February 2008 • Vol. 16, No. 1

AWA

Burrowing Owl Family R. White

Al b e r t a ’s Wi l d l i f e – Ho w Ar e We Ma n a g i n g ? / 4 Fa n t a s y En g i n ee r i n g – Ti m e t o Ma k e Wa v e s a b o u t McCl e l l a n d La k e / 19

Ne w U.S.–Fo r t McMu r r a y Hi g hwa y Pr o p o s a l Ba d Ne w s f o r Na t i v e Pr a i r i e / 20

Bi g h o r n Us e r s Se e k Be t t e r Ma n a g e m e n t / 22 Editor: Joyce Hildebrand CfebruaryONTENTS 2008 • VOL. 16, NO. 1 Editorial Board: Fe a t u r e s Pam Asheton, Julie Black, Sarah Crook, Andy Marshall, 4 Al b e r t a ’s Wi l d l i fe – Ho w Ar e 20 New U.S.–Fo r t McMu r r a y Sharon McIntyre We Ma n a g i n g ? Hi g hw a y Pr o p o s a l Ba d New s f o r Na t i v e Pr a i r i e Printing by: 10 The Hu n t e r -Co n s e r v a t i o n i s t Colour printing and process is Le g a c y Bi g h o r n Us e r s See k Be t t e r 22 sponsored by Topline Printing Ma n a g e m e n t t o Pr o t e c t 13 Us e Pa t t e r n s b y Fe m a l e Wi l d e r n e s s Va l u e s Gr i z z l y Be a r s i n t he Ce n t r a l Ro c k i e s Ec o s y s t e m 24 Ev a l u a t i n g Re c l a m a t i o n Su c c e s s i n t he Ca s t l e 14 Co n s e r v i n g Al b e r t a ’s Am ph i b i a n s De pa r t m e n t s 16 Go v e r n m e n t App l i e s f o r Graphic Design: St r y c h n i n e Ba n Re v e r s a l 25 Le t t e r s Ball Creative Ro c k i e s Dr a w Wi l d l i fe Ar t i s t Wi l d e r n e s s Wa t c h 27 t o Al b e r t a Wild Lands Advocate is published bi-monthly, 6 times 17 Up d a t e s 28 Ad o p t -a-Pl a n t Al b e r t a a year, by Alberta Wilderness La u n c he s It s Th i r d Fi e l d 19 Fa n t a s y l a n d En g i n ee r i n g – Se a s o n Association. The opinions Ti m e t o Ma k e Wa v e s a b o u t expressed by the authors in this McCl e l l a n d We t l a n d 29 As s o c i a t i o n New s a n d Ev e n t s publication are not necessarily those of AWA. The editors reserve the right to edit, reject or withdraw articles and letters submitted.

Please direct questions Cover Photo and comments to: The burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia) is listed as a federally “endangered” Joyce Hildebrand species in Canada and as a “threatened” species in Alberta. This tiny raptor Phone: (403) 283-2025 is a summer resident on the prairies, living largely in existing Richardson’s ground squirrel burrows. Habitat loss, pesticide use, and increased predator Fax: (403) 270-2743 numbers are all suspected to have contributed to the recent sharp decline [email protected] of burrowing owl populations throughout Canada and the U.S. In 2005, the breeding population in Alberta was estimated at 200 to 400 pairs, down from approximately 800 pairs only eight years earlier. Robin White, co-author with Marian White of Wild Alberta at the Crossroads (2007), captured this family on film next to their burrow.

Box 6398, Station D, Calgary, Alberta T2P 2E1 Ph: (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 e-mail: [email protected]

“St o p . Th i n k . Pl a n intelligently .”

Change was in the air when I traveled down to Chain Lakes on Monday evening, December 3. A temperature of minus twenty when I left Turner Valley rocketed to plus four by the time I arrived at Chain Lakes. But that was just a chinook. The real change became clear as the evening unfolded. Two hundred people joined Energy and Utilities Board (EUB) chair Bill Tilleman and 14 EUB board and staff members to hear about their new proposed “Early Engagement Land Pilot Project” for this area of southern Alberta rangelands. Contrary to what we might have expected from excitable reports of EUB meetings in Rimbey, people sat and listened politely as the EUB laid out their plans. Ten to twelve members of the public would be invited to join a team of EUB and industry reps to chat about how oil and gas development would occur in the region. What happened next was a breath of fresh air. The first member of the public stood up to say that this part of southern Alberta is a special landscape. It hasn’t yet suffered the ravages that other regions have had to bear and people want to keep it that way. Then the floodgates opened. Speaker after speaker stood up to have a say: landowners, biologists, doctors, lawyers, ranchers, and city folk, all united by a burning desire to see this area protected. This landscape is different, people stressed. It is the water tower for the prairies, the cultural background of southern Alberta that is celebrated so enthusiastically during the Calgary Stampede. And it is under siege. The EUB’s pilot project was planned to discuss how oil and gas development will proceed on this landscape, but people wanted to discuss whether it will take place. This brought things around to the huge elephant in the room – or rather, not in the room – Alberta Energy. Alberta Energy decides, with no public input, whether to sell subsurface mineral rights. Companies buy these with an implicit understanding that they will be able to develop the underground resources, though the owners of the surface rights have no idea that the sales have taken place. One speaker pointed out that the EUB has been set up as the perfect “fall guy.” EUB representatives have to stand up in meetings like this and listen to people’s frustration, but everything people want to see changed is “outside the scope of this process.” The EUB’s pilot project, and indeed the entire system of allocating oil and gas development rights, was rejected comprehensively by the participants in this meeting. This didn’t mean though, stressed one speaker, that people want to return to the status quo, which has so patently failed local communities in the past. What is needed is a time-out on development until a plan is developed: a plan to look at all of the activities that are impacting this landscape – including oil and gas, forestry, farming, and residential development – not just a plan to look at where the next gas well is going to go. The government’s Land-Use Framework may or may not turn out to be the tool to achieve this, but it makes no sense to pre-empt this process with another time- consuming stakeholder talking shop. This was Ed Stelmach’s rural Alberta, speaking up loud and clear, standing up to say again and again that things have to change. In the words of rancher John Cross, all people are asking is that we “Stop. Think. Plan intelligently.” Surely this is not too much to ask. — Nigel Douglas, AWA Conservation Specialist

Alberta Alberta Alberta” and As one landowner put ? This proposal is part of the project is likely to cause even more of a project is likely to cause even more of It has reopened the old acrimonious stir. debate about wildlife privatization in Alberta, since it would allow selected landowners in southern large to acquire a percentage of the allotted provincial hunting tags and sell them to the highest bidder. Stewardship Project, Wildlife Land and which admittedly is attempting to address a serious issue. It is billed as a “multi- stakeholder initiative to develop wildlife management programs in will study ways to “provide incentives and rewards to private landowners for wildlife and habitat stewardship on their lands.” Society expects landowners to provide essential ecological goods and services, such as clean water and wildlife habitat, but they have little monetary incentive to do so. it at a recent planning forum, “If society wants me to grow burrowing owls, then pay me to grow burrowing owls and I’ll grow burrowing owls!” a n a g i n g N. Douglas M e W e r A w o – H fe second government-sponsored Dr. Mark Boyce, professor of Dr. A i l d l i killing entire wolf packs except for which will then be the dominant pair, sterilized. Unlike the program that has involved killing wolves in the Little Smoky area for the past three winters, the purpose of this project is not to protect endangered caribou but to increase numbers of common ungulates – deer, moose, and elk. (Not far away – as the elk travels – Parks Canada is considering townsite sterilizing elk around the Banff because their numbers are becoming While killing wolves unmanageable.) to protect endangered caribou may be justifiable (though not scientifically) to some people, killing wolves to increase ungulate populations is another matter. biological sciences at the University of Alberta, is involved in this project, but he has some discomfort with condoning intrusive and intensive awfully it. “It’s management,” he says. “I’m not sure it’s The whole issue of this is well justified. how we want to manage wildlife.” Wildlife like this dragonfly have a major role to play in ecosystems, even though their like this dragonfly have a major role Wildlife economic impact is difficult to measure. W s ’ r t a Alberta, e l b Alberta? By Nigel Douglas, AWA Conservation Specialist Conservation AWA Douglas, By Nigel A Alberta are Alberta is investigating Alberta government project

ildlife management in ildlife management else, as much as anywhere is a reflection of society’s

merica in the 1800s would be America in the 1800s

One new When we delve into wildlife And society continues to change.

