December 2008 • Vol. 16, No. 6

AWA

Cardinal River, Foothills Natural Region Photo: C. olson

Le o p o l d Re v i s i t e d – Wi l d e r n e s s a s a La n d Us e / 4

Th e Lo n g Ro a d t o Wi l d l i f e Re c o v e r y i n Al b e r t a / 10

Hu n t i n g f o r Cl a r i t y – De f i n i t i o n s a n d Us e s o f “Tr a d i t i o n a l Us e ” / 13

Ch r o n i c Wa s t i n g Di s e a s e Po i s e d t o Cr o s s Sp e c i e s Ba rr i e r / 23 Editor: Wi l d e r n e s s Wa t c h Joyce Hildebrand CdeceONTmber 2008 •E VOL.NTS 16, NO. 6 Editorial Advisory Board: 16 Up d a t e s Pam Asheton, Julie Black, Sarah Crook, Andy Marshall, Sharon McIntyre Fe a t ur e s Al b e r t a n s ’ Cr y Sa v e s Wo l v e s 18 Graphic Design: 19 Bi g h o r n Re s e a r c h Hi g h l i g h t s Ball Creative Le o p o l d Re v i s i t e d – Wi l d e r n e s s 4 Re c r e a t i o n a l Co n c e r n s Printing: a s a La n d Us e 21 Ch r o n i c Wa s t i n g Di s e a s e Colour printing and process is sponsored by Topline Printing 7 Wi l d e r n e s s a n d Cr e a t i v i t y Po i s e d t o Cr o s s Sp e c i e s Ba rr i e r – Re f l e c t i o n s f r o m t h e x p e c t t h e n e x p e c t e d Wh a l e b a c k 23 E U – Mul t i p l e Hum a n St r e s s o r s o f 8 A Cr i t i c a l Lo o k a t Th r e s h o l d s Al b e r t a ’s Mo u n t a i n La k e s – De f i n i n g Ac c e p t a b l e Ch a n g e o n Al b e r t a La n d s 25 Ca m e l o t i n t h e Ro c k i e s – Sa v i n g So u t h e r n Al b e r t a ’s h e o n g o a d t o i l d l i f e 10 T L R W Be s t -k e p t Se c r e t Re c o v e r y i n Al b e r t a Alberta Wilderness e p a r t m e n t s 12 Hu n t i n g f o r Cl a r i t y – D Association De f i n i t i o n s a n d Us e s o f “Defending Wild Alberta through “Tr a d i t i o n a l Us e ” 27 Le t t e r s Awareness and Action” 14 He a d w a t e r s Po l i c y Wo r k s h o p 29 Fe d e r a t i o n o f Al b e r t a Alberta Wilderness Association is a He l p s i n Ma n a g i n g t h e Na t ur a l i s t s charitable non-government organization Co mm o n s dedicated to the completion of a 30 In s p i r a t i o n t h r o u g h An i m a t i o n protected areas network and the – Th e Yo u t h An i m a t i o n Pr o j e c t conservation of wilderness throughout the province. To support our work As s o c i a t i o n Ne w s & Ev e n t s 31 with a tax-deductible donation, call (403) 283-2025 or contribute online at AlbertaWilderness.ca. Cover Photo Wild Lands Advocate is published Christyann Olson’s photo of the Cardinal River depicts a scene typical of the bi-monthly, 6 times a year, by Alberta Foothills Natural Region: clear mountain water and rolling hills, with the front Wilderness Association. The opinions range of the Rockies in the distance. Unfortunately, this natural region is gravely expressed by the authors in this under-represented in the Alberta protected areas network. While at least 12 publication are not necessarily those percent protection is recommended to maintain healthy ecosystems, less than of AWA. The editor reserves the right to edit, reject or withdraw articles and 1.4 percent of Alberta’s foothills is protected. One reason for this may be its letters submitted. resource wealth: thick forests, rich coal, and abundant petroleum. Please direct questions and comments to: Joyce Hildebrand (403) 283-2025 • [email protected] FEATURED ARTIST Subscriptions to the WLA are $30 per Born and raised near Beaverlodge, Alberta, Robert Guest has spent many year. To subscribe, call (403) 283-2025 summers on isolated fire lookouts, where he sketches and paintsen plein or see AlbertaWilderness.ca. air. He is a charter member of the Alberta Foundation for the Arts and has taught design and art history at Grande Prairie Regional College. He was also involved in founding the Prairie Art Gallery in Grande Prairie, the Peace Watercolour Society, and the Grande Cache Watercolour Society. In 1995 he completed his first book,Trail North, a survey of the historic Hinton Trail together with a collection of 74 paintings. His work is represented in public and private collections in Canada and abroad, including the collection of Her Majesty, the Queen. Box 6398, Station D, Calgary, Alberta T2P 2E1 (403) 283-2025 Toll-free 1-866-313-0713 AWA respects the privacy of members. Lists are not sold or traded in any manner. AWA is a federally registered charity www.AlbertaWilderness.ca and functions through member and donor support. Tax-deductible donations may be made to AWA at Box 6398 Station D, Calgary, AB T2P 2E1. Ph: (403) 283-2025 Fax: (403) 270-2743 E-mail: [email protected] www.AlbertaWilderness.ca [email protected] Wi l d e r n e s s f o r To m o rr o w

As we close this year and look forward to 2009, we have not achieved our vision, much less our greatest goal – protection for critical wild spaces – yet we are encouraged with the progress we have collectively made. We have struggled with threats, broken promises, and wanton disregard for wild places and beings, as humans race to harness the last vestiges of nature. We remain encouraged as our members and supporters continue to be steadfast, helping us remember the value of smaller goals achieved along the road to the ultimate goal of a province-wide system of large, connected protected areas. We know that hope lies in the deeds of solitary individuals who build for all. For the past four decades, we have stayed true to our roots, constantly taking stands for what we believe in. Archimedes said, “Give me a place to stand … and I will move the world.” AWA knows the importance of taking a stand. We also know how rewarding it is. We know the power of the people, of solitary individuals and grassroots revolutions, and we know we can move the world. Taking a stand means that despite difficult and discouraging realities, we choose to keep on trying, to believe things can change, and we keep the vision of our wilderness legacy clearly in our minds. This year we asked you to show the power of the people on a number of occasions. None of those times was more vital and significant than the call to demand that wolves be protected. The research into predator-prey relationships that would see wolves killed and sterilized to reduce the stress on their intended prey was terminated, and it was because we took a stand. People like you made the difference, and the world was moved. This year, after years of tenacious work and taking a firm stand, we celebrated the dedication of Hay-Zama Lakes Wildland Park. Together, representatives of the Dene Thá First Nation, the Alberta government, and Dalai Lake National Nature Reserve in Inner Mongolia twinned the two Ramsar sites. In April, indigenous leaders from the Peruvian Amazon met with us when they came to Calgary to tell two oil companies that they oppose drilling in their tropical rainforest homelands. The delegation, representing the Achuar people of northeastern Peru, took weeks to make their way from their remote village. We can only begin to imagine the courage it took for these people to take a stand, travelling thousands of miles and telling company executives that their plans for exploration were not acceptable to the Achuar people. Through AWA’s 43 years, many have taken a stand and made it possible for us to celebrate our achievements and to find the resolve to carry on.As you read this issue of the Wild Lands Advocate, you will learn about our current challenges and the outstanding people who are the staff and volunteers of AWA. As we welcome 2009, we will continue to take a stand and defend Wild Alberta. I’m inviting you to take a stand and help AWA. The back cover shows some of the ways you can make a difference. We are well recognized for the work we achieve with so few resources, and your gift will help us continue with financial security. We have the best team of staff, board members, volunteers, and members that an organization could want. I truly believe you couldn’t possibly make a better investment to secure wilderness for tomorrow. I look forward to hearing from you.

Photo: N. Douglas

– Christyann Olson, Executive Director

Photo: D. Olson Photo: s e U But perhaps that 45-year-old idea of But perhaps that 45-year-old One example among many occurred a n d of 1964: “an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.” It struck me as anthropocentric to think of protecting land exclusively for human use. wilderness is as outdated as the language used to express it. In the interest of conservation, the concept of “using” wild places may be worth exploring and Whether we think of wilderness updating. as our playground, a scenic backdrop for our adventures, our source of income, even our cathedral of worship, we may as well admit that our attitude toward it is And since more often than not utilitarian. relatively few people use wilderness the support for its protection directly, tends to be weak compared to support for activities such as resource extraction that lead to its loss in exchange for economic gain. in October during the hearing into to drill 1,275 application EnCana’s wells and build 220 km of pipeline in the federally protected Suffield National Alberta. Area in southeastern Wildlife Underlying much of the testimony at L a a s n e s s r d e l i – W – With this in mind, it may be time this With My own first exposure to the idea this may not represent a shift from anthropocentrism to biocentrism, and while past cycles of land-use planning have failed to produce the network of protected areas needed to ensure species so far in the process, there is biodiversity, reason for cautious hope. idea of Aldo Leopold’s to revisit as a Form of Land Use.” “Wilderness In his 1925 essay of that name, Leopold wilderness should be that argues preserved because it is useful to humans: “wilderness is a resource, not only in the physical sense of the raw materials it contains, but also in the sense of a if distinctive environment which may, rightly used, yield certain social values.” of wilderness as land use came only a Brad year or so ago as I listened to Dr. on land use in presentation Stelfox’s my surprise, Stelfox listed To Alberta. “protected areas” as a land use, along with agriculture, urban development, and oil and gas, transportation, forestry, so on. Protected areas, a land use? I’d always thought of wilderness protection as representing a lack of human use, as Act Wilderness articulated in the U.S. Alberta’s native grasslands are dotted with evidence of centuries-old human use, as dotted with evidence of centuries-old human native grasslands are Alberta’s Area. Suffield National Wildlife in the indicated by this tipi circle e v i s i t e d R d l e o p o By Joyce Hildebrand, AWA Conservation Specialist Conservation AWA Hildebrand, By Joyce L Homo sapiens, who

ritish scientist Richard Dawkins six-year-old tells the story of his during enjoying the wildflowers

A thoughtful answer from a child, but A regret, Dawkins told some With Framework Land-Use Alberta’s

a country drive. When he asked her what When he asked a country drive. she were for, she thought the flowers make the world To things. replied, “Two make honey and to help the bees pretty, for us.” an answer that belies the human-centred view of the universe that still dominates our culture, a stance referred to as exist to build Trees “anthropocentrism.” our homes, gas to heat them. Soil is there As to grow crops, water to irrigate them. noted by environmental philosopher J. Baird Callicott, even the common term is “natural resources” implies that nature existing for our “a self renewing larder, consumption” (“Contemporary Criticisms Idea,” 2000). Wilderness of the Received his daughter that she was mistaken. If pressed, most of us would likely agree. It took about 17 billion years for the universe to produce appeared some 400,000 years ago, and for more than four and a half billion years our planet got along without humans! It is surely time for us to let go of the illusion that the universe was just setting the stage for all those millennia, waiting time to for the star species to appear; it’s step out of the centre and acknowledge all that we are one species among many, in The difference using the same planet. conscious our species is that we can make decisions, as individuals and as a society, about how we use the planet, and we can As Canadian plan that use in advance. Sommerville says, “We ethicist Margaret are unique in that we have two roles with respect to nature: we are both an integral part of it and, because we alone have the power to destroy it, we must be its protector” (2006 CBC Massey Lectures). for Life initiative may be Water and the indicators that we are finally thinking While of using our planning ability. B

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The : C. Wearmouth : C. Photo Much has changed in Alberta since Much has changed in We can no longer pretend that We , October/November 2008). Walrus predicts that Stelfox day. Leopold’s in this province, “human populations, and the footprints associated with the sector and transportation will energy increase by at least three-fold by the year 2100,” and he lists the numerous services we are asking the landscape to provide: “biological and physical biotic services, production of water, carbon, hydrocarbon, wood, agricultural resources, aesthetic appeal, and homes and infrastructure for people.” Equating economic growth with progress has brought us overpopulation and overconsumption, along with massive increases in resource extraction activities, urban (and rural) development and sprawl, agriculture, and recreation. The result has been loss of wilderness, incur, with global shortages of everything of everything shortages with global incur, to clean air. water food to fresh from function to wilderness areas Large purify, carbon dioxide; store, sequester habitat for water; and provide and filter all of which flora and fauna, a variety of areas as ways that sustain these interact in wilderness. only to those who wilderness is useful its rivers. It is scale its peaks or paddle While survival. essential for our very to use writer Chris we may be reluctant of humans as parasites metaphor Wood’s we have to stop on the earth, “clearly saving as many of destroying our host; functioning biological factories Earth’s place to start” ( as possible is a good series, Anglican Archbishop Anglican series, But what exactly are the benefits But what exactly are These uses are valid and important, opportunities for spiritual renewal and enjoyment, but they also supply opportunities for spiritual renewal ecosystem services such as water filtration and storage. The calm waters of McClelland Lake north of Fort McMurray provide humans with humans The calm waters of McClelland Lake north of Fort McMurray provide have merit, but maybe the argument with with argument maybe the merit, but have Alberta’s in at this point traction the most useful to that wild places are history is industry’s humans. Notwithstanding argue few would faith in reclamation, wilderness is a claim that with Leopold’s be it can’t resource, that non-reproducible city park or a tennis built at will, “like a areas should wild, roadless court.” Large, because they therefore be conserved and because bring benefits to humans they’re gone for once they’re destroyed, the time frame most good, at least within of us can conceive of. Historically, of wilderness to humans? its essay, as articulated in Leopold’s seen mostly in terms usefulness has been This is in of recreation or spirituality. recent In BBC’s part true even today. Planet Earth wilderness as cites Williams Rowan useful because it provides us with a sense Sommerville of transcendence. Margaret agrees: “Contact with the natural allows us to appreciate that as humans we are order of being.” part of a much larger areas but as Callicott writes, “Wilderness have a higher calling in these desperate As wilderness is disappearing days.” vast around the globe, even in the world’s oceans, we are becoming increasingly aware of the web of life upon which our own lives are based, of our utter dependence on the ecological services are We ecosystems. of the earth’s coming face to face with the increasing “ecological debt” that we continue to nvironment versus economy. Environment versus economy. that wilderness has could argue We that grassland Or we could argue Perhaps some would be convinced All of these defences of wilderness the hearing was the unspoken question question the unspoken was the hearing of wilderness?” is the value “What that the emphasized EnCana repeatedly would heat the wildlife refuge gas under decade. homes for a 80,000 Canadian and coalition Both the environmental that the Canada argued Environment of North integrity of this remnant home endangered grasslands, America’s at risk, must not be for numerous species compromised. human conservation versus Wilderness How do we as comfort, even survival. of whom heat our conservationists, most to EnCana’s homes with gas, respond of economic statement? In a time we now face, how uncertainty such as can we advocate for the survival of the endangered burrowing owl and Ord’s presented as a kangaroo rat when it’s choice? them-or-us inherent value independent of human use; that the rights of nature should be enshrined in our constitution, as they are new bill of rights for nature: in Ecuador’s “Nature … has the right to exist, persist, maintain and regenerate its vital cycles, structure, functions and its processes in evolution.” I hope I’m wrong, but I suspect most Canadians, particularly there yet. Albertans, aren’t ecosystems – with their complex interactions of soils, fungi, mosses, lichens, grasses, insects, birds, and mammals – are beautiful and that beauty must be protected for the benefit of future human generations, as are magnificent cathedrals or famous masterpieces. may see gas wells, Albertans But some pipelines, roads, and fields of invasive Arguments smooth brome as beautiful. based on aesthetics may convince a few, change our land- but they probably won’t use priorities. that it is unethical to by the argument destroy what is left of the natural world for our own gain and that there are still many other options open to us. Maybe someday we’ll be desperate enough to degrade, domesticate, and eliminate the few wild places that remain in order to squeeze out every drop of gas, but we’re not there yet, and with political will and engaged citizens, we could avoid that situation. ,” he said, “but 2 emissions. “The 2 ighty-three years ago, Leopold years ago, Leopold Eighty-three While many do not have the to appears Alberta of Government The It’s up to us to hold Minister Morton, up to us to hold It’s watershed, and the South Saskatchewan Saskatchewan the South and watershed, these If truly protected, River valley. to be used in perpetuity areas could places looking for liveable attract people well- by afforded with the “amenities” wilderness. protected preserve any land in a wild wrote: “To a reversal of condition is, of course, but that fact alone economic tendency, the proposal.” Good should not condemn of “wise adjustment land use is a matter But between opposing tendencies.” conservation even the conflict between is now being and economic growth economics challenged, as ecological for full-cost gains a foothold, calling placing of economic accounting and the values on wilderness and its services. privileges that allow them to directly experience wild spaces, or choose not to, wilderness is still a “public good,” necessary for the well-being We of humans and non-humans alike. must, therefore, adequately justify our interventions in those places. In words, “Nature Sommerville’s Margaret and the natural deserve respect from an anthropocentric perspective. Harm to them can harm important aspects of human life.” But she hastens to add: “I want to emphasize that nature and the natural deserve respect in their own right, us.” not just because they are of benefit to be recognizing that good stewardship of land and water is essential the province’s for human well-being, although words have yet to translate into action. In a talk Association, Canadian Alberta at the Institute of Planners conference in Alberta Morton, Minister of Ted October, Sustainable Resource Development, referred to the Stelmach government’s preoccupation with CO most immediate and tangible impact of both population growth and industrial development is not on CO on land and water that Albertans live on on land and water that week week to and drink on a day to day, basis.” and the rest of our representatives in government, accountable to those words remaining Alberta’s and to insist that wilderness areas be connected and protected – for our use and for their inherent value. ©R. Guest It’s important to note that certain It’s small communities Alberta, many In populations of a variety of species, they populations of a variety of species, they are doomed to extirpation and extinction. And as keystone species such as grizzly bear diminish, ecosystem functions are go disrupted and other species eventually born down with them. Surely John Muir, in 1838, was ahead of his time when he wrote those well-known words: “When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the And humans are part of that Universe.” hitching, part of “everything else.” human activities in wilderness areas are compatible with protecting biodiversity. and knowledge to have the tools We determine what is an acceptable human presence in areas set aside with the While priority of conserving biodiversity. petroleum development in endangered landscapes like Rumsey and Suffield most certainly is not acceptable, that does not mean that economic health, and even growth, in some areas, particularly because of less urban areas, must suffer conservation. In fact, the opposite may be true. could capitalize on their proximity to wilderness areas that are still relatively La Lac as such Communities undisturbed. and Drumheller Biche, Fort McMurray, could expand their roles as “gateways” for human activities compatible with maintaining the wilderness values of areas like Lakeland, McClelland Lake Finally North American society Finally North Albertans move into a new As “Indian Graves near Grande Cache, Moonlight” 16x20 inches, acrylic “Indian Graves near Grande Cache, Moonlight” wildlife, and biodiversity. thread, but is picking up Leopold’s science is with a twist. Increasingly, confirming what some cultures have known for millennia: that all human uses of the land are ultimately dependent on maintaining a certain level of biodiversity – the assemblages of and interactions species among thousands of the earth’s – to prevent total collapse of the earth’s know The problem is, we don’t systems. where the tipping point will be. But we do know that protecting wilderness while helps maintain that biodiversity, also providing ecological benchmarks for comparison with similar areas where human activity is occurring, offering opportunities for research of natural ecosystem components and processes, and providing for economic activities, recreation, and spiritual and emotional nourishment. planning mode with the Land-Use Framework, it is essential that wilderness conservation be a priority land use, not an afterthought trailing behind development. In the past, many protected areas were chosen for their recreational or scenic values, leaving us with isolated, unconnected islands surrounded by now know that We human development. many non-human species need more than this: without a connected network of wild enough to support significant spaces large

