SEPTEMBER 2020 Editor: CONTENTS Ian Urquhart, PhD SEPTEMBER 2020 • VOL. 28, NO. 3 Graphic Design: Keystroke Design & Production. Doug Wournell B Des, ANSCAD Features www.keystrokedesign.com

MIX Seven years into an Emergency Telling Our Own Stories: Kevin Van Paper 4 23 ® Protection Order, are Sage Grouse Tighem’s Martha Kostuch Lecture FSC C013747 any Greater? 25 Adventures for Wilderness: 7 With the Maligne Herd Gone… Albertans Honour AWA’s 55th Year Jasper’s Caribou Crisis Deepens by Embarking on a Province- spanning Series of Wilderness ALBERTA WILDERNESS 9 How Caribou Became Part of My Experiences ASSOCIATION Life “Defending Wild Alberta through 12 Alberta Caribou Work Continues Wilderness Watch Awareness and Action” While B.C. Puts Agreements in Dedicated to the conservation of Place 28 Updates wilderness and the completion of 13 Alberta and the Three Bears a protected areas network, Alberta 30 In Memoriam: Margaret Main Wilderness Association is a voice for 16 Skoki: The Long and Longer Life the environment. Since 1965, AWA of a Marvelous Bear – 33 Years this Departments has inspired communities to care for Coming Winter Alberta’s wild spaces through awareness and action. With a provincial office 19 Species at Risk: Athabasca Rainbow 31 Cub Reporter Corner Trout and library in Calgary, AWA has active members, volunteers, and sponsors 32 In Memoriam: Gus Yaki Association News throughout Alberta and beyond. AWA 33 Speaker’s Corner is a non-profit, federally registered, charitable society. Donations and Our Need for Nature: Kevin Van 21 34 Reader’s Corner financial support are greatly appreciated, Tighem – Wilderness Defender please call 403 283-2025 or contribute online at AlbertaWilderness.ca Cover Photo Wild Lands Advocate is published This issue’s cover photo is courtesy of Dan Olson. four times a year, by Alberta Wilderness A late September afternoon along the Red Deer River Association. The opinions expressed PHOTO: © D. OLSON by the authors in this publication are not necessarily those of AWA. The editor reserves the right to edit, reject or withdraw articles and letters submitted. Please direct questions Featured Art and comments to: 403-283-2025 • [email protected] AWA is very excited to feature the work of Tyler Los- Jones in this issue of Wild Lands Advocate. Tyler Subscriptions to the WLA are $30 per produces objects and images from his home in the Rocky year. To subscribe, call 403-283-2025 Mountains of Alberta. The work he has produced over the or see AlbertaWilderness.ca. past decade aims to complicate inherited assumptions of environments by bringing the unnatural aspects of the western conception of nature to the forefront. Los-Jones is fascinated by the role photography plays in the production and the fulfillment of our expectations for environments. Los-Jones’ photographic and sculptural work has been exhibited extensively across Canada and in the US. Recent exhibitions include Look slowly and all that moves at the Confederation Centre Art Gallery, (Charlottetown) and a slow light which exhibited at the Southern Alberta Art Gallery (Lethbridge) and Division Gallery (Toronto). Tyler has been commissioned to produce multiple large-scale public artworks including, A 455-12 ST NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1Y9 panorama protects its views for the Art Gallery of Alberta (Edmonton) and To Keep the 403-283-2025 Promise at the Calgary Airport Marriott In-Terminal Hotel. www.AlbertaWilderness.ca Tyler is represented by Jarvis Hall Gallery in Calgary https://jarvishallgallery.com. [email protected] Charitable Registration Number: AWA respects the privacy of members. Lists are not sold or traded in any manner. AWA is a federally registered charity 118781251RR0001 and functions through member and donor support. Tax-deductible donations may be made to AWA at 455-12 ST NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1Y9. Ph: 403-283-2025 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.AlbertaWilderness.ca ISSN 1192-6287 For Species-at-Risk, the Ticking Clock is Relentless

An early August CBC story provided what I thought would be the cies recovery and the challenge is deciding how to address them as perfect message for this editorial about species-at-risk. The story we return species to the planet’s lands and waters. focused on sea otters, one of my favourite animals. It was a good September’s news on the species-at-risk front was more distress- news story. ing. Its message was that, if we don’t act very soon, we won’t have Hunted ruthlessly for their fur since the 1740s, they were near to worry about making tradeoffs because we are losing species and extinction by the early 20th Century. In Canada, the last sea otter biodiversity at an alarming, likely catastrophic, rate. was shot in 1929. In the late 1960s and early 1970s sea otters from The United Nations published its fifth edition of its Global Bio- Alaska were reintroduced to the Pacific Northwest. Between 1969 diversity Outlook report in mid-September. Positively, virtually and 1972, 89 sea otters were introduced to waters off of northwest every country is now doing something to protect biodiversity and Vancouver Island. without such action the world’s biodiversity would be even worse. Thus began their road to recovery. The Committee on the Status “Even worse”…this means that none of the 20 objectives for 2020 of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) designated Ehydra (the Aichi Biodiversity Targets) set a decade ago by the U.N. have lutris as Endangered in 1978 and again in 1986. But, by 1993, at been fully met. Only six have been “partially achieved.” least 1,078 sea otters inhabited B.C. waters. In 2000 COSEWIC While governments take halting, baby steps to sustain biodiver- determined that, due to the steady increase in the otter population, sity, they continue to open our wallets to subsidize the types of in- sea otters were no longer in imminent danger of extirpation. Their dustrialization and economic activity that have put us at this cross- status was changed to Threatened. The most recent federal otter roads. The amounts spent in the name of biodiversity are dwarfed census in 2017 put their population at approximately 8,000. by what is “spent on activities that are harmful to biodiversity, in- What is fundamental to understanding the ecology and the poli- cluding some $500 billion for fossil fuels, and other subsidies that tics of recovering species-at-risk is the range of broader ecological cause environmental degradation.” implications that accompanies recovering populations. A blos- The U.N. report came on the heels of World Wildlife Fund Living soming otter population has delivered several important ecological Planet reports. Globally, the average decline in wildlife populations benefits. Thanks to the otters, kelp forests have regenerated to the since 1970 is a staggering 68 percent. In Canada, the populations benefit of rockfish and salmon. For the climate, more kelp also of species that COSEWIC has assessed as at-risk nationally have means more carbon storage. declined by an average of 59 percent from their 1970 levels. On the other hand, recovering some species may harm others. The time to act on this file was yesterday. In order to be in the For example, the otter’s appetite for sea urchins and other shellfish position to have to decide what tradeoffs we make as we recover has posed a threat to Indigenous and commercial fisheries. The sea species-at-risk, we must take decisive, expeditious action now. otter success story alerts us to this reality: there are tradeoffs to spe- - Ian Urquhart, Editor

PHOTO: © C. OLSON Seven years into an Emergency Protection Order, are Sage Grouse any Greater?

By Grace Wark, Conservation Specialist

n 2012, Canadian populations of to manage land-based species, like sage designation, wherein areas essential to Greater sage grouse (Centrocercus grouse, still falls to the provinces on sage grouse survival and recovery would I urophasianus urophasianus) had provincial lands. A somewhat reluctant be mapped and protected. The general been pushed to the brink of local extinc- babysitter, the federal government will excuse from the federal Minister of the tion and could no longer rely on good supervise the provinces’ recovery efforts, Environment was that insufficient data will and voluntary efforts to support but leave them to choose their own con- were available to determine sage grouse their numbers. This was the year that, servation pathway. Only where the prov- habitat. Without a critical habitat desig- despite being a federally-listed endan- inces fall short will the federal govern- nation, industrial activity, road building gered species since 1998, a mere thirteen ment intervene. and other highly disruptive hazards were males were counted in Alberta. The out- In the years leading up to 2012, provin- allowed to persist within important sage look was bleak, to say the least. cial efforts to recover sage grouse proved grouse habitat on provincial public lands. You may ask yourself, why wasn’t the unfruitful, largely because energy devel- Being a specialist species, sage grouse federal endangered status enough to sus- opment in sage grouse habitat remained have extremely specific habitat require- tain sage grouse? The not-so-simple an- unchecked. Meanwhile the federal gov- ments in order to feed, nest and breed. swer: habitat and jurisdiction. Under the ernment did nothing but drag their True to their name, Alberta populations federal Species at Risk Act, responsibility heels on a much needed critical habitat of Greater sage grouse rely on stands of

Two male sage grouse strut across a lek in Zortman, Montana. In Alberta, a mere three leks remain. PHOTO: © C. OLSON

4 WLA | September 2020 | Vol. 28, No. 3 | FEATURES In 2011, AWA commissioned a billboard in the City of Edmonton to draw attention to the critically low numbers of male sage grouse remaining in the wild. Years of concerns, campaigns, and legal challenges eventually culminated in the 2013 Emergency Protection Order. silver sagebrush (Artemisia cana), which nally declaring an Emergency Protection This was a huge success for sage grouse dominates their diet throughout the year Order (EPO) on December 4, 2013. and conservation groups, although only a and acts as important cover during rear- I spoke with Ecojustice lawyer Sean first step in the road to recovery. ing stages and in winter months. Further Nixon, who represented AWA and our I asked Cliff Wallis, AWA Director and to this, sage grouse habitat also needs to environmental colleagues in the long le- Grasslands biologist, about the impor- be highly undisturbed. Research on ‘leks’, gal journey to achieving an EPO. Sean tance of the EPO. “I think it has been sage grouse breeding grounds, found that explained to me that while the EPO was effective on a couple fronts,” said Cliff. nearly 99 percent of active leks are found a historic action on behalf of the federal It stopped immediate threats and drew in areas where less than three percent of government, the first of its kind in pro- important attention and funding towards the landscape has been developed. Alber- tections, it was not, however, a perfect the issue. However, Cliff pointed out that ta’s grasslands are one of the most devel- legal mechanism for long-term recovery. funding and recovery efforts need to be oped and least protected Natural Regions In this case, the EPO is meant to “fill the sustained over multiple decades if we in the province. It’s unsurprising, albeit gap” between designating a species un- are to actually reach a point where sage disappointing, that sage grouse are now der SARA and mapping its critical hab- grouse are no longer endangered. limited to a mere 10 percent of their his- itat. In this most dire of situations, the torical range. EPO aimed to prevent any further de- How do you recover a While the government idled on sage struction of known sage grouse habitat, species? grouse habitat protections, Alberta and which in this case was the leks and some Since the EPO was announced in 2013, Saskatchewan conservation groups, in- surrounding area. Important to note, the a number of recovery efforts have been cluding AWA, decided it was time to turn EPO does not apply to private lands, but applied to both Greater sage grouse pop- up the heat on sage grouse protections. instead only to “a number of legal subdi- ulations and their habitat to, in Cliff’s Over a number of years, AWA and a col- visions found on federal and provincial words, “see what sticks.” The EPO pro- lective of conservation groups and land- Crown lands.” In actual terms, the EPO vided important political leverage for owners coordinated actions for Greater prohibited impacts to sagebrush plants sage grouse which allowed for provincial sage grouse protection, including a sage and native grasses and forbs, the instal- and federal funds to be allocated towards grouse emergency summit, an interpro- lation or construction of new fences, “tall their recovery in 2014. vincial sage grouse partnership, a legal or noisy structures” and machinery, and As population sizes were critically low petition and multiple lawsuits – all of new or widened roads on a total of 1,672 at the time of the emergency protection which proved critical to the Minister fi- square kilometres of designated habitat. order, both captive breeding and trans-

WLA | September 2020 | Vol. 28, No. 3 | FEATURES A5 location programs have been used to try still lies ahead of us. tablishing voluntary programs, including to bring populations up to sustainable Considering the Greater sage grouse conservation easements, to protect and numbers. The captive breeding pro- range in the western United States, I enhance remaining sagebrush habitat. gram, another first of its kind, is led at was curious about how recovery efforts To date, more than eight million acres of an off-site location by the Calgary Zoo, there compare with Alberta. I had heard sagebrush habitat have been conserved using eggs from Montana and elsewhere anecdotes that the U.S. had much stron- through SGI’s programs, largely through in Canada to breed birds for the wild. ger protections in place, due in part to private partnerships. The program has been operating since the federal jurisdiction over sage grouse In describing Alberta’s current efforts, 2014, and in 2018 released 66 birds into habitat paired with strong voluntary ef- I asked Dr. Naugle for his opinion on an area near Manyberries. The translo- forts. Hoping for some optimistic news, what’s needed to restore populations to cation program has been in effect since I reached out to Dr. Dave Naugle, the sustainable levels. Once again, it boils before the EPO, where birds have been science advisor for the U.S.-based Sage down to habitat. “Even if you made what brought up from Montana to attempt Grouse Initiative (SGI), to learn about you have left perfect habitat, it still won’t to bolster the Alberta populations – al- how sage grouse are being managed in be enough to support populations.” The though with mixed results due to nest the western rangelands and what we needs of sage grouse extend far beyond predation from largely crows, magpies might be missing here in Alberta. the boundaries of the EPO; what we and ravens. Although they’ve faced a similar trend need to do is grow the amount of viable Sage grouse numbers have risen and in declines, the western states appear to habitat. fallen since 2013. They remain at per- have achieved a general air of acceptance What really resonated with me was ilously low levels. This recent history around sage grouse conservation efforts. something Sean Nixon said: “once there is an important reminder of how any This is evidenced by the large contribu- is no longer an active threat to the spe- and all actions for the species need to tions to private protection and wide va- cies, the Minister is actually supposed to be complemented by improvements in riety of conservation initiatives. As Dr. recommend to cabinet that [the Emer- habitat. For example, to improve the Naugle described, although each state gency Protection Order] be removed.” likelihood of survival, the Government has their own plan “everybody is largely Looking at current populations, an emer- of Alberta has implemented another working on the same sheet of music.” gency still exists today. There’s still work program to reduce “predator subsidies,” Programs are currently underway to to be done, critical habitat beyond leks old buildings and perches that support not only tackle predation and energy de- that needs to be designated, and land sage grouse predators. velopment, but also the impacts of wild- that needs to be restored. Hopefully, we A portion of Alberta’s sage grouse hab- fires, invasive cheat grass and conifer can figure out how to do this while there itat falls within the Manyberries oilfield, encroachment, agricultural conversion, are still sage grouse left to save. meaning that Greater sage grouse re- residential development, and migra- covery also has significant overlap with tion-impeding fences. The SGI has expe- another major conservation issue in the rienced a huge amount of success in es- province: the abandonment of wells. In 2013, 1,533 wells had been drilled with-

in Alberta sage grouse range. This pres- 700 Alberta's Greater Sage-grouse Spring Count ence is detrimental to the species as sage grouse actively avoid any anthropogenic 600 footprint. While the reclamation of well 500 pads is a priority item for their recovery, funding is desperately needed to restore 400 habitat within a meaningful timeline. 300 With all of these recovery actions in

place, what is the current status of sage 200 Males # Adult grouse in Alberta? In 2020, 24 males were observed across three leks, with a 100 total estimated population of 72 birds 0 (2:1 female to male). This is still a far 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 cry from the pre-1968 numbers of more Year than 600 males. A long road to recovery SOURCE: AWA