Alberta, a hodgepodge of often W in west-central contradictory laws, regulations, and guidelines based partly on science, and partly on who has the ear of politicians. Three Contentious Proposals Contentious Three Three recent initiatives highlight the current state of wildlife management in management in the province, more and Who, more questions seem to arise. for in are we managing wildlife exactly, Alberta, and indeed, who should we be managing wildlife for? Should we be trying to maximize ungulate numbers? Is it reasonable to poison ground squirrels because they are damaging agricultural crops? In that case, is it acceptable to poison grizzly bears that are preying on livestock? attitudes to wildlife, and management attitudes to wildlife, attitudes as people’s has always changed slaughter The immense have changed. bison across of tens of millions of North Even the more unimaginable today. recent killing of wolves as “vermin” in National Parks in the 1970s Alberta’s seems misguided just 30 years later. More and more people in living in cities, and so our connection to the land and its wildlife is becoming Whether we’re more diluted. birdwatchers, wildlife photographers, hunters, trappers, or fishers, we tend to enjoy wildlife on our own terms, and traditionally we have tended to promote management that minimizes wildlife’s interference with our other priorities, such as agriculture, recreation, industrial many With development, and hunting. competing agendas in the province, which ones rise to the top when it comes to wildlife management in

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A All add Anielski Alberta As he says in my Taylor Taylor Amy lberta government government Alberta Alberta, which tracked Anielski and Approach to Economics” lbertans say protecting natural protecting natural Albertans say seeks secure interconnected A W While our “use” of the wildlife While our “use” of In 2005, A lberta Parks,” the Parks,” the Alberta found that which to a survey refers “99% of to such as parks, is important resources, areas of life.” Our natural overall quality considerable economic also contribute to Visitors the province. benefits to parks generate a province-wide Alberta’s $1.2 billion. In 1996 economic impact of in wildlife viewing expenditures million; on were estimated at $171.6 spent $433, or $23 average, participants $147.8 Similarly, per day of participation. recreational fishing million was spent on recreational hunting and $71 million on to Canadians, (The Importance of Nature Environment Canada). “resource” makes a measurable some contribution to the economy, wildlife species have a minimal economic value, at least according to current some economic thinking. Fortunately, economists are now looking beyond Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as the conventional measure of economic well- being. Economists such as Mark measures nothing point out that GDP more than a gross tally of the monetary transactions in the nation. “The Genuine Progress Indicator – Principled (1999), “The ideal economic or GDP hero is a chain-smoking terminal cancer patient going through an expensive divorce whose car is totaled in a 20-car pileup, while munching on fast-take-out- food and chatting on a cell phone. growth.” to GDP of the Pembina Institute published their updated Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI) account for 51 indicators (economic, social, and environmental) to measure progress. in the province grew by 483 While GDP percent between 1961 and 2003, many of i l d l i f e lberta’s natural landscapes and ecological natural Alberta’s W Alberta f o r

lberta. We recognize the inherent value of nature and the We Alberta. i s i o n V s is committed to the protection of publicly owned wildlife, wild lands, A W and wild waters in myriad benefits humankind derives from it. habitats that are representative of processes, and that sustain the full complement of indigenous wildlife populations. A AWA’ In a 2006 brochure, “The Value of Value In a 2006 brochure, “The lberta. The province boasts 515 Alberta. “Here was the living symbol of the “Here mountain wilderness, one giving an matched of power and royalty impression (Andy Russell, 1967) by no other.” raphy GRRRR! Photog come from concentrating on managing come from concentrating on managing single species without looking at the should broader ecological picture. “We be focusing on managing systems rather than managing wildlife themselves,” says Brad Stelfox. and Economics Wildlife Albertans are proud of our wildlife, The website for and rightly so. Sustainable Resource Development (SRD) proclaims, “Few places in the world have as great a diversity of wildlife as species that are traditionally considered wildlife, including 10 species of amphibians, 95 mammals, 402 birds, and 8 reptiles.” Our wildlife is important to us – the SRD website says it well: “Wildlife add to the quality of life that residents enjoy and living creatures have an economic as well as a recreational value.” Alberta The project becomes controversial, controversial, becomes The project Mark Boyce recognizes the need In yet another initiative, the Each of these policies reveals however, with the suggestion that that the suggestion with however, hunting be allowed to sell landowners access hunters exclusive tags and allow this is the start many, To to their land. slope toward privatization of a slippery a landscape Brad Stelfox, of wildlife. training as a ecologist with formal mixed feelings wildlife biologist, has “My focus is about the proposal. which is showing landscape modeling, things differently,” we need to start doing system does he says. “The current incentives or not provide either fiscal landowners to appropriate policy for the benefit of manage landscape for or biotic carbon. If wildlife, water quality, do not emerge, new progressive policies then the continuing loss of wildlife habitat and populations can be expected.” that the project is trying to address: “I support the concept that we need to engage private landowners to manage wildlife – otherwise why should they bother to maintain natural habitats?” But like Stelfox, he can see that the plan is owned by is controversial. “Wildlife the people: private landowners may be own the able to limit access, but don’t wildlife.” government has requested federal permission to reintroduce 2 percent liquid strychnine to control Richardson’s ground squirrels, after a 16-year ban that of the part because was instituted in large incidental mortality of other species (see This request has been p. 16 for more). comments made despite Health Canada’s to that “possible serious adverse effects human health and the environment were the basis of the 1992 decision to restrict the availability of 2% liquid concentrate stresses the Wallis strychnine.” Cliff importance of managing “systems in decline” rather than managing just ground squirrels, which are the basis of an entire ecosystem, an essential food source for golden eagles, ferruginous hawks, coyotes, and other prairie species, and an important factor in the persistence of endangered burrowing owls. “Ground squirrels are disappearing over large Wallis, areas of the prairies,” notes “but they have exploded in agricultural croplands, so everyone thinks they are a huge problem.” that stewardship wildlife in contradictions Alberta Fish and ct does little Act does little lberta,” Wendy Francis Wendy Alberta,” lthough it has had occasional has had occasional Although it The last attempt to define the ct designed to deal with endangered Act designed to deal with , which classifies classifies Act, which Wildlife 1984 species, and non-game as game wildlife hunting, the regulations for and contains possessing wildlife. trapping, and 1984, the updates since wildlife many of today’s to address requirements, concerns, such as habitat or wildlife endangered species, much provincial privatization. Like so throughout with legislation, it is riddled discretion.” the loophole of “ministerial Species “Endangered In a 1999 paper, Protection in Wilderness and of the Canadian Parks amendment to Society refers to a 1996 the that the This amendment states species. minister “must” establish the Endangered Species Conservation Committee, but that this committee will “advise” the minister on endangered species and “make recommendations” about species These recovery plans recovery plans. “may” include identification of critical habitats and strategies for population all that the So in effect, recovery. minister is required to do for endangered species in this amendment is to set up a committee: everything else is subject to ministerial discretion. approach to wildlife government’s management was the 1982 Alberta, which Policy for Wildlife

lberta’s Alberta’s Alberta is managed merica’s thriving America’s lberta disappeared in 1913. Alberta disappeared in Alberta government on behalf of Allocation of surplus wildlife Today, wildlife in Today, Protection of wildlife as a public resource Prohibition on markets in dead wildlife not profit by law, Prohibition on the frivolous killing of wildlife 1. 2. 3. 4. a poor job of using this [economic] this [economic] job of using a poor to We have species. to benefit argument and supplement it.” rethink it Legislation Policy and Wildlife viewed 1900s, wildlife was Prior to the more that was worth as a “commodity” The incentives for dead than alive. were so high marketing in dead wildlife that by 1900, North to Canada and the U.S. worked together placing it in protect wildlife by jointly the trafficking the public trust, stopping regulating hunting. in wildlife parts and founded that rules were Four fundamental revitalized wildlife in Canada: by the Wildlife Albertans as a “public resource.” management falls under the Ministry of Sustainable Resource Development (SRD); the principal tool is populations of ungulates, predators, and populations of ungulates, and many native birds were decimated, The last extinct. species were almost native elk in While in some parts of Alberta there is pressure to control predators to increase elk to increase predators to control is pressure Alberta there While in some parts of predators. flourishing in the absence of such as Suffield, elk are numbers, in other areas, R. Blanchard

A wildlife All species Alberta?” but Alberta, including A, we are often asked the Alberta?” Of course, this W A ut even these economic arguments arguments But even these economic Although wildlife management tends At “In my view it is important that the environmental indicators – including – including indicators the environmental and wilderness, parks and wildlife, fish footprint – declined. and ecological fish and economic values of “While the many GDP, reflected in the wildlife are intrinsic value is that their would argue the report. For example, says far greater,” a ‘willingness to “[r]esearch indicates year per of between $46 and $200 a pay’ taxes to ensure Albertan in additional populations; $43 for sustainable caribou trout; and $28 for a a program to sustain owl program.” grassland/burrowing because not have their limitations a dollar everything can be assigned should be allowed value. Grizzly bears not only to persist on the landscape because they provide a financial benefit, but also because they have a right to be there, to have places where they can just be grizzly bears. Some economists refer to this as “existence value,” defined on the Convention on Biological Diversity website as “the value of knowing that a particular species, habitat or ecosystem does and will continue to exist. It is independent of any use that the valuer may make of the resource.” charismatic species such to focus on large as grizzly bears or caribou, or on species that impact us directly such as ground squirrels or pine beetles, the term covers an enormous array of creatures, covers an enormous array of creatures, snails and tiger from elk to Banff salamanders to mosquitoes. are part of the complex ecosystems that we are just beginning to understand and appreciate. question, “Why does it matter if grizzlies die out in question can be turned around to “What gives us the right to decide we are going to get rid of grizzlies from it is a valid question. There are sound it is a valid question. economic reasons why grizzly bears should be recovered in the contribution to the economy made by visiting tourists hoping to catch a glimpse of this magnificent predator. anff National Park, for National 2000 survey in Banff example, found that only 15 percent of respondents would visit a park without grizzly bears. wildlife managers should compute a value where they can,” says Brad Stelfox. he adds, “we’ve done But up until now,