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F 6 Fe a t ur e s WLA December 2008 • Vol. 16,No. 6 7 has roamed the has roamed This day was what many would I believe that these intangible factors ysweb.net the valley and cross the creek back to the the valley and cross the creek back to the parking lot. describe as just a walk in the park, but comments that evening from all involved revealed that all had felt a profound connection to the landscape, and that connection had opened doors and the windows within themselves. Clearly, experience of nature in an environment “protected” from the distractions of the modern world releases and nourishes the wellsprings of creativity. in decisions about protected are important everyone involved in land- areas. I urge use decisions to spend quality time in the areas they are considering in order to beauty comprehend fully the landscape’s and significance. Whaleback: author of The Bob Blaxley, Guide, Walking A Alberta for landscapes of southern than 35 years. Completing his more in design masters degree environmental the early 1990s led him into an intimate with the Whaleback. relationship e b a c k – l .V. Rasmussen – ra : R.V. Photo h a W e a t i v i t y r t h e

C m o Moving south now, I am hoping for Moving south now, stop on the last high point of We I’m about as comfortable as in the descend the ridge. regroup and We r f a n d

Fall in the Whaleback a glimpse of Chief Mountain far off in a glimpse of Chief Mountain far off too hot and Montana. Not today – it’s I’m in the rhythm of the matter, No hazy. On rambles like this I can country now. feel the land start to infiltrate my being, moving up from my feet into my legs, slowing down and lengthening my gait. the ridge, overlooking the valley of the and separate from one Oldman River, another to spend time alone. I find a perfectly shaped depression in the shade of a Doug fir and doze. living room at home, but I’m more alert game trail passes my spot, A and aware. and I’m scanning for bears. For me, that in wilderness is one important difference As I’m not in – we’re not the masters. control, I have to be aware of what’s happening; that heightened awareness helps keep me safe and allows me to perceive the precious beauty of the land. Halfway to the valley floor we pay our respects to an ancient lightning-blasted this 700 years old, More than pine. limber matriarch is still healthy despite its upper continue down along We charred limbs. n e s s r e c t i o n s d e l l i e f R By Bob Blaxley W

any land-use discussions these any land-use discussions of days include the option Arguments “protected areas.”

I have guided numerous groups start, as many pilgrimages do We Near a pool dammed by beavers, the ridge, heading move on up We M advanced for protecting an area such as advanced for protecting Alberta Whaleback in southwestern the to scientific are frequently limited ecosystem function or concerns related to such as the area’s socio-economic values attraction for tourism and recreation. Whaleback through the area since the was formally protected 10 years ago. I now feel that the aesthetic, creative, and artistic responses individuals have to untrammeled country are of great importance when considering the benefit The conviction of protecting landscapes. that people value wilderness for their sense of creative connection was brought home to me recently when I helped held in this workshop facilitate a writers’ area. We these days, from the parking lot. travel north, crossing Bob Creek, and where the trail branches, we go uphill to move into a higher valley We the east. with many a backward glance at the glory of the Livingstone Range dominating the southwestern skyline. we rest and acquaint ourselves with the rock- A grasses and the other plant folk. crowned ridge beckons with promises of new vistas. Shedding jackets, we The day grows hot and we toil upward. seek shelter in the shade of a centuries- It grows out of rock, old Douglas fir. anchored, firm, though many of the limber pines beside it are dead or dying. I attempt to tell their tragic story and and distracted, find that I’m unsteady, overwhelmed with sadness. north. Near the top we turn west and gain The day is spectacular for the ridge top. and the warm and breezy, late September, country spreads out around us in wave after wave of hills and mountains and valleys. e l c c e p t a b A Thresholds may be based on physical, Sheerness Coal Mine, 160 km northeast Sheerness Coal Mine, 160 km northeast in land- The use of thresholds of Calgary. use planning may be one way to control the cumulative effects of human activities. : L. Fitch Photo decline continuously in response to the decline continuously in response to the The point at accumulation of pollutants. which the decline in animal population or environmental quality has become unacceptable is up to us to decide. So although thresholds may be based on science, when they are applied to they management of cumulative effects, are ultimately reflective of human values and are therefore social and political Thresholds may be defined decisions. socially as the maximum deviation from protection that is acceptable. chemical, or ecological characteristics, or they may be land- and resource-use related. Governments develop many physical or chemical indicators and thresholds to protect human and wildlife The most common examples populations. guidelines. and water-quality are air- guideline can be based water-quality A on the levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, The or sedimentation, for example. guideline may refer to the point at which the water is no longer potable or to the e f i n i n g – D d s l e s h o r a n d s h L T t a a t

r b e At the core of the draft LUF is At the core of the draft proposed The government’s for many things in nature, However, l o o k In recognition of the failure of the current In recognition of the the LUF project-by-project approach, to the policy will provide the backdrop planning on both framework for regional in six regions in private and public land Alberta. management a cumulative effects termed a “results- approach. In what is based approach to environmental the government proposes sustainability,” to have objectives for environmental quality set geographically at different spatial scales across the province. The objectives are akin to the concept of thresholds and would be based on knowledge about the environment, impact of human activities, and social values. results-based approach is dependent on identifying thresholds (also called “standards” or “criteria”) that quantify acceptable limits of change in order to Thresholds achieve a desired end state. are a proven approach to managing of multiple human cumulative effects activities and help achieve society’s objectives for a landscape, provided they are implemented within a cumulative They framework. management effects can help to clarify the scale, timing, and amount of development that is acceptable. Theory and Practice Thresholds: The concept of thresholds comes from ecological science, in which a threshold is a particular tipping point after which there is an abrupt and/or irreversible The term has since ecosystem change. been used in the field of resource management and impact assessment to determine the point at which significant cumulative environmental impacts on an indicator occurs. there may not be a detectable tipping point, and environmental quality may continue to degrade in a linear fashion. For example, water quality may A L l o n

i t i c a r et land- Y C h a n g e C By Peggy Holroyd By Peggy A Towards Towards , please contact the author at here are indications that ecological Alberta may have change in already exceeded ecological Land management in Alberta over the Land management in In 2006, the government announced [email protected]. ffects in the Southern Foothills of in the Southern Foothills Effects Alberta T Acceptable Change: A Thresholds A Acceptable Change: Cumulative Approach to Manage This Peggy from article is adapted for her produced thesis Holroyd’s Design, Masters in Environmental view 2008. To University of Calgary, this document, entitled this document, entitled limits or social acceptability. In northern limits or social acceptability. Athabasca Chipewyan First Alberta, the Nations, Mikisew Cree First Nations, and Oil Sands Environmental Coalition have ceased participating in the Cumulative Association Environmental Management in because it has been ineffective managing the cumulative impact of oil sands development. Landowners in the southern foothills and elsewhere, concerned with the changes they see to the land, are becoming increasingly politically active. past several decades has been shaped by the philosophies of integrated resource management and multiple use. use policies have failed to recognize must be made among that tradeoffs environmental, social, and economic multiple-use approach assumes A factors. we can have everything, everywhere, all the time and includes no measurable objectives or goals to guide land- use decisions and to determine the appropriate levels of cumulative impact. its intention to develop the Land-Use Alberta Framework (LUF), led by Sustainable Resource Development, with the cooperation of six other The 2007 draft government ministries. rapid LUF acknowledges that “today’s growth in population and economic activity is placing unprecedented landscapes” (p. 1). Alberta’s pressures on

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F 8 Fe a t ur e s WLA December 2008 • Vol. 16,No. 6 9 To manage cumulative effects, it is effects, manage cumulative To Identification of thresholds can help Land-use planning should provide an impact of setting thresholds to other to other thresholds of setting impact economic social, and environmental, factors. to integrate decision-making necessary and at ministries among government from levels of decision-making, different to project- sub-surface rights issuance A cumulative effects specific reviews. framework assessment and management are effects is needed in which cumulative project and regional managed at both the in the issuance of levels, and considered could be set Thresholds mineral rights. and then be through regional planning of project- used to gauge the significance specific impacts. Conclusion Threshold setting and implementation is a promising approach to managing on a regional basis cumulative effects Alberta, and there is potential to in Alberta implement thresholds through the Land-Use Framework and government’s regional planning processes. determine the significance of cumulative and meet land- and resource- effects Thresholds management objectives. may be based on measurable land-use, ecological, or population indicators, and can identify the point at which indicator changes become unacceptable. opportunity for stakeholders to look at the end result of land-use change and to discuss possible “bottom lines” for the degradation of ecosystem components. Through the application of thresholds, we can address not only where development should occur but how much should This is the opposite of current occur. land-management practices, in which the continued decline of ecological indicators has not been tested against social process for setting An effective values. thresholds should consider science, public values, and a clear understanding of the ecological, economic, and social threshold levels. of different tradeoffs of the is the Director Peggy Holroyd Energy Arctic Pembina Institute’s Aboriginal Solutions. She works with governments, and organizations, related projects of variety a on companies to cumulative effects assessment, and planning. land- and resource-use Strategies Tiered thresholds can make Tiered clear the actions associated threshold levels. with different thresholds may Time-bounded govern the rate of change and pace of development. Model alternative scenarios of development to understand the implication of setting thresholds. Use a multi-stakeholder approach to decision-making. Create a legal framework for thresholds implementation, clarifying roles and responsibilities. Acknowledge that setting thresholds is based partly on social and political decisions. Monitor and use adaptive management. Model a range of possible futures rather than one most likely future. • • • • • • • •

Lack of scientific certainty about Lack of scientific certainty Often thresholds are perceived as a measure against which planners and planners which against a measure projects. judge incremental can regulators it may be exceeds a threshold, If a project some be required to implement denied or stay below in order to form of mitigation the threshold. Barriers Overcoming and the public While the government impact may recognize the cumulative and limits to the of human activities thresholds ecosystem, implementing (see table). faces numerous challenges can be overcome exact threshold values management by using an adaptive be set at Threshold values may system. and monitored to precautionary levels determine if land-use activity is having the anticipated cumulative effects. Adaptive management provides a systematic process of testing assumptions from the results. and learning and policies a restriction to development. In many scenario cases this may be true; however, modeling can remove the mystery of thresholds-based management by allowing stakeholders to project potential development trajectories for a range of possible futures to anticipate the Barriers Lack of scientific certainty about cause-and-effect relationships Perception that thresholds are barriers to development, infringe on property rights, etc. of opinions on how Differences cumulative impacts should be managed Concern that thresholds will be set by one interest group Thresholds favour operations that are approved early Lack of integration between government agencies • • • • • •

At the project level, a threshold cological thresholds and indicators thresholds and indicators Ecological Category Political Technical Administrative Implementing Thresholds Implementing Successful implementation of thresholds occurs where there exists a strong regional planning process and supporting Thresholds-based legislation and policy. management is best cumulative effects The applied through regional planning. thresholds can then provide guidance to decision-making at the local and project levels. acts as a basis for decision-making and level of quality that will support a fish support a that will of quality level population. conditions, biodiversity, measure habitat species, of a particular the abundance risk of and guilds, and communities are used Land-use indicators species loss. Such to measure human disturbances. access density indicators may include pipelines, seismic (total length of roads, of cleared/disturbed lines in an area), area area (specified land, core area, edge number area around linear disturbance), and riparian area of stream crossings, Appendix Ainslie, cleared (Antoniuk & Indicators, 1, Cumulative Effects 2, and Case Studies, Vol. Thresholds, 2003).

