grizzly Alberta’s suspension of opportunity to experiment and monitor opportunity to experiment and monitor natural processes, including how fire behaves in this ecosystem and how a functioning ecosystem manages forest pests, as it has done for thousands Wilderness Willmore The of years. Conclusion stands into more natural ones that are ones that natural into more stands structure, composition, varied in more and age. AWA Files AWA EATURES F ROGRAM P ADIO The calls continue to grow for Brian Bindon is producing a series a producing is Bindon Brian The forests in B.C. have similar The proposed FMP addresses The proposed FMP R a permanent recognition of Andy’s Andy’s a permanent recognition of Alberta’s enormous contribution to of five-minute radio programs for Park this due to be broadcast Radio in Banff, One of these will feature the summer. Andy Russell, wilderness advocate late a hilarious story telling and raconteur, the man himself – his genuine love of wilderness, his innate talent Alberta’s it is good to remind ourselves about natural history through the designation in the Wildland Andy Russell of the But Alberta. Castle region of southern about a camp cook, a log bridge, and a surprise wild encounter.

beetles, these epidemics do not destroy beetles, these epidemics do not destroy the forests; new growth rapidly appears This is nature’s below the dead stands. of breaking up uniform they say, way, way toward letting nature do much They note of our battle against MPB. that while many trees die as a result of Ministry of Environment does that restoring recognize, however, natural forest conditions can go a long because of climate change.” conditions: recent mild winters and favourable stands of pine. B.C.’s decisions about wilderness areas more natural state where they can then more natural state counter MPB on be in a position to their own with little interference by Reid, cautions Dr. humans. However, make management a tricky time to “it’s the extent that the eventual goal is to the extent that the into a Willmore get the forests in the ecosystem. prescribed targeted MPB problems with and burning of burns and cutting, supports this to AWA infected trees. attacks, which are naturally part of this attacks, which are forest composition can be restored in can be restored forest composition of the natural defences the Willmore, to handle MPB forest may be sufficient destroyed 900 trees to combat it. The it. trees to combat 900 destroyed may not Willmore in forest current large defences to resist have sufficient of fire due to decades infestations, and If natural fire regimes suppression. Calgary ECOVERY R on-line poll the following week, AWA and other groups agree AWA This year more than any other, This year more than any other, For several years, AWA has AWA For several years, To Coutts’ great credit, he decided great credit, Coutts’ To OWARD

T

Team chair Gord Stenhouse. Questions chair Gord Stenhouse. Questions Team Next Steps that the spring grizzly hunt is not the cause of our grizzly bear troubles, and suspending the hunt will not recover grizzlies. Recovery of any species, caribou or swift fox, whether grizzly, depends on protecting their habitat. Public opinion Albertans made it abundantly clear that, in a province heading for a $6 billion provincial surplus, they were not prepared to tolerate hunting a species that is threatened in all but name. in to the newspapers Letters flooded offices from and to the politicians’ Alberta and beyond. In a Herald 85 percent of readers agreed with the hunt suspension. concentrated on raising awareness of the spectacular wilderness we Alberta and emphasizing the have in importance of public input in decision- Albertans often have to make making. voices to have their an enormous effort heard, and we need to apply pressure continually to make sure our politicians are listening. So a huge thank you to all of those people who took the time to write or email the Minister really can make a You or their MLA. difference! were asked about whether the were asked about whether objective government was making scientific decisions based on The media helpfully information. in detail. covered these issues to the hunt as in previous not to sign off to take years. Instead he appeared the information the time to analyze himself, which led to the unavoidable conclusion that the hunt must be and other groups were AWA suspended. a quick to congratulate the Minister on courageous decision. R. Douglas R. TEP S IRST F , prepared by Gordon , prepared by Gordon USPENSION S In the last two or three years, The newly released DNA figures The newly released DNA UNT failure to release important documents to the public and even to the Grizzly as well as Team, Bear Recovery confusion over the status of Recovery decisions. This year the spotlight was This year the spotlight decisions. put on Coutts for his department’s for 2005 are difficult to compare to the for 2005 are difficult to compare to the all grizzly ranges, but it may point to a considerably lower provincial population than previously thought. Ministerial accountability decisions on the spring grizzly bear hunt appear to have been simple “rubber stamping” of previous hunt population estimate of 700 bears in population estimate Alberta. previous studies because they cover areas, but the 2004 DNA different In 2003 there figures are much clearer. were an estimated 147 bears in the and 16. area between highways 11 put The more accurate 2004 figures this number at 53 (or 36 percent of the know yet don’t We 2003 estimate). whether this picture is repeated across the detailed DNA population surveys the detailed DNA biologist carried out by provincial The 2004 and 2005. Gord Stenhouse in of the provincial previous best estimate was the 2003 grizzly population Assessment Report on Grizzly Bear Allocation of Stenhouse, Dr. Mark Boyce, and John Mark Boyce, and John Stenhouse, Dr. which produced a revised Boulanger, H RIZZLY By Nigel Douglas, AWA Conservation Specialist Conservation AWA Douglas, By Nigel G Since the 2002 recommendation The March 3rd decision by the The March 3rd decision Two of the documents released at Two by the government’s Endangered by the government’s the same time as the hunt decision were four years to get the best estimates population possible through DNA studies, we already know that there are major problems. Although it will take another three to Although it will take another three to become ever clearer that the provincial become ever clearer that the provincial population is not healthy enough to sustain current mortality rates. list the grizzly as “threatened” (using list the grizzly as “threatened” (using an estimated provincial population figure of 1,000 bears), the science has Species Conservation Committee to of public opinion in support of grizzlies. science Improving for estimating population numbers, improved ministerial accountability, and expressive outpouring and a large hunt can be attributed to a number of hunt can be attributed to a number of methods factors: improved scientific the hunt decision and congratulate the hunt decision and Resource Minister of Sustainable Development David Coutts on a bold The change of heart on the decision. grizzlies: there is still a long way to grizzlies: there is still we should celebrate go. However, Alberta government to suspend the Alberta government hunt is just the spring grizzly bear Alberta’s start toward recovering