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Alberta pril 2006) April , Alberta government Status of the American range. ALCES model has been Recovery Strategy for the Recovery Strategy for Stelfox’s Stelfox’s According to the Alberta government adopted this plan of life history of animals.” used in many studies, including the to measure Southern Foothills Study, human impacts on a landscape scale and to project what such a landscape will look like in the future if current rates of activity are continued. Looking at a 1.22 million-ha area of fescue grassland, foothills, forest, and mountains stretching from the B.C. border east to Highway 2, the Southern Foothills Study found that with current rates of activity (industrial, recreational, and residential), grizzly bears will disappear from the area within landscape effective Without 50 years. management, wildlife management becomes academic. website, “Protecting and maintaining 2005 – the April 2001) lbertans to accept and value bears and their habitat is Albertans to accept and value bears and their , The Status of the Ferruginous Hawk in Alberta Hawk in The Status of the Ferruginous Recovery Plans and Status Reports and Status Plans Recovery nd over and over again, when it comes to implementing it comes to implementing over again, when And over and As Mark Boyce lberta stress that habitat destruction is the driving force behind struggling force behind struggling is the driving that habitat destruction Alberta stress Draft Alberta Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan 2005-2010, Plan Recovery Bear Grizzly Alberta (Draft Alberta.” Alberta government recovery plans moratorium on further mineral and timber resource allocation (sales) should be moratorium on further mineral and timber rad Stelfox’s interests as a biologist interests Brad Stelfox’s Alberta. Knowledge of system Time and again, government status reports and recovery plans for endangered endangered plans for recovery and status reports government again, and Time species in wildlife populations. recovery plans, little is done to protect habitat. little is done to recovery plans, Hawk Ferruginous native of remaining policy for preservation of strong public lands “The lack net loss of native public/private land trades leading to grasslands, and recent grasslands, including threat to wildlife dependent on native grasslands, is an ongoing ( the ferruginous hawk.” with the exception of this section.) January 2006) Burrowing Owl are cited as the most of suitable nesting and foraging habitat “Loss and degradation most of their North Burrowing Owls over important threats to Caribou Recovery Plan Woodland lteration of the native landscape – through widespread cropland development, landscape – through widespread cropland Alteration of the native the most and extraction, and urban sprawl – represents petroleum exploration threat to grasslands in Canada.” ( pressing habitat-related Burrowing Owl in Canada, July 2007) Burrowing Whooping Crane Whooping Crane the major threats to “Habitat loss and degradation is one of development (be it agricultural, urban, survival.… Conversion of wetlands for or road construction is the most commercial, or recreational), oil exploration, vulnerability of cranes.” ( the overall significant threat affecting Alberta Whooping Crane in Caribou Woodland the caribou range must be addressed.… “Industrial and other human activities on A evaluated, and implemented.” ( put in place until a range plan is completed, Grizzly Bear of human activity; hence cumulative effects “The greatest risk of habitat loss is the habitat conservation and enhancement the need to monitor the footprint and initiate as required.… Encouraging There is an opportunity to foster bears.… critical to the long-term survival of grizzly enlightened policies to coexist with grizzly and support public good will and adopt in bears Habitat, Habitat, Habitat If there is one theme that runs through all of the and status reports produced for provincial and endangered species at risk, it is the importance of habitat. emphasizes, “The bottom line in wildlife conservation is habitat protection and habitat management.” led him to concentrate on the ecological systems within which wildlife is an inextricable link. “People would ask me, ‘Why are biologists talking about land the about talking be should they use when biology of garter snakes?’” he says. “But becoming a better life history ecologist to solve any of the problems going isn’t in management is so far behind knowledge lberta’s Alberta’s Although Alberta Fish General Status , was released General Status Alberta believe that reports, but these lberta’s wild species are Alberta’s lbertans.” The policy The policy Albertans.” Many environmentalists and Mark Boyce agrees. “The province and Wildlife, the division of SRD directly the Wildlife, and responsible for wildlife management. Glen Semenchuk with the Federation of Alberta Naturalists points out that “in the 1980s, whole sections disappeared most notably the Wildlife, from Fish and habitat management section.” of Alberta Wild Species Alberta Wild of in February 2007, along with a rather curious news release trumpeting that “nearly 90% of in good shape,” which presumably means that more than 10 percent of species are not in good shape! Half of amphibian species and 38 percent of its reptile species are listed as “at risk” or “may be at risk.” biologists working in we are still paying the price of the drastic 1980s staffing cuts within Wildlife overall numbers of Fish and have remained consistent, the may staff has number of communications staff increased, “but how many professional biologists are there?” asks Semenchuk. “How many habitat biologists?” has been systematically doing less and less on the wildlife side,” he says. “Fish budgets have consistently Wildlife and deteriorated over the past decade.” Boyce sees wildlife funding in the era of Mike Cardinal (Minister of SRD between even 2001 and 2004) as “a disaster, though the province had a huge budget surplus.” But he is much more optimistic Morton about the current minister: “Ted is attracting more dollars to Fish and He is at least thinking about Wildlife. conservation programs.” was prepared in order to “recognize “recognize order to in was prepared fish and of [Alberta’s the significance and the enjoyment wildlife] resources to present and future they bring of generations refers to wildlife somewhat clinically as somewhat clinically refers to wildlife and Crown resource,” a “replenishable consideration of states that “the primary ensure that wildlife the Government is to from severe populations are protected populations are decline and that viable the 1982 policy, maintained.” Since been released, periodic updates have of principally in the form Alberta Wildlife of current status of do little more than list attempting to wildlife species without The most issues. address management recent report, the 2005

lberta’s Alberta’s Albertans about the ecreation survey, Alberta Recreation survey, Albertans the opportunity to Once again, habitat protection is the to be borne out fears seem Morton’s minute you stop controlling wolves, they minute you stop controlling wolves, they will bounce right back,” says Boyce. “We want to be controlling wolves for won’t to 50 years, which is the time it will take recover caribou.” need to only long-term solution. “We be doing habitat management up front: we’ve got to be more forward-thinking,” stresses Boyce. He is surprised by the lack of public outcry about the wolf kill. “The environmental community has rolled over on this, because it is There should be directed at caribou. echoes these Wallis more criticism.” Cliff comments: “People should be more upset than they are, and they will be in time.” The Role of Hunting Morton, Ted On September 22, 2007, Minister of Sustainable Resource Development, announced first annual Provincial Hunting Day to “promote hunting and hunter awareness and educate important role hunting plays in wildlife management and conservation.” Minister Morton talked about the need to raise losing the the profile of hunters: “We’re next generation of hunters to television, We computers and shopping malls. hope that Provincial Hunting Day will give young experience the outdoors and build greater respect for wildlife.” by the 2004 Again, serious lberta’s Alberta’s raphy GRRRR! Photog Boyce is also a member of the with woodland the same thing “It’s has adopted this plan as Caribou Recovery Plan with Woodland the exception of the recommendation in Section 7.2 relating to a moratorium on further mineral and timber allocations on specific caribou ranges.” recommendations to address habitat disturbing, issues were ignored. “It’s when everyone recognizes that the bottom line is the loss of habitat,” says Boyce. Team, provincial Grizzly Bear Recovery and his experiences with that process were at times frustrating: “The Grizzly had heavy industry Team Bear Recovery get anywhere couldn’t We representation. on it.” But unless industry bought off even when industry supported certain recommendations, he says, the provincial government could stop them from going forward. caribou,” Boyce points out. “There is no way that we will rescue the Little Smoky herd if we are not willing to check the industrial deterioration of habitat.” Instead of making real and to protect caribou habitat, credible efforts the focus has been on killing wolves. a predator are undoubtedly Wolves of caribou, but this predation is only significant where industrial roads give them the ease of access to hunt elusive are known to respond Wolves caribou. to increased mortality through culling by know that the producing more cubs. “We in high 2 Areas… Alberta: it will was finally Alberta Government , for example, states recent letter from Minister in all remaining grizzly bear A 2 Alberta Woodland the Alberta Woodland Similarly, The 2004 Draft Grizzly Bear extremes of human passion, from adoration to loathing? adoration to loathing? of human passion, from extremes Wolves may have been “managed” more than any other species in Alberta. How do we manage a species that continues to elicit than any other species in may have been “managed” more Wolves quality grizzly bear habitat designated as Grizzly Bear Conservation and open route densities at or below 1.2 km/km range.” published in 2005, but with a surprising introduction: “The of Sustainable Resource Development waters Morton, however, Ted (SRD) down these recommendations SRD will now “identify considerably. core grizzly bear habitats with low levels of motorized public access, and examine opportunities to maintain them in a condition that is conducive to the long- term support of grizzly bear populations.” This is a recipe for maintaining the status quo, which is what brought grizzly bears to their perilous state in certainly not recover them. Caribou Recovery Plan suitable habitat is critical in maintaining suitable habitat is critical in maintaining long-term wildlife health and viability.” species-at-risk program Alberta’s “relies on sound science plus a realistic understanding of land use and land management.” But these words do not seem to be reflected in any actions to protect wildlife habitat. Recovery Plan clearly that “human use of access motorized vehicle routes) is (specifically, one of the primary threats to grizzly bear persistence” and calls for “open route densities at or below 0.6 km/km