is

or grizzly

and, until recently had recovery t a r b e l : P. Holroyd : P. Photo A This conflict between roads and The 2008 Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan i n . Although the province has Although the province management. a Recovery Plan , the word recovery a Recovery Team this species is at the extreme northern American range, edge of its North making it particularly susceptible to not unusual population fluctuations. It’s for kangaroo rats in Suffield to lose 90 percent of their population during the High habitat quality is therefore winter. extremely important to their survival (hearing transcript, October 22, 2008). habitat has also recently surfaced in the grizzly bear recovery on/off province’s involved was AWA fall, past This process. in one more in a seemingly endless series “stakeholder Alberta government of processes,” this one looking for suggestions into how access management can be used in grizzly bear management. there are very mixed (Interestingly, messages coming from the department of Sustainable Resource Development as to whether the government is working towards grizzly notably absent from recent releases.) states unequivocally that “human use of motorized vehicle access (specifically, routes) is one of the primary threats to grizzly bear persistence.” It goes on to Alberta Central Rockies “In the say, y r e c o v e R i f e in core grizzly bear habitat. in core 2 l d l i W t o

Fortunately the Suffield Coalition, led Environment Canada biologist Olaf o a d The provincial Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan recommends a maximum road density a maximum road Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan recommends The provincial threshold of 0.6 km/km threshold 2008). “They also use edges of roads and 2008). “They also use edges of roads and steep banks along the river … so any form of open sand adjacent to native prairie is fair game for Kangaroo Rat.” Stephen Fudge, also an EnCana witness, took it a Referring to levels of shallow step further. he said: “Perhaps from an gas activity, not Kangaroo Rat (sic), there’s Ord’s enough.” Association (AWA), Wilderness Alberta by refused to allow these comments to pass Wershler unchallenged. Biologist Cleve pointed out that “[t]he COSEWIC (2006) status report indicates the trend toward increasing use of anthropogenic habitats Wildlife (specifically roads in the National Area), appears to be a threat to this species habitats by providing low quality ‘sink’ in which mortality exceeds recruitment” (hearing transcript, October 15, 2008). Although roadside bare sand may meet some immediate habitat requirements of kangaroo rats, any benefit is outweighed by the fact that rats from surrounding areas get killed on the road. Jensen also pointed out that kangaroo poor survival and reproduction rates rats’ in roadside habitat are in part due to soil characteristics of such human-created habitat and lower food quality along Middle Sand Hills, Alberta’s roadsides. In R o n g L h e By Nigel Douglas, AWA Conservation Specialist Conservation AWA Douglas, By Nigel T

nybody who has seen the sad nybody who has seen squashed sight of a rattlesnake can on a dusty prairie road

As Alberta becomes increasingly Alberta As The relationship between roads And this is where the roads come A appreciate the fact that, while roads appreciate the fact that, immediate may meet some of the animal, they are not requirements of an for that species. necessarily a good thing fragmented by industrial access, roads will play an enormous part in the future of wildlife, both endangered Access management and common. is increasingly being recognized as one essential tool in the management Alberta. It seems of species at risk in entirely likely that if it can ever be it will have an applied comprehensively, important role to play in the continued survival of a variety of species. But as that rattlesnake would attest were it in a suitable state to attest anything, it is important to keep in mind the whole picture. kangaroo rat and the endangered Ord’s played a lead role in the recent Joint Review Panel hearing into proposals by EnCana to drill 1,275 new gas wells in Area, north of Wildlife Suffield National Medicine Hat. Kangaroo rats have very specific habitat requirements: they need dry sandy soils with sparse vegetation particularly active sand dunes. cover, In the past, periodic fires and passing bison herds ensured that areas of suitable sand dune habitat were kept open. But as the bison were exterminated and fire suppression became a common practice, available habitat for kangaroo rats became increasingly overgrown. at EnCana scientists argued in. Surely, the hearing, road construction in the dry grasslands of Suffield creates bare sandy areas alongside, and so they must be clear that good for kangaroo rats. “It’s Rat require blown-out Kangaroo Ord’s dunes as one aspect of their habitat,” said John Kansas, a member of the EnCana panel (hearing transcript, October 15,

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F 10 Fe a t ur e s WLA December 2008 • Vol. 16,No. 6 11 It is also important to bear in mind It is also important While stakeholders in the access that human access, particularly motorized that human access, particularly motorized access, impacts bears in a number of ways, not just through direct mortality. In the fall, grizzly bears are 100 percent of focused on finding food. It takes a lot roots and berries to keep grizzly bears going, and if they can feed effectively, they have a good chance of building up the fat reserves to survive the winter. If feeding is curtailed, their chance of The same applies to survival diminishes. females building up sufficient resources The fact that grizzlies to produce cubs. Alberta produce less cubs in southern less often than anywhere else in North – America is partly due to habitat issues food fall have the super-rich they don’t sources like salmon or whitebark pine seeds that other grizzlies have. But it may also partly be a function of being continually disturbed, or “displaced,” so that they go into hibernation in less than optimum condition. management meetings came from a diverse range of sectors, there was almost universal agreement that what is needed more than anything is a legislative framework to enforce access regulations, to as well as the enforcement staff ensure compliance. Both are currently As with so many desperately lacking. recent government stakeholder processes, participants left with cautious optimism that important issues were finally being recognized and discussed, tempered with a realization that it is only when these discussions begin to translate to real, measurable landscape changes that wildlife will begin to see any benefits. er Teuch A. : Photo To some extent this is true. A dense A some extent this is true. To From an industrial perspective, this While changing the default on new in fact, they create grizzly bear habitat. in fact, they create grizzly What kills bears is human use of access: the more chance there is of people and grizzlies meeting, in any of a variety of ways, the greater is the likelihood of bears ending up dead. stand of forest is not particularly good whereas a road is habitat for a grizzly, a long thin forest clearing, effectively allowing the growth of grasses, sedges, and berry-bearing bushes, all of which can be good food sources for grizzlies. But roads bring people, and people mean dead bears. has been drawn out to suggest argument that limitations on future industrial access into grizzly bear habitat will be unnecessary if only those roads can be The physical closed to public access. roads will be there, but the access will not. In many cases, forestry or oil and gas companies do not want the liability and the responsibility for maintaining operational roads so that they can be used by recreational users. industrial access roads so that they became closed to public use would be a step in the right direction, there is no reason to think that it would be sufficient. Experience has shown that in the absence enforcement, locked access of effective gates will continue to be pulled out, and locks cut. Outside of specifically designated areas (protected areas or Forest Land Use Zones, for example), it is not illegal to be driving a vehicle on the other side of a locked gate. If it is physically possible to drive around the gate through the bush, then it is not illegal to do so. creates Area as those in Suffield National Wildlife in sand hills such roads Creating shows that it is “sink” rat, but research kangaroo Ord’s habitat for the endangered decline. in population habitat and results , Recovery Plan would be set for core areas, would be set for core 2 But there is more to the concept of In a sign that the government may the government In a sign that Roads as Barriers Animals being killed directly on roads is only part of the problem of booming transportation the province’s Trans- of the Twinning network. Canada Highway through Banff National Park in the 1990s, for example, came with associated wildlife fencing, which effectively reduced the numbers of animals But it being killed on the highway. also formed an almost impermeable barrier to movement for the numerous wide-ranging species that need to disperse and migrate across the grizzlies, cougars, Wolves, highway. and wolverines all move great distances, particularly as juvenile animals disperse to set up their own And so wildlife crossings territories. – bridges and underpasses – have been developed as integral parts of some road construction projects, and are beginning to address this being a issue. Unfortunately Banff, national park, is the exception to the rule: most transportation projects do little to address wildlife mortality or wildlife movement. though as yet there is no mechanism to though as yet there is no mechanism to implement these targets. “open route densities” than meets the eye. lobby anti-gun-control the of Reminiscent kill people: statement that “guns don’t people do,” industrial representatives in that the grizzly recovery process argue kill grizzly bears: human “roads don’t goes that The argument access does.” roads do not actually harm grizzlies: cosystem, 89% of human-caused of human-caused 89% Ecosystem, road m of a within 500 were mortalities Parks National in and lands, on provincial … mortalities 100% of human-caused trail.” 200 m of a road or were within to show a willingness just be beginning the horns and to grasp the bull by with the problem actually begin to deal habitat, a series of access in grizzly showing of maps has been produced, core and secondary draft boundaries for Areas in the Grizzly Bear Conservation themselves do province (though maps grizzlies, of course). nothing to benefit the As recommended by maximum open route densities of 0.6 maximum open route km per km off- s e s While at present the common Alberta the Government of Presently, believe traditional Albertans Many U road motorized vehicle recreation, and obstructing a traditional land use with obstructing a traditional heritage and one’s an infringement on Applying identity. culture, indeed one’s grants a sense the term therefore often it can be perceived of entitlement since This right. as equivalent to a legal arguments perception can strengthen It is vital, continuance. for the activity’s Albertans to decide if and then, for how traditional use is separate from legislatively protected rights. understanding of “traditional use” is in Aboriginal Peoples, it is also terms of being employed by others who practice activities or use locations with a long Should the term be extended to history. Aboriginal descent? Clearly, those not of European descendants also Alberta’s have a strong tradition of activities such as hunting and trapping, and have their own share of important historical and cultural sites. views traditional use as applying only to Aboriginal people, says Enns. However, that “it’s MacDonald believes Tom appropriate for all people to use the term ... if they’re referring to their society’s country of origin and its customs and And what of activities and traditions.” locations that developed out of the What about made-in- mixing of cultures? Canada traditional use that began since the birth of the nation? use should encompass these as well. During public consultation on the LUF, 3,128 individuals and organizations submitted completed workbooks to the Alberta detailing their Government of Approximately views on the framework. 7.9 percent of respondents described their primary land-use activities as being When asked to “traditional land use.” further specify these activities, the usual suspects such as trapping and berry- some of picking were present. However, the answers given as a traditional use are surprising, such as mountain biking, a n d e f i n i t i o n s Photo: A. Ford Photo: – D ” s e i t y r U a l l This policy lumps rights and between rights and The difference C Uses includes uses of public lands such as burial grounds, gathering sites, and historic or ceremonial locations, and existing constitutionally protected rights to hunt, trap and fish and does not refer to proprietary interests in the land.” According to Cory Enns, director of Aboriginal consultation with the Ministry elations, this is the only Aboriginal R of Alberta has definition the Government of for traditional use at this time. with the latter traditional use together, connected to specific locations used for specific cultural activities. “Rights” refers to traditional activities such as hunting, which are legally protected for First Canadian and the Nations through treaties constitution. It should also be noted that this consultation policy focuses solely on First Nations and does not address either groups. Aboriginal Métis or other tradition needs to be examined further. deeming an activity or place Presently, “traditional use” does not grant it any particular legal or protected status. many currently equate However, Should off-road motorized recreation be motorized recreation Should off-road Albertans As labeled “traditional use”? arrive at a common definition of this application term, limits to its appropriate will have to be set. r f o .

a d i t i o n a r n t i n g “T u By Chris Wearmouth, AWA Conservation Specialist Conservation AWA Wearmouth, By Chris H o f Rights and Traditional Rights and Traditional et what it entails is almost Y

raditional use” is a term that raditional use” is a term in has been gaining ground of recent years in discussions

In 2005, Alberta adopted the Alberta In 2005,

With the first two Land-Use the With of the MacDonald is a member Tom T never clearly defined, despite its frequent use. First Alberta’s Government of Nations Consultation Policy on Land Development Management and Resource The policy states, “ “ land management and planning. It is land management and parties in industrial increasingly used by decision-making consultations and the but its meaning process for development, It seems to have is hard to pin down. vague attachments to activities such as medicinal gathering and trapping, hunting Aboriginal ceremonial plants, or using sites – activities that often take place in natural settings and have been handed down from generations past. Beyond these loose boundaries, the term becomes nebulous. begin to plans (LUF) regional Framework is important 2009, it early in development Albertans agree on a common that language for our land-related values and use” seems poised interests. “Traditional to become part of that language, but we need a common understanding of the term in order to identify when it is being used inappropriately and how much in weight traditional use should be given land-use decisions. Nation of Canada, Winewak Aseniwuche a community of 400 from settlements Alberta around Grande Cache, comprising status, non-status, and Métis people. He defines the term as “an activity performed by a person according to their customs and traditions.” For most Albertans, this term is associated with the customs and traditions of Canada’s Aboriginal Peoples, a connection that has been reinforced by frequent usage in government websites and publications; this is generally how industrial sectors use the term.

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Simply put, if we lose wilderness, While respecting the customs and enjoyment of these activities depended on of these activities enjoyment maintaining the wilderness values of the places in which they carried them out. we will lose the activities that take must recognize that the We place in it. environment supersedes our use of it and that our human realm is smaller than the land upon which it unfolds. In order to ensure the continued longevity of traditional activities and places, we need uses. setting for these to protect the larger words, “Societies that In MacDonald’s believe the natural environment sustains set their traditional way of life will have a of principles that respect and protect the ecosystems.” traditions of those who have lived before and those who still follow tradition today, we must ensure that traditional use is grounded in the natural environment must ensure We in which it emerged. that traditional use, indeed all human use, does not come to exceed the As ecological limits of the landscape. the term “traditional use” gains strength in land-management decisions and is Albertans’ to further used in arguments interests and values, a common and clear understanding of the term and the appropriate limits to its use will become increasingly critical. Photo: B. Ford Photo: MacDonald agrees: “All historical new ways of doing old However, Since many of the issues surrounding The skeleton of a sweatlodge on the Kootenay Plains in the Bighorn. Both the The skeleton of a sweatlodge on the Kootenay sweat and the Kootenay Plains are important to Aboriginal peoples and can be important to sweat and the Kootenay Plains are traditional use. considered education coordinator for the Alberta education coordinator for the Association, recognizes that Trappers “trapping has changed tremendously over a the years” but believes that trapping is traditional use of the land regardless of method. and current activities or sites change over time; nothing stays the same. Ongoing practice of custom or tradition regardless of how should be considered traditional use of land.” things can mean that traditional use no The longer equals traditional impacts. impacts to the environment can be quite trapping is carried out using if different snowshoes versus a snowmobile, for instance. Using a motorized vehicle for hunting can allow one to cover more the allowing for ground more quickly, possibility to harvest more animals than if done on foot or horseback. wilderness traditional use may affect conservation, it is vital that those concerned with the increased pressures wild places participate on the province’s in clarifying the definition of traditional begin, we must recognize that in To use. the past, it was often hunters, trappers, and anglers – in other words, traditional users – who spoke the loudest for the protection and appropriate management These men and women of wilderness. seemed to be fully aware that their Take, for example, a 50-year-old for example, a 50-year-old Take, This brings us to the question of the photography. Identifying traditional use traditional Identifying photography. exemplifies interests such diverse with agreement clarification and the need for term. use of the on the appropriate land uses, may be legitimate While these another “traditional” raises calling them must an how long a history question: become traditional? activity have for it to other Alberta, most land uses by those In only occurred than First Nations have such a short With over the last 250 years. point too far in setting a cut-off history, the loss of certain the past could lead to certain areas because activities or sites in to have heritage they are not deemed status. If a today. cabin still being used trapper’s necessitated that along came development its removal, we would lose this piece of the allow our heritage because we didn’t cabin to age, which would have increased its worth as a traditional use. On the other hand, we must be careful not to extend traditional use to an activity that appropriate is clearly outside the term’s 27 people application. In the LUF survey, motorized vehicle identified off-road recreation as a traditional use even vehicles though modern off-highway (OHVs) such as quads have only been widely used for the last 25 years. Is one to generation long enough for enthusiasts claim the weight of traditional use? Cal Alberta Rackach, technical director of the Association, sees Vehicle Off-Highway quads as just the newest incarnation of a tradition that has been long-standing. “The boys have been wandering around out there for 70 years, ever since there were motors,” he says, adding that in the past people often used tractors and homemade vehicles to explore and build roads into the wilderness. evolution of traditional use: should the term only be used for activities carried out or places visited in the same manner is a long- Trapping as in times gone by? Alberta, one that established land use in in fact opened our province to Europeans. While the activity itself has continued through many generations, the methods employed to carry it out have changed. use is allowed for Alberta, OHV In trapping in areas where it is otherwise Although OHVs may make it restricted. easier to work a trapline, do they remove the activity from the realm of traditional use? Jim Mitchell, trapper and public