6 WLA | September 2020 | Vol. 28, No. 3 | FEATURES With the Maligne Herd Gone…Jasper’s Caribou Crisis Deepens

By Carolyn Campbell, AWA Conservation Specialist

hey’re gone. Jasper’s Maligne car- for these caribou. Furthermore, AWA is The die off of Jasper’s entire Maligne cari- ibou herd are officially extirpated calling on Parks Canada to manage Ma- bou population and the steep, rapid decline T– gone from Jasper National Park’s ligne range access for eventual caribou of the Brazeau and Tonquin herds are tragic, landscape. The Tonquin and Brazeau herds, re-introduction there. predictable results of decades-long habitat the two remaining caribou populations A captive breeding program is a desperate and wildlife errors. Those errors were rein- managed by Parks Canada, are in a perilous measure that is under consideration because forced in the last decisive decade by Parks condition. Their total numbers and numbers existing regulations and management re- Canada’s decision to still cater to the recre- of breeding females are so low now that they gimes failed the Maligne herd and are failing ation desires of a few above the habitat needs cannot recover on their own. the Tonquin and Brazeau herds. In 1984, the of endangered wildlife. Parks Canada must Therefore, AWA is calling on Parks Can- Tonquin and Brazeau herds were estimated not let the remaining magnificent caribou ada to prevent the extirpation of Jasper’s to each have 115 members. In 2019, the under its care in Jasper be lost to future gen- Tonquin and Brazeau caribou by urgently Tonquin population was estimated to have erations of Canadians. and transparently considering an emer- shrank to only 24 members; the Brazeau There is tremendous urgency for Parks gency population augmentation program herd had collapsed to just 8 animals. Canada to take action, by launching captive

The few remaining caribou in Jasper National Park face dire circumstances. PHOTO: © C. CAMPBELL

WLA | September 2020 | Vol. 28, No. 3 | FEATURES A7 breeding if viable, and crucially, by manag- right down into Idaho had their winter rang- sentence for Maligne caribou, giving wolves ing habitat appropriately for caribou re-oc- es outside the Park fragmented in the 20th easy predation access as caribou numbers cupation. The hard-won winter ski trail lim- century by roads, dams, mines, and other spiraled down. The ‘four month per year’ ski its in the Maligne range must remain, and industrial incursions. Many caribou died off trail closures since 2014 were overdue mea- winter plowing of the Maligne Lake road or stopped migrating; the latter remained sures that unfortunately proved too late to into prime winter habitat areas must end. It inside national parks. Even though winter recover the tiny remaining population. is possible that caribou could re-connect to conditions were poorer than what they were Parks Canada has declared that, since Maligne from the adjacent Brazeau or Ton- adapted to, they probably survived far lon- about 2013, Jasper’s elk and wolf popula- quin ranges with strong winter access rules. ger than they would have without the Parks. tions are low enough, and far enough away Further measures should be considered for Meanwhile, people made disastrous de- from caribou, that they no longer pose a Tonquin and Brazeau winter access to sup- cisions for caribou inside Jasper Park too. risk to the remaining caribou herds. Pro- port caribou recovery. A captive breeding Artificially high elk populations were en- vided there’s ongoing habitat/access man- program only makes sense if caribou have couraged in the 20th century, eventually agement, captive breeding may be the nec- secure critical habitat to return to once they leading to a boom in wolf numbers. Many essary means for Jasper caribou to survive are released. If Parks Canada allows more decisions creating and maintaining human and recover. winter access or infrastructure that is harm- access on winter roads, trails and ski hills Crisis describes well the state of caribou ful to caribou viability, we believe it will be in key caribou areas robbed caribou of their in Jasper National Park. Populations have far too difficult for decision makers to re- natural ability to avoid overlap with wolves, declined so far, so quickly, that only an ex- verse course later. and wolf predation became too high for traordinary measure such as captive breed- Canadians may see Jasper Park as a pris- them to tolerate. ing may hold any promise of keeping this tine area for caribou, but human land-use In 2002, a temporary winter closure of iconic species in an iconic National Park. decisions have been disastrous for them. Maligne Lake Road, approved by Jasper’s Let’s see Parks Canada’s caribou re-popu- These are ‘mountain’ caribou, which need superintendent based on extensive evi- lation and access management plans, and if to migrate in the winter to secure foothills dence, was immediately overturned. Keep- they’re sound, let’s get on with it. There isn’t areas, which were destroyed decades ago. ing the entire stretch of the Maligne Lake a second to lose. Caribou that once were distributed through winter road open every subsequent winter southern Canadian mountains and foothills to recreation traffic, up to today, was a death

Featured Artist Tyler Los-Jones

As Lichens no. 7 Aggregates no.2 Archival inkjet print on rag paper Archival inkjet print on rag paper 30.5 cm x 35.6cm, 2017 61cm x 61cm, 2018 PHOTO: © T. LOS-JONES PHOTO: © T. LOS-JONES

8 WLA | September 2020 | Vol. 28, No. 3 | FEATURES How Caribou Became Part of My Life

By Franco Alo

here are very few things I am sous-chef. And now, my relationship with a new adventure and had no idea what the sure of in life and that’s fine by Rangifer tarandus joins the list. It all started outcome would be. T me. But, I am sure of one thing when I decided to go back to school in my – I want to be involved with caribou recov- mid-20s after I pulled myself loose from be- Finland: Reindeer Research ery in Canada. For most Canadians the only ing a touring musician. I didn’t know much All research should start with diving into time they will ever see a caribou is on the about caribou then (maybe I even believed a the background literature. I learned about tails side of our quarter – that’s right, it’s a moose adorned our quarter). It was really by reindeer biology and reproductive ecology, caribou, not a moose. So how did this pro- accident that Rangifer tarandus became part sexual competition as well as the status of fessional biologist decide he wanted to be of my Master of Science degree. some caribou herds in Canada. When I did involved in one of the largest conservation When I chose my professor to pursue this in 2014 I remember being shocked to issues in Canada? That’s the question I tack- my M.Sc. in Biology with, I was dead set find out that, in Canada, the caribou I read le in this article. on studying elephants in Cameroon as my about in my research was a species at risk. research project. Somehow though, and As interesting as I found that, I had to stay Getting to Today despite the fact I don’t enjoy cold weather, focused on reindeer. My interest in caribou I will be 34 years old by the time this ar- Finland replaced Africa. I think I chose Fin- conservation had to take a back seat to sexu- ticle is out and I think I’ve worked an as- land because it was the opposite of what I al competition in Finland’s reindeer. tounding number and variety of jobs so far thought would make me comfortable and My caribou love story, my passion for car- in my life. The fields I’ve touched include: I had already learned early on that, when ibou conservation, started with a profound salesman, carpenter, landscaper, musician, you push yourself outside of your comfort experience in Finland. I arrived at a Finnish photographer, field technician, and kitchen zone, real learning occurs. I was excited for Research Centre in northern Finland as the newbie on the research team. Immediately, I was told I had to help herd over 100 rein- deer, quite intimidating! With that intimida- tion came excitement as I was going to work alongside the Samì Indigenous Peoples. This combination of intimidation and excitement produced one of the most visceral and inti- mate experiences of my life. It was like a fairy tale. I was encircled by dozens of reindeer in a corral who walked past me, brushed up against me, poked me. In this real-life fairy tale, I instantly cared about every single one of them. I found them all beautiful. I con- nected with them on a spiritual level. Perhaps my fondest memory of connecting with reindeer happened during my first year of research in northern Finland. Like most field days, I was looking for reindeer using The majestic woodland caribou aka the gray ghost. With fewer and fewer on the natural landscape, will woodland caribou become the next zoo conservation story? PHOTO: © F. ALO telemetry, on foot, over a large surface of

WLA | September 2020 | Vol. 28, No. 3 | FEATURES A9 me. They encircled me, in the fog, like gray South Selkirk herd in southern British Co- ghosts. I was hooked! lumbia. However, it was a job that high- lighted the seemingly insurmountable task Canada: Caribou caribou recovery specialists face. A materni- Conservation ty pen in a herd that numbered only 11 in- After my formative experiences in Finland dividuals in June 2017, was a desperate, last and, with my MSc. in hand, I started to ap- gasp, effort to keep the South Selkirk herd ply for caribou research positions across the on the land. country. I moved to Edmonton shortly after Working with the Government of British graduating and my first taste of the Canadian Columbia, Nature Conservancy of Canada caribou world was an opportunity made pos- and Ktunaxa First Nations in Cranbrook, sible thanks to Melanie Dickie and Dr. Robert one of the biggest challenges faced in sav- Serrouya with the Alberta Biodiversity Mon- ing one of the last southern mountain B.C. itoring Institute’s (ABMI) Caribou Monitor- caribou herds was the fact that the South ing Unit. This position became my gateway Selkirk herd was international. Its historical into the land of caribou conservation. This is range included habitat in the states of Idaho a land where researchers in this community and Washington. are passionate about caribou and are tackling Given the South Selkirk herd’s internation- what seems like an insurmountable task. I al status, a collaborative group was formed quickly learned that caribou conservation called the Selkirk Caribou International was not only about caribou, but it was about Technical Work Group (SCITWG). It in- people (more on this later). volved U.S. partnerships such as U.S. Fish My ABMI position had me trekking the and Wildlife, U.S. Forestry Service, Kootenai boreal forest of Alberta/Saskatchewan set- Tribe of Idaho, Kalispel Tribe and many oth- ting up wildlife camera traps in both intact ers. The advantage of such a group was the caribou habitat and disturbed caribou habi- diversity of experiences everyone brought to tat (most of the disturbance came from wild- the table, especially relevant and useful in a fires). Woodland caribou in the boreal are dire situation with, at that time, only 11 in- naturally evasive and are listed as threatened dividuals left in the herd. under the federal Species at Risk Act. This One of the highlights from my time in that makes them difficult to encounter in nature, position was being invited with a few others

Portrait of Reindeer R26. If we take the time to especially in herds where their footprint is from Canada to Idaho to speak to the SCIT- connect with nature, we understand why we are more remote i.e., further away from human WG, among other things, about my plan trying to save it. PHOTO: © F. ALO settlements, think high up in the moun- for opening the maternity pen and what I land. The morning was foggy and I needed tains or Nunavut for example. This is why needed financially to do that. I also spoke my toque and fleece to stay warm. I tracked wildlife cameras strategically placed within about the steps I was taking to advance our an individual through a Scots pine forest a caribou range and within habitat that is understanding of what we needed in place and into a meadow. I could hear a group of predicted to be used by this ungulate, offer to be ready to receive some individuals from about 20 or more, clicking tendons in the valuable insights through the images we can the South Selkirks in March 2018. I felt distance. I caught a glimpse of the group obtain without being physically present on like I imagine a politician feels – speaking and it appeared they were about to kneel the landscape. By the end of my contract in to a broad audience that included members down for a rest, one by one. My record- October 2017, I had yet to see a caribou. of the federal government, First Nations, ing of observations was put on hold since My only view of woodland caribou in Alber- snowmobile community groups and even reindeer can typically rest for 45 minutes or ta had been through the wildlife cameras. the local town councillor. It was empower- more. I decided to sit on a rock, in the fog, Those views keep me going. They revive my ing to feel like my opinion and statements in the meadow and eat my lunch (a classic ability to bond again with the animal who were taken seriously among a high-profile cold sausage with tasty Finnish honey mus- touched me spiritually back in Finland. attendance. Though I was told many times tard). A few moments passed and I heard From there, and through constant net- that my enthusiasm was due to being young the clicking of tendons again, this time working, I landed a position in November and naïve! moving towards me. I was sure they would 2017 I was really proud of: Maternity Pen The complications and challenges we avoid me…but, no, they walked right past Project Operations Coordinator for the faced turned out to be overwhelming. The