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Alberta “lacks a Albertans, and for Alberta government, Fish and Wildlife Policy Fish and Wildlife and its definition of wildlife — Francis Parkman, 1892 Albertans want is quite radically Cliff Wallis points out that Wallis Cliff be managed for shouldn’t Wildlife lberta seems to be going through Alberta seems to be going Albertans to make sure that their Environment’s Cumulative Effects Cumulative Effects Environment’s of change in the This sense Strategy. air is manifesting itself in a number of ways, including an increased different public appreciation of the value of wild lands for producing clean water and a challenging of the assumption that forests should be managed principally to supply timber. government policy in clear value statement about wildlife.” He the stresses that times have changed since outdated 1982 Alberta for as a “replenishable Crown resource.” “What what the government is from different doing,” he says. be the benefit of hunters; it shouldn’t managed for the benefit of farmers, or city-dwellers, or oil executives. It should be managed for all no There’s the benefit of wildlife itself. better time than an impending election for politicians hear this loud and clear. way that these activities interact with interact with activities these way that One longer adequate. other is no each the impression from overwhelming Land-Use Framework government’s 2007 the summer of process during universal acceptance was the almost goes in as land-use planning that, as far getting it wrong: Alberta, we have been Even Minister something has to change. 2007 Land-Use Morton stated in a June meeting, “The Framework stakeholder option for me.” status quo is not an a reassessment of a reflective period, and assumptions some of the principles been operating under which we have director on Bjorge, for so many years. R of wildlife for the agrees that societal attitudes are changing and points to several government initiatives that are attempting to respond – the Biodiversity Monitoring Program, the Land-Use Framework, and Alberta that managing This way of managing wildlife echo a growing thoughts Stelfox’s The rattlesnakes have grown bashful and retiring. The mountain lion shrinks from The mountain lion shrinks from bashful and retiring. The rattlesnakes have grown seeks the seclusion the face of man, and even grim ‘Old Ephraim’, the grizzly bear, of his dens and caverns.” Those discordant serenaders, the wolves that howled at evening about the traveller’s the wolves that howled at evening about the traveller’s serenaders, Those discordant have succumbed to arsenic and hushed their savage music.… camp-fire, “The buffalo is gone, and all of his millions, nothing is left but bones.… and increase wild game herds and game and increase wild game herds and game birds.” in an attempt to create unnaturally high numbers of huntable animals by controlling predators is abhorrent to those who want to see the focus of wildlife management shift to managing ecological systems rather than individual species. The Future Brad Stelfox acknowledges that times biology has have changed. “Wildlife evolved,” he says. “In the past, wildlife management was equivalent to what you could kill. Now most of the wildlife profession is beyond that.” realization in individual activities on the landscape without considering the cumulative Wildlife watching and photography are watching and photography are Wildlife non-consumptive “uses” of wildlife. survey, Alberta Recreation In the 2004 listed of respondents 17.9 percent as a favourite activity. bird-watching N. Douglas Status Alberta Albertans; if lbertans do not Albertans do Albertans have a lberta’s wildlife, Alberta’s Albertans, they must High Country News 2001 public opinion survey 2001 public opinion ecreation survey and ecreation Alberta R A Alberta, which continued until ut while most . But while most The grizzly situation contrasted While hunting has its place in wildlife If hunting organizations in If hunting organizations continue Some hunting organizations (June 25, 2007), describes this group’s (June 25, 2007), describes this group’s “unapologetic demands for maximizing big game herds and hunting opportunities through… changing hunting regulations to favor trophy-sized deer and elk; and spending money on predator control, not just to protect livestock… but to protect they are seen to be representing people they are seen to be representing people who simply want to kill for the sake of killing, without regard for the health of ecosystems and wildlife populations, then it will not. notably with the woodland caribou hunt, which was suspended in the 1970s, the actions of responsible through largely hunters who first raised red flags about declining caribou numbers management, wildlife habitat should not be managed specifically for hunters, as The Utah- some groups appear to believe. Wildlife, based Sportsmen for Fish and for example, sees predator control as a major factor in wildlife management. Hal Herring, in very or somewhat favourable attitude to very or somewhat favourable hunting. cause without wish to further their of supportive alienating this 70 percent but non-hunting of sustainable emphasize the importance of hunters as hunting and the role stewards of our wild spaces. Some of them failed in this task during the years of debate over the spring hunt of grizzly bears in 2005, despite the fact that in 2002 the Endangered Species government’s Conservation Committee called for the “threatened.” as grizzly the of designation to lobby to be allowed to hunt grizzlies, despite clear scientific evidence that such a hunt is not sustainable. If pro-hunting associations truly support conservation and stewardship of then their work is likely to resonate with the non-hunting majority of sponsored by Hunting for Tomorrow Tomorrow for sponsored by Hunting of found that 70 percent hunt, they are nevertheless supportive of are nevertheless supportive hunt, they hunting. 11.4 percent in the 1984 report percent in the 11.4 in Resource and Wildlife of the Fish Alberta which found that 6 percent of respondents respondents of percent 6 that found which in 9.3 percent from hunters, down were the 2000

Andy Russell, similar passion for lberta Wilderness Wilderness Alberta A lberta’s wild landscapes carved wild landscapes Alberta’s For the same reason, it doesn’t For the same reason, it doesn’t Those early hunter-conservationists those early hunter-conservationists like those early hunter-conservationists Grinnell, Godsal, Roosevelt, and others – so much that they dedicated their lives to the fight for the protection of wild places, wildlife protection regulations, ethics. hunter and education, conservation surprise me that the Association was founded by hunters like stand by to Bill Michalsky who couldn’t watch up by seismic operations, logging, and the fevered road development of the 1960s. Other hunters like Aldo Leopold, and Roderick Haig-Brown wrote books that woke up an entire generation to what they stood to lose if fight to conserve the ecological we didn’t richness and landscape integrity that were under assault throughout the twentieth century. alone. stand didn’t wildness, indigenous ecosystems, and wildlife inspired others who could never bring themselves to hunt or kill wild animals for food. But they stood shoulder g a c y e L web.net Rasmussen – rays V. R. r v a t i o n i s t e o n s They also established the Boone and I think I know how they felt because -C Wilderness. Pass and Marie Lake in Willmore South Sulphur River between Blue Grouse to our biodiversity and well-being. Its clear This Rocky Mountain wilderness is vital waters, lush meadows, towering mountains, and vastness demand self-sufficiency of waters, lush meadows, towering mountains, those who enter it. Crockett Society because, as hunters, they could see a need to promote ethical restraint and respect for animals among Their passion the hunting community. for wild places and wild things, and their insights into conservation and ecology were the product of long hours spent wandering the landscape in search of and evenings together around the prey, campfire, discussing what they had seen. My identity is steeped I too am a hunter. in memories and reflections that came hunting traditions – out of my family’s early dawns eating hot porridge while his gear in the corner of Dad organized our old kitchen; staring in thunderstruck awe as a thousand mallards banked hard, climbing into the last orange light above a sunset prairie slough; breaking out into the timberline meadows an hour before daylight after climbing hard through menziesia-scented fir forest in the dark; sitting down with my wife and children to meals of wild game. I think I know why the wild mattered so intensely to r e u n t H he Americans By Kevin Van Tighem Van By Kevin T Americans and

America knew that their

ird Grinnell was one of Bird Grinnell was one eorge many eastern North who travelled west and fell in who travelled west

North of the Medicine Line, in These were important conservation Grinnell was not content simply to G love with the landscapes they found love with the landscapes He century. here in the late nineteenth tumbling coulees, was so taken by the abundant wildlife of and layered cliffs, northern Blackfeet the high country the considered sacred that he went back and lobbied to have it Washington to set aside as a national park. He was Park, Glacier National Today successful. in northern Montana, continues to inspire hundreds of thousands of their visitors each year with its protected their visitors each year with its protected mountain landscapes, bighorn sheep, goats, and grizzlies. the young country of Canada, rancher Frederic Godsal saw the same landscapes Belly, Waterton, at the head of the and Castle Rivers. He lobbied his capital and succeeded own nation’s in securing the other half of what Waterton-Glacier would become the Lakes Waterton International Peace Park: National Park. campaigns that left a legacy for all of than just the That legacy was more us. sum of protected acres; perhaps no less important was the inspiration and learning that millions of visitors to those parks have taken home with them in the decades since their establishment. protect a new park in what was then a remote part of the west. He and his friends and colleagues who could see what hasty development and exploitation were doing to the original ecological wealth of North raw hybrid culture needed organizations that would promote enlightened conservation and ethical interaction Theodore Roosevelt, With with nature. Hornaday and other influential William individuals, Grinnell helped form the Audubon Society to lobby for wildlife protection laws and wildlife refuges.