yan described the yan, a groundwater and a n a g i n g Cathy R Brad Stelfox, a cumulative effects M different water quantity and quality different in the short and long term. He effects noted that water treatment infrastructure is costly compared to water services provided by ecosystems. Future source water protection work should further characterize the vulnerability of a particular source region, assess risks, and adapt management strategies accordingly. surface water quality specialist at the discussed the University of Calgary, critical importance of alluvial aquifers – groundwater in direct connection to rivers. Our prairie and parkland towns and cities are almost all built on alluvial now know that land use We aquifers. above such aquifers has a direct impact R on surface water. that noting Elbow River alluvial aquifer, this small river supplies half of Calgary’s beneficial legacy to A drinking water. future generations would be to protect its alluvial aquifer land from further development pressures. land-use expert, documented the intense water Alberta’s pressures on southern cultivation Agricultural from land use. water quantity profoundly affects Population growth raises and quality. water demand directly and indirectly i n

p s l e H k s h o p r o W i c y l o John Pomeroy, a cold climate John Pomeroy, Uldis Silins, a forest hydrologist P and Hon. Ted Morton, Alberta Minister of Sustainable Resource Development. Alberta Minister of Sustainable Resource Morton, and Hon. Ted The distinguished policy panel at the Headwaters workshop consisted of (L to R) workshop consisted of (L The distinguished policy panel at the Headwaters Calgary alderman Brian Pincott, Jr., Vaux, international water policy advisor Henry Wearmouth : C. Photo allocated to consumptive use is allocated allocated to consumptive use is allocated to environmental uses, and that the price of water should be greater than zero Fourth, maintain to reflect this reality. ecosystem health, both for aesthetic reasons and for ecosystem services: water services and biodiversity are otherwise only available at great cost. Fifth, use science: communicate source protection science to managers and the public, and invest in new scientific research to help manage water problems. hydrologist at the University of Saskatchewan, noted that water is an essential part of the headwaters ecosystem, even if it receives less mammals! Mountain attention than large hydrology is more complex than that of warm climates, and more research needed to understand snow is urgently and water dynamics in the high country. Specialists are seeing more rain and less snow in their research areas, as well as quantities related changes in water runoff to forest cover and forest density. Alberta, discussed at the University of research related to water quantity and quality in forests recovering from range of disturbances – A disturbances. roads, fires, salvage logging – produce s o n s r mm a t e o w C e a d By Carolyn Campbell, AWA Conservation Specialist Conservation AWA Campbell, By Carolyn H t h e

n November 5 and 6, 2008, n November 5 and 6, from 100 decision-makers and government, industry,

Alberta Wilderness Association, the Association, Wilderness Alberta The evening keynote speaker was First, develop good data about water O non-government organizations gathered non-government organizations entitled in Cochrane for a workshop Our Place “Managing the Commons: The goal was to in the Headwaters.” research and consider recent scientific associated policy options for the North and South Saskatchewan headwaters – the heights of land in the mountains and Albertans’ foothills from which most drinking water originates. Water Bow River Basin Council, and Matters (formerly Bow Riverkeeper) launched the project more than a year ago. Representatives from the M.D. of Bighorn, Cochrane Environmental Alberta Sustainable Action Committee, Resource Development (SRD), and Alberta Environment joined in organizing Thanks to generous the workshop. sponsorship by the Calgary Foundation and the masterful work of a Program Committee led by Bob Sandford, the headwaters workshop featured excellent presentations and discussions. renowned water policy advisor Henry chair of the Rosenberg Jr., Vaux, Policy. Water International Forum on decision- Alberta noted that Vaux makers will preserve a wider range of management options by attempting to understand and address headwaters issues now; delays will mean increased constraints imposed by environmental conditions. He recommended five key “principles of the science of integrated water resource management” for source water protection. Second, manage quality and quantity. for hydrology facts: for example, recognize that groundwater and surface water are closely connected and that groundwater quality and quantity Third, acknowledge are inseparable. that water is scarce, that all water not

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During a lively question-and-answer question-and-answer a lively During upland Regarding protecting to public lands respect With is forming to Legacy Committee A session, Minister Morton noted that noted that Morton Minister session, the plans will be regional land-use which other policies vehicle through will be and energy such as water Regional watershed brought forward. land- be integrated into the plans will process has use plans, but the exact Regional land- yet to be determined. upon by use plans must be agreed are binding. Once Cabinet before they responsibility these plans are in place, will be local, for implementing them and the Calgary involving municipalities and Edmonton Regional Partnership agency for There will be no central Plans. implementation. watersheds, Brian Pincott was asked whether the City of Calgary was prepared to buy private land upstream to protect its watershed. He replied that the City is not prepared to do that right now; he has faith in the Calgary Regional Partnership Plan to help out. Pincott acknowledged a policy gap regarding the Elbow River and the need to value ecosystem services. Calgary has started to address its own water and land use within its boundaries. to watersheds, any action regard With must be taken jointly with municipalities and the province. Minister Morton legislation and policy, noted that recreation and watershed management are the highest priorities of the Eastern Slopes. Science-driven rethinking of forest policy and practices Alberta may be required, but the government remains committed to a sustainably managed forest industry. concerned The government is, however, about fragmentation, grizzly habitat, and vehicles on the of off-road the effects landscape and is considering ways of these With alleviating these pressures. thoughts, the workshop wrapped up. carry out projects in order to advance from the the ideas that emerged will ensure that This group workshop. headwaters science and related policy options reach a wider range of decision- makers and will support the course of workable recommendations through to implementation. If you have ideas or resources to contribute to this project, please contact Carolyn Campbell at [email protected]. : N. Douglas Photo To open the afternoon policy panel open the afternoon policy To Morton Ted Alberta SRD Minister es, it is important to translate Oldman River. The importance of Oldman River. that the “water towers” protecting population and human Alberta’s supply water is only ecosystems with adequate as our population likely to increase continues to grow. was higher value by going in another direction, to protect what was most We important in the western landscape. should take similar bold steps now. summarized Jr. Vaux, session, Henry key policy options presented in the morning session in terms of his five Then City of Calgary key principles. Alderman Brian Pincott added his perspectives, stating that the provincial Land-Use Framework will be important in overcoming jurisdictional boundaries for watershed management. Calgary is moving to integrate its own water, land use, and transportation decisions. Y but the headwaters research into policy, implementation piece is also crucial, designing associated actions and aligning the policy across government departments. Alberta government noted that the current either has adopted or is heading toward There is principles. Vaux’s all five of total acceptance that what happens in the Eastern Slopes is vital to water quality and quantity downstream. He supports Southern further research such as Silins’ Project and Stelfox’s Watershed Rockies Upper Bow Basin cumulative effects By December 2009, Regional study. Alberta Advisory Councils for northeast and the South Saskatchewan River basin region will draft integrated land- use plans for public consultation. In his yet assigned costs society hasn’t view, to environmental damage or benefits to good stewardship; once that is done, markets do a good job of allocating resources accordingly. low precipitation points Dave Sauchyn of the University Dave Sauchyn of the Bob Sandford of the Western Western Bob Sandford of the via increased commodity demands. demands. commodity via increased to threaten settlements Sprawling Energy our watershed lands. swallow up the further pressures development The trend is for landscape. grassland quality, water quantity and decreased There’s natural grasslands. and reduced natural a pressing need to internalize land-use decisions. capital values into our years of of Regina synthesized two Alberta’s research on peer-reviewed change. Overall, vulnerability to climate myths: that our we must dispel two that our current water is abundant and is static. For the hydrology situation climate models near future (2020s), the current predict conditions outside with warmer range of natural variability, temperatures and more precipitation. By will the 2050s, climate change effects include more precipitation in winter/ spring, and less in summer when it’s most needed. On average, surface and soil water will be reduced, but annual The difficulty variability will continue. for policy makers will be to anticipate and manage the in the cycle. In Alberta, we have a great in the cycle. In and capacity to deal with water scarcity, for Life Water two policy frameworks – and the Land-Use Framework – have the potential to help. Research Collaborative Watersheds presented research findings regarding of climate change, in addition the effects Valley’s to other impacts, on the Bow water situation. Reduced snow pack and reduced water availability will give rise to demands for a shift in water license allocations so that all communities can meet their needs. Likely the greatest pressures will bear on the agricultural existing and potential Managing sector. mountain protected areas across jurisdictional boundaries could moderate Pine beetle climate change effects. devastation could be a bridge to pro- active forest restoration. Decision-makers might consider limiting population growth in the Bow River basin until we can better define climate change effects and what is sustainable. Good watershed management may be our most important adaptation to climate change effects. Sandford reminded us that the creation of national parks in the Rockies reversed the direction society was taking at the time, because decision-makers realized there – Carolyn Campbell – Carolyn According to Alberta Environment According to This is a multi-stakeholder process interest in participating is to AWA’s AWA Joins Lower Athabasca River River Athabasca Joins Lower AWA Process Framework Withdrawal withdrawals by oilsands operators Water Athabasca River and from the lower on the aquatic their potential impacts issues of concern ecosystem have been February 2007, for several years. In Department Alberta Environment and the Canada (DFO) of Fisheries and Oceans (Phase 1) water released an interim system for management regulatory Athabasca water withdrawals. lower joined the AWA In September 2008, committee working to develop the long-term, or Phase 2, management framework. goal is to and DFO, the framework’s achieve a high level of environmental protection while balancing aquatic ecosystem needs with those of greater With community and industry. water withdrawals expected as more tar sands projects are permitted, Phase 2 will examine expanded research on the instream flow Athabasca River’s lower needs, particularly in sensitive periods such as low winter flow times. It will also consider industry water management options and socio-economic objectives. with a regulatory backstop date of The committee will January 2011. recommend a plan by December 2009, with review and formal consultation occurring in 2010. help achieve healthy aquatic ecosystem Athabasca and outcomes in the lower has a longstanding AWA Delta regions. interest in protecting key wilderness Athabasca River and has areas along the long advocated for ecosystem-based Alberta’s watershed management of all of watersheds. Government Dodges Caw Ridge Inquiry called upon the AWA August, In provincial government to hold an inquiry into the public interests surrounding Caw Ridge, located northwest of The ridge offers Alberta. Grande Cache, exceptional wildlife habitat, including – Joyce Hildebrand What is left of Open Spaces is What is left of Open program and SRD will administer the that AWA On November 5, SRD told There is no plan for additional public Many questions remain. How much unanimous: this is unacceptable because this is unacceptable unanimous: and a step toward it is paid hunting privatizing wildlife. Access Management the Recreation to Program (RAMP), which proposes for allowing pay agricultural landowners for hunting and access to their land The pilot program is to run from fishing. cover a huge 2009 to 2012 and will south from triangle of prairie sweeping border. Lethbridge to the U.S. will pay each landowner a maximum of $2,000 per year per section of land for allowing public access and for retaining landowners wildlife habitat. For large with 10 or 20 sections of land, this could add up to a substantial amount. proposal went through the draft RAMP a “public consultation” process, which consisted of sending it to selected hunting groups and landowners, for comment, with a deadline of September 30. No AWA, conservation groups, including While we were told were contacted. that anyone could have requested the draft proposal and provided feedback, the SRD website contains no mention Accessing any current of Open Spaces. information takes considerable tenacity. an additional two AWA SRD offered weeks to comment on the new RAMP draft, which we have done. pilot project, consultation on the RAMP although SRD may gather “focus groups” A request to decide on the final details. Board for funding, Treasury will go to the and SRD hopes to begin the pilot in time for the fall 2009 hunting season. taxpayers and what Alberta will this cost are the benefits to those who are not hunters? Does this open the door to paid Why hunting and privatizing wildlife? has this entire process not been accessible And to those who are paying for it? most important, why is the Government the degradation of Alberta allowing of excellent wildlife habitat on public land while paying landowners for retention of habitat on private land? – Nigel Douglas p d a t e s U egional Advisory Councils Six Regional Alberta asked The Government of The final version of the LUF has invested considerable AWA Land-Use Framework Speeds Ahead Framework Speeds Land-Use Alberta Sustainable with Officials (SRD) say they Resource Development process have never seen a government Land-Use Framework move as fast as the Whether this proves to be (LUF). fills the the process that successfully the province remains planning vacuum in is intent to be seen, but the government on pushing it forward. the coming year, will be formed over six regions corresponding to the identified in the spring 2008 draft LUF. Each will be given just a year to produce a thorough implementation plan for that region: a tall order indeed! through the environmental community, Alberta Environmental Network, to submit three nominees for the position of environmental representative on each of the first two teams. My name was submitted as one of the nominees for the southern team. Somewhat bizarrely, nominees await a government decision on which of the three will sit on the team. Whoever is chosen will have the job of representing the whole environmental Alberta. community in document was to be released in November 2008 but has not appeared as we go to press. Results of the LUF 2008 public survey are also yet to be released. Land-Use Framework, and in the effort we recognize what a crucial document it could turn out to be, if only there is political will to implement the on-the- ground changes that are so desperately needed. Anything Open Spaces Process but Open Sustainable Alberta In March 2008 Resource Development (SRD) withdrew one of the two portions of the Open Spaces program due to public pressure. Under the Hunting for Habitat component, landowners would have received 10 to 15 percent of the tags to sell to elk hunting province’s public reaction was virtually The hunters.