10 WLA | September 2020 | Vol. 28, No. 3 | FEATURES maternity pen, with 15-foot walls designed provincial government authorities, Indige- are significant. They make us realize we to mimic the Revelstoke maternity pen, was nous communities, industry practitioners, have difficulty sharing the same habitat. We nearly completely buried by snow in Feb- research scientists, NGOs and more. This have transformed much of that habitat into ruary. In the aftermath of the buried pen large community, with a diversity of voic- concrete jungles. We don’t see ourselves as a debacle, the herd was essentially found to es, offers great perspective when reviewing part of nature; we too often see ourselves as be functionally extirpated (https://www.rev- methods or tools for caribou conservation apart from nature. This mindset sees them elstokereview.com/news/u-s-caribou-near-revel- across Canada. as competitors, detracting from our ability to stoke-survive-first-year/). The last remaining The needs of caribou herds across Canada satisfy our needs or wants. member of this herd was captured in the vary by location, political boundary, status, A brighter future for caribou depends on Winter of 2019 and transported to the cari- funding, remoteness, parties involved, etc. rethinking our place in nature. Make car- bou maternity pen in Revelstoke. and information about the types of caribou ibou conservation about human conser- monitoring techniques available across the vation. Do we want to plow down entire From Disheartening to country can really help caribou conserva- forests and build concrete jungles every- Encouraging tionists learn from and apply the lessons where, or do we want to be able to balance The next caribou contract position I land- from previous undertakings. A lot of the our societal needs with the acknowledge- ed was as a caribou recovery technician with NBCKC information can be found at https:// ment that we are not separate from nature the Government of Alberta in Peace River. If www.cclmportal.ca/portal/boreal-caribou. but a part of it? To be a constructive part you remember, I had still never seen a cari- I am most attracted to caribou conserva- of nature, we need to make choices which bou in the flesh when working for the ABMI. tion because it is a complicated subject and value thriving landscapes, functioning eco- And, my experience with the South Selkirk one where learning to speak the language of systems, and the priceless ecosystem ser- herd left me quite disheartened as I essen- conservation suited to a particular party is of vices they provide for us. I am proud to be tially witnessed the demise of a herd we tried utmost importance. We have the data and involved in this fight to allow caribou to to save. But, stationed in Peace River, I saw we acknowledge the problem. Now, how continue to live in their wonderful homes caribou, and then more caribou, and then do we create the change required to address and I hope to continue to find others who more caribou. By the end of my contract I woodland caribou decline? understand that when we destroy, when we was very encouraged by the fact I had seen Politicians are uneasy talking about car- take, there’s a threshold where mother na- probably more than one thousand caribou. ibou conservation because typically what ture will simply not recover! This all happened thanks to the advantag- is good for caribou (intact landscapes, less Franco Alo: Skilled in caribou-centric land- es of aerial surveys which took the form of anthropogenic activity near caribou ranges) scape management, making things look pret- mountain caribou scat sampling, caribou is bad for business. Caribou conservation is ty, and a fieldwork veteran. Always mortality investigations, and cow-calf re- fundamentally difficult because caribou are interested in connecting with like-minded cruitment surveys. It was the dreamiest five large mammals whose range contractions individuals at [email protected]. months of my career in caribou conserva- tion. Finally, I had connected with the very species I wanted to help since that forma- tive moment studying reindeer in Finland during my M.Sc. degree. Today, I find myself involved with caribou conservation from a different angle. One can perhaps call it more political, it’s certain- ly more concerned with communications. Now, I’m not on the ground collecting data; I’m not analyzing data; I’m not taking pic- tures of caribou. Instead, I’m involved in knowledge transfer and tool development as part of the National Boreal Caribou Knowl- edge Consortium (NBCKC). The strength of the NBCKC is that it supports a wide gamut of caribou conservation information and participants. I am pleased to see rep- resentation on the NBCKC from federal/ I wonder sometimes what side of the fence we are on. PHOTO: © F. ALO

WLA | September 2020 | Vol. 28, No. 3 | FEATURES 11A Alberta Caribou Work Continues While B.C. Puts Agreements in Place

By Carolyn Campbell, AWA Conservation Specialist

WA has been working hard The fate of the draft Canada-Alberta cari- Group to levels that are self-sustaining and in the past year to seek lasting bou conservation agreement remains un- support traditional aboriginal harvesting ac- A agreements and on-the-ground known. It was released for public comment tivities, consistent with existing Aboriginal actions to maintain and restore caribou hab- in August 2019 and outlined a number of and Treaty rights.” There is a shared com- itat. Collaborative efforts are key to ensure important timelines and commitments. In mitment to establish management zones, Alberta’s threatened woodland caribou pop- December 2019, the federal government and including areas for ‘sustainable resource ulations survive and recover. They are need- Cold Lake First Nations finalized a caribou activity’ and areas emphasizing ‘habitat pro- ed to ensure communities in these regions conservation agreement. This is a positive tection, restoration and conservation’. There can also thrive. We have participated in step to enhance Cold Lake First Nations’ ca- are specific dates for the milestones involved the Alberta government’s multi-sector task pacity and leadership to recover woodland in implementing the Agreement. Compared forces launched in November 2019. These caribou within its traditional territory in to the draft agreement, there is more specific MLA-chaired task forces were appointed to northeast Alberta and northwest Saskatche- language confirming local governments’ in- provide recommendations for sub-regional wan. (The September 2019 Wild Lands Advo- volvement in caribou recovery. land-use plans, in sub-regions overlapping cate reviewed each of these drafts). Although it is very regrettable that it is with caribou ranges in northeast, northwest, In February 2020, two caribou agreements needed, it is appropriate that the finalized and west central Alberta. involving British Columbia and the federal Partnership Agreement addresses a critical In December 2019, our legal case con- government were finalized (those drafts were issue, in a new section called “Commitment cerning protection for boreal caribou habi- reviewed in the June 2019 WLA). One was to Action on Racism”. This states, in part: tat in northeastern Alberta was adjourned, a bilateral conservation agreement between “All Parties to this Agreement are concerned pending further discussions between the the Canadian and B.C. government, covering with the disrespectful and racist rhetoric that environmental groups and First Nations all southern mountain caribou. We remain followed the introduction of the Partnership that brought the lawsuit and the feder- concerned that this agreement is still a ‘plan Agreement. The Parties agree to collaborate al government. Ecojustice, representing to plan’ with few specific commitments, and when planning and implementing future AWA, Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation, that habitat – and caribou survival prospects engagement processes related to the imple- Mikisew Cree First Nation, and David Su- – will be allowed to steadily worsen from in- mentation of this Agreement to ensure such zuki Foundation, stated at the time: dustrial activities. processes will be inclusive, respectful and The environmental organizations and Much more encouraging, although it anti-racist.” First Nations that Ecojustice represented is limited to only a few caribou ranges in Visionary, effective, and enforceable cari- on this issue are deeply concerned about northeast B.C., is the Intergovernmental bou range plans are urgently needed in Al- the future of boreal caribou in Northeast- Partnership Agreement. This is a four-party berta, for caribou survival and for the many ern Alberta, where habitat destruction agreement between Saulteau First Nations, forest species that will also benefit if our cari- and fragmentation threatens their surviv- West Moberly First Nations, Canada and bou have a future. To help make this happen, al. As we work together to protect iconic B.C. It covers the ‘Central Group’ of southern it’s never been more important for Albertans boreal caribou and their critical habitat, mountain caribou, including the Narraway to make their views known to elected offi- Ecojustice’s clients are encouraged by the range, which extends into Alberta southwest cials about the importance of transitioning opportunity for continued discussion with of Grande Prairie. to deliberate land-use management that Minister Wilkinson. Out of respect for Highlights of the Partnership Agreement conserves and restores the habitat caribou these ongoing discussions, Ecojustice and include the clarity of its Shared Recovery Ob- require, while ensuring sustainable regional its clients have nothing further to say at jective: “immediately stabilizing and expedi- livelihoods. this time. tiously growing the population of the Central

12 WLA | September 2020 | Vol. 28, No. 3 | FEATURES Alberta and the Three Bears

By Ian Urquhart

ews media have featured Al- that, in the very near future, the Alberta gov- bank area, nicknamed Russell, captured berta’s threatened population of ernment will abandon its prohibition against considerable public and media attention. N grizzly bears several times this rehabilitating grizzly cubs. Instead, it should The province came under fire again when it year. That news hasn’t been particularly pos- allow suitably designed wildlife rehabilita- refused the Cochrane Ecological Institute’s itive. In September, a female grizzly was killed tion facilities to try to put orphaned cubs on (CEI) requests for the government’s permis- by a train between Castle Junction and Lake that different path. sion to let the bear hibernate at its facilities. Louise. She was the mother of two cubs, both Provincial policy has prohibited this op- Lisa Dahlseide, the Institute’s Education Di- of which were presumed to have perished be- tion since 2010. That was the year the pro- rector, saw the attention those bears received fore she died. In late April, three grizzly cubs vincial government declared that wildlife as an important catalyst for the government’s were orphaned when hunters shot their moth- rehabilitation permits could not be used decision to allow the rehabilitation of black er in the Porcupine Hills. She had charged to rehabilitate grizzly bears and a handful bear cubs. them, presumably because she regarded the of other wildlife species. In a 2019 article, With respect to the three grizzly cubs or- black bear hunters as threats to her cubs. Shaun Fluker and Drew Yewchuk critiqued phaned this spring I invited a handful of Those three, orphaned grizzly cubs in- this prohibition against grizzly rehabilitation people to add their signatures to the letter spire the questions at the heart of this article. as “remarkable” since, ironically, 2010 also to Minister Nixon. One renowned conser- Should wildlife managers consider rehabili- was the year when Alberta formally desig- vation biologist’s response surprised me. The tating and then releasing such cubs back into nated the grizzly as a species-at-risk in the biologist wrote: “This is NOT conservation. the wild? Or, as in the case of the three Por- province. Today, the grizzly bear retains that This is misplaced empathy. Look to the data. cupine Hills orphans, should cubs be sent Threatened designation. Sorry, Ian, but this is a really poor initiative.” to zoos? If zoos cannot be found, should Until April 2018, orphaned black bear I thanked the academic for the email and for the cubs be killed? After the Porcupine Hills cubs also were on the province’s prohibited sharing the opinion there was no merit at all cubs were rescued by Alberta Fish and Wild- species list. Events in 2017 shone a bright, in trying to rehabilitate grizzly cubs. life, they were sent to the Calgary Zoo. The unflattering light on Alberta’s restrictive pol- Then, I took a look in the metaphorical Zoo cared for them until early summer. Then icy. That spring, three black bear cubs were mirror. Was this professor right? Was “mis- they were sent to the Greater Vancouver Zoo discovered in a Banff National Park wash- placed empathy” looking back at me? Did where they will spend the rest of their lives. room. Since Alberta prohibited cub rehabil- the data support the conclusion that it was Before the cubs were sent to the B.C. zoo, itation the bears were shipped to Ontario’s a “poor initiative” to consider the rehabilita- I was one of 104 signatories to a letter from Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary. Later that tion/release option rather than zoo captivity Bears Matter to Alberta Environment and year, an injured black bear in the Spring- or killing the cubs? Parks Minister Nixon. The letter urged him to put those cubs on a different path. We urged the Minister to rehabilitate the cubs with the view to releasing them back onto the Alberta landscape once they were old enough, skilled enough, to survive on their own in the wild. I still firmly believe that rehabilitation and release of grizzly bears should be a management alternative avail- Grizzly and three cubs in Canada’s Rocky Mountain parks. CREDIT: Parks Canada https:// able to Alberta Fish and Wildlife. I hope www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/mtn/ours-bears/generaux-basics/grizzli-grizzly

WLA | September 2020 | Vol. 28, No. 3 | FEATURES 13A Two “Good” Arguments The second argument is a developmental captive-rearing programs in the United States, Against Grizzly Bear one. Like all the subspecies of brown bear Canada, Romania, Greece, India, and South Rehabilitation? (Ursus arctos), grizzly cubs in nature spend Korea. The lead author was John J. Beecham. There are some unacceptable arguments more time with their mothers than black bear Beecham advised the Alberta government on for not considering changes to public policy. cubs do. A grizzly cub is likely to stay with its the issue of rehabilitating black bear cubs; he One of those is bureaucratic inertia, the idea also signed the letter urging Minister Nixon that the status quo is good irrespective of its to approve rehabilitation/release as a manage- merits. Fluker and Yewchuk concluded, af- ment option. ter examining the records received through The questions raised in this study are cen- a freedom of information request, that this tral to the concerns and interests of wildlife helped to explain Alberta Environment and managers and the public alike. Are bears like- Parks’ reluctance to allow bear rehabilitation. ly to survive after they’re released? What are They wrote: “The policy for wildlife rehabili- the causes of their mortality? How prevalent tation in Alberta appears to be based more on are conflicts between humans and post-re- Aerial photo showing the outline of the grizzly re- lease bears? Where do bears go after their inertia than a scientific consideration of the habilitation facility enclosure and its distance from effectiveness of rehabilitation.” existing structures. PHOTO: © COCHRANE ECO- release? Do post-release bears reproduce? There may be, however, good arguments LOGICAL INSTITUTE Post-release data for 550 bears over the pe- against bear rehabilitation generally and griz- mother for approximately 2 ½ years, roughly riod 1991 to 2012 was analyzed. Three spe- zly cub rehabilitation in particular. Two pos- six months to one year longer than its typi- cies of captive-reared bears – American black sibly better arguments against trying to reha- cal black bear counterpart. Grizzly cubs in bears (Ursus americanus), brown bears (Ursus bilitate focus on safety and the development the wild, in other words, normally rely on a arctos), and Asiatic black bears (Ursus thibet- of grizzlies from birth to adulthood. Caution mother’s nurturing and teaching longer than anus) – were studied. The bear population with respect to rehabilitating wildlife generally black bear cubs do. studied was made up of 424 American black is needed because of the risks rehabilitation “Grizzly bears are different,” Alberta govern- bears, 64 brown bears (54 from Romania, 8 may pose to both humans and wildlife. On the ment carnivore specialist Paul Frame told re- from B.C., and 2 from Greece), and 62 Asiatic eve of allowing Alberta wildlife rehabilitation porter Colette Derworiz in 2018. “They have black bears. facilities to care for orphaned black bear cubs, a different life history and they require more All of the bears included in this study were Alberta’s Deputy Minister of Environment and care.” More care likely means a longer stay at less than one year old when they entered a Parks said that his department’s approach was a rehabilitation facility and may increase, in wildlife rehabilitation facility. They were kept aimed “to ensure the safety of the public and the minds of some, the risks presumed to ac- for between two and 14 months and their wildlife.” He wrote: “Safety risks to humans company habituation. John Muir, Communi- care was guided by the International Fund and to wildlife species, including disease risks cations Director for Alberta Environment and for Animal Welfare protocols. Those protocols to both humans, (sic) are the most common Parks, argued this when he was interviewed “primarily involved minimizing post-weaning reasons for the restriction of possession of cer- about rehabilitating the Porcupine Hills cubs. human contact during their captivity.” All of tain wildlife species.” He claimed that the survival chances of or- these captive-reared bears were released into Human-bear conflict, especially bear attacks phaned grizzly cubs meant they needed to habitats occupied by their species. Those ar- on people or their property such as livestock, be kept in a rehabilitation facility longer than eas included “adequate natural food availabil- likely was more central than disease to the black bears. “This causes safety concerns be- ity, cover, and low probability of encounter- Deputy Minister’s assessment. Here, a major cause the longer the bear is in rehabilitation,” ing humans.” The brown bears were released concern is that bears will become habituated he told reporter Cathy Ellis, “the higher the during the first winter or sometime between to people during their time in a rehabilitation risk of habituation and aggression when the the spring and September of their second year. facility. This habituation or familiarity will em- bear is released.” Independence for those bears came consider- bolden bears after their release. By removing And the Data? ably earlier than would have been the case if or reducing a bear’s “fear factor” habituation The data don’t support these “good” argu- they were not orphans. will make it more likely that the released bear ments against grizzly bear rehabilitation and The human-bear conflicts data suggests that, will become a problem bear. In the extreme, release. The most comprehensive study of the if appropriately-rehabilitated bears are re- the problem bear – especially one that has not consequences of returning orphaned, cap- leased into suitable habitats, the risk of a reha- developed natural bear survival skills in a re- tive-reared bears to their natural environment bilitated bear becoming a problem bear is very habilitation facility – may see humans as prey I found was published in the peer-reviewed low. The vast majority of all the released black and attack them. Wildlife managers in Alberta Journal of Wildlife Management in 2015. A bears (94.2%) did not come into any conflict have had zero tolerance for this risk. team of 13 authors gathered data from 12 bear with people. None of the 64 brown bears re-