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as an A A W W A VE it! Kevin Van Tighem is the author of more is the author of more Tighem Kevin Van than 200 articles, stories, and essays on conservation and wildlife, as well as a number of books. His work has garnered including the Outdoor many awards, of Canada book and magazine Writers for Award and the Journey awards Fiction. VE SOME WILDERNESS! Protect this VE SOME The Common Goal – Saving Wilderness Goal – Saving The Common As a hunter- ]. Of these 900 souls we find: A]. Of these 900 souls W supporters come from a range of backgrounds, from city folk to rural city folk to rural of backgrounds, from come from a range supporters some who love horses; some who hate horses some who love horses; who hate hunters some who hunt; some who do not fish some who fish; some some who prefer day hikes some who backpack; some who take photographs some who paint pictures; with five children some lone wolves; some some Girl Guides some church leaders; urbanites some ranchers; some A bout 900 individuals feel strongly enough to become members of this feel strongly enough to become members “About 900 individuals my position, supposedly representing these various views, I find from “Now, “I only ask that we DO NOT allow the government to get us fighting among allow the government “I only ask that we DO NOT • • • • • • • • VE SOME WILDERNESS!” VE SOME tfield W A A A In 1971, then- hunters to vegetarians. hikers to horse-riders, dwellers, President Floyd Stromstedt wrote a letter to a supporter, highlighting a letter to a supporter, Floyd Stromstedt wrote President but united by and backgrounds, interests with different of individuals organization today as as much resonance His words have in wilderness protection. an interest they did 37 years ago: group [A and on and on, ad infinitum. one thing of singular importance… SA wilderness in whatever way necessary, but SA wilderness in whatever way necessary, losing sight of the primary one – ourselves about secondary objectives, while SA © D. conservationist myself, I can only hope conservationist myself, I can only hope that I will be able to add to that great and legacy during the twenty-first century a to do so, as those who came before, in conservationist movement that comprises both hunters and non-hunters united by our passion for and commitment to the wild. the legacy of other hunters who cared too much to let haste and greed consume last, best places during Canada’s the twentieth century. , Alberta, America has ever merica built its great America built Wild Lands Advocate Lands Wild nd that was how And that was So I can’t help but be a little bemused, little a be but help can’t I So quite make myself an apologist I can’t This I do know: many of the most When I hike Glacier National Park’s to shoulder in the big conservation big conservation in the to shoulder because, century of the twentieth battles in they were united non-hunter, hunter or squander that we must their conviction natural, what is wild, and no more of and free. Canada, and North Canada, and and won its conservation institutions victories. greatest conservation from time to and a lot troubled, when are diverted time conservation groups that people into debates over things ranching – rather do – like hunting or collective energies than focussing their loss of the the permanent on staving off places that depend great and threatened in a world of too on us for their survival much hasty change. for hunters, because too many who hunt bring the same kinds of exploitative, competitive, or destructive impulses into that activity that they have in other aspects of their lives. Hunting is neither good nor bad – it is simply something that humans, wolves, and other animals do. Humans can choose to hunt with or they respect, and integrity, humility, While can choose to abuse and destroy. too many most of us strive for the former, I’m afraid. But it isn’t choose the latter, the activity that has a moral dimension; it is the people who participate in the can be good, bad, humans We activity. great, or hideous in almost anything we Those who stereotype hunters do in life. as somehow morally inferior to others are at best guilty of shallow thinking; at worst, they are guilty of the same kind of labelling and absolutism that gives rise, in other contexts, to things like racism or sexism. passionate, determined and effective conservationists North Why? Because known were hunters. those long hours afield studying to find their prey in wild habitats gave them an intensity of experience, a level of engagement with natural ecosystems, and a personal, intimate need for wildness way, other any in by come to hard are that and impossible ever to turn away from. high trails, or watch trumpeter swans lift above the spring green of aspens, or receive my latest or visit a conservation officer beside a back road, I am grateful to experience e a t u r e s WLA February 2008 • Vol. 16,No. 1

F 12 Fe a t u r e s WLA February 2008 • Vol. 16,No. 1 13 number of

A n t r a l e C Although Gibeau et al. (2001) he t

Secondly, the scale of analysis could Secondly, the question needs to be Finally, i n

bear probability of occurrence for six of bear probability of occurrence within the study area. the eight categories Results security Although my results showed resource areas influenced seasonal grizzly bears of selection by female negative reproductive status, differing security model coefficients, implying security avoidance, existed for all but the two no-cub categories. possibilities could explain these findings. possibilities could explain these findings. methodology involved my Firstly, pooling all female locations within each category across years. Given the intelligence and individual behaviours displayed by grizzly bears, variation within and amongst bears could be influencing results. be a factor. reported on the importance and selection of security areas within individual bear home ranges, my findings show that security areas are not positively selected for by females with cubs at the landscape scale. Recent studies have identified the importance of scale on grizzly bear selection patterns. Scale-dependent resource selection could also be occurring within this population. asked if sufficient security areas remain. If females with cubs are utilizing non- secure areas, perhaps it is simply too difficult for them to avoid non-secure areas and still meet their daily energy requirements. Only 37 percent of the study area defined by all adult female grizzly bear locations was considered secure, even though 68 percent of the study area fell within parks. the graduated from recently Viveiros Tony University of Calgary with a Masters in GIS. This article summarizes his MGIS information For more project. research visit members. (including references), lives and now Tony shaw.ca/aviveiros. works in Winnipeg. a r s e B cubs YOY r i z z l y dditionally, Additionally, study area. RSF 2 G e + older) in the pre-berry/ m a l

Alberta as part of the Eastern e m e F b y Resource selection function (RSF)

in the pre-berry season, older cubs in the berry season, females without cubs in the pre-berry/berry seasons, and females with cubs (YOY berry season. Security areas, therefore, were an important predictor of grizzly models represent the relative probability of occurrence of female grizzlies on the landscape. Landscape characteristics used in RSF model-building included crown closure, elevation, land cover, terrain ruggedness, distance to edge, and distance to roads, distance to water, security areas. Models were initially developed without security areas for each of the eight study categories. Security areas were then added to each of the eight RSF models to determine if improvements occurred. Six of the eight RSF models improved with the addition of a security areas variable: Study Design University of The objective of my GIS project was Calgary Masters in importance of to identify the seasonal selection by security areas in resource bears of differing adult female grizzly The hypothesis that reproductive status. of adult female the reproductive status of grizzly bears influences their selection security areas was tested. to account for variation in habitat use through time, the hypothesis that food season (pre-berry and berry) influences the selection of habitat and security by reproductive category was also explored. Eight study categories defined by season and reproductive status were defined for female grizzlies with young-of-year (YOY) cubs, older cubs, all cubs, and no cubs in both the pre-berry and berry seasons. models were developed for each of the eight study categories. Locations from 31 adult female bears radio-collared and monitored between 1994 and 2004 in the CRE of Slopes Grizzly Bear Project were used km to define the 4,211 r n s c o s y s t e E s e a t t P e s o c k i Along with , as well as R By Tony Viveiros By Tony U 2 ) is Ursus arctos Alberta and B.C. 12, 121-30, 2001). Although grizzly

Ursus

he grizzly bear ( considered a species that “may be considered a species or extirpation at risk” of extinction

lberta. The primary source of known The primary source of Alberta. T grizzly bear deaths in grizzly bear deaths Areas Security Security areas represent habitat where grizzly bears have a low probability of encountering humans and can also requirements. meet their daily energetic Adult females are often the focus of security area analyses because of their low reproductive rate, slow maturity, and role in cub rearing. In the Central Rockies Ecosystem (CRE), secure habitat or ice, excludes areas of rock, snow, than 9 km bare soil larger in and the loss is human-caused mortality habitat. of effective bears have adapted behaviourally to exploit a variety of habitats through their omnivorous generalist lifestyle, high mobility rate, and intelligence, critical habitat components and diversity are still necessary to enable bears to cope with climatic stresses, human impacts, and changing environmental conditions. These important habitat components include travel areas, feeding areas, denning sites, and sanctuary or security areas. habitat within 500 m of high human use (Gibeau et al., Secure habitat is important because it can foster wary behaviour in grizzly bears, potentially minimizing dangerous encounters with humans, and help reduce habituated bear incidence. adequate space and food resources, security is believed necessary to support viable grizzly bear metapopulations: that is, groups of populations that exist at the places. Secure same time but in different habitat is also believed to be particularly reproductive and survival the to important success of adult female grizzly bears.

lberta’s Alberta’s Alberta still has . Dearlove T Alberta range, but the combined If frogs cannot recolonize previously Ideal northern leopard frog habitat, and frog Ideal northern leopard for Conservation Research’s the Centre main study site areas that could, and once did, support leopard frogs, but existing populations are separated from them by seas of inhospitable land. occupied habitat by themselves, one strategy is to reintroduce them there, using animals (eggs, tadpoles, or juvenile frogs) from stable populations or ponds that will dry up before tadpoles mature. take reintroductions should only Ideally, place after the original causes of local extinctions are known and resolved. at this point it seems we may However, never resolve what triggered the die- ago, and reintroductions 30 years offs are currently a cornerstone of limit the northern leopard frog’s ability limit the northern leopard frog’s to recover from it. Leopard frogs were once continuously distributed across their southern of local extinctions and habitat effects loss have left the surviving populations scattered and isolated. northern leopard frog recovery plan. American i b i a n s ph lberta’s Alberta’s m A s ’ lbertan range indicate that Albertan range indicate r t a merica’s best known: the America’s Alberta declines seem to have e America around the same time. l b The Northern leopard frogs are especially Habitat loss alone did not cause of North Once common northern leopard frog. leopard frog across Canada, northern provinces populations in the western and have not crashed around 1979 recovered since. Repeated surveys of their historic leopard frogs have disappeared from up leopard frogs have disappeared sites they used to to 80 percent of the occupy. been part of widespread northern leopard that occurred across western frog die-offs North Despite significant speculation since the though mystery, a remain causes its crash, drought, disease outbreak, and habitat loss may all have played a role. Habitat Loss and Fragmentation Habitat loss and fragmentation are the greatest global threats to amphibian Assessment). Amphibian species (Global They have been linked to northern leopard frog declines in several states and are almost certainly impacting amphibians. Since the 1800s, Alberta’s more than two-thirds of wetlands have been drained or infilled, primarily for agriculture but increasingly for human settlement. By 1966, roughly 75 percent of wetlands around Calgary and Edmonton had been lost, and the City of Calgary now estimates that number has risen to 90 percent. susceptible to habitat loss because they require distinct habitats for breeding (fishless ponds), foraging (natural land), and overwintering (moving water; Recovery Plan Frog Northern Leopard 2005). Like most amphibians, leopard frogs are poor dispersers, so all three habitat types must be within a few kilometres of each other and connected by suitable corridors. Loss of any one of these habitat types, or the ability to move between them, may cause the demise of leopard frog populations. the crash three decades ago, but it may A r v i n g e lberta’s Alberta’s o n s By Anna Hargreaves, Centre for Conservation Research, Calgary Zoo Calgary Research, for Conservation Centre Anna Hargreaves, By C lberta’s frogs Alberta’s Amphibians Alberta Fish and Alberta are not