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W W 16 Wi l d e r n e s s Wa t c h WLA December 2008 • Vol. 16,No. 6 17

– Joyce Hildebrand The Suffield Coalition, led by AWA, AWA, led by The Suffield Coalition, The Government of Canada held the Powerful testimony against the The next critical step for concerned For transcripts of the hearing, go to Next Step for Suffield Step for Next nCana’s for E hearing The 18-day gas project in the Suffield proposed ended Area (NWA) Wildlife National Joint Review Panel The 31. on October of January, a report by the end will issue to include a recommendation which will The the federal Environment Minister. response is not Environment Minister’s subject to a set timeline. “It is our for denial of the project. argued drilling should position that no further not now, not be allowed in the NWA, Jennifer stated Coalition counsel ever,” testified to the Klimek. Coalition experts environmental serious flaws in EnCana’s weak monitoring and assessment and the enforcement regime on CFB Suffield. evidence does position that EnCana’s conclusion not support the company’s of the that the environmental effects project are not likely to be significant. Environment Canada witnesses testified to the critical importance of protecting the many species at risk in the NWA. application came from Department EnCana of National Defence staff. has consistently resisted the Base authority; Suffield Commander’s Industry Range Control, a subsidiary of EnCana, has given landowner consent to well applications on behalf of the knowledge; and Base without the Base’s EnCana has a history of non-compliance The Base Commander in the NWA. hearing this of results the that emphasized could set a precedent for wildlife refuges across the country. Canadians is to contact Environment Minister Jim Prentice and Prime Minister Harper to express your views. believes that further oil and gas AWA development is incompatible with protecting this endangered ecosystem and the species that depend on it. recently AWA’s view To www.ceaa.gc.ca. released video about Suffield, see RC/ www.albertawilderness.ca/AW make a donation toward To Podcasts.htm. legal costs, the Suffield Coalition’s at (403) 283-2025. AWA contact – Nigel Douglas – Carolyn Campbell – Carolyn ou can help by letting your Y AWA is particularly concerned is particularly concerned AWA The original Fort Hills oil sands AWA’s intervention at the hearing at the intervention AWA’s on the proposal is The final decision elected officials know that sacrificing the McClelland wetland complex to oil sands development is unacceptable. Financial Meltdown Postpones Financial Meltdown Project McClelland Mining Citing a need to reassess mining and extraction costs, Petro-Canada announced November 17, 2008 that it would postpone a decision to proceed with its Fort Hills tar sands mining project until well into 2009. It also advised that the earliest date for producing bitumen from Fort The its leases would likely be 2013. Hills project is 60 percent owned by Petro-Canada and 20 percent by each of Teck-Cominco. and UTS Energy with this project as it will destroy the ecological treasure that is the McClelland Lake wetlands complex. Fort Hills project proponents received ERCB approval in 2002 to mine the upper half of the McClelland watershed by pledging that a company-led Sustainability Committee would devise a plan to sustain the lower half of the watershed. No evidence has been generated to date by this committee that the complex hydrology of the peatland fens and lake can be maintained while destroying the upper water flow sources to those wetlands. lease terms required production to begin (Mining in the McClelland by 2011. watershed was scheduled for the late 2020s.) Petro-Canada has stated that it is already in discussions with the provincial government to renegotiate This presents an the lease schedule. opportune moment for concerned citizens to object to the threats posed by the project. pointed to the province’s LUF process process LUF to the province’s pointed of to fix the problem and its promises that has so bedeviled lack of planning joined AWA Alberta. across landscapes of of the Pekisko Group with the calls called landowners, who ranchers and future development for a moratorium on in the southern Eastern Slopes until the LUF can correct implementation of the practices of some of the mismanagement the past. 2009. expected in February – Chris Wearmouth idge is also Caw Ridge is also Unfortunately, AWA for This provided the impetus The ERCB hearing in High River for bighorn sheep, mountain goats, goats, mountain sheep, for bighorn lies across It also bears. and grizzly of the migratory path the traditional herd. Creek caribou Redrock–Prairie its coal reserves. Grande valued for holds the Corporation, which Cache Coal has consistently coal lease for the area, identified Caw Ridge in its long-range the This past summer, plan for mining. an exploratory company commenced its No. 16 Mine, drilling program for Ridge. which includes Caw asking that he to write to the Premier process initiated reactivate an inquiry Resources in 1999 by the Energy In response, Conservation Board. Sustainable Resource Development the Morton stated that Ted Minister corporation has obtained the right to coal in the area and that the government did a review of coal development in the be will AWA Caw Ridge area in 2005. letter responding to Minister Morton’s which to learn more about this review, apparently did not include input from the general public. K-Country Sour Gas Application Gas K-Country Sour Albertans are keenly anticipating Many Energy Alberta’s the decision by Resource Conservation Board (ERCB) comprehensive about Petro-Canada’s sour gas well/pipeline proposal in It is being seen Kananaskis Country. as a test case for the principles of the The future Land-Use Framework (LUF). new sour gas proposal would result in 11 wells and a 37-km pipeline, all within the borders of Kananaskis Country. began on November 12, and at the time of writing, they look set to There continue until early January. has been considerable opposition to the development proposals from local landowners and environmentalists. on a range of have focused Arguments environmental impacts that would likely result from the proposed development, on native fescue including the effects grasslands and wildlife populations, and the increase in uncontrolled motorized pipeline would involve The access. almost 40 stream crossings, with major potential impacts on threatened native westslope cutthroat trout populations and critical habitat. that SRD ©R. Guest Another question remains: if elk But wolves may not be out of the The need for vigilance remains, but trends,” Pissot said. numbers are lower than previous levels, could it not be a response to human disturbances and loss of habitat rather than “over” predation by wolves? That idea is one that will be explored in the absence of the wolf-eradication Whiteside told Darcy experiment. SRD’s the Rocky Mountain Outlook will be considering access management, habitat enhancement, and decreases in elk harvest limits to boost ungulate numbers. Whiteside’s metaphorical woods yet. comments to the media had some ominous overtones. He spoke of promoting wolf hunting and of a past compensation program to hunters for aren’t canines: “We killing the large always but there’s shooting wolves now, that option available.” the wolves of Clearwater County for now, Alberta, to thank have you, the people of for the reprieve. Let us hope that instead of shooting one species to increase we can manage our own impact another, so that wolves, elk, and humans can share wild landscapes. Alberta’s Red Deer Rocky Mountain . v e s Government officials have since said it is confound the issue further, To l o “Timberwolves at Deer Kill, Wapiti River” 8x10 inches, alkyd at Deer Kill, Wapiti “Timberwolves imagine the mentality of allowing the natural predator population to be culled in order to leave more prey for human to kill,” wrote David so-called ‘hunters’ Mathias in his letter to the Advocate the experiment was not about increasing elk numbers for hunters, although there still seems to be some confusion around exact purpose. One SRD the project’s spokesperson told media that they still want to boost elk numbers in the Clearwater area, while another said the project was not aimed specifically at increasing elk numbers but at limiting the need for “wolf control,” presumably a euphemism for “wolf killing.” possible that the objective elk numbers sought by managers are not historically accurate but a reflection of opening up Jim Pissot, the landscape by industry. Canada field representative for Defenders told the Wildlife, of Outlook that due to increased clearcutting during the 1970s, which produced exceptional habitat, elk numbers swelled. “The area probably supports all the elk it can right now if you look at the long-term W a v e s . S y r ’ C ’ t a n s Red Deer Advocate Red Deer r

b e

l eople of Alberta, the wolves Alberta, the wolves eople of must be of Clearwater County to you! In howling their gratitude By Chris Wearmouth, AWA Conservation Specialist Conservation AWA Wearmouth, By Chris A While researchers will continue to While researchers will The research summary provided by

Paul Paquet, an internationally The outcry from citizens was P October, Alberta Sustainable Resource October, Development (SRD) halted plans to the county’s sterilize and slaughter that was to have wolves in an experiment the University of been carried out with Alberta. radio collars, the study the wolves using was experimental phase, which project’s stirred up such a to begin this winter, Albertans across the province cry from that the government called together an advisory panel of seven wolf experts to review the project. Upon the panel’s recommendation, the government denied Alberta a research the University of permit to kill or sterilize the wolves. the university and SRD states that low numbers of ungulates (especially elk) in the area prompted the researchers to develop the project. During the experimental phase, all members of the packs other than the alpha pair were The alpha pair was to be to be killed. sterilized and released in hopes that they would maintain their territory without repopulating it, thus keeping predation Albertans But on ungulates low. responded to the plan in spring 2008 through editorials, letters to editors, and even Internet discussions. “The plan is an abuse of wildlife,” wrote Rick Zemanek, editor for the “Alberta government officials should condemn it, not endorse it.” recognized wolf expert who sat on advisory panel, told the government’s reporter Cathy Ellis in March that the project was “destructive and morally This type of research reprehensible…. does not belong in a university ecology This is 1950s and biology department. wolf management that has been updated to include sterilization.” prompted in part by the suggestion that the wolf project was being carried out in order to increase elk populations for those who hunt in the area. “I cannot

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W W 18 Wi l d e r n e s s Wa t c h WLA December 2008 • Vol. 16,No. 6 19 4 Year Year 4 +577% +341% +270% Change 778 2585 1040 2008 n/a 701 1712 2007 Most designated trails have seasonal AWA During five years of monitoring, In order to assess the damage present 906 327 381 2006 n s r leading to the conclusion that trail system leading to the conclusion use is increasing. For example, the Onion has seen an increase of 577 Trail Creek percent in the number of passes recorded. This increase could be explained in part by promotion of the area through clubs. government maps and local OHV As well, the reining in of rampant OHV use in other areas of the province could be driving people to the Hummingbird area. closures for motorized recreation from May 1 to June 30, with the exception of which is closed Trail, the Ranger Creek 30. Information November from May 1 to provided by the traffic counters allows us to determine if motorized users are As trails during the closures. staying off well, we placed two counters on non- designated trails, where motorized traffic is prohibited at all times. has seen a rise in pass counts during The accompanying figure the closures. shows illegal passes on both designated While illegal and non-designated trails. trend the traffic is down from last year, of increasing illegal use over the past five This past season, illegal years is clear. traffic accounted for 15 percent of all With such a high traffic recorded in 2008. rate of infraction, it is apparent that more enforcement is needed in the area. completed a AWA on the landscape, survey of the trail network over several summers from 2003 to 2006. Damage sites included trail braiding or widening, erosion, inadequate water crossings, and random campsites. Our findings show that as of 2006, 20 percent of the trail system showed signs of damage. n/a 379 343 ails (n=2) 2005 ails (n=6) Illegal Passes: Non-designated Tr Illegal Passes: Designated Tr o n c e

C 382 236 210 l 2004 2008 e a t i o n a Period July 1 - July 1 - July 1 - Sept. 11 Sept. 30 Sept. 10 Recording Recording r ails (n=2) ails (n=6) e c Illegal Passes: Non-designated Tr Illegal Passes: Designated Tr R 2007 Trail North Onion Canary Back Trail Trail Back Creek Trail Creek Trail Creek To better understand the impacts of better understand the To we meet the first two objectives, To The number of vehicle passes Summer traffic trends on designated trails showing the number of passes by OHVs trails showing the number of on designated Summer traffic trends i g h t s ar non-motorized trail use and primitive non-motorized trail with the opening up camping. However, of the area to motorized recreation in own 2002, it seems that the government’s after extensive public developed policy, consultation, is no longer being followed. recreation, including the inconsistency of allowing OHVs within the Prime set out in 2003 AWA Protection Zone, to investigate (1) the willingness of backcountry users to abide by regulations, (2) the trends in motorized traffic, and (3) the extent of damage present on the trail network. buried eight electronic traffic counters non-designated and designated both along The counters motorized recreation trails. respond to disturbances to the magnetic metal objects such field caused by large as passing OHVs. recorded by the counters has increased significantly over the past five years, l Ye 2006 2008 i g h H c h 2005 2007 r ails (n=2) ails (n=6) Illegal Passes: Non-designated Tr Illegal Passes: Designated Tr e s e a . Under this zoning, ar 2004 R Ye 2006 n r

0.50 2008 0.00 1.00 2.00 1.50 2.50

y da r i g h o pe Passes his past summer marked the end marked the end his past summer for the of primary data collection Recreational Wildland Bighorn 2005 By Chris Wearmouth, AWA Conservation Specialist Conservation AWA Wearmouth, By Chris B

Over the course of this year’s field Over the course of this year’s Most of the trail network lies within

T Trail Monitoring Project. After five Project. Monitoring Trail Association Wilderness Alberta years, of the has a good understanding (AWA) of recreational use impacts and trends located in the on a 76-km trail network Alberta – an Bighorn area of west-central causes us concern understanding that still of government staff despite the efforts in minimizing the and local volunteers impacts of recreation in the area. made five trips to the staff AWA season, Bighorn for the purpose of downloading data from traffic counters and surveying from damage “hot spots.” Branching off the Hummingbird Forest Recreation Area, trails run along several creeks that are part of the Ram River watershed, which eventually drains into the North are managed Trails Saskatchewan River. Alberta Sustainable Resource by Development (SRD) as part of the Upper Clearwater–Ram Forest Land Use Zone. The trail system is designated for both motorized and non-motorized recreation, the primary users being those on off- highway vehicles (OHVs) or horses. the Prime Protection Zone under the Eastern Slopes Policy the objectives for the area should be watershed and wildlife management, and recreational activities such as Trends in illegal traffic on designated and non-designated trails shown by average in illegal traffic Trends passes per day OHV 2007 2004

Year

2006

0.50 0.00 1.00

2.00 1.50 2.50

y da r pe Passes 2005 2004

0.50 2.50 2.00 1.50 1.00 0.00

y da r pe Passes . Their red- . – Paul Sutherland C. Wearmouth C. Photo asing our packs off, we both glance at the western sky, where a thick black where a glance at the western sky, we both Easing our packs off, full of beside a crackling campfire with bellies stretched out An hour later, site, our weary eyes spot movement. As the shadows of night creep up on our Later, snuggled in my sleeping bag in the velvety darkness, my thoughts linger snuggled Later, Paul Sutherland on a Bighorn trail-monitoring trip My Introduction to the Bighorn to the My Introduction thing: a good That’s the Bighorn. in mid-July in long into evening Daylight lingers camp. But I have yet to set up our and Wearmouth Chris AWA’s p.m. and 9:15 it’s view bench with a sweeping a spot on a sloping It’s campsite picked. we have our of that of the gentle chuckle and within earshot Creek valley of the Hummingbird crystal waters. stream’s – me struggling with to dump its contents on us. Hurrying now cloud is threatening erecting his Zoid 2 – we poles and Chris effortlessly tent’s the tangle of my rented Mother Nature lightly wilderness homes up before manage to get our temporary a rainbow in the As the sun dips to the horizon, creating sprinkles our campsite. now.” the only streetlight we need right “That’s I think to myself, eastern sky, an afternoon of hustling we’re finally able to relax after boil-in-a-bag sustenance, trail walking. Under Hummingbird – more bushwhacking than our packs along the As an area AWA. trail damage “hotspots” for leadership, we were surveying Chris’s special attention wild and unspoiled, the Bighorn is receiving that is still relatively privileged to be playing my own from conservation groups, and I feel genuinely small part in this effort. bush on the far side of the valley Something big is out there, skirting the brown coats just visible in the rapidly fading light, two elk briefly show themselves brown coats just visible in the rapidly fading event be possible in 10, such a wild and unscripted Will and then melt from view. 20, or even 50 years? I certainly hope so. pleasure of traveling through this pristine briefly on the events of the day and the details that clutter so much of daily life. wilderness, unencumbered by the usual preparing for the next I’m asleep, water, And then, lulled by the murmur of running mini-adventures in that backcountry jewel, the Bighorn. day’s with the Bighorn Wildland member who helped AWA Paul Sutherland is an grateful extremely are We this past summer. Monitoring Project Trail Recreational seasons. with Paul in future to working for his assistance and look forward

2 AWA is taking a second look at some a second look at some is taking AWA While completing our fieldwork, Despite these improvements, At present this sensitive landscape completed primary data AWA While – the equivalent of 32 NHL ice surfaces. of 32 NHL – the equivalent sections spots” – the damaged of the “hot to get worse. In that have high potential selected 10 summer 2008, we randomly including damage sites for resurveying, and a campsite. sites, water crossings, equivalent Most sites showed damage than when they to or slightly greater Our conservative were first surveyed. condition of sites conclusion is that the improved nor observed has neither damage that was degraded, leaving the present. there in the past still we made some anecdotal observations regarding the state of the area. SRD and local volunteers have installed new signs that advise users which trails are also stumbled upon a We designated. new trail half-cut higher up from the wet As valley floor of Hummingbird Creek. well, evidence suggested that one section of the back trail between Hummingbird Creek and Onion Lake received a fair including amount of work recently, resurfacing the trail and installing culverts at small creek crossings. show that Tracks problems remain. signage is being ignored; in some areas, erosion from use has left deep ruts that are near impassable; and in the process of resurfacing the back trail, the workers dug a 13-metre-wide pit in the adjacent presumably for surfacing material. valley, shows evidence that it cannot sustain Although further motorized activity. work on the network by government local volunteers may help to and staff AWA address some of the problems, Alberta should not allow believes that such activity within important wildlife habitat and within a headwaters area that is the source of drinking water for many Albertans. to we have decided collection this year, traffic next continue monitoring OHV will also continue to resurvey We year. identified damaged sections of the network to further understand trends in trail conditions. For more information on this project, download a copy of the final report at www.AlbertaWilderness.ca. We found that only 7 percent of water percent that only 7 found We and formal structure had a crossings random footprint of that the combined 50,574 m was a staggering camping sites