14 WLA | September 2020 | Vol. 28, No. 3 | FEATURES leased back into nature came into any sort of of any indication that black or brown bears fence with a two-foot inward facing overhang conflict with people. As for the type of con- returned to their rehabilitation facility area runs around the perimeter of the enclosure. flicts between humans and black bears, none provide the data that should prompt Alber- To discourage resident cubs from trying to dig of those conflicts involved a bear attack. The ta government officials to add rehabilitation/ under the fence, a four foot section of chain most numerous examples of human-black release to their suite of management options. link fencing is attached to the fence and bur- bear conflicts came when captive-reared bears As Beecham et al wrote: “(o)ur analyses reduce ied on the inside of the perimeter. The pe- tried to get human foods that were not stored many of the uncertainties surrounding the fate rimeter fencing and its overhang also will be securely. Harm to livestock provided the sec- of bears released as yearlings and provide ev- electrified. Additionally, a 14 by 12 foot bear ond most numerous examples. Habituated idence that releasing captive-reared bears is a house adjoins the enclosure and will serve as a black bears that approached humans looking defensible management alternative.” temporary shelter for cubs. Building on the in- for food was the third most important conflict A Path Ahead for Orphaned formation gathered from facilities around the category. Again, this small number of conflicts Grizzly Cubs in Alberta world, including Canada’s only grizzly bear only involved black bears. The Cochrane Ecological Institute is one of rehabilitation facility in B.C., the CEI has built With respect to the survival rates of bears the Alberta wildlife rehabilitation facilities li- an impressive facility. released from rehabilitation facilities, the censed to rehabilitate and release black bear Conclusion overall survival of the captive-reared brown cubs. Under the leadership of the Smeeton With the completion of this grizzly cub re- bears in this study was similar to the survival family, the CEI was instrumental in putting the habilitation facility, the onus is now on the rates of wild grizzlies in Montana reported in swift fox back on Canada’s prairie landscape. Minister of Environment and Parks to take a 2012 study by Mace et al (0.682 for wild By the late 1970s, swift foxes were extirpated the steps necessary to ensure that, if and when yearlings/0.852 for wild subadults in Mon- from Canada. Several years before the Com- grizzly cubs in Alberta are orphaned again, the tana versus 0.749 for the yearling brown bears mittee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife doors of CEI’s facility will open to its first tem- released in Romania, B.C., and Greece). A in Canada (COSEWIC) issued it extirpation porary residents. The scientific data support 2016 report by Costello, Mace, and Roberts decision, Miles and Beryl Smeeton had initi- the conclusion that rehabilitation and release followed up on the 2012 study. It estimated ated a swift fox captive-breeding program in is a viable management option and should be that the wild cub survival rate in Montana order to reintroduce swift foxes to their histor- approved by the provincial government. That from 2004 to 2014 was 0.553 and 0.639 for ic range. Thanks largely to CEI’s captive breed- data helps me understand why so many natu- yearlings. The survival rate of captive-reared ing program and the swift fox reintroductions ral scientists and bear experts lent their names brown bears again compares favourably with the program enabled, the 2006 population of to the Bears Matter letter endorsing this pol- those data. this endangered species in Alberta and Sas- icy change. I suspect it’s the knowledge and The 2015 article by Beecham et al erodes, katchewan was estimated to be 647 animals. expertise, not emotion, of scientists such as if not destroys, the foundation supporting Now under the leadership of Clio Smeeton, Drs. John Beecham, Stephen Herrero, Paul the “good” arguments for the absolute prohi- the CEI has set out on another pioneering Paquet, Geoff Holroyd, Anthony Clevenger, bition against grizzly bear rehabilitation and venture – to be the first Alberta wildlife re- and Lance Craighead – to name just a few – release. Taken together, the similar survival habilitation facility to rehabilitate and release that led them and many others to conclude rate between wild grizzlies and captive-reared orphaned grizzly cubs. With the help of a that grizzly bear rehabilitation is a path worth brown bears, the successful release of brown handful of major donors and volunteers, the taking (for the complete list of the academics, bear yearlings, the total absence of any hu- CEI has constructed its “Grizzly Bear Cub Re- bear experts, and conservationists who signed man-brown bear conflicts, and the absence habilitation Facility” on the Institute’s property the letter see https://bearmatters.com/open-let- northwest of Cochrane (the donors and vol- ter-to-honourable-jason-nixon/). unteers are listed here (https://ceinst.org/griz- zly-bear-cub-rehabilitation-project-donors/). The facility is made up of a four and one-half acre enclosure and a bear house. The enclosure is built on a landscape with features typical of the Rocky Mountain foothills: mixed aspen/ spruce forest, white spruce forest, and open meadow. The facility is located in a seclud- Perimeter fence, ground wire, and cub house. The ed location at the Institute, over 100 metres ground wire is attached to the fence every 12 from the nearest building, so it cannot be seen inches. It is now covered with soil so grass and Volunteers attaching the ground wire to the pe- other vegetation will grow there. PHOTO: © CO- from any of the Institute’s other buildings or rimeter fence. PHOTO: © COCHRANE ECOLOG- CHRANE ECOLOGICAL INSTITUTE structures. An eight-foot heavy gauge wildlife ICAL INSTITUTE

WLA | September 2020 | Vol. 28, No. 3 | FEATURES 15A Skoki: The Long and Longer Life of a Marvelous Bear – 33 Years this Coming Winter

By Colleen Campbell

hree grizzly bear cubs, orphaned will likely see him but may not appreciate ley, a habitat simultaneously rich with re- after a hunter killed their moth- how remarkable he is. At 32 years, Skoki is sources for a bear and compromised by T er during Alberta’s spring black now one of the Zoo’s older residents and the the persistent, growing, human presence. bear hunt, reignited the debate about zoos life story of this remarkable bear should be After three years of uneventful encounters and bears. Did the Alberta government do shared — over and over and over and over with humans, close encroachments by peo- the “right thing” when it sent the cubs to and over. His story can teach us valuable les- ple on his personal space were challenging the Calgary Zoo? Should the Zoo have sent sons about bears — and ourselves. For me, this easy-going bear. A few less-than-intelli- them to the Greater Vancouver Zoo where it underlines how difficult it is to know what gent visitors used food to get his attention. they will spend the rest of their lives? These the best course of action is when it comes to GB#16 occasionally bluff charged and wild- hard questions, ones without easy answers, orphaned and/or “problem” wildlife. life personnel relocated him several times to led to this reflection on the life of Skoki, one By early July 1996, wildlife personnel in the limits of his home range. Each time, it of two grizzly bears held in captivity at the Banff National Park had become exhaust- took him only a few days to return to the Calgary Zoo. ed by all the human interest in male griz- ripening berries at the lower elevations of Skoki, a grizzly bear from the Bow Val- zly #16 whose presence repeatedly caused the Bow Valley. ley in Banff National Park, has lived at the “bear jams” along the roads. At eight years, GB#16 is a very good example of a bear Calgary Zoo for the past 24 years. Visitors he was on the cusp of adulthood. Despite whose natural disinterest in people was ex- lucky enough to traipse through the “Wilds his size, competition from the mature males emplary until people altered his responses. of the Canadian Rockies” section of the zoo in the area pushed him into the Bow Val- Their bad behaviour transformed GB#16 into a “problem” bear. Too often poor hu- man behaviour tempts wildlife to behave in ways that are unacceptable or threatening to humans. And …. too often that bad be- haviour is a death sentence for the “misbe- having” animal. The Eastern Slopes Grizzly Bear Proj- ect started in 1994. The project’s research brought a lot of attention to grizzly bears in the region and by 1996, when GB#16 was becoming a management challenge, atti- tudes about bears were changing. Rather than shooting GB#16 — a common option in the past — he was moved one more time. He would be held in the security of a zoo enclosure while Parks Canada, researchers, and zoo personnel considered his future. That move was the last one for GB#16. Else Poulsen, an extraordinary carnivore specialist, was the principal keeper respon- A young Skoki as photographed through a car window. PHOTO: © C. CAMPBELL sible for GB#16 when he arrived at the Cal-

16 WLA | September 2020 | Vol. 28, No. 3 | FEATURES Skoki earlier this year in the Calgary Zoo. PHOTO: © E. MAK gary Zoo — delivering food and speaking to Calgary Zoo since he arrived. him calmly during his first days as a locked- Colleen wrote to the Calgary Zoo Had Skoki remained in the wild, would he up animal. Else was part of a community on several occasions about this ar- be alive today? Probably not. Wild bears do of zoo keepers from many facilities who ticle. She asked the Zoo for the op- not live to such ages except in places where were convinced that enhancing zoo enclo- portunity to interview staff about they are little disturbed and where they have sures could mitigate the repetitive anxiety Skoki. The questions she wanted sufficient resources to live and breed. Wild behaviour displayed by many animals liv- to ask included ones about Skoki’s coastal brown bears, with salmon-rich diets, ing in enclosures. GB#16 responded well general health, whether he had any have been known to live into their 30s. One to Else’s care and soon calmed down. He favourite treats, and how the Zoo coastal female died of natural causes during has stayed at the Calgary Zoo for the past used its grizzly and black bears to her 39th summer. The oldest known wild 24 years and benefitted from the efforts to educate the public. North American black bear, female #56, was make the captive lives of zoo animals more The Zoo declined her requests. part of a study in Minnesota; she also died of interesting and emotionally healthy. Citing “resource challenged times,” natural causes, age 39 years. The oldest known If GB#16 had remained in the wild and the Zoo’s Director, Brand & En- grizzly bear in the central Rockies was also a not had worrying encounters with people, gagement wrote that the Zoo’s “An- female who died at 34 years, apparently from he would likely have become a dominant imal Care colleagues aren’t able fighting with another bear over an elk carcass male and bred for many years in the East- to support an update interview on in the spring of 1996. Her lip tattoo, “Beta,” ern Slopes population. Skoki, as he was Skoki at this time.” from a late 1970s study in the Cascade Val- renamed, had little opportunity to breed I think the Zoo’s refusal to answer ley, was discovered when she was captured before he was last captured. The easy-going a few basic questions about Skoki by Eastern Slopes researchers in 1994. In nature he exhibited as a wild bear has served doesn’t enhance either the Zoo’s 2008 a female polar bear at the Winnipeg him well as a zoo animal. Now 32 years old, brand or its engagement. Zoo died at 41 years, nearly twice as old as Skoki has apparently been a favourite at the - Ian Urquhart a female polar bear might live in the wild.