Albertans, “wildlife”

lberta is home to 11 of the Alberta is home to 11

or most impressive evokes visions of our wolves, megafauna – grizzlies,

Amphibians are a diverse class According to F Alberta’s Amphibians Alberta’s Although declines are most severe in the tropics, where amphibian diversity is highest, we in 45 amphibian species found in Canada. As with most northern species, and salamanders are seldom encountered and salamanders are seldom encountered by casual hikers, let alone tourist buses. this is becoming truer Unfortunately, every year. of vertebrates that includes frogs, toads, salamanders, and the strange, limbless caecilians. survived massive prehistoric extinction events but are currently experiencing worldwide population declines. Although amphibians pre-date humans by more than 200 million years, they are susceptible to almost every environmental problem we have created, including pollution, ozone depletion, introduced predators, habitat Their destruction, and climate change. current declines are so widespread that scientists believe we are on the cusp of an extinction event unprecedented in human rivalling that of the dinosaurs. history, immune. amphibians are wide-ranging, so none are however, globally endangered. Locally, story. a different it’s moose – whose distant presence causes moose – whose distant on national park regular traffic jams and roads. Rarely do our thoughts include our small promotional brochures Lacking the and often shy amphibians. brilliant colouration of their relatives in the tropics, and spending much of their lives in rarely visited wetlands or buried for hibernation, Wildlife’s 2005 assessment, only three Wildlife’s of our species are considered secure our within the province. Surprisingly, most threatened amphibian is also one

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lberta’s Alberta’s ear of the Y ear of the Frog” page Alberta Conservation ear of the Frog” page). nlike our famous megafauna, Unlike our famous megafauna, ear of the Frog” link on the Calgary All wetlands, including the artificial ones created in many new suburbs, are potentially biologically important and Guardians Wetland The can be registered. Registry can be accessed through the “Y website: www.calgaryzoo.ab.ca. Zoo’s amphibian monitoring Volunteer Community participation has been essential in finding leopard frog populations and in monitoring reintroductions. Information on how to as volunteer as an amphibian monitor, guide, are activity well as a full teacher’s available from the Association website (link also available “Y from the Zoo’s search the database for conservation for conservation the database search have communities other strategies and petitions, surveys, used, including efforts Such community-based litigation. important as are increasingly natural expansion swallows rapid urban way. areas in its relatively little amphibians require possible for us space, and it is entirely by side with them. to live literally side the need Just as grizzlies demonstrate of wilderness, to preserve vast expanses us of conservation amphibians remind sometimes neglect, needs on a scale we of small demonstrating the importance natural areas, and wetlands, streams, and connected. of keeping these places Do? You What Can a wetland Register and protect of the Frog Year Get involved in the 2008 Frog campaign, designed to raise global awareness about amphibians’ plight. More information about local and global amphibian conservation action is available on the “Y website. of the Calgary Zoo’s Since completing her MSc at the Anna ecologist University of Calgary, has been working at the Hargreaves at for Conservation Research Centre the Calgary Zoo, conducting fieldwork frog for an ongoing northern leopard and working on the monitoring project to raise campaign of the Frog 2008 Year about global amphibian awareness conservation issues. Alberta, survey of 28 sites Alberta, but its A Although amphibians ves An essential component of protecting by Dr. Doug Whiteside, veterinarian Doug by Dr. at the Calgary Zoo and member of Northern Leopard Frog Alberta’s amphibian Globally, Team. Recovery diseases have been implicated not only in local population declines, but, in the case of a fungus known as “chytrid,” in Dr. When extinctions of entire species. Whiteside started investigating, only one or two isolated cases of chytrid had been reported in presence in our neighbouring provinces and states made him suspect it was more widespread than previously thought. Indeed, a preliminary survey of four Alberta sites showed that the fungus was present at three. was undertaken in 2007, the results of which will soon reveal the extent of this potentially deadly pathogen in survey anticipated in with an even larger 2008. and of any amphibians, Alberta’s reintroduction program, is to stop the loss and degradation of habitat and restore it where possible. require appropriate terrestrial as well as aquatic habitat, wetlands are the most threatened piece of their habitat mosaic. facilitate local wetland conservation, To the Calgary Zoo is joining forces with Zoo to promote the national Toronto the The Registry. Guardians Wetland Registry is an online database designed to connect community groups that want to preserve or restore their local wetlands. Anyone can register any wetland and An example of the permanent colour marking used to track juvenile frogs A. Hargrea

A Alberta, lbertan amphibians has sparked has sparked Albertan amphibians Northern leopard frog reintroductions Northern leopard frog student Since 2005, CCR Master’s CCR researchers are also monitoring CCR biologists have also been since inadequate monitoring still presents since inadequate monitoring still presents a challenge to assessing amphibian conservation needs. Because northern leopard frogs return to the same breeding counting breeding adults pond each year, will enable us to compare overwinter also catch, We survival between years. mark, and photograph young frogs as they leave the pond to assess the success. reproductive population’s a growing movement of amphibian movement of amphibian a growing by conservation and monitoring, research, and non-governmental both government the Calgary Zoo. including organizations, several times in have been attempted results. Alberta, so far with mixed success is vital Improving reintroduction and may for leopard frog conservation of their require a better understanding goal of This is the ecology and behaviour. Research’s the Centre for Conservation program. northern leopard frog Fraser has been studying how Lynne juvenile frogs emigrate from their natal pond, and whether being handled (as they are during reintroductions) Juvenile frogs this behaviour. affects are often used for reintroductions, but like juveniles of most species, they One of naturally high mortality. suffer the biggest hurdles for young frogs is successful dispersal to good foraging and hibernating habitat, and choosing the right direction to go when leaving the pond may be the deciding factor in their success. Understanding whether handling “disorients” young frogs could suggest ways to improve their post-reintroduction survival, such as guiding dispersers toward suitable habitat. one of the few healthy breeding populations of leopard frogs in Calgary Zoo Conservation Initiatives Zoo Conservation Calgary and frogs northern leopard of The decline other frog’s spot pattern is as individual as a spot pattern frog’s human fingerprint, so the combination of colour marks and photos enable us to follow individuals across years and sites in order to assess their longevity, survival, and dispersal. Preliminary data show that the number of young frogs can vary a hundred-fold between years, but happily there is no sign of overall decline at this site. collecting samples for disease testing

A W A

Agriculture Hugh MacDonald, lberta’s species at Alberta’s Alberta – while raising and MP opposes the reintroduction A W A Please consider expressing your your MLA Liberal MLA Shadow Minister of and Food Groeneveld George Health Canada Minister Clement Tony • • • Agriculture and Food Minister • of 2 percent liquid strychnine sales to end users, a short-term management “solution” that threatens the health of humans and wildlife, and could have on our water and land negative effects as well. Most of risk are prairie-dependent – approving the strychnine request would increase the growing threats to their existence. More sustainable approaches might include improved range management increases ground squirrel (overgrazing habitat) and providing habitat for predators of small mammals. For example, ground squirrels constitute nearly 90 percent of the ferruginous diet in hawk’s their young, one pair consumes an average of 480 ground squirrels. opinion about the reintroduction of 2 percent liquid strychnine. encourages you to contact the following: r s a l e v e R final decision a n B August 2007, Health e lberta’s request Alberta’s ’s Richardson Ground ’s granted emergency use granted emergency n i n h t r y c Health Canada’s ruling in Health Canada’s S environment were the basis of the 1992 environment were the basis of the 1992 decision to restrict the availability of 2 percent liquid concentrate strychnine.… Restricting user access only to 0.4 percent strychnine bait formulations was considered at that time, and is still considered to be, a prudent approach.” in Five months later, PMRA Canada’s of 2 percent strychnine in Saskatchewan for a one-year period. Saskatchewan, and for a similar approval, come as the project of PMRA Squirrel Integrated Pest Management Steering Committee nears completion. Established in 2002, this committee has been researching ground squirrel control methods and is to provide advice on sustainable control of this species on the report is to be completed Their prairies. 2007 update, in 2008. Health Canada’s “A to above, states: referred on the use of strychnine will be made after consideration of the ongoing work by a national expert committee develop and promote a to identify, pest management control strategy for The squirrels.” ground Richardson’s department appears to have jumped the gun with the approval in Saskatchewan. The Richardson’s ground squirrel is considered a keystone species on the prairies a keystone species on the prairies is considered squirrel ground The Richardson’s ecosystem. existence of the entire is central to the continued because its presence R. Berdan o r f s e l i pp Agri- A Agency n t e Alberta and the lberta. Strychnine is Alberta. Strychnine is r n m e

Alberta, the “incidental Agriculture and lberta government has Alberta government o v lthough the two main areas Although the two main

he applied for federal permission 2 percent to reintroduce a lethal By Joyce Hildebrand, AWA Conservation Specialist Conservation AWA Hildebrand, By Joyce G In 1992 In March 2007 Health Canada