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W W 20 Wi l d e r n e s s Wa t c h WLA December 2008 • Vol. 16,No. 6 21 r i e rr a B p e c i e s S What remains of the industry is o s s which is now largely upheld through which is now largely penned hunts in Saskatchewan and government subsidies in both provinces. making a desperate bid to sell velvet America, and plenty of within North websites extol its medicinal virtues. Since its efficacy has never been shown scientifically despite decades of research, the sales pitch has broadened from in “deer Type humans to the pet market. velvet” and “pets,” and hundreds of websites appear trying to sell velvet cures various ills. for Fuzzy and Fido’s CWD Infection Nerve and blood are among tissues where CWD disease agents known as prions can be found. Even though the related mad cow disease (bovine spongiform or BSE) was not at first encephalopathy, considered dangerous to humans, it did “cross the species barrier” into non- bovines such as cats, mink, and humans. Some scientists warn that if CWD reaches a critical exposure mass, it too might jump to new species. It has already been found in a moose in Colorado. Now new soil studies are showing how that critical exposure mass may be accelerated r C t o : J. Switzer Photo o i s e d P i s e a s e D The natural atrophying of game farms cannot infect us, so are told CWD We full of blood and antler, Velvet Fenced elk on an Alberta game farm Alberta game farm Fenced elk on an who travels Alberta’s back roads will find Alberta’s who travels Unfortunately, deer fences but no deer. to get actual numbers of remaining game farms and animals is politically difficult. is due mainly to export bans on meat The and velvet antler because of CWD. sad thing is that even if all remaining they have farms were to fold tomorrow, already inflicted a terrible blight on our native wildlife that may well have become uncontrollable and increasingly dangerous. Apart from the toll it is why the concern? taking on our wildlife and the possibility of its spread to species like moose and caribou, there are disturbing new reasons for humans to be vigilant for their own safety. nerve tissue, was the lucrative product farms, marketed game of Canada’s mainly to South Korea for medicinal uses. But Korea, which had taken 86 said velvet antler, percent of Canada’s no to Canadian velvet in 2000 after CWD was discovered on game farms in Saskatchewan. Since then it has been a downhill slide for the game industry, a s t i n g W o n i c r h By Vivian Pharis, AWA Board Member Board AWA Pharis, By Vivian C

ith many chronic problems ith many chronic problems facing us, few will want but to know of another,

CWD, which infects cervids CWD, which infects Chronic wasting disease was first Like wildfire, by 1997 CWD had In 2004 game farms reached a high in W since Canada’s epicentre of chronic epicentre since Canada’s Alberta and is wasting disease (CWD) to be alert, pay off Saskatchewan, it may especially to dirt. moose, and maybe elk, (deer, caribou), and its cousin sheep scrapie are both transmissible spongiform TSEs are encephalopathies (TSEs). produced by misshapen small pieces of are prions protein called prions. Different responsible for producing related diseases such as mad cow (BSE) and the human All Kreutzfeldt-Jakob and kuru diseases. these diseases result in wasting of the nervous system and are incurable. America in 1967 on a detected in North research facility in Colorado, appearing in a mule deer that had been kept in proximity with sheep, some of which carried scrapie. By 1996 CWD had been found in farmed elk in several U.S. states year That same including South Dakota. it was detected in the wild in Nebraska, as well as on a Saskatchewan game farm amongst a herd that had come, in part, from South Dakota. spread to 19 Saskatchewan game farms, requiring the subsidized destruction An and incineration of 3,500 elk. additional 5,000 elk were slaughtered and incinerated on infected Saskatchewan The first CWD game farms in 2001. case in the Canadian wild turned up in 2000 in a Saskatchewan mule deer near By Alberta border. on the Lloydminister, 2004, 40 game farms in Saskatchewan Alberta had incurred CWD, and three in and it was now in the wild in three parts of Saskatchewan. both provinces, with 800 farms (60,000 Although some persist fenced animals). and continue to contribute diseases such as CWD, many have folded – anyone

PLoS Pathogens The researchers, who released The researchers, who Alberta and The world outside our If your heart rate is still normal, concerned again call on We to attract and hold CWD and scrapie and scrapie CWD and hold to attract their oral to magnify but also prions 680 by up to a whopping infectiveness The to unbound agents. percent relative disease appear to increase soil particles and shorten incubation penetration infected animals. periods in their findings in that “enhanced (July 2007), postulate prions transmissibility of soil-bound spread may explain the environmental TSEs despite the presumably of some the environment.” low levels shed into by a California group appearing Work Diseases in The Journal of Infectious the likelihood (July 2008) indicates of disease among that the “transmission herbivores may occur through the tainted consumption of feces or foodstuff with prions from feces of CWD-infected cervids and scrapie-infected sheep.” Prions may enter soil through decay of infected carcasses, saliva excretions, and possibly urine and feces. Saskatchewan backdoors has gotten looking more likely that And it’s scarier. Alberta government attempts to eradicate CWD from the wild through deer culling have about as much hope of success as does a deer that eats dirt-clinging prions. then extrapolate from the conclusion of and you paper, group’s Wisconsin the The may feel your hair stand on end. group realized that all three soil types that act to enhance the effectiveness TSE prions – bentonite, kaolin, and of silica – are common food additives as They are used diet. Western in our fillers and stabilizers in everything from pills to puddings. In their words, “Our data suggest that the binding of [TSE prions] to dietary microparticles has the potential to enhance oral prion disease transmission and warrants further investigation.” Canadians to contact elected representatives, federally and to and to press for an end provincially, game farming. Continuing to fuel an already bad situation with constant new infection is dangerous to our wildlife, and perhaps even to human health.

WLA, June e Allianc asting Disease Two years ago, AWA reported on a AWA years ago, Two A new live-animal test being trialed live-animal test being new A cervid populations. The grey provinces cervid populations. The grey CWD has been those where and states are August As of found in captive populations. infected in were captive herds 2008, three the Alberta, 40 in Saskatchewan, and 39 in August 26, 2008. U.S. Map last updated W Map: Chronic The red areas show CWD-infected wild areas The red The Dirt on Dirt spongiform Transmissible encephalopathies (TSEs, which include CWD and scrapie), mad cow disease (BSE), and Kreutzfeldt-Jakob and kuru diseases all result in wasting of the nervous system and are incurable. But TSEs can be transmitted only the two either from live animal to live animal, or from animal to environment to animal. s are truly insidious because of TSE Thus, their ability to persist in the environment and be transmitted. molecular and soil Wisconsin group of scientists who found that CWD prions not only can survive in soils but also have a chemical affinity that allows them to attach to clay particles ( already knew from studies We 2006). in Colorado that soils could harbour infective CWD agents for five or more team has Wisconsin years. Now the released 2007 information indicating that common soil particles like bentonite, kaolin, and silica are able not only expanding range in the U.S. wild despite wild despite in the U.S. range expanding the and even culls, and official hunter states, game farms in some banning of fuels our fears. captured elk in Colorado’s in 2008 on Rocky Mountain heavily elk-populated an astounding National Park indicated percent, or 13 of 11 CWD infection rate typical disease The area’s animals. of 117 CWD appears rate is 1 to 2 percent. in Colorado’s thoroughly ensconced crossed the wildlife and has even to the west. Continental Divide Photo: C. Olson Photo: The pace of CWD infection startled In 2007 and early 2008, more than Alberta government January 2008 A Deer hunters in certain Wildlife Wildlife Deer hunters in certain are Alberta in Management Units all to submit the heads from required CWD testing. Fish deer “harvested” for located within are freezers and Wildlife areas. and near the target and compounded in ways that sound more like science fiction than fact. scientists and lay people alike. Between 2001 and 2005, 68 cases of CWD were found in wild Saskatchewan Alberta mule and white-tailed deer. began mass slaughtering along the Saskatchewan border in a bid to lower the deer population and detect CWD. It until 2005 that the first wild case wasn’t Alberta. Hunters had been appeared in required to submit the heads of deer taken along the eastern border for several years, and extra deer permits were issued As well to try to reduce the population. Alberta sponsored as the hunter kills, in government culls of thousands of deer the suspect region. 5,000 deer were killed by hunters and another nearly 3,500 through culls in wildlife zones that lie roughly between Twenty-one Empress. and Wainwright mule and three white-tailed deer were found with CWD, bringing the total in to 53 cases since first Alberta wild the In detected just over two years earlier. 2008 the first wild Saskatchewan elk were found with CWD. bulletin tried to put a positive spin on the situation, claiming that because the number of new CWD cases remains their culling programs are “low,” in their “aim to reduce and effective Alberta.” eventually eliminate CWD in seriously questions such optimism AWA in light of research which increasingly indicates that once contamination of soils occurs, CWD will persist and will spread from the environment to animals. Its

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Thompson o f s r Photo: P. P. Photo: e s s o r t S It is difficult to predict the net On the other hand, invasive fish a n weather conditions, especially in high- elevation environments. In turn, extreme weather events such as pronounced summer heating, heavy rainfall, and snowstorm events are becoming more common throughout both the Canadian Alps. Rockies and European impact of invasive fish and future extreme climate events on mountain lake ecosystems. On the one hand, biological impoverishment of mountain lakes by introduced sportfish could have reduced the probability of there being tolerant species that can cope with the increasing This type of global warming. of effects scenario where one stressor weakens the resistance of an ecosystem against other stressors represents an example a In such of stress-induced sensitivity. of the multiple case, the combined effect stressors will exceed the sum of their thereby resulting in a individual effects, impact. synergistic greater-than-expected weakens is how HIV human analogy A the immune system, thereby increasing a to other viruses. susceptibility person’s selectively feed on and often eliminate species, which are typically prey large very susceptible to other environmental prey species The loss of large stressors. from then releases smaller organisms predation and competition, enabling um H e l t i p ul

– M a k e s L n t a i n u A common stressor of lakes of A the impact of global More recently, n e x p e c t e d o top predators, multiple stressors tend to top predators, multiple stressors tend to shorten simple food chains from the top Alberta, excellent examples of down. In these highly sensitive communities are found in alpine environments. our national mountain parks during most of the twentieth century was the introduction of exotic sportfish. For example, numerous lakes were stocked with invasive non-native trout species, which fed more heavily on prey items than did native fish such as the bull overfeeding by these As a result, trout. exotic predators caused substantial biological impoverishment of lake food webs, especially in alpine lakes that were already naturally species-poor. many of these introduced Consequently, fish species died out following over- exploitation of their food supply, leaving behind only those very small plankton species that they had failed to visually detect. Due to the remoteness of many now- these “islands in the sky,” fishless alpine lakes remain biologically impoverished because few species have been able to colonize them by dispersing from the few pristine lakes. warming has begun to potentially of past fish-stocking compound the effect on mountain lakes. Rapid climate warming results in more variable local The Devon Lakes, in the northeast corner of Banff National Park The Devon Lakes, in the northeast corner U M s ’ t h e

t a r b e l x p e c t A By Rolf Vinebrooke E

cientists often convey an air of cientists often convey the certainty when predicting change on future impacts of global

Unfortunately, the impact of not Unfortunately, research date, little environmental To Naturally species-poor ecosystems S the world’s ecosystems. After all, science ecosystems. the world’s researchers with is meant to empower any environmental the ability to reduce to its root cause. phenomenon down only single, but rather multiple, human- related environmental stressors (e.g., introduction of exotic species, air pollution, climate warming) typically determines the impacts of global change. of one In fact, the ecological effect stressor is often unknowingly dependent upon the presence of other stressors, thereby generating “ecological surprises” that do not add up based on our existing Co- knowledge of individual effects. dependence among multiple human stressors causes their net environmental impact to either exceed (a synergistic impact) or fall below (an antagonistic impact) the sum of their anticipated individual effects. has been performed on the cumulative of multiple human stressors despite effect their ecological surprises being the of uncertainty surrounding source largest predictions of the future impacts of global change. So, what happens to our scientific confidence in forecasting the cumulative impacts of global change of multiple stressors when the net effect does not equal the sum of their already If unpredictable known single effects? ecological surprises become the norm rather than the exception, then ecological worries will arise regarding the future of our planet. are among the most sensitive to the impacts of multiple stressors because they contain little biological insurance of species loss. against the effects refers biological insurance Specifically, to the presence of tolerant species that can compensate for more sensitive species. Since relatively few species are ©R. Guest These three examples of the potential examples of the potential These three “Hazy Moon and Trees, Pinto Creek” Pinto Creek” “Hazy Moon and Trees, 8x10 inches, alkyd predators (e.g., fish) in alpine lake alpine lake fish) in (e.g., predators to adapted be poorly webs would food and not temperatures warming water species from by other fish easily replaced the lack of lakes owing to warmer valley headwater streams. navigable stressors clearly impacts of multiple and vulnerability highlight the sensitivity third or fourth A of alpine ecosystems. further confound stressor could even impacts of the predictions of the joint considered various pairs of stressors stratospheric ozone here. For example, alpine affecting layer depletion is also their exposure ecosystems by increasing radiation, thereby to harmful ultraviolet forecasts of the further complicating future impacts of global change on The these relatively pristine ecosystems. extreme sensitivity of these ecosystems, also makes them valuable however, as sentinels of the current and future Alberta. impacts of global change across So look way up to these rain barrels on mountaintops if you want to see clear signs of how changes in the atmosphere our planet. are affecting is an associate professor Rolf Vinebrooke in the Department of Biological Sciences Alberta. He has at the University of the cumulative impacts been researching on arctic, of multiple human stressors and mountain lake ecosystems, boreal, strategies, for the along with restoration past 15 years. Another climate-dependent factor factor Another climate-dependent Consider how the disappearance of be other organisms fish and Would becoming more turbid with algae as they algae as turbid with more becoming and California places like have in already Colorado. lakes is glacial many alpine affecting glaciers of large The melting activity. of small disappearance and the complete rapidly around the glaciers is occurring of the twentieth world as a consequence the warmest over century having been Analysis of tree-ring the last millennium. stretching growth data from treelines evidence to Jasper provides from Banff Comparison of for this climatic trend. taken from archival aerial photographs Highway during the above the Icefields reveals that as 1940s and 1990s also lakes receiving many glaciers shrank, their glacial meltwater became less turbid cores of and more translucent. Further, sediment taken recently from many clear Alberta reveal that they alpine lakes in experienced a rapid shift away from cold and turbid conditions within a decade following the disappearance of small glaciers during the twentieth century. of a glaciers might amplify the effects warming climate on alpine environments. Climate warming would obviously non- increase the temperature of clear, glacial mountain lakes by perhaps an average of a couple degrees over the next few decades. In contrast, climate warming together with the loss of cold turbid meltwater from glaciers would result in a much more rapid increase of several degrees, possibly within a couple of years following the disappearance of glacial meltwater Further, the glacier. can which contains eroded “rock flour,” act as a natural sunscreen for aquatic by reflecting incoming organisms solar ultraviolet radiation back into the atmosphere. Rock flour is what makes glacial lakes appear a sparkling milky turquoise. able to adapt readily to such a rapid state change from cold and turbid conditions to a warmer and high- ultraviolet environment? Most organisms that are native to cold, low-ultraviolet environments have become very specialized to these conditions as a result Therefore, of centuries of adaptation. resident populations would likely be unable to tolerate such a pronounced change in their local environment. resident coldwater top In particular, Another human stressor increasingly Another human stressor Could warmer temperatures amplify these more environmentally tolerant tolerant more environmentally these in to flourish organisms inconspicuous Therefore, exotic lakes. fish-stocked the may indirectly increase sportfish to of lake ecosystems overall tolerance scenario This warming. future global an example of stress-induced represents to one tolerance where exposure antagonistically the stressor suppresses As of other stressors. subsequent effects of exotic fish and a result, the net effect on a mountain lake rapid climate change less than expected ecosystem might be their individual based on the sum of “what It is like the old saying effects. kill you makes you stronger.” doesn’t lakes is air pollution. impacting mountain nitrogen concentrations Specifically, are rapidly rising in rainfall throughout America as a consequence western North of increasing use of combustion engines and agricultural fertilizers. Nitrogen is often the key nutrient that regulates the growth of plants on land and algae in water when phosphorus is in adequate many small Unfortunately, supply. alpine lakes and ponds along the eastern front ranges of the Canadian Rockies appear highly sensitive to increased nitrogen inputs because they contain almost undetectable concentrations of nitrogen, yet sufficient amounts of phosphorus to support algal growth. Therefore, increased nitrogen deposition could fertilize these ecosystems to the point where they become clogged with nuisance plants and algae. of increased nitrogen pollution the effects plants and Well, on alpine ecosystems? before they algae do first require energy can use much of the nitrogen contained in must convert the inorganic They rainfall. nitrogen into a more useable form using certain plant enzymes, which operate more quickly at warmer temperatures. So the writing appears to be on the wall – global warming could enable weedy plants and algae to respond more positively to nitrogen-polluted rainfall, degrading the habitat quality of otherwise pristine alpine environments. Most models predict that over importantly, the next 80 years, the most pronounced warming (+ ~4°C) of the Canadian Rockies will occur above treeline and at low latitudes near the U.S. border. Therefore, small alpine lakes and ponds could lose some of their transparency,