WLA | September 2020 | Vol. 28, No. 3 | FEATURES 17A Male grizzlies in the central Rockies seldom So — is Skoki wild or tame? He is neither. to which it is not related, especially into live past 18 – 20 years. He has been trained to respond to the keep- adult life? How long do bear families stay Living in a zoo has advantages and dis- er’s cues for certain behaviours that make together and what stimulates their disper- advantages. Health is monitored. Ailments it easy to monitor his condition. And he sal? Do bears become “friends” with other are treated. Food “arrives.” Shelter is avail- would likely be dangerous to people if not bears in the wild as they apparently do in able, though in summer, 2019, I watched confined. The behaviours he would have zoos? What is the annual cycle for a bear? Skoki and Khutzeymateen “muck about,” used to survive as a wild bear — foraging What prompts hibernation and do the zoo apparently indifferent to an unrelenting for the right foods in the right places at the bears hibernate? Why or why not? What do downpour that soaked me, even through right times, marking or reading the signs at the zoo bears teach us about hibernation my robust umbrella. Life in the Calgary rub trees, knowing where to dig a den and physiology and hypothermia? About oste- Zoo is less risky than life in the wild; appar- when to retreat for winter, where to cross oporosis and muscle tone? About Type 2 ently now deaf, Skoki could live another 10 roads or rivers — may live, long neglected, Diabetes? How do we tell the age of bears? years as a zoo animal. in his memory. Why is “bear” considered an umbrella spe- Had he remained wild, Skoki would have Was it the right decision to put Skoki in cies? What other species benefit from their maintained a fairly solitary existence. As a a zoo? I think Skoki is an important bear. presence and how? What are other umbrel- captive animal he has learned to live in com- He and Kutzeymateen and the black bears la species? What is the story of our long re- pany with other bears. He and Louise (ar- at the Calgary Zoo can be used to teach lationship with bears? rived at Calgary Zoo, 1980) were friends until all zoo visitors and to raise awareness of Using Skoki as a foundation for teach- her death well into her thirties. A former car- the lives of zoo animals and of animals in ing people about bears and how to behave nivore keeper told me that, when Louise be- the wild. Skoki and the other bears at the when visiting in wild places may help pro- came very old, Skoki sometimes followed her zoo help us to explore questions such as: tect other bears from being removed from closely up the stairs in the grizzly enclosure, How do lives of zoo bears and wild bears their wild homes. Skoki is a magnificent possibly to help her. He and Khutzeymateen compare? How do black bears and grizzly animal and his legacy should benefit his (born at Calgary Zoo to a barren lands griz- bears differ? Why are coastal brown bears wild kin. zly) are now the only adult grizzly bears at the so large compared with the grizzly bears in Born in Victoria Colleen has lived in Canmore zoo. They appear to be “friends” and are often the central Rockies? Is it natural for bears to since 1982. Her love of wildlife animates her near each other in the enclosure. live in such close contact with another bear art and writing.

Featured Artist Tyler Los-Jones

Aggregates no.4 Archival ink on rag paper 40.6cm x 61cm, 2018 PHOTO: © T. LOS-JONES

18 WLA | September 2020 | Vol. 28, No. 3 | FEATURES Species at Risk: Athabasca Rainbow Trout

By Joanna Skrajny

“ ainbow Trout? Endangered? waters of the Athabasca, these rainbow But that’s impossible – I see trout are small, grow more slowly, and “It is our responsibility to manage R hundreds of them in the spawn later (in late May-early June) than Alberta wildlands to ensure the Bow River!” introduced species. Athabasca rainbow long-term persistence of native Did you know that the large majority trout can take on one of two appearanc- trout. Placing these fish on a of Alberta’s rainbow trout (including the es, both of which look different from species-at-risk list is not enough. ones found in the Bow River) have actu- other types of rainbow trout. Stream-res- The future for Athabasca Rainbow ally been introduced from a stock orig- ident Athabasca rainbows have dark dor- Trout and Bull Trout is uncertain inating from California? You would be sal fins with yellow-silver sides and small unless we enact strong measures to forgiven for not knowing that we have black spots on the body and often keep protect the habitats on which rainbow trout that are native to Alberta, their “parr” marks - large ovalish blue they depend.” found in the headwaters of the Athabasca spots found across the centre of juvenile - Dr. John Post, chair of the COSEWIC River system in elevations ranging from rainbow trout – throughout their adult Freshwater Fishes Committee 900-1500m above sea level. Geographi- life. It’s thought that they keep their ju- cally speaking, this only covers an area venile colouring in order to better hide This summer, the federal government from Jasper National Park to just east of from predators in the small, clear, cob- released a draft version of a Recovery Whitecourt. ble-filled streams where they live. River Strategy for Athabasca rainbow trout. The The current theory as to how these migrant Athabasca rainbow trout, on the document identified habitat disturbance rainbow trout came to be is that ten other hand, have a more silver appear- from industrial activities as the primary thousand years ago, at the end of the last ance and weak or nonexistent colours threat to the species and was quite com- ice age, some fish managed to “transfer” and spots. prehensive in identifying the specific ac- over to the Athabasca from the upper In 2014, COSEWIC assessed Athabas- tivities that were to blame. For example, Fraser River. While they aren’t technical- ca rainbows as Endangered: “Quantita- the strategy points to a study conduct- ly a separate subspecies, the Committee tive sampling over the last two decades ed in the Tri-Creeks area in the McLeod on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in demonstrates that the majority of sites River watershed south of Hinton where Canada (COSEWIC) has identified Atha- are declining in abundance with an esti- after logging, they observed “increases basca rainbow trout as a “designatable mate of >90% decline over three genera- in mean annual water temperature and subunit” due to their unique traits. tions (15 years).” An endangered listing summer maximum temperatures up to Specially adapted to the cold head- means that the species is “facing immi- near lethal (23°C) levels.” In addition, nent extirpation or extinction.” there are seven coal mines within Atha- Quick Facts: Unfortunately, that sense of urgency basca rainbow trout range which “have Athabasca rainbow trout did not translate over to our elected offi- caused the loss of nearly 15 km of Atha- (Oncorhynchus mykiss) cials. Despite the fact that the Species at basca Rainbow Trout spawning and early Risk Act states that species should be list- rearing habitat in the Embarras, Erith, Federal Status: Endangered (2019) ed within nine months of being assessed upper McLeod and Gregg River water- Provincial Status: Threatened (2009) by COSEWIC, Athabasca rainbow trout sheds.” These mines also have loaded Habitat: headwaters and tributaries had to wait five years for an Endangered selenium into these waterways, causing of the Athabasca River listing. But, listed they finally were, in documented embryonic deformities. August 2019. There was also the 2013 disaster at

WLA | September 2020 | Vol. 28, No. 3 | FEATURES 19A Stream resident Athabasca rainbow trout PHOTO: © J. SKRAJNY

the Obed Mountain Mine, when a cat- on different habitats through their lifecy- bow trout, regardless of genetic purity, astrophic failure of an earthen berm re- cle, it is also harmful to believe that only such as protecting and restoring the wa- sulted in the release of 670 million litres certain portions of a stream with certain tersheds where they live. of coal sludge and waste water, causing attributes need to be protected. AWA believes habitat protection significant harm to Apetowun and Plante Another major threat to Athabasca rain- shouldn’t just be limited to some pock- Creeks and then flowing into the Atha- bows are introduced rainbow trout. These ets of creeks. Instead, it should be ex- basca River. introduced trout hybridize with native panded to include the floodplains and Disappointingly, despite these clear Athabasca rainbow trout, threatening upland watersheds that are responsible threats to the future of Athabasca rain- the loss of the Athabasca’s unique genet- for delivering the cool, clear waters that bow trout, the Recovery Strategy does ic traits. As retired fisheries scientist Jim Athabasca rainbow trout rely on. Pro- not demand the necessary level of legal Stelfox has so aptly explained on many tecting the broader landscape would habitat protection required to save the occasions, genetic hybridization is like also have other benefits: it would help to species. Instead, it hedges any habitat putting creamer in coffee: it’s so easy to protect other native fish species such as protection into a “bounding box” ap- put the cream in, but much, much hard- western Arctic bull trout and Arctic gray- proach where only certain sections of a er to take out. The draft recovery strate- ling; it would benefit terrestrial species creek will be protected and then, only if gy notes that hybridization has occurred such as SARA-listed woodland caribou, you can prove those sections have cer- in the main stem of the Athabasca river, boreal songbirds and valued fur-bearing tain “functions, attributes, and features” but that pure populations exist in smaller animals. It also would help protect the that Athabasca rainbow trout are known creeks and streams in contributing water- upper Athabasca watershed, by reducing to rely on. Due to the lack of available sheds. The draft strategy has committed to the severity of flood and drought events on-the-ground data, it is easy to imagine studying exactly to what extent Athabasca and supporting a clean drinking water a hypothetical situation where someone rainbow trout have hybridized with intro- supply for municipalities downstream. destroys critical habitat, only to claim duced species. In the meantime, however, that those critical habitat features didn’t AWA believes the federal and Alberta gov- exist in the first place. As many Athabas- ernments should immediately implement ca rainbow trout are migratory and rely habitat actions to benefit Athabasca rain-

20 WLA | June 2020 | Vol. 28, No. 2 | FEATURES Our Need for Nature: Kevin Van Tighem – Wilderness Defender

By Vivian Pharis, AWA Board Member Emeritus

could form: Ideas like the need for humans University of Calgary and were about to to remember they are part of nature, some- treat themselves to a graduation present – a thing they cannot escape or live without, naturalist trip to the Arizona desert. That is, either physically or psychologically. if they could scrabble together enough cash But, how did young Kevin find his way so to put four new tires on Cliff’s old beater to deeply touched by the natural world that get them there and back. Kevin had enough it directed his life and career? Understand- funds to buy the fourth needed tire. The ably, Dad did it again! Kevin and his sib- trip was on and Kevin credits Cliff, Cleve lings were taken on excursions, fishing and and that trip for turning his life around and hunting at early ages, with the first fish to setting him back on the right track, the nab Kevin’s line at around the age of seven. track of nature! The Van Tighem children grew up on the That fall, Kevin returned to university and edges of Scarboro, an inner city communi- four years later graduated with Distinction, ty in Calgary, with nature just steps away. as a biologist. His parents were relieved, to One day of the week out with Dad howev- put it mildly. er, only whetted Kevin’s appetite for hunt- He’d started his park’s career as a seasonal ing. On his own he would scour neighbor- naturalist in Kootenay National Park, and ing rough lands for pheasant, but instead returned to the parks eight years later as a he found kinglets, grosbeaks, and chorus seasoned biologist, taking on roles as inter- Even though Kevin Van Tighem’s pri- frogs, and realized they too were interest- preter and warden in Waterton Lakes Na- mary career began and ended with Parks ing, even exciting. A naturalist was born. tional Park, soon climbing into a managerial Canada, early on he enjoyed a challenging, But, a naturalist can be lost too. As Kevin’s position in Jasper’s Ecosystems Secretariat, productive and very happy eight-year in- childhood advanced and hormones raced and culminating with the Superintendent’s terlude with Canada’s Wildlife Service. This and a hippie lifestyle beckoned, old inter- office of two national parks. For two years job was to assess what we now call biodi- ests faded. Graduating too young and im- Kevin held the highest position in Prince versity but in the 1980s was simply called a mediately enrolling in university at age 17 Albert National Park, before being pro- wildlife inventory. At an opportune time for left too much to sort out and after two fruit- moted into one of Canada’s toughest park’s the young biologist, Canada commissioned less years testing an arts program and not positions – the superintendent of Banff Na- biologists to catalog and describe natural achieving, Kevin dropped out – a lost soul. tional Park. There, Kevin served three and a life throughout the four mountain parks However, just as happened a number of half years of what he described as constant as well as Elk Island Park near Edmonton. fateful times in his life, as when he was there turmoil, where every decision was contest- Working with such wildlife icons as Geoff at the right time and place to become part ed and the park sometimes seemed to have Holroyd, Margaret Skeel, Joe McGillis and of the Canadian Wildlife Service’s team, an a half dozen superintendents, most of them George Scotter over eight years the team old friend stepped back into Kevin’s life. in Ottawa. He broke down old boys’ clubs, used helicopters and hiking boots to access This old friend was Cleve Wershler, a long- welcomed the Stoney First Nations back to the most critical, inaccessible and fabulous time AWA supporter. Cleve introduced their ancestral lands and worked with staff lands in Canada’s Rockies. It was a dream Kevin to another AWA notable, Cliff Wallis. to produce a new management plan for the job - one where the grand picture could Cliff, Cleve and another friend had all just park, but life in the fish bowl took its toll. gradually come into focus and grand ideas graduated with degrees in biology from the Feeling tired and battered, Kevin took

WLA | September 2020 | Vol. 28, No. 3 | ASSOCIATION NEWS 21A leave of the parks system in 2011, and en- is pleased to have his column appear now, patience and his Facebook pages must in- tered a whole new phase of life, one direct- only in alternate issues. clude enough encouraging examples and ed now, by himself. Not yet able to curtail Today, living in a Canmore condo but also ideas to keep inspiring people. Kevin feels his workaholic tendencies, the next phase able to escape to an Oldman cabin and veg- his Facebook efforts, although time con- found Kevin on a writing binge. Four books etable garden, Kevin continues to write his suming, are yielding results. Enough, that were set free in rapid succession, adding to column and books. Increasingly, however, he has set up a new page (“Coalition of a number already in publication. To date, Kevin is finding reward in social media and Alberta Conservation Voters”) designed to Kevin has released 14 books and another is in leading his growing numbers of Facebook encourage specific citizen activism, at the to reach the world in 2021. Through books followers into understanding their essen- ballot box. like Our Place, Heart Waters, Bears Without tial place in nature and their essential role Ever the determined optimist, Kevin Fear, and The Homeward Wolf, Kevin has in fostering and maintaining that place, or feels that no matter how bad the current deliberately set the route for Albertans to those places. It is Kevin’s premise that peo- ecological situation is, it can be fixed, but explore their home world and its abun- ple love nature - they love it knowingly and only if enough people become mobilized dance of natural features and fellow life. intrinsically. And, if one can guide them in or engaged. We must be willing to forego These books are also designed to instill a how to reconnect to nature and instill their the commodification of nature and outdoor “sense of place” and to arouse feelings of love, one can also instill enough passion in experience that has gripped us for so long, pride and ownership in our home lands. many people that they will act on behalf of to say “no” to the corporate agenda that has They are meant to gently lead readers into nature, as its protective owner. Owners will- long directed our and our government’s understanding and activism. ing to defend their home places. thinking, and to fight the good fight for Before long, Kevin’s ability to reach fellow Although not lucrative, helping citizens home place, be that a city lot or the plan- Albertans with nature and conservation-re- to regain their natural connections through et. He feels that enough engaged people lated stories, caught the eye of those re- social media, by increasing their under- can change the world, and his goal in life sponsible for producing Alberta Views mag- standing of biodiversity and sustainability, now, is to raise those numbers through the azine and he became a regular contributor then raising their passions for the natural best way he knows - by educating people and an integral member. Working with world and encouraging their activism is through writing and social media. Alberta Views, Kevin says, is like working rewarding to him. However, he says this Finally, I asked Kevin for some wise words within another family - a cordial, fun and approach must be guided carefully and to guide AWA into the future. Surprisingly, principled one. But, as he continues to live cautiously so as to maintain comfort zones his advice for AWA is to keep doing what it a more relaxed life, even a monthly column while edging people along to greater un- does best, just do more of it - make it more means meeting a lot of deadlines, so Kevin derstanding and action. It takes time and obvious and hold it up with greater pride. And that is? To keep reminding people of Featured Artist Aggregates no.4 Archival ink on rag paper who they are - that they are conservationists Tyler Los-Jones 40.6cm x 61cm, 2018 PHOTO: © T. LOS-JONES AND Albertans, not conservationists versus

Albertans. Remind them that they are part of a majority of Albertans who love nature, a healthy planet and a sustainable life. We are the real Albertans. And AWA is there to represent those who love nature, a healthy planet and want a sustainable life. AWA, in Kevin’s view, should flaunt the fact that it is the “home” conservation group, with roots totally within the province and that it has always been the group “on guard” for Our Place. AWA needs to maintain its grassroots connections and build on its strengths as friends and neighbours within Our Place. Kevin lives in Canmore with his wife, hiking buddy and life-long partner, Gail. They have three children and one grandchild and conser- vation activism appears likely to be a continu- ing family tradition.