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W W 20 WILDERNESS WATCH WLA April 2006 • Vol.14,No.2 21 and was established in 2 ISGRACEFUL “This may be the last pristine area The boreal Caribou Mountains Barclay remains cautiously cautiously remains Barclay The Alberta Woodland Caribou Woodland Alberta The The Alberta government has The D all Albertans, not just their local or Albertans, not just all in Alberta for the endangered woodland in AWA caribou,” says David Samson, Wildland Park, adjacent to the western Wildland National Park, Buffalo Wood border of park provincial wildland is the largest of greater than 40% since 1995. Motorized access will further stress this endangered species. Conservation Specialist. “The last thing this herd needs is more disruption from industry or motorized recreation.” personal interest.” at 5,910 km which include sensitive wetlands, unique permafrost features, rich breeding bird habitat, and is a core refugium for woodland caribou. herd Recovery Plan states the park’s is declining with a population drop optimistic. “I’m certainly more certainly “I’m optimistic. than before the Minister’s optimistic of and the release announcement was a hunt decision] the data. [The what has happened surprise. Given expecting few years I was over the last to continue.” But a reduced hunt still optimism is the counteracting that numbers from the realization that the rather low, first two censuses seem estimates for those lower than previous areas, he says. important initiatives begun a number of to recovering to start along the road suspending grizzlies. But in isolation, grizzlies; the hunt will not recover counting grizzlies will not recover recovery forming will neither and them; teams. Only if we choose to make substantial changes to how we manage grizzly bear habitat will bears have a This work Alberta. long-term future in needs to begin right now. 2001. The area protects provincial The area protects provincial 2001. Areas Environmentally Significant TATUS S ARK P OUNTAINS M “This shows what can happen Ultimately, the role of the Ultimately, Barclay is confident that the that is confident Barclay

Local committees are entrusted with the responsibility to act on behalf of when you place all the power in the hands of special interests within one “These Wallis. says local community,” Albertans. wildlands belong to all development and unrestrained motorized recreation, both of which are incompatible with wildland protection. Albertans have In poll after poll, expressed strongly their desire to see these places protected. Recovery Team is to explain what is to explain Team Recovery Alberta’s recover needs to be done to Whether there is the political grizzlies. is another will to do what is needed not the decision-makers “We’re matter. in the end and there are all sorts of other factors that go into those sorts “All of decisions,” says Barclay. what we we can do is say ‘here’s recommend.’” are [representatives] from various from various are [representatives] stake that have an obvious industries “It’s issue,” he says. in the habitat are creating the those industries who bear habitat through access into grizzly or oil and roads, into either forestry recognize that They gas development. grizzly bear habitat human access into is a key issue.” importance of habitat protection. of habitat protection. importance table Team the Recovery “Around Recovery Team is very aware of the aware of is very Team Recovery C. Truscott C. ARIBOU C EVOKE R TO

EQUEST The Advisory Committee for Advisory Committee The The committee’s request would request would The committee’s “We are puzzled by their “We U.S. grizzly expert Dr. Charles Dr. U.S. grizzly expert From: AWA News Release April 6, 2006 News Release AWA From: R the Caribou Mountains Wildland Wildland the Caribou Mountains area protected. It would leave the door open to uncontrolled commercial override the public’s desire under the desire under override the public’s Special Places program to see this work on park protection, not lobby Those to have park status revoked. members who want park status revoked should resign immediately.” coming from a committee responsible for recommending management for this The committee should protected area. Board of Directors. “This demand is is also asking the minister to allow representation, on the committee, from provincial environmental groups. AWA Wallis, motivations,” says Cliff is asking Community Development Ducharme, to Hon. Denis minister, to request rebuke the Committee’s AWA Park. Wildland disestablish the Management Plan wants the park status Management Plan wants the park status AWA for this protected area revoked.

symptom of a much greater erosion of symptom of a much greater erosion of habitat by humans.” impression to the public that once hunting is closed, all is well for the bears. Hunting is in fact a very minor Alberta,” wrote Schwarz. “Closing Alberta,” wrote Schwarz. hunting seasons gives the false Bear Recovery Plan. “I feel it is very Bear Recovery Plan. hunting’ important [that] ‘regulated are not the and ‘sustainable harvests’ of grizzly bear declines in ‘cause’ Schwartz carried out a peer review Schwartz carried out Alberta Grizzly of the 2004 draft habitat for the bears and making sure the bears and making habitat for secure that they have high-quality not nearly as easy a habitat, and that’s fix.” the provincial Grizzly Bear Recovery Grizzly Bear the provincial we can it is one thing that “But Team. is more importance Of do right away. “Everybody focused on the hunt the hunt on focused “Everybody says minefield,” political it is a because for spokesperson Barclay, Robert Dr. ILL The government-sponsored ACC The government-sponsored When asked if the ACC had When asked if the K recommendation of the ACC.” the recommendation of however; they are just trying things that work.” we told them wouldn’t implements a total package of efforts implements a total package of efforts to address landscape conservation and management.” been informed of this “total package ACC said the Wallis Cliff of efforts,” would “certainly like to be enlightened not The government has on this. committed to any new actions,” he added. “There are lots of ways they try to mitigate, but this is what has failed for 14 years. Caribou are still going trying, not like they aren’t down. It’s committee appears almost as much in committee appears actions as the the dark about SRD’s informed the same general public. SRD “very limited- concerned citizen that is necessary short-term wolf control Alberta as as an interim measure OLF W Caribou in Little Smoky. MOKY S ITTLE L “It is unlikely that predation is In response to a letter from In response to a letter

URROUND the primary cause of caribou mortality, the primary cause of caribou mortality, is just the easiest proximate cause to are the symptom, not the Wolves solve. problem, but they are paying the price. This wolf cull was done without the the person told that the recovery plan states that the same habitat change occurring form human activity may be what is increasing the caribou’s susceptibility to predation. as the data does not support this,” said past-president and AWA Wallis, Cliff Alberta member of the government’s Caribou Committee (ACC), which was commissioned to create a caribou “Killing wolves recovery strategy. made on caribou habitat by industrial made on caribou habitat by industrial which was pointed out in the activity, recovery plan as being a limiting factor on woodland caribou habitat, and by extension, caribou survival. Nor was a concerned citizen, SRD said that a concerned citizen, cause of predation is the primary Alberta the Yet caribou mortality. Plan Caribou Recovery Woodland as only one cause, (2004/05) lists this No mention not the primary cause. impact was made of the significant D. Smith D. S TO