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s ’ t a r b e of the Castle, the West West of the Castle, the 2 l A n What is perhaps most remarkable Today, because of its lack of Today, r hunting and fishing ground, a status that hunting and fishing ground, a status that it retains to this day. is that this Wilderness about the Castle confluence of wild flora and fauna has, survived and flourished without so far, any official protection from either the federal or provincial governments. While the area has been identified as Area an Environmentally Significant government, less Alberta (ESA) by the than one km Castle Wetlands Ecological Reserve, has Wetlands Castle received legislated protection. protection, this vital wilderness corridor faces a familiar host of threats, including logging, petroleum extraction, residential and developments, and off-road These pressures are recreational vehicles. compounded by the threat of non-native invasive plant species, a particularly serious problem at this delicate ecological While the sheer inaccessibility junction. of the Castle has thus far protected it from irreparable damage, a burgeoning t h e u o S a v i n g – S o c k i e s

R e t r This narrow ribbon of forested land t h e e c Weed-pullers at work in a field of invasive non-native buttercups in the Castle at work in a field of invasive non-native buttercups Weed-pullers : E. Knox Photo Among the 59 species of mammals in the Castle, virtually all of the province’s iconic animal species are represented. serves as an important wildlife corridor for moose, elk, bighorn sheep, and other carnivores ungulates, as well as large such as wolves, cougars, and wolverines. The Castle is a particularly important sanctuary for the beleaguered grizzly listed federally as a species of bear, with the Together Special Concern. Flathead River region across the border in B.C., the Castle houses the largest population of non-coastal grizzlies in After a long period of America. North absence, wolves were spotted in the Castle in 1992 – at least one wolf pack The region has is present in the area. also long been of great significance to human neighbours. longtime the area’s For the Kutenai and Piikani (Peigan) known in Wilderness, nations, the Castle sah kòp (“where we get Blackfoot as I’tai the paint”), has long represented a place of spiritual renewal as well as a crucial

S i n

. o t k e p t l - e m a e s t roof of North par excellence By Benjamin Freeland By Benjamin C B 2 of mountain 2 sk people the world over to sk people the world image describe their prototypical wilderness, and of Canada’s

At the heart of this grand geological The M.D. of Pincher Creek, wherein The Castle Wilderness, the M.D.’s the M.D.’s Wilderness, The Castle

America encompasses southwestern Alberta, southeastern British Columbia, and northern Montana. Wilderness, statement is the Castle approximately 1,000 km wilderness just east of the B.C. border. wilderness just east of the B.C. border. serrated peaks, windswept its With ridges, crystalline alpine rivers and lakes, and abundant flora and fauna, the is the Canada that Wilderness Castle overseas visitors envisage – and that most Canadians take for granted and rarely experience for themselves. is located, is Wilderness the Castle Alberta in a microcosm. essentially one foot firmly implanted in the With prairies and the other in the mountains, its remarkable geographic and biological diversity is matched by its economic with virtually all of the diversity, mainstays – economic province’s agriculture, oil and gas extraction, and wind power – represented

wild western backyard, is a grand of ecological regions: a convergence realm of foothills, wetlands, mountains, river valleys, fescue grasslands, and montane and subalpine forests that is 1,600 Alberta’s home to more than half of plant species, including 130 provincially rare and 38 nationally rare species. A chances are they will dream up something chances are they will Alberta’s along the lines of southwestern While Canada has Wilderness. Castle to geological few rivals when it comes no region is and biological diversity, more visually spectacular or ecologically And rich than the Canadian Rockies. nowhere are the Canadian Rockies more southwestern Alberta’s spectacular than in the hypnotic grasslands where corner, to the east give way dramatically to The the “Crown of the Continent.” approximately 44,000-km .

Pincher Waterton Boundary and Waterton The region’s population is indeed is indeed population The region’s Douglas says the widespread While decades of neglect and human Although ominous developments Creek Echo burgeoning like never before, and and never before, like burgeoning on means increased strain while this brought has at the same time the area, it region’s awareness of the about greater volunteer drawing visitors, ecosystem, in and other benefactors weed-pullers, numbers. ever-greater protection has misinformation about of to the efforts proven detrimental involved and other organizations AWA the Castle: in the campaign to protect that protection “There is this perception around an area and means putting a fence But a protected kicking everyone out.” he contends, would Wilderness, Castle of levels be a patchwork of different protection rather than a uniform blanket designation over the whole area. “The idea we propose involves areas to be used designations with different differently, such as provincial park, wildland, and ecological reserve.” encroachment have taken their toll on the Castle, conservationists are more optimistic than ever that a turnaround is possible through official protection. “The provincial government has consistently let it be known that protection for the Castle would not happen without strong years support,” says Sheppard. “Ten ago, that majority support was simply not there. My sense is that as more new people have moved into the area and the damage in the Castle has become evident to all, local attitudes may be changing.” in adjacent regions cast a shadow over – a proposed coalbed the region at large methane extraction project in the North Fork Flathead region to the west and plans for clearcut logging west of the Crowsnest Mountain to the north – the appears to be finally Wilderness Castle getting the attention it merits, and the future of this Rocky Mountain Camelot is looking brighter than it has for a long time. is an Edmonton- Benjamin Freeland writer and photographer based freelance for the and a former reporter Formerly based in Japan, he has also national written extensively on Japan’s park system and conservationist movement.

: N. Douglas Photo On the local government level, ou can’t put a dollar value on hiking, ou can’t fell in love with southwestern Alberta fell in love with southwestern while on holiday and chose to emigrate, the government has yet to show any real impetus toward such change. “The economy remains very much focused on the selling of resources,” he explains. “Y on water resources, and so on.” there are telltale signs of however, shifting attitudes. In keeping with emphasis on watersheds, the LUF’s the municipal council of the M.D. of Pincher Creek recently voted to change the name of the district to Castle River acknowledging the vitality of County, While this key watershed to the region. some might dismiss this as merely a cosmetic change, conservationists such as Dave Sheppard, founder of the Pincher Wilderness Creek-based Castle-Crown Coalition, another group active in the campaign to protect the Castle see a genuine paradigm Wilderness, or 15 years ago, the shift afoot. “Ten of pro- council was composed largely development advocates who saw little need for any additional protection for wild places,” says Sheppard. “Today’s council reflects much more of an emphasis on quality of life and the need to protect what we have, including the ranching way of life, the mountains, the rivers and wild places.” A dragonfly soaks up the sun on the A characteristic pink rock of the characteristic pink rock Castle region. While Alberta’s reputation within Alberta’s While According to Nigel Douglas, a Douglas also sees other promising adjacent human population coupled coupled population human adjacent land-use inadequate outdated and with wild threaten this and other regulations This is no Alberta. in land bastions received a province that has surprise in Canada F from Sierra Club a grade of (the most from 2000 to 2006 every year its commitments recent report card) on Rio de made at the 1992 Earth Summit in year 2000, when Janeiro, except for the grade dropped to an F-. Alberta’s vandal Canada as an environmental in fact, is unfortunately well-founded a paradigm shift in evidence is afoot of bodes well for the the province, which decades of After future of the Castle. development and thwarted laissez faire Alberta government land-use policies, the has at last openly acknowledged planning, and the need for effective is championing the new Land-Use Framework (LUF), unveiled in early The LUF is being greeted with 2008. cautious optimism by environmentalists, who, while skeptical of the government’s commitment to the environment, are encouraged by much of the language within the plan. Alberta conservation specialist with which has Association, Wilderness long fought on behalf of the Castle the LUF is groundbreaking Wilderness, inasmuch as it is attempting to address cumulative rather than individual effects. we’ve had no mechanisms “Up to now, says for dealing with cumulative effects,” Douglas. “The Castle faces numerous individual threats, such as motorized access, oil and gas and so on, but the is much more severe combined effect Like other than any individual effect.” activists, he remains skeptical that the new plan will translate into actual change but grants that the proposals within it are promising. changes that bode well for the preservation of the Castle. “Opposition to protection is less than it was in the past,” he asserts, noting in particular that Shell no longer opposes protecting the Castle as it did for many decades. is still a dirty word in “‘Protection’ but a lot of people are Alberta, much of interested in having the Castle protected, appreciation for a growing and there’s it among landowners.” But according to Douglas, an expatriate Englishman who

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W W 26 e p a r t m e n t s D WLA December 2008 • Vol. 16,No. 6 27 Alberta , 64 percent of all the recreational environment should take priority over recreational use. From our perspective, if the natural environment is not conserved, the quality of the recreational experience is drastically lowered. If access restrictions need to be in place to preserve the environment, so be it. not need to meet Albertans. Some needs of all recreational uses, particularly those involving motorized transport, can be met on other Crown lands. between motorized and non- motorized access. goals must be frequent enough to provide useful feedback. Rather than the three-year reporting cycle in the draft report, a one-year cycle is the minimum useful frequency. and diverse, going beyond user satisfaction surveys to include biodiversity measures and measures of other environmental damage or repair. address procedures for increasing the size and number of parks and protected areas. One reasonable response to increased demand for parks is to increase the supply of parks. 1. Conservation of the natural 2. Parks and other protected areas do 3. All planning must distinguish 4. Measurement of achievement of 5. Goals must be measureable 6. The planning framework should 7. Any change to access to any part Recreation Survey 2004 Recreation motorized off- respondents thought not be allowed in road vehicles should only 20 percent provincial parks, while be allowed. thought they should Draft Parks Planning Framework are aware that the planning We framework is being rewritten to reflect forum. concerns raised at the Minister’s believe the revised version should We reflect the following requirements: such as snowshoeing, cross-country cross-country such as snowshoeing, which are ski mountaineering, skiing, or by the recreational adversely affected of view This point use of snowmobiles. to is not ours alone: according How The Alberta government report The These remarks also apply to other Hikers in Alberta Hikers in have about time, our club will At any one perspective as 250 members, but our that of the many other parks users reflects in the same Albertans who participate not members of whom are most activities, Alberta The groups. of organized Survey Alberta Recreation government’s of 93 percent 2004 found that members Alberta households walk for pleasure of of households percent (compared to 11.6 members used in which one or more Members of 69 percent of ATVs). households walk on trails. In other words, in seven out of 10 households participate hiking. are we Doing? 2004 gives the results of are the survey of users of provincial parks campgrounds; the second most common after “resting/relaxing,” was activity, unguided dayhiking. Half of campers Another 16 percent reported participated. participating in backcountry recreation, such as hiking and camping, and 8 If percent went on guided hikes or walks. all these figures represent the activities of provincial park visitors, more than four million park visits involve hiking in parks Alberta every year. in in a Park Want What Hikers Hikers go into the backcountry to be Undisturbed close to natural beauty. wilderness is the ideal; recognizing that our presence in itself is a disturbance in the wilderness, we accept the need for well-built trails to minimize the impact of foot traffic and the need to limit The presence of access in some ways. vehicles is sufficient motorized off-road to destroy the quality of the backcountry ATVs experience. Sharing a trail with motorcycles is out of the or off-road question for hikers, as the noise, dust, and danger of collisions quickly makes those trails unusable by foot traffic. Separate on the trails create a heavy impact ATV environment that also undermines the Any quality of the hiking experience. park area that is “shared” with motorized vehicles is no longer off-highway available for hiking. human-powered backcountry activities, s r Parks Planning Framework e t t e Many of our club activities take The steering committee arranged L as circulated and thank the Minister for this opportunity to comment on the framework from our perspective. The Grant MacEwan Mountain Club (GMMC) is a group of outdoor Alberta, enthusiasts, based in Edmonton, our members so trips for who organize that we can enjoy hiking, backpacking, skiing, snow-shoeing, climbing, and Volunteers mountain biking together. of all kinds, ranging trips organize from hiking to skiing to climbing to mountaineering, at all skill levels, are Trips from beginner to advanced. by volunteers from within the organized affiliated with Grant are not Club. (We MacEwan Community College.) provincial parks, Alberta’s place within and we naturally have an interest in the have reviewed We plans for those parks. the draft Parks Planning to the Draft Parks Planning Response Framework Alberta outdoors organizations Several an forming have taken steps toward the to represent organization umbrella A of hikers in the province. interests which included an steering committee, in the was formed representative, AWA 1 meeting in spring, and at a November elected. were seven directors Red Deer, to use the have decided The directors Association (AHA), Alberta Hiking name of Hike the earlier suggestion replacing The Grant MacEwan Alberta Society. Mountain Club (GMMC) executive has endorsed the concept of the new and appointed two of its organization AHA GMMC at members to represent meetings. at two consultation hiker representation Parks, and meetings with Tourism, about that department’s Recreation draft Parks Planning Framework; the At that held in September. meetings were Alberta Society) (then Hike AHA time, had not yet developed policies, and thus was not in a position to make a written the planning submission regarding fill this gap, GMMC filed framework. To the following submission with Minister Ady on October 10. Cindy