22 WLA | September 2020 | Vol. 28, No. 3 | ASSOCIATION NEWS Telling Our Own Stories: Kevin Van Tighem’s Martha Kostuch Lecture

By Ian Urquhart

Albertans are victims of gaslighting. This was seeds of doubt in individuals or the population landscape. It’s a story of anger, alienation, and the powerful message Kevin Van Tighem de- as a whole, making people doubt themselves entitlement. It’s a story where environmental- livered in his Martha Kostuch Annual Lecture and even their own sanity.” It’s a technique for ists are marginalized and demonized as outsid- on September 15th. Kevin entitled his talk gaining and maintaining power. Stories may ers. Environmentalists, and their organizations “Telling Our Own Stories.” The stories that are be used to this end. like AWA, don’t represent mainstream society. told about Alberta and the stories that could With respect to most of the stories told about “We’ve been told stories about ourselves,” he be told about this place was the theme of his Alberta, Kevin’s blunt message was that they said, “that give an image of this province that remarks. are lies. These lies are essentially minor vari- makes us outsiders to the province.” We don’t Gaslighting is psychological manipulation. A ations of one story, a story of conquest and belong; we have no place here. British management consulting firm describes conflict. White Alberta men fight Indians, The stories that could be told are ones that it as when an individual or organization “puts Ottawa, and tree hugging environmentalists challenge this dominant narrative. They are out information with the intent of sowing to attain the heroic goal of industrializing the stories of goodness and caring, stories that in

The Whaleback, one of the Alberta landscapes that is very special to Kevin. PHOTO: © C. WEARMOUTH

WLA | September 2020 | Vol. 28, No. 3 | ASSOCIATION NEWS 23A Kevin’s opinion are truer to this place and Al- and replanted healthy trees. it just being a bundle of resources and they berta’s peoples. This alternative narrative sees The language on the sign makes it very clear refused to surrender their stories, and their the land as much more than “just being a bun- that this is “the” story. The clearcut logging culture, and their beliefs, and their love to dle of resources” that demand to be exploited. practiced here is instead called “salvage log- a future that was not going to respect them. The dominance of the first narrative mat- ging” and when you salvage something you Through his encouragement to challenge the ters importantly to our future because stories save it. The pine beetle is plague: “By 1990 they dominant narrative with our own stories, Kev- transmit culture and affect how we see and reached epidemic numbers killing millions of in delivered remarks that complement Mark define ourselves. They are important socializa- trees.” What normal person then wouldn’t Lisac’s message about Alberta politics. In his tion mechanisms that help to establish what want to salvage log the forest to rescue Alberta 2004 book Alberta Politics Uncovered: Taking is normal and what is abnormal. Stories offer from the epidemic? In this story natural events Back Our Province, Lisac argued that Albertans answers to questions about what we should demand the type of logging that occurred here; lived in a mythical world resting on stereotypes value and what we should shun. They deliver some outsiders might suggest it’s a story that is that are less and less germane to who Albertans power and legitimacy. very good a privileging a special interest that really are. That myth saw the population as Kevin urged his audience to tell more of the profited from this intervention. monolithic in its views, as a place of mavericks “could be told” stories. Through much of his Kevin sees a very different story here. The and victims (Kevin’s white men). Lisac showed writing Kevin does exactly that (Heinz Unger unsalvaged/unsaved two-hectare patch of for- that the opinions and interests of Albertans reviewed Kevin’s most recent book, Our Place: est is the healthy forest. Its health rests in its were much more diverse than you would con- Changing the Nature of Alberta, in the Septem- diversity, resilience, and dynamism. The health clude if you only listened to the sirens of West- ber 2017 issue of Wild Lands Advocate). During of this patch of forest is heard in the bedlam of ern alienation (today’s Wexiteers). Lisac cer- his talk Kevin offered powerful, moving exam- bird song from within it in June. The beetles tainly wouldn’t have been surprised when the ples of both types of stories and the political were the rescuers in this story. Their impact is New Democrats came to power; what might resources he feels they provide to those who “probably one of the best things that has hap- have surprised him is that it didn’t happen un- tell them. pened to Foothills’ forests in the last 50 years.” til 2015. Neither Lisac nor Van Tighem believe The first narrative is found on a place on the The designation of the Whaleback as a pro- that the best future for Alberta is the one we see road from Beaver Mines to the Castle. On one tected area was offered as a more positive ex- by looking in the rearview mirror. side of the road stands a young, monoculture ample of how stories may be empowering. Kevin’s lecture was insightful and moving. lodgepole pine forest. On the other side of the Unlike areas like the Little Smoky River that Telling better, different stories certainly should road is a two-hectare patch of mixed forest – its have been sacrificed to industrialization, many be part of our search for healthy livelihoods patchwork of conifers and deciduous trees is more people had connections to the Whale- in this place. So too should be the advice he interspersed with dead lodgepole pines. back. They had stories about special times offered early on in his remarks about the im- A sign on the road is the story and explains there and they weren’t going to stand by and portance of getting our children and grand- why the two forests look so different. Moun- let their special place taste the steel of drill bits children out into nature. Those experiences are tain pine beetle went through this part of the and hear the whirring of compressors. This is formative ones. As he said: “If there is one gift Castle in the late 1970s/early 1980s. what Kevin said about the government’s de- that we can give to the future of Alberta that Government responded by letting the forest cision to establish two protected areas in the might give it hope it’s children that we put into industry clearcut the forest, “treat” the site, and Whaleback: nature as soon as possible and as frequently as replant it with lodgepole pine. Industrial log- It happened because people knew it, possible.” ging saved us; our savior cut down sick trees people had a different story about it than

Featured Artist Being with fictions no.7 Archival inkjet print on rag paper Tyler Los-Jones 45.7cm x 152.4cm, 2015 PHOTO: © T. LOS-JONES

24 WLA | September 2020 | Vol. 28, No. 3 | ASSOCIATION NEWS Adventures for Wilderness: Albertans Honour AWA’s 55th Year by Embarking on a Province-spanning Series of Wilderness Experiences

By Sean Nichols, AWA Program Specialist

A sense of anticipation permeated the asso- was, we increasingly knew that something events for AWA that would allow the partic- ciation’s Hillhurst Cottage School as the final had to change. We needed to re-think ipants to truly connect with the parts of the days of 2019 rushed towards us and AWA be- what a truly wilderness-oriented fundraiser province they were raising money to defend. gan looking forward to its 55th year. should look like. Thus was born Adventures for Wilderness. Every year since 1992 we have been hold- After much soul searching, head scratching Not one, but a whole anthology of ad- ing our annual major fundraising event, the and brain storming, we came to a compelling ventures, events small and large, could be Climb for Wilderness, to mark Earth Day in realization: everyone has a different idea of designed and embarked on by those Alber- April; first at the Calgary Tower, and later at what Wilderness means to them. Everyone tans with a passion to share their corner of the Bow Tower. For years this has been one has a different way that they like to engage the province with new-found friends. What of the main fixtures on the AWA calendar. It with Wilderness; everyone has a different way would these adventures look like? What served both as a fundraiser and as an aware- that they like to be active. would our supporters bring to show us? We ness-raising “open house” where we engaged Rather than try to come up with a one-size- were curious to see. with the broader public outside the tradition- fits-all event, we needed to let Albertans show We were also curious to see how the logis- al AWA family and invited them to explore us how they get out into nature. It’s an idea tics would work out. Some adventures would the work we do across the province. Indeed we had talked about, now it was time to put likely be summer events and some might be many readers of this issue of the Wild Lands it to the test. We would let our members, winter events. Some might be indoors, in Advocate will doubtless recall an occasion or supporters, friends, and neighbours design some fashion, and others might not be. We two taking the train downtown on a cold their own activities: activities inspired by the hoped that the adventures would take Alber- April morning to bump shoulders in the mountains, forests, grasslands, and wetlands tans all over the province. With such a diver- stairwell with other like-minded souls. of the province. And we would work with sity of requirements, we quickly realized that For just as long, though, something has them to turn those activities into fundraising they could not all be accommodated on the been missing from that blueprint. Climbing a set of concrete stairs in a windowless abyss is in many ways the exact antithesis of the type of experience AWA members cherish. The wonderful murals painted over the years in the Calgary Tower notwithstanding, there there was scant sense of nature, or of the out- doors, associated with the effort. Competitive climbers bounding up the stairs to see how many laps they can get in undoubtedly ap- preciated that aspect of the event, but a hike in the wilderness, or a walk in the woods, are for most of us not a race, not a competitive endeavour. Rather, these are more contem- plative efforts; a chance to escape from the rat-race of daily life, to commune with nature, and to literally stop and smell the flowers. So as fun as the Climb for Wilderness Experiencing the vastness of Milk River Ridge PHOTO: © C. SAUNDERS

WLA | September 2020 | Vol. 28, No. 3 | ASSOCIATION NEWS 25A Moving Through Alberta’s Badlands at Dry Island Buffalo Jump PHOTO: © R. BARRATT

same day, so the schedule would necessari- celled; and many postponed or reconfigured format has proven gratifyingly resilient and as ly be spread out over the winter, spring, and to conform to Alberta’s new reality. of publication nearly 30 adventures have tak- summer months. We planned a grand cele- The next adventure up was Pollinator Pow- en place, with several more remaining in the bration in June, to be held simultaneously in er!. Originally to be a day when everyone schedule for this year. For a “test run,” taking Calgary and Edmonton (and anywhere else could get together and build bee boxes, we place in this very strange year, we can only that enthusiastic hosts would be able to step realized it could be re-shaped into an event consider it an unqualified success. up to volunteer their time) to mark the UN where boxes could be built individually, at a Once this new approach was worked out, Environment Day and Canadian Environ- distance, and the adventure could still take the adventures began taking place again, ment Week. Then we would have prizes and place while observing pandemic-related starting in late May: first up, Getting Dave to festivities. It was a pretty exciting plan. health guidelines. the Summit: an adventure (in many senses of In early March, the first adventures kicked As governments and citizens responded to the word) led by long-time Climb for Wilder- off the schedule: Friends Fish-a-Thon, an ice the pandemic, an unexpected benefit of our ness volunteer Ed Hergott, who challenged fishing adventure combined with citizen new fundraiser format revealed itself. Had himself and his team of supporters to guide science measuring ecological lake health; AWA planned to hold a Climb for Wilder- his friend Dave Wodelet to the summit of and X-Country Ski Canmore to Banff, an epic ness in 2020, it would have certainly been Junction Hill, despite the latter being legally ski trip in the foothills along the Bow Valley. cancelled outright, with no replacement evi- blind (see the June WLA issue for Ed’s ac- Adventures for Wilderness was off to a great dent. But with many smaller adventures tak- count of this Adventure). start… (for stories and photos of those Ad- ing place instead, it was possible to reconfig- In early June, Bob and Jim’s Adventure for Wil- ventures see the June issue of WLA). ure many of them in a way that they could derness saw Bob Patterson celebrate his 65th Of course, no account of events in 2020 still take place. Once some of the social dis- birthday with a 65km trip entirely self-pro- could fail to address what we all know hap- tancing restrictions began easing in May, this pelled, including legs (pardon the pun) un- pened next. became even easier to do, as a 10-person dertaken by canoe, bicycle, and finally a good With the world’s headlong descent into a hike in the outdoors could logistically still old-fashioned trail run. global pandemic and the widespread cancel- occur, even in 2020. No event schedule in the times of COVID-19 lation of events as everyone wrapped their Of course, the Adventures for Wilderness would be complete without a Zoom call, and heads around what “social distancing” would have not proceeded precisely as anticipated; that’s exactly how George Campbell celebrat- mean, the Adventures for Wilderness were a few were cancelled and sadly the celebra- ed his birthday, and his and Carolyn’s 20th similarly affected. A few adventures were can- tion in June never happened. However the wedding anniversary. George’s Zoom birth-