WLA Rocky Hinton ONTINUE C , March 9/06). That, , March 9/06). , Feb. 20/06). If SRD knows UESTIONS More questions than answers are More questions than Ealey would neither confirm nor Ealey would neither confirm The figure of 34 wolves is an AWA believes a wolf kill on AWA By David Samson, AWA Conservation Specialist Conservation AWA Samson, By David Q divulged, including what is being done with the wolf carcasses. keeping that number from the public so the eventual actually know, or don’t No total could possibly be higher. other details about the kill have been Parklander what “enough” is, they must know are either They how many enough is. be sure that we have removed enough wolves to have improved the survival of the caribou in that area” ( not itemizing the number of animals that are killed as a result of the cull,” want to be able to he continued. “We deny AWA’s number, nor say how number, AWA’s deny many they planned to cull. “We’re would have to be destroyed in order for would have to be destroyed in order for the cull to have an impact on the Little Smoky caribou herd, 70 wolves would have to be killed. if really true, is unprofessional and incompetent. Using the premise that at least half the herd, estimated at 140, sort of a body count on this” ( Mountain Outlook of course, is not only ridiculous, but, estimate only, as SRD will not reveal as estimate only, numbers of wolves taken in the cull, saying the province is “not doing any February 2006). the actual numbers. SRD spokesperson the Dave Ealey would not confirm term strategy to ensure recovery of the caribou herd is in place (see industrial activity as a fundamental short-term action in the Little Smoky region until a science-based longer- senseless and useless if not combined senseless and useless deferral of industrial with an immediate habitat. activity in the caribou herd’s on supports a moratorium AWA Development (SRD). strategy is its own as a short-term 34 wolves have been shot and killed 34 wolves have been the authorization from aircraft under Alberta Sustainable Resource of arising from the Little Smoky wolf arising from the Little an estimated has learned that AWA kill.

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W W 22 WILDERNESS WATCH WLA April 2006 • Vol.14,No.2 23 Ranchers made use of telemetry In spite of these efforts, the In spite of these efforts, Willow Creek wolves continued to kill Creek wolves Willow livestock throughout the summer and fall, continuing a trend of depredations There were 28 that began in 2001. confirmed incidents of depredation, Advisory Group recommended and the lethal control beginning in early fall – changing salt locations, moving cattle – changing salt locations, moving cattle pastures, spending extra to different time on the range, harassing wolves seen near cattle, etc. – to reduce the risk of depredation to the more than 4,000 cattle present. Group members and steps in the right Group members and wolves and direction to conserve confirmed the We reduce depredations. of wolves (six presence and numbers of the year) and adults and eight pups family pack was determined that this We depredations. responsible for local den and identified tracked travel routes, territory rendezvous sites, determined the role of boundaries, and observed depredation of grizzly bears in wolf livestock. gear to determine where wolves were so they could focus their cattle management activities. Some ranchers modified their cattle management OUNTRY C ATTLE C IN

OLVES The past three years have seen The past three years At this point, there is a lot to At this point, there This effort produced results that produced results This effort W

a significant change in southwestern When initial livestock Alberta. indicate progress for all of the Advisory indicate progress for all of the as in 1990 – but this year we were trying something different. when problems became severe. In years past, there would have been calls for immediate reduction or elimination of the pack – probably using strychnine, depredations were reported in the Creek area in June 2003, the Willow Division, Wildlife Alberta Fish and upon recommendation from the Advisory Group, contracted a biologist to capture and collar wolves in the This was area of the depredation. a marked departure from previous management response, which almost invariably involved the use of poison learn on both fronts. Perhaps most learn on both fronts. we are working to ensure importantly, and the general that all stakeholders, and public, have an understanding dynamics of appreciation of the and management, wolf conservation and other livestock operations, Crown Alberta’s on management issues lands. R. Berdan R. WITH

IVE L TO

AYS W INDING What would you do if you were What would you do Our new collaborative effort now Our new collaborative effort A cycle of livestock depredation, cycle of livestock A Now, thanks to cooperative efforts thanks to cooperative efforts Now, By Jim Pissott, Charles Mamo, and Gudrun Pflueger - Defenders of Wildlife Canada of Wildlife - Defenders Pflueger and Gudrun Charles Mamo, By Jim Pissott, F – and working to reduce the likelihood of livestock depredation by wolves. that may contribute to depredation – including landscape features, wolf pack availability of natural prey, stability, and livestock stewardship methods addition, we are investigating factors aims to better understand the ecology, aims to better understand the ecology, of wolves. In and movement behaviour, losses are serious burdens to some challenge perennial a pose and ranchers to wolf conservation. But as one keep doing rancher observed, “We work … only harder.” what doesn’t the depredation cycle again and the response is the same. Depredation wolves suspected of depredation and then re-establishment of wolf numbers, has been repeated over the past several decades in southwestern wolves begin Alberta. Frequently, followed by non-specific killing of followed by non-specific advise the province regarding wolf management and conservation policy. livestock depredation management are being addressed in a new light. as the Oldman Basin Working Group, participants Advisory Carnivore and analyze wolf-livestock conflicts Beef Producers, wolf conservation and Beef Producers, wolf conservation and among conservationists, provincial Fish provincial conservationists, among and Parks and Protected Wildlife and Alberta local ranchers, the Areas staff, Alberta Association, and Trappers operators, and liberal hunting and trapping regulations, spelled trouble for wolves from the Bow River south to the Montana border. occasions in the past 70 years, but now occasions in the past be established. more packs seem to Conflicts between wolves and livestock chance of survival in southwestern chance of survival data existed. Alberta, although little on two were all but eliminated Wolves a number of other stakeholders, is a number of other years past, wolf trying to find out. In had a very low family packs likely a wolf in cattle country? Defenders of a wolf in cattle country? Canada, in cooperation with Wildlife