the So it is not balanced Parks Canada’s Parks Canada’s “first priority” – integrity” is another but that’s story). (like “ecological consideration with a healthy, with a healthy, first and primary first and productive, it’s the airline’s airline’s the it’s Defenders of Wildlife and nurturing – Jim Pissot, Canmore with other factors: with other environment (which, the air is by the way, is our by the way, long. No, your safety in long. No, environment, not Canada Field Representative, wouldn’t stay in your seat in your seat stay wouldn’t it’s environment – suggesting it’s return on investment. Likely you Likely on investment. return some external and alien thing “out Perhaps “reconcile” is a more Balance has become a So the next time someone stands balance. lot lies in the A there” somewhere). helpful concept. Imagine the values Balance sitting on a see-saw. suggests some sort of equality or equity And a balanced between the two values. up solution would find each value giving (or securing) an equal amount so the see- saw sits level. But what if the values are What if not equally important to society? more one is more important, more urgent, allow us to critical. Balance doesn’t weight the values. “Reconcile” opens the door to a more realistic and helpful And a more satisfactory consideration. outcome. And we see more misleading buzzword. and more elected officials and resource managers hiding behind it, perhaps everything because they have forgotten they were taught in Ecology 101 (or even Ethics 101 or Econ 101), or they are mesmerized by the warm and fuzzy concept, or they fully understand that “balance” and “blarney” are just political synonyms. up and talks about balancing your short- environment with someone else’s term advantage, you might ask them what they’re really up to. ©R. Guest At the end of the week, we have five wrote that the colleague once A Next time Or think of it this way. against the siting of the Peaks of Grassi against the siting of the Peaks of Grassi and against Thursday, neighbourhood on the routing of a mountain bike skills trail on Friday. developments newly encroaching on the habitat and well-being of grizzly bears. All celebrated in the name of “balance.” And with grizzlies losing a little bit As Mike pointed (or a lot) each day. out, each “balance” sees grizzlies lose more, and more, and more. Not really And, of course, much of a balance, eh! the “balancing” act goes on the next This after that. And the week week. perverse understanding of “balance” may be heralded as the best path. But try convincing grizzly bears, or any other species whose needs are repeatedly compromised. environment is not merely one factor to be calculated in the decision-making equation; it is the context in which the entire calculation takes place. Balance that! you board a plane for a three-hour flight, imagine the pilot announcing he/she was going to “balance” your safety with the need to arrive on time, or with passenger comfort, or with the timing and temperature of your in-flight meal, or with the airline shareholders’ “Caribou Heads in Red and Black” diameter 14 inches, acrylic : Parks Planning Framework), in of a park or protected area should area or protected of a park scientific on a sound be based of the environmental understanding the change and on thorough impact of with stakeholders, consultation hikers, skiers, backpackers, including and climbers. snowshoers, Maybe it’s time to take a second look. time Maybe it’s Naturalists Valley Colleague and Bow The existing draft includes a list The existing draft includes consideration. Thank you for your Sheila Sutherland, President Grant MacEwan Mountain Club Some find it encouraging when elected Some find it encouraging when elected officials and resource managers talk about “balancing” the environment with the economy and other values or wants. This recent example comes from the Globe and Mail For Prentice, handling Environment a fine balancing act Jim Minister, new Environment Canada’s to are orders says his marching Prentice, and work with the United States, Europe Canadian industry on climate change without inflicting further pain on an weakened economy. already leader Mike McIvor shed some much- needed light on the seemingly noble aspiration of balance. Imagine a scenario (like the one here in the Bow where the needs of grizzly bears Valley) are “balanced” on Monday against Three Sisters the expansion of the development in an approved proposal, against the expectations of the Silvertip against an Tuesday, development on Wednesday, dog park on off-leash When “Balance” is Unbalanced that “Balance” and Other Words Or, Baloney Begin with “B” (like Blarney, and B.S.) of priority actions. These appear to be of priority actions. of a planning premature in the context framework. Parks Alberta Tourism, On November 25, draft a second released and Recreation Plan for Parks (formerly of Alberta’s called concern that the public’s part to address the earlier document did not strongly conservation. commit to environmental the draft and participate will review AWA for this important in the public process of the future document that will direct areas. parks and protected Alberta’s

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D 28 e p a r t m e n t s D WLA December 2008 • Vol. 16,No. 6 29 , Nature Alberta Nature Fuelling the organization’s organization’s Fuelling the encourages and depends upon FAN objectives is to One of FAN’s looks forward to continued AWA For more information about FAN’s information services is a theory of change services is a theory information as a precursor to that sees knowledge of our action. “Increased understanding lead to increased natural heritage will in greater appreciation and result philosophy protection of it,” FAN’s is no guarantee of proclaims. Knowledge certainly we cannot action, of course, but we do not know. steward or protect what collectors of the community to be consumers of the information, not just program Watch Alberta Plant The story. counts on volunteers as the “eyes Alberta of science.” One goal of the Atlas Project was to involve the Bird community in a conservation project while increasing public awareness natural Alberta’s and understanding of For people not already convinced history. of the need for conservation, projects that depend so mightily on public entryway participation can be an effective into awareness and action. encourage the formation of natural history clubs. Semenchuk says that as an encourages these umbrella group, FAN local groups to take the initiative with The services regional and local issues. provides to member clubs can FAN reduce barriers to community organizing and encourage the proliferation of clubs and the engagement of more people These services across the province. include website hosting, sponsorship for charitable donations, and access liability to inexpensive directors’ can then put their Volunteers insurance. where it matters most: time and effort strengthening knowledge, appreciation, Alberta. Wild and commitment to work “We collaboration with FAN. AWA,” and very closely with CPAWS says Semenchuk. “There is no formal a agreement: we do it because there’s need and a level of trust that allows us to work closely together.” work and to subscribe to go to www.fanweb.ca. Nature Nature , celebrates Alberta’s natural Alberta’s , celebrates But FAN itself is more than But FAN FAN’s quarterly magazine, FAN’s Alberta heritage with informative, engaging articles and outstanding photographs. main focus is natural The magazine’s says editor Dennis Baresco, with history, minimal attention to conservation issues. The readership is diverse and includes both professional academics and amateur naturalists. a birdwatching group, says Glen executive director Semenchuk, FAN’s for the past 16 years. “Although it wasn’t original intent,” he says, “we FAN’s were forced into becoming advocates because of the lack of environmental consciousness in the planning process in has been represented this province.” FAN on five species recovery teams and has participated in parks planning processes and even in successful market action with Secret campaign. Currently Victoria’s the is contributing to the Land-Use FAN Framework process, having been involved in designing the underlying principles through the original Integrated Land Management initiative. renewed Wild Alberta natural history Alberta natural history Wild renewed exhibit. Alberta are Subscriptions to Nature $30 per year or $55 for two years. two years and older Back issues that are download from available for free are website: www.fanweb.ca. the FAN e l o f i r FAN was founded in 1970 with FAN a wealth of information Offering P Collaboration and community Collaboration and community components partnerships are essential Wilderness Alberta of the work of as they are for many Association (AWA), and AWA conservation organizations. have a long history of cooperative FAN and worked together most efforts recently as part of the Suffield Coalition. organization’s each years, the Throughout work has supported that of the other; the inextricable link between appreciation and action underlies both organizations’ toward achieving our common efforts Alberta. Wild vision of provincial A six natural history clubs. affiliate of Nature Canada through a Memorandum of Understanding, the has grown into a provincial organization corporate federation comprising 11 clubs and 41 member clubs, representing Almost 40 more than 5,000 people. work years after its beginnings, FAN’s remains rooted in what its website calls club: the the essence of a naturalists’ acquisition of knowledge of the outdoors. umbrella The diverse clubs under FAN’s include the Beaverhill Bird Observatory the Fort Saskatchewan Naturalist Society, Bird Wild Buffalo Wood and the Society, Club. helps to tell and resources, FAN and wilderness story. natural Alberta’s Its publication service and website can connect people to resources as diverse as a biological database of 400,000 bird records and 30,000 plant records, public domain GIS maps, a simulator to explore the impact of land use on ecosystems, and monthly guides to the night sky. current partnership with the Royal FAN’s is helping to bring Alberta Museum of a naturalist component to the museum’s Ric Careless) “Wilderness protection is a team sport protection “Wilderness better.” the team the and the larger writer and activist (Wilderness By Julie Black Federation of Alberta Naturalists Alberta Naturalists of Federation Alberta’s and Guards Celebrates Natural History

AP AP Y AP course AP Y AP program ever AP Y ou can view animations produced AP participants at albertawilderness. AP “Animation is the carrot, but we’re “Animation is the carrot, to be has been delighted AWA Each three-month Wycislak’s share to not impossible It’s Y Y AP animated videos, along with a AP issues in Alberta, and another day visiting Alberta, and another issues in some of Country to look at Kananaskis took AWA these issues on the ground, the students to a step back to allow of At the end work on their own ideas. hosted an their course, the participants all of the completed evening showing of quality and creativity animations, and the The breathtaking. absolutely was show on sheer roll-up- sophistication, and artistry, that had gone into the-sleeves hard work truly inspiring. each of the pieces was doing more than animation,” says “For some students, it may be Wycislak. the first thing they have ever completed from beginning to end.” involved with the since that first group. Another four since that first group. groups have been through the program, each resulting in a superb selection of completed animations. More recently, on the theme of has concentrated AWA As interest Alberta. endangered species in in the program has blossomed, other Arusha community partners such as the Centre and the Calgary Police have been involved. Individual animation projects have been channeled more toward the work of the groups involved, with a focus on how animation can be used as an educational and outreach tool. ends with a gala public screening of The the completed animation projects. sense of achievement of the students on that evening is palpable. “Every video believe how I’ve watched, people can’t far these guys have made it,” enthuses “They are so proud of what Wycislak. they have done.” enthusiasm. “I’ve never seen a project easy to wake up like this,” he says. “It’s in the morning and go to work!” by C/Podcasts.htm. AWA will AWA RC/Podcasts.htm. ca/AW also host a screening of the most recent Y and Wycislak presentation by Filip participants, on Tuesday, February 10, Tuesday, participants, on 2009. See page 31 for details.

AP AP Y , available for N. Douglas An important component of is community engagement, and this When the comes in. AWA is where project first started in 2006, QAS was looking for a community sponsor to give the trainees a focus for the animation was happy to oblige. AWA projects, and After spending an enjoyable afternoon talking to participants about watershed they can finish something.” The students The students they can finish something.” get considerable support from the staff, give the “We but also from each other. students a sense of purpose to help them Wycislak. says through their journey,” A Youth Animation Project participant on Animation Project Youth A field trip in Kananaskis a recent Country : J. Sheffield Photo

outh Animation Project outh e Y l o f i r The project, run by Quickdraw “The program works to empower P AP), whose participants could teach AP Team Leader Filip Wycislak. “It Wycislak. Leader Filip Team AP By Nigel Douglas, with an One of the joys of working Wilderness Alberta such as organization is the opportunity to Association (AWA) individuals from an work with dedicated of backgrounds. incredibly diverse range has been AWA For the past two years, lend its support to the extremely proud to inspirational (Y us all a lesson or two about how much can be achieved by working with grit and determination in the face of adversity. Animation Society (QAS), is a three- month full-time program for Calgary youth who are experiencing barriers to employment. Participants receive extensive training about animation techniques, with the aim of producing a short animated piece of work at the end of three months. But more than this, they receive training in a variety of other life skills such as team building, job interviews, and résumé production. youth through animation,” explains Y allows them the opportunity to show that they can create something, and that Inspiration through Animation – through Inspiration Project Animation Youth The Specialist Conservation AWA viewing at www.albertawilderness.ca viewing at www.albertawilderness.ca Save the Alberta Grizzly Alberta animation, Save the Jonathon Sheffield’s An image from

e p a r t m e n t s WLA December 2008 • Vol. 16,No. 6

D 30 e p a r t m e n t s D WLA December 2008 • Vol. 16,No. 6 31 outh Animation Animation outh . Y ©R. Guest “Night Campfire, Wapiti River” Wapiti “Night Campfire, 10x8 inches, alkyd Project. Don’t miss this unique Project. Don’t entertaining, opportunity to enjoy edgy, and thought-provoking short films produced by young people from our community. February 17 Tuesday, Visits Park – Wilderness Willmore with an Old Friend Ray Rasmussen With Enjoy an evening of photographs and Alberta stories about this spectacular landscape, home to iconic species such as wolf, and caribou grizzly, Tuesday, January 27 Tuesday, “In Situ” Oil Sands Extraction – Wild & Impacts on Groundwater Lands Campbell King & Carolyn Wallace With Below-ground oil sands developments are often seen as low-impact, but the on wilderness and groundwater effects may be far from benign. Learn about the water under our feet and the threats to aquifer from tar sands largest Canada’s extraction. February 10 Tuesday, of Calgary’s Celebrating the Creativity Animators Youth Animation Project the Youth With is a community partner of the AWA innovative and dynamic

7:00 to 8:30 p.m. office, AWA Calgary 455 – 12 St. NW, Online: www.AlbertaWilderness.ca January 20 Tuesday, Cows & the Sacred Economic Growth, Bull – Perspectives from Street Wall Ecological Economics Brian Czech Dr. With What is the role of citizens in developing a new economic policy? Join us for a discussion (via teleconference) of the between economic growth and trade-off wilderness conservation. WINTER HIKE WINTER is required. Pre-registration Phone: (403) 283-2025 1-866-313-0713 Toll-free: Online: www.AlbertaWilderness.ca $25 Non-members members; AWA $20 February 21, 2009 Saturday, Winter Guided A Hills – Bull Creek Hike Nigel Douglas With in the all tend to do much less hiking We winter hiking has much to but winter, a Snow-covered mountains offer offer. spectacular backdrop, and animal trails criss-cross the landscape, waiting for those who know how to read them. Join us for a hike in the Bull Creek west of Hills in Kananaskis Country, will be moderate, The hike Longview. though there may be some walking in on weather conditions. depending snow, TALKS TUESDAY Tuesday The winter/spring 2009 series will cover everything Talks from ecological economics to healing Join us for engaging ecological despair. evenings filled with images, discussion, refreshments, and friends new and old. See our full range of upcoming talks at www.AlbertaWilderness.ca. Time: Place: Admission: $5 adults; $1 children all talks. is advised for Pre-registration Phone: (403) 283-2025 1-866-313-0713 Toll-free: v e n t s

& E . s w e N “Building Blocks Wild Lands Advocate Lands Wild s s o c i a t i o n A The same evening, Alberta Wilderness Wilderness Alberta evening, same The in 2009 summarizing the many issues surrounding bison restoration. BISON CONFERENCE AWA On November 17 and 18, Executive Director Christyann Olson and Conservation Specialist Joyce American Hildebrand attended the Bison Society conference in Rapid City, The 46 sessions of the South Dakota. conference, entitled for Bison Ecological Restoration,” provided an important opportunity to discuss issues about bison conservation America on the Great Plains of North with many leading experts. Look for an article in the Defenders Awards were presented to Awards Defenders Dave Sheppard and jointly to Diane and annually given awards, The McIvor. Mike since 2001, recognize the tireless efforts and many achievements of outstanding Alberta’s Albertans in the conservation of wilderness, wildlife, and wild waters. Profile articles of award winners are posted at events.albertawilderness.ca/ Awards.htm. ANNUAL LECTURE 2008 LECTURE ANNUAL and staff, board, AWA 14, On November our annual evening supporters joined in naturalist and of celebration to hear Mike McIvor. longtime conservationist Martha Kostuch Mike gave the first Lecture, Wildlife and Wilderness Annual in Away At Home and Trip: “Return with a leaving everyone Wilderness,” listen to Mike’s To great deal to ponder! lecture, go to albertawilderness.ca/ An excerpt from RC/Podcasts.htm. AW in the February 2009 the talk will appear Advocate Lands issue of the Wild

Photo: C. olson Photo: Wi l d Al b e r t a Yo u r Gi f t f o r Wi l d e r n e s s Every winter, Alberta Wilderness Association asks members and donors to consider making a gift to help create awareness and increase protection of our wildlands, wildlife, and wild water.

Will you help us this year? Please consider the difference you can make by taking a stand and helping AWA. Here are some ideas. • Send a cash donation by cheque, credit card, or online at http://shop.albertawilderness.ca. • Ask your employer to match your donation to AWA. • Support the Wild Lands Advocate by purchasing a subscription. • Join Wilderness Partners and become a monthly donor. • Purchase a gift membership for someone who cares about wilderness. • Make a memorial donation in memory of loved ones. • Make a gift of publicly listed securities and save capital gains taxes. • Make a contribution to the Alberta Wilderness and Wildlife Trust – our legacy fund managed by the Calgary Foundation. • Leave a gift in your will. Our charitable business number is 11878 1251 RR0001.

photo: D. Olson

Every gift you make helps and is sincerely appreciated. For more information, call (403) 283-2025 or (toll-free) 1-866-313-0713. All charitable donations qualify for a tax-deductible receipt.

Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to:

Alberta Wilderness Association Box 6398, Station D Calgary, Alberta T2P 2E1 [email protected]

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