26 WLA | September 2020 | Vol. 28, No. 3 | ASSOCIATION NEWS day party included a singalong with friends have been identified and the site of an orphan are coming up on the schedule, with new from the AWA community – how very ap- gas well assigned to the Orphan Well Associ- ones being added regularly. We couldn’t be propriate for someone who has put his heart ation for abandonment and site remediation. more thrilled with how this series of events and soul into designing and organizing AWA’s Finally, one of the more unusual adventures has taken shape and we hope you will check Music for the Wild program for the better was Trivia in the Garden, a charity trivia event out the website to see if there are any up- part of a decade. held in the gardens on the AWA grounds coming adventures that tickle your fancy. Of Several socially-distant and reduced-capac- where participants competed to raise money course, if you would like to host your own ity hikes followed, including the Lethbridge to defend wild Alberta. adventure, we would be ecstatic to get in Coulee Birding Tour in Lethbridge and the The Adventures for Wilderness format has touch and work with you to make it happen. Jumping Pound Mountain Circuit Hike in Ka- also lent itself to several adventures that are All of these adventures, with signup forms, nanaskis Country. Of particular note was the ongoing or recurring. Keep It Wild, Help Us can be found on our website www.adventures- two-parter Dinosaurs and Badlands adventure Clean challenges participants to choose a forwilderness.ca. You will also find full stories organized by Elnora volunteers Rob and Tjar- location of particular interest to them and and photographs from past adventures, and da Barratt. An evening slideshow presenta- keep it clean of the garbage that is potentially more, at https://www.adventuresforwilderness. tion (again over Zoom) on the Paleontological harming wildlife. Biodiversity Bees in Brent- ca/photo-gallery/. Additionally, the site in- Wonders of Alberta by Dr. François Therrien, wood hosted by Polly Knowlton Cockett and cludes an interactive map of Alberta showing Curator of Dinosaur Palaeoecology at the Robin Cockett is a weekly meetup involving where adventures have been taking place. Royal Tyrrell Museum, was followed up by social stewardship through biodiversity con- We are excited to watch the map fill up with a hike to the world-renowned Albertosaurus servation. And Photographs for Wilderness, adventures showing where members of the bone bed in Dry Island Buffalo Jump Provin- an ongoing nature photography contest, has AWA community are inviting us to engage cial Park. brought in some truly stunning photographs with and take care of their favourite spots in Wild Gardens was a walking tour through a by amateur (and not-so-amateur) photog- the province. We highly encourage you to selection of three magnificent recreational gar- raphers from around the province. We’ll be check it out. dens west of Calgary that explored different particularly excited to feature some of the And of course, we can’t wait to see what approaches to gardening in the Chinook Belt. winning photos from this adventure in the Adventures next year will bring. That sense A two-day camping-and-hiking adventure December issue of the Wild Lands Advocate. of anticipation? It’s only growing stronger, on Mount Tecumseh in the Crowsnest Pass, As of press time, several more adventures every day. Tecumseh Adventure, was followed by Joanna Skrajny and Grace Wark’s Weekend for Wil- derness at Boivin Lake in the Castle Wildland Provincial Park, celebrating the fruits of one of AWA’s greatest success stories, the estab- lishment of said park after many decades of hard work. July’s last adventure was the well-received Porcupine Hills Hike among the wildflowers of that beautiful location. August saw another four adventures, in- cluding one of the first to be added to the Adventures for Wilderness schedule: Prai- rie Paddling comprised a summer stand-up paddle boarders paddling down the North Saskatchewan River in Edmonton. This was joined by the hike Exploring the Wainwright Dunes. There participants explored the Wain- wright Dunes Ecological Reserve which con- tains one of the world’s last large remnants of the aspen parkland. Senior petroleum geolo- gist Tako Koning led his adventurers on Field Tripping Southern Alberta, an all-day road trip visiting diverse locations including a shallow water slough where hundreds of bird species Taking in a Bit of Heaven on the Tryst Lake Hike PHOTO: © D. CHANG-YEN

WLA | September 2020 | Vol. 28, No. 3 | ASSOCIATION NEWS 27A Updates

“Optimizing” Alberta’s Parks means losing protection where we need it most The Government of Alberta’s plan to re- move 164 sites from the provincial parks system will take a significant bite out of the little protection offered currently to Alber- ta’s most endangered and least protected Natural Regions: the Parkland, Grasslands and Foothills. Between these three regions, 85 sites will lose their protected status, re- sulting in the loss of nearly 9,000 hectares of protection – equivalent to around eight times the size of Ghost Lake or one-half the size of Elk Island National Park. Without shrinking protections in these areas further, the Grasslands, Parkland and Foothills Natural Regions have only 1.25%, 0.9% and 1.4% of their landscapes protected, re- spectively. Although many of these park sites are small, they offer important refuge for mi- grating wildlife, improve habitat connectiv- ity, and prevent conversion of native prairie and foothills landscapes. This decision will result in a five percent loss of protection in the Grasslands Natural Region, which provides critical habitat for over three-quarters of Alberta’s species at protected Natural Regions, you can reach We always appreciate receiving a copy of risk. Little Fish Lake Provincial Park, slat- Minister Jason Nixon at aep.minister@gov. your letter at [email protected] ed for removal, has important habitat for ab.ca or 780-427-2391 (Ministry office). - Grace Wark piping plover, a small shorebird listed as endangered under the federal Species at Risk Act (SARA). AWA and the Grassy operations would occur in one or more En- In the Foothills, Ghost Airstrip Provin- Mountain Coal Project Joint vironmentally Significant Areas. cial Recreation Area contains critical hab- Review Panel Hearings AWA will be at those public hearings. We itat for westslope cutthroat trout, another On October 27th a federal-provincial Joint have joined forces with the Grassy Mountain SARA-listed species. Cutthroat trout, which Review Panel will begin public hearings Group, a group of local landowners in the have been listed as threatened since 2013, into the Grassy Mountain Coal Project. This Crowsnest, to oppose this major threat to the already have experienced significant hab- open-pit coal mine would be located approx- ecological integrity of this corner of south- itat degradation on public lands – losing imately seven kilometres north of Blairmore west Alberta. The law firm of Ackroyd LLP is protected areas may only further exacer- and would be designed to produce up to 4.5 representing our coalition. bate the issue. million tonnes of metallurgical coal per year. In addition to submissions of the landown- If you are interested in sharing your Benga Mining, the project’s proponent, ex- ers, our Coalition retained experts to exam- thoughts with Alberta Environment and pects to mine coal there for the next 20-plus ine many of the impacts this project will have Parks on the ‘Optimize Alberta Parks’ de- years. The mine would sprawl over more on the environment and the people who live cision and its impacts on Alberta’s least than 60 square kilometres. All of the mine’s in the Crowsnest. Our experts’ evidence and

28 WLA | September 2020 | Vol. 28, No. 3 | WILDERNESS WATCH their subsequent testimony to the Panel will Coalspur Vista Coal Mine its members make use of the project address: Phase II: Frustration Served area or how the project could impact - Land use, Access, and Residential Im- by the Alberta Energy such activities. “Accordingly,” the AER pacts; Regulator wrote, “the AWA does not identify in - Property devaluation; On March 10, 2020, AWA submitted a sufficient detail how the Application - Water impacts, including ground water Statement of Concern to the Alberta Ener- may directly and adversely affect the and surface water impacts, inflow needs gy Regulator (AER) regarding an application AWA and its members.” assessment and water chemistry, impacts from Coalspur Mines Ltd to divert water 2) AWA’s concerns regarding potential neg- on aquatic resources including westslope for operations from the Mcleod River. As a ative impacts regarding “water and food cutthroat trout, and climate change; major tributary of the Athabasca River, Mc- security for Indigenous and non-Indig- - Wildlife, biodiversity, and habitats impact leod River is an area of regional significance. enous communities are vague.” assessment; It serves as an important wildlife corridor 3) Concerns regarding the potential im- - Noise and air pollution impacts; and produces many ecological goods and pacts to the ecological health of the - Socio-economic effects; and services by means of sustaining nearby wet- McLeod River are insufficient as the - Coal quality. lands. This watershed basin is also integral majority of the project is located on an AWA’s participation in this hearing is the to the traditional knowledge and oral history existing right-of-way and the temporary latest chapter in AWA’s history of opposition of local Indigenous Peoples. diversion licence (TDL) is valid only to this proposal. AWA has objected to Grassy AWA cited specific concerns about how for one year. The TDL also contains a Mountain and other proposed projects in Coalspur’s water withdrawals could nega- Diversion Schedule that incrementally the Oldman and Crowsnest Pass areas since tively impact aquatic life and species at risk restricts Coalspur’s diversion flow rates the Grassy Mountain’s initial exploration and such as endangered Athabasca Rainbow ensuring ecological conditions are met drilling program began in 2013. Trout and threatened Bull Trout. Significant for aquatic habitats and surface water Thanks largely to the fact this project must water diversions have the potential to re- conditions, while requiring Coalspur to be approved by the federal government, duce instream flows, which ultimately could monitor the rate of flow during diver- AWA was granted the right to participate ful- degrade critical fish habitat and further con- sion and reporting these values monthly ly at the upcoming public hearings into this tribute to population declines in both spe- to the AER. proposal. Full participation enabled AWA cies. AWA also pointed to the fact the wa- 4) The TDL requires Coalspur to design and its coalition partners to submit the ex- tershed will be subjected to compounding and install fish screens in accordance pert reports mentioned above. It also enables effects from coal mining operations in the with the Department of Fisheries and our lawyers from Ackroyd LLP to cross-ex- area. Deleterious substances such as heavy Oceans Canada’s “Interim Code of Prac- amine the corporation and its experts about metals and selenium will be deposited into tice” to protect resident fisheries. the project and to submit a final argument to the river. Science tells us that both bioaccu- 5) Coalspur’s application does not seek the three-member panel. mulate, causing premature death and/or de- authorization for any releases into the Despite the UCP government’s efforts to en- formities within fry and redds. This has the McLeod River, therefore AWA’s con- courage the exploitation of coal in Alberta, potential to further reduce fish population cerns regarding deleterious substanc- the current metallurgical coal economic cli- sizes. These inputs into the area’s waters also es inputs are “outside the scope of the mate is not friendly to these ambitions. Teck reduce the quality of water for downstream Application. Resources Ltd. cited poor economics as the aquatic ecosystems and the drinking water This is another example of how difficult reason for not proceeding with the Macken- for communities. it is for organizations like AWA to satisfy zie Redcap project that would extend the life AER wrote to AWA on August 13, 2020 to the “directly and adversely affected” test of the Cheviot Mine. Importantly, Teck had inform us that our submission had been re- of Alberta’s energy regulators and partic- the regulatory approvals in place needed to viewed and deemed insufficient to warrant ipate in these important decision-making carry out this project. further action. AWA had “not demonstrated processes. We will continue to regularly The hearings commence on October 27, that it may be directly and adversely affected monitor upcoming applications for coal 2020. Due to COVID-19, they will be con- by the application.” In reviewing AWA’s con- mining operations as they become avail- ducted entirely online, using electronic cerns, AER used the following to reject our able publicly and redouble our commit- means. The public will be able to watch the statement of concern: ment to ensuring that Alberta’s wilderness hearings via YouTube and AWA will pass on 1) AWA is located approximately 343km is protected from intensive and potentially those details once they are available. from the project, and does not own harmful land-use activities. - Ian Urquhart land in or near the project area. AWA - Nissa Petterson didn’t indicate how the organization or

WLA | September 2020 | Vol. 28, No. 3 | WILDERNESS WATCH 29A AWA to Participate in Managing the Ronald Lake Bison Herd The Ronald Lake bison herd range is slightly south of the southeastern corner of Wood Buffalo National Park and over- laps the traditional territory of the Atha- basca Chipewyan First Nation (ACFN). A 2016 article in the Wild Lands Advocate examined the circumstances of the Ronald Lake Bison Herd at a time when bison, in the government’s eyes, were not consid- ered wildlife in Alberta. Despite the fact that the herd was known to be disease free it wasn’t until a 2016 amendment to the Alberta Wildlife Regulation that the Ron- ald Lake herd received protective status as non-game wildlife. Three years later, in December 2019, Alberta Environment and Parks Minister Nixon wrote to invite AWA to participate as a member of the Ronald Lake Bison Herd Cooperative Management Board. In ters related to the long-term sustainability AWA is pleased that Carolyn Campbell, August 2020, Minister Nixon confirmed of the Ronald Lake Bison Herd, including AWA Conservation Specialist, will be our that the board will meet in the fall of 2020. sustainability of the Indigenous traditional representative on the board. The board will advise the minister on “mat- use of and cultural connection to the herd.” - Christyann Olson In Memoriam: Margaret Main October 10, 1935 – July 15, 2020 cades will surely recall on numerous occasions well on the inside of the Calgary Tower was being greeted by her warm smile and helped transformed under her guidance into a place by her omnipresent cheerful enthusiasm. of joy and beauty, with figurative flowers She has been always present, and always blooming in a place of monotony. Thanks ready with a helping hand at our talks pro- largely to Margaret’s efforts, year after year, gram, the erstwhile Masters of Teaching pro- to keep the contest going and the paint flow- gram, the Martha Kostuch Annual Wilderness ing, climbers at the tower were able to truly and Wildlife Lecture, AWA’s annual Wild West enjoy their outings in the tallest art gallery Gala, and many more events. As those events in the world. In this way, with over 140 mu- developed and evolved over the years, one rals completed in the tower, Margaret truly constant was always Margaret’s presence. Her and literally, made her mark on the Calgary name is nearly synonymous with the Climb landscape. We are honoured to have known for Wilderness especially during the 14 years her, learned from her, and will remember of the Wilderness Mural Competition at the her forever. Calgary Tower. If friends so desire, Margaret’s family It is with great sadness and fond memories Margaret spearheaded the mural initiative would like to remember her passion for that we say goodbye to Margaret Main, long- in 2003 to broaden the activities surrounding wilderness and wildlife with memorial do- time volunteer and dear friend to AWA. Those the Climb for Wilderness. The results were nations to Alberta Wilderness Association. of us who have participated in AWA events in quintessentially Margaret. Over the following By Sean Nichols and around Calgary over the past several de- decade and a half, the drab concrete stair-