Defenders of Wildlife Canada Canada Defenders of Wildlife At least two other packs that other packs that At least two season came As the 2005 grazing represents Alberta Wilderness Alberta Wilderness represents celebrating good progress are heard with them. Association on the Oldman Basin Advisory Group. Carnivore on more packs so we can monitor their on more packs so we can monitor their Best movements more effectively. of all, we are meeting regularly with ranchers, listening to their concerns and discussing steps they can take to keep howls are heard Wolf their cattle safe. Alberta, and our howls in southwestern range and movements of this Castle- of and movements range pack. Carbondale to be studied are believed have yet to three adjacent to the reside in areas for For the first time known packs. that stable it is apparent many decades, contiguous from wolf territories are right to the U.S. Kananaskis Country an encouraging step forward in border, of wolves in long-term sustainability are working We Alberta. southwestern promising non- to compile a list of the likelihood lethal methods to reduce of depredations. back with relief to an end, we looked This summer and encouragement. saw low numbers of depredations and Creek and Bob Creek Willow saw the packs raising pups and causing few problems for ranchers. Our night rider experiment proved successful (but now have collars And we expensive). A third wolf pack of at least nine third wolf pack of A Wolves retreated after each of retreated after each Wolves As luck would have it, early April have it, early As luck would

killed at least three wolves, but we now are monitoring the behaviour of the rest by next spring, of the pack. Hopefully, we will have a better idea of the home killed at least two wolves from this Wildlife and Fish pack. In November, managed to collar two wolves from Lakes Waterton a pack that lives in After one local rancher National Park. changed from running cow-calf pairs to running more vulnerable yearlings, this time pack killed a few cows for the first in several years. In response, ranchers from this pasture during or after the from this pasture during experiment. But three steers were killed by wolves in an adjacent allotment, of the demonstrating the effectiveness night rider experiment. individuals lives south of Highway 3 and north of the Montana border. No depredations were recorded until February 2005. Ranchers and others brought high winds, storms, and snow, and snow, winds, storms, brought high hourly who rose staff field challenging wolves. night to check for during the felt lucky On some nights, researchers staked in place to find their tents still after listening for when they returned collars! Signals signals from the radio were detected on from collared wolves bangers, firework nine evenings, and shots were fired to screamers, and gun deter them. no cattle were lost these episodes, and Cattle would be monitored during the during monitored would be Cattle and wolf presence document day to depredations. note any daytime G. Houston G. In spring 2005, we joined Farther south at Bob Creek, four The three wolves remaining in Individual wolves were killed Individual wolves with Alberta Fish and Wildlife and Wildlife Alberta Fish and with of local ranchers to test the benefits Willow Creek were soon joined by Willow radio signal (not intending to injure wolves) and monitor wolf responses. telemetry gear every hour between 8:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. If signals were received from wolf collars, riders would fire shots in the direction of the by the Bob Creek family pack. Over a three-week period, “night riders” would check for the presence of wolves with wolves from approaching cattle. More than 1,400 yearlings had been pastured in an area known to be used seasonally deploying “night riders” to discourage noted between the early summer of 2004 and spring of 2005. behaviour of the remaining wolves was behaviour of the remaining wolves was The five remaining monitored closely. wolves produced pups later in the No further depredations were summer. from 1999 to 2004. Following eight April, the alpha male cattle losses in was removed from the pack and the wolves were radio-collared in the spring of 2004. Ranchers here had losses to wolves 63 confirmed suffered not taken any cattle for more than 22 not taken any cattle for more than 22 months. are very encouraged that this pack has are very encouraged that this pack has promoting retained its home territory, population stability and connectivity landscape scale, and has on the large another dispersing animal and the pack another dispersing animal and the pack We produced two pups in spring 2005. new alpha female) were euthanized in new alpha female) were euthanized in March. collar to better track the remaining collar to better track depredations continued, When wolves. two more wolves (alpha male and wolves (including the alpha female) wolves (including four. by helicopter and euthanized a new satellite One was released with when they returned to depredation sites when they returned ongoing episodes or were involved in In January 2004, of cattle depredation. five agents captured Wildlife Fish and best possible chance for long-term chance for long-term best possible sustainability. impacts of this severe method as much this severe method impacts of the and to give the pack as possible of 2003. In contrast to past lethal lethal to past In contrast of 2003. group the however, work, control and an incremental recommended the to minimize specific approach

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W W 24 WILDERNESS WATCH WLA April 2006 • Vol.14,No.2 25 “If swift foxes were important, Reintroduction requires An essential is a secure source “Whether it is feasible to “Whether To find out if it is possible to To of funding to maintain Canada’s only of funding to maintain Canada’s not then and does not now consider it a implement to responsibility government the recovery of endangered species populations. Clio, we would all go to our Ministers and obtain funding for them,” Steve Brechtel, chair of the National Swift told me at a team Team, Fox Recovery meeting in 1994. as repair the cultural and spiritual life as repair the cultural and spiritual life of an aboriginal people through the return of this sacred and extirpated indigenous carnivore, speculation, and computer modeling is theory, captive breeding A insufficient. colony producing swift foxes for reintroduction is essential. partnerships. Landowners must approve. Responsibility for land management (jurisdiction) is held by the provincial and federal governments: government permits are required. Advice from experts is always important, but without a consistent supply of healthy young swift foxes to reintroduce, no reintroduction is possible. colony of these once extirpated and The now endangered living animals. only long-term funding for swift fox reintroduction came from the did The federal government Smeetons. reintroduce an animal (swift fox) that reintroduce an animal through the spread has become extinct but of civilization is questionable, to discover,” that is what we hoped in 1972. “Very wrote Miles Smeeton swift foxes, and little is known about of breeding in they have a poor record we intended to captivity: nevertheless, day release them breed them and one Had we in their natural environment. problems and work understood all the involved … we might have thought The Smeetons twice about the project.” paid out of their pensions for this swift fox captive breeding project. restore degraded native habitat as well