If the 2 percent strychnine ban is T liquid concentration of strychnine to liquid concentration that are “infesting” kill ground squirrels certain areas of including acutely toxic to all species, humans. are Central affected area northwest of Edmonton, Westlock entire province. the request is for the (PMRA) reported that “strychnine poses a high to very high acute risk… to species that prey on or scavenge animals that have been poisoned by strychnine.” despite its conclusion that However, “[t]he current use of strychnine to control ground squirrels is a concern from an environmental perspective,” the PMRA proposed “that the use of [ready-to-use] strychnine to control ground squirrels be maintained for the short term.” Although less toxic and more economical chemicals are available for use, they are more time-consuming and less effective, so strychnine remains the control tool of choice. published an “Update on the Re- evaluation of Strychnine,” concluding the following: “Possible serious to human health and the adverse effects poisonings” could have devastating on numerous species at risk in effects our province, including the burrowing owl, swift fox, and ferruginous hawk. In its 2005 “Re-evaluation of Strychnine Pest Document,” Health Canada’s Management Regulatory Food Canada restricted availability of strychnine to 0.4 percent ready-to-use impregnated bait and eliminated the sale to end users of the much more powerful 2 percent liquid strychnine concentrate. Both provincial and federal governments were concerned about risks to human health and the environment, and Health Canada used reports of unintentional and intentional poisonings of domestic of pets and wildlife in their re-evaluation strychnine use. removed in

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F 16 Wi l d e r n e s s Wa t c h WLA February 2008 • Vol. 16,No. 1 17 WLA, participated participated lberta’s Alberta’s lberta’s Alberta’s A will work W renewal and by the A A W A — Chris Wearmouth lberta Water Council’s Council’s Water Alberta is encouraged A policy. policy. W pr. 2006), available at Apr. lberta government on the Alberta government on Water for Life Water A Area – the huge, mostly non- lbertans completed the survey. Albertans completed the survey. As well, the Council has indicated

On January 30, the Water Council Water On January 30, the

Another extremely important lberta Water Council. The Council is Council. Water Alberta Alberta. read the four-part article, “The Quiet article, “The Quiet read the four-part Backcountry” ( Urbanization of the Dec. 2005 – AlbertaWilderness.ca. www. Council Update Water Alberta 2007, November late In in its first meeting as a Board member of in its first meeting the policy advisory a key multi-stakeholder group to the for Life Water closely with the other environmental members non-government organization Council to ensure a strong Water of the consistent voice for better aquatic ecosystem protection. released its recommendations to the Government of call for adequate by the Council’s for Life funding of Water on the strong consensus that emerged importance of safeguarding source water and aquatic ecosystems. it will support and encourage provincial government actions toward strong integration of land and water management. In October 2007, as part of the Land-Use Framework process, Sustainable Resource Development released the results of a spring 2007 This public survey on land-use issues. report revealed a striking level of public concern over water protection. More than 3,100 The issue receiving the highest number of “very concerned” responses, over 70 percent, was the “failure to consider the impacts on the water supply during land- use planning.” Council is Water initiative of the developing recommendations for a Currently province-wide wetlands policy. no wetlands policy exists to provide direction for wetland conservation in the Green settled public lands areas of boreal forest and mountain foothills. According to the

A W A V V lberta’s Alberta’s Aire TRLs) Alberta A, along with Alberta W A Albertans worried. lberta’s wild places, wild places, Alberta’s As we go to press, we have has opposed the granting of A W A wrote two letters to SRD Minister TRLs, overseen by A A The ongoing urbanization of At the beginning of December, W Tourism Leases Leading to Unbridled Leading to Unbridled Leases Tourism Development along the Panther Recent developments of the River in the Eastern Slopes Bighorn should have recent construction with concerns over the area along the we visited activity, Panther River west of Mountain intensity of Lodge to examine the found a staggering We development. level of expansion on the four A Recreational Leases ( Tourism southern bank, where along the river’s services ranging from businesses offer trail riding to whitewater rafting. parking, and horse boarding – all on public land and regardless of season. Panther exemplified by the backcountry, behind River case, is happening largely closed doors. In 2006, many others, expressed objections to the expansion of one of the Panther River the applicant leases. Despite the outcry, was quietly granted the expansion in early 2007 without those who objected being notified. In several other instances where leases, SRD ignored our objections and did not inform us of the process or the final decisions. following the visit to Panther River, A Morton. Ted received no response to either letter. learn more about the oft-hidden To development of In late November, after members of the In late November, contacted surrounding community Sustainable Resource Development (SRD), originated from the older miscellaneous leases created to meet the need of trail riding outfits to have a seasonal base camp with temporary fences to corral horses. Far from the original wooden fences dismantled at the end of the season, Panther River leaseholders seem to have free rein to build any number of permanent structures with concrete foundations and adjacent year- They also now offer amenities. round services such as lodging, R Action is working A W A lberta’s surface water Alberta’s — Carolyn Campbell — Carolyn s e d a t p key element of our planning U To support this goal, support To are hoping that local and We A Headwaters Workshop, Fall 2008 Workshop, Headwaters Most of southern the Rocky out of originates from runoff not only for Mountains. It is crucial, but for human healthy aquatic ecosystems the best possible health, that we place to maintain protection at the headwaters and quantity. healthy water quality organizations with other non-government from several and representatives government provincial and federal a science and departments to organize policy workshop called “Our Place in the Headwaters: Managing the Commons.” It will take place in early November 2008 The focus will be on the in Cochrane. North and South Saskatchewan River watersheds. provincial government decision makers, industry players, and media will attend, as well as those involved in watershed management and stewardship. Our objective is to raise awareness of groundwater and surface water interactions in the headwaters and how various human these water flows. Just activities affect as important, the workshop will link the scientific information presented to policy and management choices for our communities. includes a Next Steps/Legacy are committed to We Committee. concrete follow-up actions arising from the workshop to increase the uptake of the ideas presented. Legacy actions that we are considering include capacity building and outreach on applying best management practices, a fund for practical infrastructure projects, and a manual or “toolbox” to showcase best will keep We practices and policies. members informed of this important work.

A W A Athabasca Athabasca Act has been — Joyce Hildebrand — Joyce Hildebrand — Carolyn Campbell — Carolyn Canada Wildlife Act for Canada Wildlife without a permit. The case without a permit. A The hearings will begin just six days The hearings will begin Based on this research, the petition The mission of the Keepers of the

Athabasca River downstream from federal authorities remain of the view, of the view, remain authorities federal 26, 2007, letter of July in our as stated to the including responses that the EIS Requests] Information [Supplementary do not adequately address submitted [Panel’s] set out in the the requirements Guidelines. appearance third court after EnCana’s of to a charge on March 4, 2008 related violating the a section of pipeline allegedly installing in the NW twice, on December has been adjourned 17. 6, 2007 and on January General about Auditor Petition to Pollution Athabasca River On January 7, 2008, Peter Cyprien of Athabasca Chipewyan First Nations, a member of Keepers of the Alliance, filed a petition with the federal The petition notes Auditor General. the high incidence of rare cancers and autoimmune diseases in Fort Chipewyan John O’Connor reported by physician Dr. and summarizes a recent scientific study on water and sediment quality in the Fort Kevin Chipewyan area by ecologist Dr. Timoney. calls on the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada to investigate whether the federal Fisheries contravened by the contamination of species, and sediments in aquatic water, the Fort McMurray and throughout Lake The petition also demands Athabasca. that Health Canada thoroughly research human exposure to contaminants from drinking surface water or consuming fish and wildlife in the vicinity of Lake Athabasca and the lower River. Athabasca is to unite the peoples of the to Watershed Athabasca River and Lake secure and protect water and watershed lands for ecological, social, cultural, and community health and well-being. supports the efforts of the Keepers and supports the efforts will keep our members informed of their activities. Area

A is part . The A. Area, A W A ssessment and Assessment — Chris Wearmouth Agency website states that Area, including the 1,275 wells A) was established in 2003, “the The hearings are open to the public The Canadian Environmental Impact Environmental EnCana’s social, and environmental effects clearly clearly effects and environmental social, benefits. project’s the outweighed public hearing will be called but at will be called public hearing been writing no date has the time of the project’s obtain copies of To set. Impact Environmental visit www.canhydro. other documents, com/projects/dunvegan. Drilling EnCana’s Public Hearings for Area Wildlife Plan in Suffield National Joint Review The federal-provincial Panel (JRP), established in November effects 2006 to assess the environmental proposed drilling project of EnCana’s Wildlife in the Suffield National public hearings has set the dates for The hearings will begin into the project. in Calgary on March 10, 2008 and in Medicine Hat on March 25. of a coalition of groups jointly opposing any further drilling in Suffield National Wildlife application. proposed in EnCana’s – anyone who would like to observe To and/or provide input may do so. register to make an oral presentation and/or to file a written submission, Secretariat, (613) Davis, JRP contact Jeff 948-1362, comments@SuffieldReview. The deadline for written submissions ca. and registration is February 18. For information about hearing procedures and submission criteria, go to the Joint Review Panel website: suffieldreview.ca. Assessment Wildlife when the Suffield National (NW site was recognized as having nationally significant environmental features which include the unique contiguous block of native prairie, sensitive dune habitat and a high density of species at risk.” Sixteen federal species at risk have been documented within the NW environmental coalition believes that it is inappropriate to even consider allowing this level of intrusion in this nationally protected area of relatively undisturbed most native prairie, one of the world’s threatened ecosystems. Statement (EIS), released in May 2007, elicited a flood of responses, many of In a which revealed its inadequacy. December 13, 2007 letter to the Panel, the Department of Justice says that “the lberta. The Alberta. is opposed to this A rea is unknown.” In Area is unknown.” — Carolyn Campbell — Carolyn W A The Peace River is one of the most Run-of-the-river hydroelectric The project was denied in 2003 by