30 WLA | September 2020 | Vol. 28, No. 3 | WILDERNESS WATCH Cub Reporter Corner

Pollinator Power! for AWA. Originally we were only going to get colonized, keep it outside to weather and make 20 boxes but it turned out to be really choose a new spot for it in the spring. Be citi- popular and we ended up making 65 boxes. zen scientists and report your bee box activity These boxes have been distributed all the way to the ANBC in the fall. from Edmonton to Lake Louise. Our adven- Neither of my family’s bee boxes were col- ture raised $5,500 for AWA! onized this year but we won’t lose hope. Here are some facts we learned during our My family and I are going to leave them out adventure. Did you know… through the winter to get weathered and we • there are 321 species of native bees in Al- will pick new spots for them in the spring. berta? By Abigail Hadden • the difference between native bees and In February, my family and I attended Me- honey bees is that native bees are strictly gan Evans’ session on Alberta native bees at pollinators and the native bees only pro- the AWA office. We learned all about Alberta duce enough honey for them to live off of? native bees and how to make a bee box – a • bees eat nectar and pollen? house for bees. One of biggest things you can • a bee’s typical range is close to their home do to help native bees is to have a bee box in but they can travel up to 5km if they must your yard in addition to having native plants find food? and flowers. • bees are typically yellow and black to After attending the session and learning how warn predators? bees are losing their habitat, my family decided • only female bees have stingers? Abigail learning how to identify different species to design an Adventure for Wilderness for ad- • threats facing native bees include habitat of bees. PHOTO: © H. HADDEN venturers that included an informational GPS loss, disease from managed bees, and cli- scavenger hunt ending with building a bee box mate change? We have noticed all kinds of bees around our in our backyard. Covid 19 changed our plans. • a bee box is a great way to help native yard. From tiny ones to big, fat bumble bees, Instead of giving up on the adventure we con- bees? we have tried to identify them but they fly vinced my Papa to help us build bee boxes to • most bee boxes do NOT get colonized the too fast! Protecting our Alberta native bees is raise awareness for the bees and raise money first year because they smell too new? important because they pollinate all kinds of • bees like weathered boxes? plants and flowers. Bee decline is a real phe- If you put a bee box in your garden this is nomenon in Alberta and we all need to do what you need to keep in mind. You can do our part to save the bees. your part as a citizen scientist and register it I would like to thank Megan Evans from the with the Alberta Native Bee Council (ANBC). Alberta Native Bee Council for allowing me The box should be put out in the early spring. to interview her for my article. I would also Do not peek or move the box! If your box like to thank all the people who dontated to does get colonized, enjoy watching the bees our adventure and for keeping us up to date come and go. Once Thanksgiving comes on the status of their bee boxes. I love the pic- around you can contact the ANBC to collect tures! If you want to get more information on the contents. Wash the box, especially around Alberta’s Native Bees, to register your bee box, the hole, with a mild bleach solution. You can or report your bee box activity check out the keep it outside to continue the weathering Alberta Native Bee Council’s website: https:// Success! PHOTO: © P. HELFRICH process or bring it inside. If your box doesn’t www.albertanativebeecouncil.ca/

Hey young conservationists! Tired of adults dominating conservation discussions, discussions about your future? If so, pitch a story idea for this Cub Reporter Corner to the editor at [email protected]. Stories should be approximately 250 to 500 words long and may report on any environmental or conservation issue you feel is important to Albertans.

WLA | September 2020 | Vol. 28, No. 3 | DEPARTMENTS 31 P P

Across 3 A . Down O . 2 T A . 9 Answers on Page 35 In Memoriam: Gus Yaki August 19, 1932 – August 10, 2020 AWA Wilderness Defender Award Win- people from the Saskatchewan border to ner, Gustave Yaki passed away August 10, Waterton Lakes National Park. This incred- 2020. Gus would have been 88 on August ible adventure brought renewed interest in 19th, 2020. He was diagnosed earlier this the endangered species and habitats that year with pancreatic cancer and deterio- lack protection in Alberta’s grasslands (See rated quickly. There are many fond AWA Angela Waldie’s account of this tour in the memories of Gus, times he spent helping September 2017 issue of Wild Lands Advo- others learn what he knew and inspiring cate). On New Year’s Day 2020, along with others to care. Gus was the generous mas- a few others, I spent a great day with Gus ter and mentor, whether he was teaching at walking and counting birds and making ob- Kids’ Camp Days, exploring Nose Hill with servations of their behaviour in the woods. Brownies and Guides, or helping people It has been an honour to count Gus as a of all ages and backgrounds find new ex- friend. He is missed greatly and, thankfully, periences through observing and respect- his legacy lives on in all of us who he in- ing nature. He led bio-blitz days with any spired to care about nature. AWA is grate- who would like to learn and join him and ful and honoured for the kindness and documented the flora and fauna found on caring he showed even in his dying days private and public lands throughout the by making the request that, if his friends so province. In 2017, Gus celebrated Canada’s desired, they could make donations in his 150th birthday by organizing and leading memory to the Alberta Wilderness Associa- a walking tour across southern Alberta. tion or the Nature Conservancy of Canada. From May 19th to June 22nd Gus guided By Christyann Olson

32 WLA | September 2020 | Vol. 28, No. 3 | DEPARTMENTS Speaker’s Corner

A Speaker’s Corner, made famous by the northeast corner of Hyde Park in London, is a place of open de- bate and discussion. Members of AWA are welcome to use this space to comment on environmental issues they are concerned about. The opinions you will see here should not be interpreted as AWA policy state- ments. If you would like to submit a comment for Speaker’s Corner, please email your submission to me at [email protected]. Submissions should be no more than approximately 500 words, be connected to environmental/wilderness issues in Alberta, and are subject to editorial approval.

The well without a handle This water well has been in the Alber- ta badlands for at least 49 years. Proba- bly a lot longer. Probably for longer than most of our politicians have been alive, it’s served at the Bleriot Ferry provincial campground, in a grove of cottonwoods on the Red Deer River near Drumheller, Alberta. For decades, it has topped up water jugs; slaked the thirst of weary pad- dlers; cooled kids off on hot days; washed sandy feet; filled coffee pots on brisk Sep- tember mornings. It ran for decades on simple human muscle power. I first used it in 1971, as a young boy, when my parents took my brothers and I camping to the badlands. Since then I’ve been back to this magical place more times than I can count, on family camp- ing weekends, field trips, and canoeing adventures. That simple hand pump has always been there, serving up cold water dling journey that brought me here today. This old water well with no handle now to thirsty travellers. It takes a special kind of vindictive, stands as a monument to the small minded Until this year. Last fall, the Kenney gov- short-sighted brainlessness to destroy a vindictiveness of our current government ernment decided it could save about $1.14 source of drinking water in these parched leaders. A simple, effective machine that per citizen if it shut down this campground badlands (hundreds of cattle forage freely served Albertans for so many years, ren- and 183 other parks and protected spac- along the river, so it isn’t safe for people to dered useless by a misguided bureaucratic es around the province. The campground drink from). Even if the campground had decision. I pity the future traveller arriv- closes for good today, at the end of this Sep- to be closed, and the outhouses board- ing thirsty at Tolman or Bleriot. The First tember long weekend, but they’ve already ed up for want of maintenance, why on Nations ancestors, voyageurs, and early decommissioned the well by taking off the earth would you take the pump handle off? homesteaders would be ashamed of what handle. They did the same thing a couple Would you also pour salt in the garden and Alberta has become in 2020. of days’ paddle upstream at Tolman Bridge burn down the house when you move off - Greg Pohl, Bleriot Ferry campground, campground, where we started our pad- the farm? That’s not just petty; it’s evil. September 2020.

WLA | September 2020 | Vol. 28, No. 3 | DEPARTMENTS 33 Reader’s Corner

James Wilt, Do Androids Dream of Electric Cars? Public Transit in the Age of Google, Uber, and Elon Musk, (Toronto: Between the Lines, 2020), 293 pp. By Joanna Skrajny

James Wilt provides a compelling and electric vehicles as a solution to our prob- well-researched case for phasing out all lems. He then finishes each chapter by sug- personal vehicle use and focusing our re- gesting changes to our public transit systems sources instead on publicly owned transit so that they are both good for the environ- systems. Even in cities such as Calgary and ment and our communities. Edmonton, notorious for their sprawl and As the world grapples with a pandemic, love of the automobile, Wilt demonstrates there is a legitimate concern that cities will that good public transit is both achievable abandon funding public transit as people in- and desirable. creasingly travel by vehicle. However, I be- Public transit has suffered the fate of lieve that we should not only retain, but sig- many of our public services, where transit nificantly invest in public transit in Alberta. planners have been dealt with successive Such investment would reduce the num- cuts to their budgets while being forced to ber of roads required and slow the expan- justify the expansion of bus routes or ser- on a choice that balances convenience with sion of our cities into native grasslands and vice based on ridership figures. [You can financial and time costs. wetlands, environments providing immea- see a similar issue currently plaguing Alber- Automobile companies, on the other surable ecosystem services and benefits. It ta’s parks system, where parks have been hand, have been working for decades to would help our cities meet their climate removed in the name of “cost savings”.] In successfully lobby cities to be car friendly. targets by significantly reducing green- reality, the addition of one single bus route As a result, our cities have become large, house gas emissions and air pollution. often isn’t enough to convince people to sprawled, and concrete-filled. In turn, we Denser, transit-friendly cities are also more give up their cars. Wilt points to the work have become increasingly isolated as indi- climate resilient and are also accessible to of Jarrett Walker, who has identified seven vidual transportation became king. pedestrians and cyclists. One positive out- criteria that need to be met before riders With the rise of electric vehicles, many of come of this crisis is that shelter-in-place will rely on public transportation: us (including myself) believed they would orders have helped the general public fos- • It takes me where I want to go. be a solution to Calgary’s sprawl and GHG ter a greater appreciation for walkable and • It takes me when I want to go. emissions problems. Wilt explains that bike-friendly cities with plenty of nature. • It is a good use of my money. This is where the book truly sings, effec- Transit access into our provincial and na- • It respects me in the level of safety, comfort, tively dismantling many of the assumptions tional parks would provide more accessi- and amenity it provides, made about personal electric vehicles and bility to wilderness for those without access • I can trust it. bringing to light troubling aspects about to a personal vehicle. • It gives me freedom to change my plans. ride-sharing companies such as Uber. Climate change isn’t going to go away and, My story is one I assume rings true for a Each chapter focuses on a different aspect unfortunately, we are likely in an era where number of people. I began to drive out of of transportation – including impacts on overlapping crises are going to become necessity once I entered university, in or- climate and environment, rural areas, social more common. Let’s create a future where der to cut my commute from 90 minutes justice, and safety. Wilt tackles each issue by we are more prepared for what’s to come. by public transit to 30 minutes by car. Wilt bringing up the very real problems with the explains this is often the case for many peo- North American transit system as it current- ple, where we essentially have been forced ly operates and the concerns with relying on into car ownership (willing or not) based ride-sharing companies and a transition to

34 WLA | September 2020 | Vol. 28, No. 3 | DEPARTMENTS Pollinator Power! Pollinator Power! Notice to Members Pollinator Power! Annual General Meeting of Alberta 1 2 Annual General Meeting of Alberta N 1N P 2P Wilderness Association 3 4 E 3NE O N O B U4BZUZ Z Z NovemberWilderness 21, Assn 2020 C L E C T L 1L 25F E E 6 N 5 P 7 8:30 am T W A RL N EI N G3N FOE _ EY 4B U Z Z November 23, 2019 6 R N M B E 7 W A R N I 8HNCA GB I T ELA T _ L O S_S Y E AWA’s Bylaws require some minor wording 5 10 am R N T MLL X FB E E updates and a resolution to accept the changes 9 8 6 W E A T H E R E D 7 will be presented at the AGM of the Association H AWBA IR TN AI NT G_ L EO S S _ Y R N M B E on November 21, 2020. The bylaws with T 8 L X 9 H A B I T A T _ L O S S proposed changes are posted to the Association’s W E A T H E R E D T L X website; www.AlbertaWilderness.ca 9 Across W E DownA T H E R E D This meeting will be held by video conference and 3 Alberta native bees are blue and yellow. 1 One of the things bees eat. 4 What is the sound bees make? 2 The job of Alberta's Native Bees. pre-registration will be required; registrations will be 6 Why are bees yellow and black? 4 What is something that you can do to help the bees? online after November 1, 2020. 8 What is the largest threat to native bees? 5 What type of bees have stingers? 9 What type of bee box do bees prefer? Across 7 DownIs bee decline real? 3 Alberta native bees areAcross blue and yellow. 1 One of the thingsDown bees eat. 4 What is the sound bees3 Alberta make? native bees are blue and 2yellowThe. job of Alberta'sBeing1 One with ofNative thefictions things Bees. no.2 bees eat. Featured Artist Tyler Los-Jones What is the sound bees make? The job of Alberta's Native Bees. 6 Why are bees yellow4 and black? 4 WhatArchival is something inkjet2 print that on you rag canpaper do to help 6 Why are bees yellow 45.7cmand black? x 61cm,the bees?2015 PHOTO:4 What © isT. somethingLOS-JONES that you can do to help 8 What is the largest threat to native bees? the bees? 8 What is the largest threat to native5 bees?What type of bees have stingers? 9 What type of bee box do bees prefer? 5 What type of bees have stingers? 9 What type of bee box do bees prefer?7 Is bee decline real? 7 Is bee decline real?

WLA | September 2020 | Vol. 28, No. 3 | DEPARTMENTS 35 Return Undeliverable PM 40065626 Canadian Addresses to:

Alberta Wilderness Association 455-12 ST NW Calgary, Alberta T2N 1Y9 [email protected]

ISSN 485535