R. Berdan . ERIL P IN

This action was undertaken in For the swift fox, it was clear by It is self-evident that when a It is self-evident that 1972 by a pair of Alberta pensioners, 1972 by a pair of only captive colony of swift fox, bred specifically for reintroduction, and is swift undertaking the only organization fox reintroduction in Canada. was clearly essential to gather scattered individuals together and to breed them them reintroducing of intention the with back into their native ecosystem. Miles and Beryl Smeeton, and the they founded, charitable organization Cochrane Ecological Institute (CEI). As no swift foxes were left in Canada, Miles and Beryl obtained their first from a wildlife rehabilitation facility The CEI holds Canada’s in the U.S. swift fox in the northern Great Plains, it Funds the 1970s that extinction was inevitable unless powerful and constructive action save the To was taken immediately. Vineyard Gazette of the Vineyard been reduced to a sociable species has and extirpated fraction of its numbers time is no longer over most of its range, parade ever-lengthening The side. its on some of whose last of extinct wildlife, have died in lonely representatives demonstrates this truism. captivity, Private Requires Public Dream ROGRAM P Vulpes Vulpes REEDING B OX F WIFT , was an integral part of the , was an integral part By the 1970s swift fox were “[Swift fox] are one of the most The European invasion and Until 1750, the swift fox, Until 1750, “There is no survivor, there is no “There is no survivor, Found only in North America Found only in North By Clio Smeeton, Cochrane Ecological Institute Smeeton, Cochrane By Clio S classified as extirpated (extinct) in all settlement of North America brought settlement of North extinction,” wrote Henry Hough, editor written, glimpsing the darkness which will not know another ray of light. are in touch with the reality of We their historic range in the U.S. future, there is no life to be recreated are looking We in this form again. that can be upon the uttermost finality of Canada and in over 90 percent of range and, if doomed to extinction, it is important that a closer study be made of their home life before it is too late.” Seton wrote, “They are rapidly part of their disappearing over a large common fur animals of the Red River Alexander wrote fur trader Valley,” century later, A Henry in 1800. Thompson naturalist and writer Ernest to create a transformed, non-native and to create a transformed, non-native and more European landscape of ranch, and cropland. city, with it a people determined to eradicate with it a people determined to eradicate order in peoples and species indigenous their larder and medicine chest, their sacred place. and all of whom once shared its range. and all of whom once shared its range. of plants, and animals The land, water, the prairies were a source of survival for the Plains tribes: it was their home, spiritual and cultural importance to the spiritual and cultural importance to the of indigenous tribes of the Plains, most societies Warrior whom had Swift Fox and the smallest of the foxes, swift fox and the smallest of the foxes, swift fox were a plentiful social species of great their dead with grave goods of native their dead with grave red ochre, beads, points, and copper, swift fox bones. into Illinois. For over 7,000 years, into Illinois. For over of the prairies the indigenous peoples fox, burying have revered the swift banks of the North Saskatchewan banks of the North from panhandle, Texas River to the of the Rockies to the eastern foothills Manitoba, and Valley, the Red River velox from the prairie landscape, ranging R. Berdan “The national Swift Fox Annual reintroduction and the The Blood (Kainai) program (Kainai) program The Blood Recovery Team will consider the Team Recovery results of the upcoming survey (October 2005-February 2006, cost $250,000) … to assess whether any future reintroductions are needed.… The recovery team has expressed uncertainty about reintroductions, considering it to be preferable to use wild foxes because they are likely to maintenance of a captive colony of up to 18 productive pairs of swift fox costs Both the CEI and the $69,000 per year. a funding Blood tribe attempted to find year (2005- commitment for a five got these We 2010) reintroduction. responses: reintroduced populations to support to support populations reintroduced other. each program, as a long-term was intended of the collection incorporating Environmental Traditional aboriginal a biophysical survey Knowledge, on Blood (never before undertaken of data collected, land), GIS mapping and a partnership community outreach College, with Red Crow Community to increase technological exchange did result in employment (which and in 2004 increased employment), of swift fox. the first reintroduction swift fox This first Blood (Kainai) intended to be reintroduction was reintroductions followed by annual for five years, as had been done in the successful Blackfeet swift fox reintroduction (1998-2002). Note the use of “restoration.” In 2001 the Blood Kainai tribe “The swift fox population grew “The swift fox population Between 1998 and 2002, the 1998 and 2002, the Between federal government (RENEW Annual Annual (RENEW government federal of southwestern Alberta initiated a of southwestern CEI undertook the first swift fox the first CEI undertook there existed a protected corridor of classic swift fox habitat joining two reintroduction sites, one in Montana Alberta, enabling those and one in to Tribal Lands and have even initiated Tribal to a comeback for swift fox along the Ausband, Rocky Mountain Front” (D. M.Sc. thesis, University of Montana, 2005). Lands a Matter Tribal Swift Fox on of Heart and Spirit reintroduction program with CEI. For the first time in the history of swift America, fox reintroduction in North Augusta, Montana, I consider this Augusta, Montana, The Blackfeet reintroduction a success. tribe has … attained their goal of restoring a culturally important species reintroduction in the U.S. in partnership in the U.S. in reintroduction As of Montana. with the Blackfeet due were limited and usual, funds we had to stop to lack of funding Only years. the program after five swift foxes were captive-bred Canadian the following result: reintroduced, with 2003/04 and 14% at a rate of 16% in on the population in 2004/05.… Based of foxes growth rate, the number discovery counted, and the fortunate of swift fox in of a (breeding pair) Report #6, 1995-96). Report , has National Recovery If you think of our prairies as an “Restore” is an interesting word: The federal and provincial The federal and provincial But even with this outlook, it is But even with this “I think it worth bearing in bearing it worth “I think In Canada, between the first In Canada, between the first ),” said Pat Fargey of Parks Canada sic),” said Pat Fargey mind that the [Species at Risk] Act Act Risk] [Species at that the mind Canada. Survival within the two groups was “similar” (42%) according to the foxes from CEI breeding stock were Wildlife The Canadian reintroduced. Service also translocated 91 wild swift foxes, trapped in the U.S. for release in release in 1983 and the last release in 1997, 849 captive bred Canadian swift or they can be taken from one part of the plate and put in another (swift fox translocation). the empty plate you have to get them from somewhere. Peas can be added to the plate (swift fox reintroduction) all but a few of the peas (in this case, swift fox) have been taken, you will understand that to restore the peas to reintroduced endangered species is to reintroduced endangered species is to add to it – in short, to reintroduce. almost empty plate of peas from which it means return to the original state, replenish. One would imagine the a only way to restore the population of What is Reintroduction? given government agencies and their associates a further 20 years to play with. all previous work on swift foxes, such as the 1996 Plan for the Swift Fox in Canada estimated population of 655 dispersing estimated population of 655 dispersing individuals of unknown age (not The “mature, reproducing foxes”). Act, by outdating new Species at Risk years and 1,000 swift foxes on swift fox reintroduction. Most recent (2001) figures show they have an or more mature, reproducing foxes.” or more mature, reproducing governments have expended 16 to “within 20 years, restore a self- to “within 20 years, population of 1,000 sustaining swift fox and co-chair of the Swift Fox Recovery and co-chair of the in March 2005. Team recovery goal of the still the long-term Strategy Recovery Fox Swift 2006 draft to write recovery strategies there is no strategies to write recovery to implement it legal accountability ( of federal responsible agencies responsible agencies of federal Parks, and Service, Wildlife (Canadian Oceans) of Fisheries and Department speaks to the legal responsibilities the legal responsibilities speaks to

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W W 26 WILDERNESS WATCH WLA April 2006 • Vol.14,No.2 27 “There is contiguous habitat Elliot Fox, director of Blood of Blood Fox, director Elliot “We are pleased,” said Gayle “We Tribe Land Management, said in 2004, said in 2004, Land Management, Tribe from the release site of the Blackfeet Reservation to the Canada Border and swift foxes have already established dens miles north of where they were reintroductions on Blood With released. lands we would hopefully see dispersal to the south and the two populations That would would eventually merge. mean a huge step towards our goal of restoring the swift fox to the land it Tribe) is offering its full support of this is offering Tribe) initiative and are intent on being fully involved throughout the reintroduction process.” of the director Skunk Cap, Jr., Wildlife Fish & Tribal Blackfeet Blackfeet Department, and Dan Carney, biologist, Wildlife and Fish Tribal “with the apparent success of the swift lands Tribal fox releases on Blackfeet and, after reviewing the proposal to reintroduce swift foxes to Blood lands, imagine that it can only increase the potential for success for the (swift) fox population here. to say? to say? traditional relationship “Due to the and became established that evolved Tribe) (the Blood between Kainaiwa the swift is now known as and, what encroachment on fox, prior to European and the territory, traditional Kainaiwa of significance cultural and ecological (the Blood this relationship, Kainaiwa What do the tribes of the The results of the international “Environment Canada has not Canada has not “Environment SARA says, “The Government SARA

considered.” Blackfoot Confederacy (Blackfeet and Blood) on both sides of the border have of Canada is committed to conserving biological diversity and to the principle that, if there are threats of serious or irreversible damage to a wildlife to measures species, cost-effective prevent the reduction or loss of the species should not be postponed for the certainty, a lack of full scientific of individual conservation efforts Canadians and communities should be encouraged and supported, the traditional knowledge of the aboriginal peoples of Canada should be foxes will be provided to Canada, because it is unknown whether further reintroductions will be required.” swift fox survey will not be available In short, Canada August 2006. until will not fund a reintroduction of Canadian swift fox onto Blood tribe land by the Blood (Kainai) people. it is unknown whether further re- whether further it is unknown are required. Regarding introductions the source of wild foxes, potential could be a population Wyoming Canada has not source. Environment from United sought confirmation wild swift States authorities that are necessary will be based upon an upon will be based are necessary information.… of integration because of wild foxes, sought a source AWA Files AWA The U.S. federal government is “Thus, my reason for wanting In February 2006, the U.S. Fish In February 2006, The Canadian government doesn’t The Canadian government doesn’t to establish contact with you.… With With to establish contact with you.… and Wildlife Service wrote to the CEI: Service wrote to Wildlife and now at have three tribes right “We Strategy states that a determination of whether further reintroductions National Swift Fox Recovery Strategy is required under the Species at Risk Act (SARA) and is due … in June new The current draft of this 2006. seem to care, as seen in this response from Stephane Dion, Minister of the new Environment, January 2006: “A plague-free Oklahoma, if the latter still has swift foxes. tribal swift fox reintroductions are to continue in the U.S., would prefer swift foxes of known health from the CEI or the translocation of swift foxes to Montana from plague sites in the U.S. Colorado) and therefore, if (Wyoming, lands.” clearly concerned about the possible spread of bubonic plague through might have any animals available in the future and if there is a possibility of getting some for relocation to tribal program at Blackfeet is not yet at the program at Blackfeet is not yet at the point where we can obtain animals from them. I was wondering if you we may be looking at having to go to we may be looking at having to go to Oklahoma or elsewhere to get animals the for Fort Peck. Unfortunately, looking for a source of foxes. the plague issues here in the States, habitat – which I think they do. Fort Peck has been funded, completed the initial pre-trapping work and is now get funding but are more at the stage of looking at feasibility studies and determining if they have sufficient swift fox, Fort Peck, Northern swift fox, Fort Peck, Northern Cheyenne and Crow. Cheyenne and Crow may or may not some stage of looking at reintroducing some stage of looking captive-bred and wild swift foxes are captive-bred and wild similar. the Environment, September 2005. September the Environment, the recovery team was not However, co-chairs of the consulted, only the And, as noted above, survival of team. continuation of the captive rearing of the captive rearing continuation foxes,” Cochrane for swift facility at of Dion, Minister wrote Stephane have a higher survival rate. Because Because survival rate. a higher have regret that I uncertainties, of these the funding for I cannot commit

IN

Last year AWA called on both AWA Last year This year, unless something unless something This year,

gas could be added to Al-Pac’s FMA, Al-Pac’s gas could be added to the Canadian military to study the potential of the Range to contribute to the ambitious protected areas targets and other Al-Pac, Suncor, endorsed by supporters of the Canadian Boreal Initiative. but they would then have to relinquish but they would then have to relinquish their rights to cut timber in intact forests and the province would have to move to establish long-term protection for those forests. the provincial government and reintroduction) worked because when because worked reintroduction) co- cannot and bureaucracy science of the heart matters exist productively, It was must guide the way. and spirit right thing to do.” simply the the end of happens, will see astonishing at the CEI. the swift fox colony ORESTS © Ian Sheldon Ian © F OREAL Jackson Lake, Lakeland B ALUABLE V Landscapes in the area that have “I will point out that the most “I will point out that AVE S

been seriously fragmented by oil and the northeast quadrant of the Range Winnifred with the forests found in the third area, A Lake region to the north. the southeast quadrant of the Range, a conservation connection offers Primrose Lake with Saskatchewan’s Refuges. Wildlife Ecological and Primrose-Lakeland region. One wild fragment links Lakeland Provincial Park with land in the southwest Air quadrant of the Cold Lake Another area joins Range. Weapons several wild forest fragments in the Canada study of Canada’s remaining Canada study of Canada’s That study identifies wild forests. funding and standing. This of course is of course This and standing. funding approach, of the Euro-Western a part understanding of civilization into the of civilization understanding approach this future. Unfortunately, of many in the view is not legitimized in particular; peoples, indigenous factors (including that is, cumulative cultural values) spiritual, heartfelt and account [and] then must be taken into from there. priorities may be set messages enduring and valuable are those visual and involving animals The project (swift fox storied accounts. describe the world in clinical clear world in clinical describe the for the advance and parameters L. Wein L. ELP H AY LBERTA M A WAPPING S ORTHEASTERN AND The value of considering the “If land swaps in the Primrose- Alberta still has an excellent “I do observe in most scenarios “I do observe in most Finally, Ira Newbreast, of the Ira Newbreast, Finally, N From AWA News Release March 29, 2006 News Release March AWA From L land swap option is suggested by the Watch just-released Global Forest would hinge on promoting boreal forest conservation goals elsewhere in the region,” he adds. then we should explore this option,” says Ian Urquhart, a University of Alberta political scientist who is work in the Primrose- AWA’s leading consideration AWA Lakeland area. “But of such a significant land-use change of conserving at least 50 percent of boreal forest in a network of Canada’s areas, interconnected protected large Lakeland region will further the goal Canadian Boreal Initiative’s a commitment to legislated protection for the intact forests gained through this process. on the judicious swapping of land in the region already under various uses, Forest Alberta-Pacific’s including Area (FMA), as well as Management saving the best forests left may hinge saving the best forests left may hinge the Primrose-Lakeland area, which are the Primrose-Lakeland area, which are by petroleum still relatively unaffected and forestry operations. However, opportunity to protect several in significant unfragmented wild forests such as those in Alberta, northeastern there comes a certain need to there comes a certain purpose of more substantiate for the recognition are not often required recognition are not and heart. in matters of the spirit action (swift fox Which is what this and is. reintroduction) was, perspective if you will, the need for if you will, the need perspective through vindication and legitimacy and qualification, quantification Blackfeet Tribal Fish & Wildlife Wildlife & Fish Tribal Blackfeet a said in 2005, “From Department Blackfeet stand point, American Native once occupied throughout the Blackfeet the Blackfeet throughout occupied once confederacy.”

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W W 28 PROFILE WLA April 2006 • Vol.14,No.2 29 . “I’ve EAUTY B That publication is another book When illustrating books, Sheldon For his bigger pieces, he works And there’s a good chance at least And there’s AWA, Sheldon, a member of “That’s as big as I can get right “That’s Butterflies are still one of his huge Butterflies are still RASSLAND in oils. And some of his pieces are in oils. truck than mine, so I will want to try for something bigger.” some of bigger pieces will include some landscapes. tries to give a little back to protect those rapidly vanishing wild prairie donation to wilderness A landscapes. conservation measures are made collaboration with nature author John collaboration with nature author John Acorn. uses some watercolours as well as coloured pencils to get the type of he can work at And images he wants. that type of picture at any time of the “I look at illustrating books as a day. science more than an art,” he says. “I at can do it early in the morning or later night, and I’m not bothered by the type of light available or whatever mood I might be in.” gigantic – in early 2006, he was working on a painting that measured eight feet by four feet. because of the size of my studio now, so that – also, my truck is eight by four, limits how big the painting can be,” he says with a bit of a chuckle. “But once I revamp my studio, I know someone who transports artwork, in a bigger while working on his MSc at the on his MSc at while working Alberta, he made some University of Pine Books and connections with Lone first set of natural ended up doing his about bugs, still illustrations for a book Since then, he’s his favourite subject. books about bugs, illustrated numerous several tomes about fish, mammals, and animal tracks. The biggest book project loves, though. and is of his career is in production scheduled to come out this summer: of British Columbia Butterflies illustrated every single species of butterfly for the province and have been working on the 350 illustrations and the book in general since 1999,” he says. G ITH W ECONNECTS Ian Sheldon , R Two years later he was back in Two OME H big bushes full of butterflies. I loved big bushes full of butterflies. butterflies.” Eventually a gallery work; showed the self-taught artist’s his first show took place in 1993, when he lived in England. Much of his work then involved European architecture. Canada, and a few years after that, liked to doodle a lot, and some of the a lot, and some liked to doodle drawing was first things I remember ACK B OMES C OY B RAIRIE

Like many successful artists, Sheldon says many of the people If you were asked to describe Ian asked to describe If you were He’s been back in Alberta since Alberta been back in He’s

By John Geary By John P © Ian Sheldon Ian © them.” Sheldon started drawing at an early Africa. “I age, as a child in South in the room in which it will hang,” he in the room in which it will hang,” he says. “They buy it because there is something in the picture that moves those types of landscapes also feel that those types of landscapes also feel that buy a particular comfort. “They don’t painting because it matches the décor that.” who purchase his paintings that feature there with no one or nothing else around, looking at nothing but rolling grasslands as far as the eye can see. I find something very comforting about being in is Grasslands National Park [Saskatchewan],” he says. “I love to just stand in the middle of the prairie 1995, and even though he’s been in he’s 1995, and even though the beauty it’s all those other places, that stirs him of his native prairies the most. “One of the places I love Ontario, and many other places. Ontario, and many based artist describes himself. based artist describes in Edmonton, Although he was born England, Africa, lived in South he’s Sheldon and you said, “He is a citizen Sheldon and you said, would be very of the world,” you how the Edmonton- accurate, as that’s

Reg Ernst, Lethbridge — There is still time for Premier Despite that experience, he is not experience, he Despite that stories “One of the most inspiring completely disheartened. Through his disheartened. completely it would be an appropriate way of acknowledging the contributions made Andy Russell to the wild places of by Alberta. expected. In a relatively small area of expected. In a relatively small area of the Castle, I found that weedy species were widespread and abundant along all linear disturbances including roads, trails, cutlines, and random camping eleven major weed sites. I identified six of which species during the survey, Weed are listed as noxious under the Alberta; three others are Act of Control listed as nuisance, and the remaining two are not ranked. Does this sound like an area that is being managed sustainably? Klein to exercise his privilege and Alberta responsibility as premier of first Alberta’s by establishing southern the Castle Park. Declaring Wildland Park Wildland Andy Russell area the to legacy would be Premier Klein’s and Alberta the people of southern of logging there was, to the point the point was, to there of logging was almost the land some of where denuded.” completely people hopes he can help artwork, he nature. connect with parent who told me I heard was from a read one chapter their children were the books I’ve a night from one of John story. illustrated as a bedtime many of the books Acorn [the writer of art] has such a featuring Sheldon’s things in beautiful way of expressing very satisfying to for my words … it’s part of something art to be included as like that.”

the Castle Wilderness. the Castle Wilderness. “One of the most depressing trips “One of the most depressing “Having lived in other places in in other places “Having lived From 2003 to 2005 I surveyed Weedy species along an access route in access route species along an Weedy

actually see it – the worse the amount actually see it – the the world, I realize how lucky we are I realize how lucky the world, area have all the wilderness here to still there he says. “In Europe, we have,” Sometimes we is so little wild space. that, and we’re careless realize don’t with what we have. the west coast of I ever took was up As we travelled Island. Vancouver beautiful we saw some Tofino, up to farther up the coast wilderness. But the words, the farther we went – in other where people could away we got from from the sale of artwork in the artwork the sale of from his website, on Gallery Landscapes www.iansheldon.com. the Carbondale area of the Castle. Results of the rare plant survey were more or less as expected, but the weed problem was far worse than I require a different mandate that will mandate require a different allow a holistic approach to managing the Castle and they require more resources for enforcement and for restoring ecological processes. the Castle area for rare plants and in 2005, I initiated a weed survey in systems. I believe that local land managers are doing the best they can under the circumstances, but they disturbances and damage to sensitive disturbances and damage to sensitive R. Ernst R. DITOR E THE

TO © Ian Sheldon

ETTERS I would suggest that the area Dear Editor: Dear Last fall, following the passing Premier Klein’s response to Premier Klein’s L of Andy Russell, I wrote a letter to Andy Russell, I wrote of of exploiting every ecological niche available, resulting in widespread are far from appropriate for sensitive ecosystems like those existing in the Castle. Managing the Castle area under the multiple use system consists is not protected and is not being and that the uses managed sustainably, and protected in a sustainable manner while providing opportunities for a range of appropriate uses.” Alberta. He further stated that “our to government is undertaking efforts ensure that the Castle area is managed an accomplishment, but it provided to southwestern only meagre benefits my letter was both disappointing and discouraging. He cited the Special Places program as Alberta’s Premier Klein requesting that he name by creating the Andy’s honour Park in the Wildland Andy Russell Alberta. Castle area of southwestern Park in Wildland It would be the first would be a fitting Alberta and southern Albertan. tribute to a great Andy Russell Wildland Park Could Be Premier’s Legacy to Southern Alberta Legacy to Southern Park Could Be Premier’s Wildland Andy Russell

ETTERS WLA April 2006 • Vol.14,No.2

L 30

EVENTS WLA April 2006 • Vol.14,No.2 31 © Ian Sheldon Ian ©

Nigel Douglas Bob Blaxley looking at the spectacular Livingstone/Porcupine region and the famous Pekisko Alberta. Rangelands in southwest members AWA $30 - $40 - Non-members Pre-registration is required for the Tour. Bus Saturday June 25, 2006 Tour Pekisko Rangeland Bus Join us for a guided bus tour, Saturday September 9, 2006 Plateau Mountain Ecological Reserve with Kananaskis Saturday September 16, 2006 Whaleback The with Montane habitat, 2 hours south of Calgary Sunday September 24, 2006 Lakes Chester Pharis Vivian with Mountains of Kananaskis Country Table top mountain in southern Table

David Samson Dorothy Dickson Mountain headwaters of the Oldman River Will Davies Will with ‘Prairie in the mountains’ Saturday July 22, 2006 Wildland Bighorn with Mountains 3 hours southwest of Edmonton August 19, 2006 Saturday, Area Beehive Natural Tweedie with James with Parkland protected area east of Red Deer Saturday July 8, 2006 Hills Cypress Armstrong with Hyland Grassland area 1 hour southeast of Medicine Hat Saturday July 15, 2006 Tinda Ha Ya Saturday June 17, 2006 Area Rumsey Natural in the Bighorn Wildland in the Bighorn ROGRAM

P EWS

IKES N H UMMER Long time AWA member and supporter Frank Methot passed away member and supporter AWA Long time S SSOCIATION A Bob Blaxley Cheryl Bradley In Memoriam Frank Methot In Memoriam on February 16, 2006. A wildlife advocate and wilderness supporter, Frank supporter, wildlife advocate and wilderness A on February 16, 2006. and habitat protection. to speak out on issues of conservation hesitate didn’t passion to remember Frank’s family and friends have chosen Frank’s our sincere offer We AWA. donations to the for wildlife with memorial sympathy and appreciation. with Montane habitat, 2 hours south of Calgary Saturday June 10, 2006 Whaleback The Ian Urquhart and Tom Maccagno Tom with Ian Urquhart and Boreal Forest, 3 hours northeast of Edmonton Saturday June 3, 2006 Lakeland with You can also book online at can You http://shop.albertawilderness.ca Saturday May 27, 2006 Heritage Rangeland River Twin space or for more details. by phone (403) 283-2025 AWA Contact to book your or email at [email protected] Pre-registration is required for all of these hikes, and will take place on a basis. ‘first come first served’ Grassland site near Milk River, Grassland site near Milk River, Alberta southern

your space or for more details. members AWA Cost: $100 – $125 – Non-members Pre-registration required for all preserve a To backpacking trips. wilderness experience, each of these trips will be limited to eight participants. Experience Alberta’s wilderness wilderness Alberta’s Experience backpacking through minimal impact Our guides and overnight camping. their intimate will share with you history of knowledge of the natural these beautiful areas. guide are self-catered, but your Trips will make sure you are prepared with the proper equipment, food, fitness level, and trip route and will also be there for first aid and emergencies. at (403) AWA Book online or contact to book 283-2025 or [email protected] August 14-17, 2006 Wilderness White Goat Nigel and Cataract Traverse Wales Pass with guide Don and explore the headwaters of Cataract Creek on the edge of the area. Wilderness White Goat July 17-19, 2006 Wildland South Castle Join guide Reg Ernst on an exploration of the Scarpe Creek headwaters of South Castle. June 26-28, 2006 Wildland Bighorn as your guide, Wales Don With of the explore the headwaters Creeks Littlehorn and Bighorn in the heart of the Bighorn Wildland. ALBERTA WILDERNESS BACKPACKING TRIPS BACKPACKING WILDERNESS ALBERTA [email protected] Box 6398, Station D Explore some of the most magnificent wilderness areas Alberta has to offer Alberta areas wilderness most magnificent some of the Explore Calgary, Alberta T2P 2E1 T2P Alberta Calgary, Canadian Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement No. 485535 • ISSN# 40065626 Canadian Publications Mail Product Sales Alberta Wilderness Association Wilderness Alberta Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to: Return Undeliverable Canadian

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