project involves building a 12-metre-high project involves building weir across the river two km upstream from Dunvegan Provincial Park on The weir will raise the water Highway 2. level six and a half metres, creating a headpond that will run for 26 km upstream and flood between 106 and 215 ha of land, depending on the fluctuations of the river. diverse and productive river valleys in Parkland and Boreal Forest Canada’s Natural Regions. It is a nationally significant waterway that supplies water to the Peace-Athabasca Delta, one of the freshwater deltas in the world. largest The river valley provides key habitat for elk, and birds of prey such moose, bear, as golden eagles. projects are often presented as a low- While they source. impact green energy allow for normal river flow rates and do not involve flooding an extensive area they do have potentially for a reservoir, serious environmental impacts. Of primary concern is how the project will While local fish populations. the affect Glacier is planning to build ramps and bypasses, and to use “fish friendly” application states turbines, the project’s there will be a “significant adverse The the local population. on effect” possible introduction of invasive plant species to the valley is also a concern. Furthermore, the project could set a precedent for similar developments along resulting in further loss the Peace River, of wilderness. development. the EUB and NRCB when the joint panel decided the cumulative economic, wetland consultation workbook published published workbook consultation wetland rate of wetland “the 2007, in September Green loss in the February 2008 the Council will consider the Council will February 2008 Wetlands its from draft recommendations Team. Policy Project Project Run-of-the-River the Peace Threatens has reapplied to the Glacier Power Ltd. Board Natural Resources Conservation Board and Utilities and the Energy Resources (EUB), now the Energy Conservation Board, to build a run-of- facility on the the-river hydroelectric Peace River in northwest

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it is precisely the intact groundwater- charged wetlands that provide the 6,738 ha, largely 6,738 ha, largely due to the fact that significant portions of non- productive Class 4 and 5 soils will be reclaimed to Class 3 soils.… Class 5 wetland areas will see a decrease of 2,785 ha.” a b o u t s e is also very concerned A W a v A W e While the Fort Hills project poses Please add your voice of concern a k prime wildlife habitat of the McClelland prime wildlife habitat of the McClelland watershed today. the greatest threat to the McClelland watershed, about drilling activity underway directly east of McClelland Lake. Synenco Inc. is conducting another winter Energy will core holes Twenty drilling season. be drilled on this lease, adding to the date, drilling To dozens already drilled. results on this eastern adjacent lease have not yielded evidence of high enough quality bitumen samples to proceed with mining plans. Even if this lease is road the main not developed, however, approved Northern supplying Synenco’s Lights mining project cuts through the The noise and northern part of the lease. pollution disturbance from travel to this site and the increased ease mining large of access to sensitive wetlands afforded by the road will increase pressure on the wetlands complex. about the future of these wetlands during There is no more this election season. likely time for those aspiring to political office to respond to public pressure: now is the time to make waves about Wetlands. McClelland Lake and M t o e i m T – r i n g ee Area Extents outlines t l a n d s e n g i n E W P, a Schedule Farther on in the CCRP, From a wetlands preservation sacrificed for it. of Reclaimed a fantasized timeline of reclamation activity for the 18,900-ha project. and Starting between the years 2011 2020, reclamation unfolds efficiently in the alternate universe of this schedule: at no time will there be a net disturbance of more than 6,300 ha, it claims. By the year 2085, 77 years from now – as far from 2007 as was the year 1930 – the schedule concludes with a tidy “zero” net The hectares disturbed: all is reclaimed. note immediately below this Schedule advises: “The accuracy of the estimated disturbance area in the first ten years of bitumen production may be higher than the periods following. Net disturbance calculations through the life of the mine Translated, are thus subject to change.” this schedule is sheer guesswork. perspective, a noxious principle guiding this reclamation plan is that of “reclaiming land to an equivalent envisages The CCRP capability.” an engineered utopia after the year 2084 where constructed flood plains, constructed wetlands, and four constructed lakes replace the natural watersheds. “The total area that will be productive for forestry… will increase by l l a n d e l C c a n t a s y l a n d M By Carolyn Campbell, AWA Conservation Specialist Conservation AWA Campbell, By Carolyn F lberta Energy Alberta Energy

Alberta Sustainable

iver. Significant Athabasca River. cClelland Lake and Wetlands Wetlands cClelland Lake and 90 km Complex is located just north of Fort McMurray,

In the past months, activities of two The Fort Hills Oil Sands Project, An important indication of the M east of the features, plant for its patterned fen migratory bird habitat and biodiversity, peat wetlands, in its groundwater-charged was protected Wetlands McClelland by a 1996 Integrated Resource Plan for in 2002 this plan the area. However, was amended by Resource Development with minimal public consultation or environmental impact review to allow open-pit oil sands mining. major oil sands leaseholders – Petro- Canada to the west and Synenco to the east – are cause for heightened concern future. Wetlands’ about McClelland now owned by Petro-Canada, UTS, and Cominco, was given Teck and Utilities Board (EUB) approval in 2002 to mine the southwestern half of the wetlands, putting the lake and entire northeastward-draining watershed at The proviso to this approval is that risk. a Sustainability Committee is required to develop a management strategy to portion of the sustain the unmined eastern wetland. strategy that will be proposed has been revealed. In September 2007 Petro- Canada released its 2007 “Closure, Conservation and Reclamation Plan” This (CCRP) for the Fort Hills project. was a requirement of project approval. section mining schedule The CCRP’s confirms that the south mining portion and in the year will open first, in 2011, 2021, mining operations will shift to the north mine area – where the McClelland Lake watershed will be affected. the north mine area is Interestingly, described as that part of the project where costs are highest and oil sands grade is lowest, begging the question why significant boreal peatlands are being

A Alberta Alberta Len Mitzel Alberta mayors, year later, on January year later, A

Alliance of Southeastern April 2006 – proposed o s a l p On January 10, 2007, Mitzel led an Border crossings are a federal r o , January 2007). In winter, winter, Magazine, January 2007). In into southeastern pronghorns migrate Some of the Alberta in huge numbers. considered for the possible routes being go through new Highway 41 corridor habitat, with critical wintering pronghorn including great potential for disturbance, road mortality. and State Support Provincial Cypress-Medicine Hat MLA legislature in to “promote the use of Highway 41, up to and including Highway 63, from as an to Fort McMurray, Wildhorse alternate north-south transportation The bi- corridor from the United States.” Horse Border Wild national 14-member Committee was struck in November 2006 with the mandate to promote the crossing. Co- Horse Wild 24-hour chaired by former Mayor of Medicine and Havre Mayor Bob Vallely Hat Garth Rice, the Committee includes Mitzel, several southeastern and representatives from the Chamber of Commerce, the Palliser Economic Partnership, and the Economic Development Alberta. Alberta delegation to Montana to attend a Transportation hearing of the state House Committee and voice support for the 24-hour crossing bill that was before the The delegation House of Representatives. Citizenship of Minister Canada’s included and Immigration, Monte Solberg. has spent considerable energy pushing pushing has spent considerable energy the crossing/corridor proposal forward over the last few years. His Motion 506 – passed unanimously in the month later, the bill was approved by the the bill was approved month later, Montana Senate. Texas arrived in 17, 2008, officials from Medicine Hat to promote the crossing/ corridor proposal. and the U.S. Customs issue, however, and Border Protection division of the Department of Homeland Security has reportedly said “that the number of P a y hw i g

e H Smithsonian r a i r i u r r a y P e M c lberta as “may be at risk” due risk” at be “may as Alberta a t i v M N Alberta Species at Risk Report #76; “Many of these species are sensitive Species like mule deer and pronghorn o r t o r number of reports on rattlesnakes have f The consequences of 24-hour heavy truck traffic would greatly impact this species, as well as the many other species at risk who rely on this area, such as sage grouse, and the mountain plover, burrowing owl. and increased traffic to human activity, will result in increased mortality of species at risk as well as alienation of habitat for many wildlife species,” says the only The swift fox isn’t Wallis. animal that often meets its end under the The prairie rattlesnake wheels of a truck. in listed is to accumulated anecdotal evidence that the species is declining in the province. A listed mortality associated with roads as a current threat to the provincial population (e.g., Status Report #6). Wildlife Alberta would also be impacted if this proposal were approved. Recent research has revealed that pronghorn migrations are much more extensive than previously thought, and that migration is getting more difficult every year due to land development that is putting obstacles such as major roadways in the path of migration corridors (

s ew U.S.–F N ew a d By Joyce Hildebrand, AWA Conservation Specialist Conservation AWA Hildebrand, By Joyce N B lberta. The Alberta. America,” says About 80 percent

proposal to open the Wild Horse Wild proposal to open the 24-hour border crossing for a north-south service and expand

Vice-President Cliff Wallis. “If the “If the Wallis. Cliff Vice-President A “The Cypress Hills-Sage Creek area lberta’s species at risk are located in Alberta’s

W A transportation corridor along the eastern transportation corridor would have border of the province effects dramatic negative environmental of on the southeast corner Potential Effects on Wildlife Potential Effects on One of the many species at risk that would not welcome 24-hour traffic is the swift fox. Extirpated from Canada by 1938, this species was reintroduced in the 1980s, but the population remains small and the species is listed as “endangered” The area around Highway in Canada. 41 South is prime swift fox habitat, and Conservation World according to the Union (IUCN) status survey and conservation action plan, “Collisions with automobiles are a significant mortality factor for young animals [swift foxes] in some landscapes.” But swift foxes Wild forage mainly at night, and with the Horse crossing currently closed during the hours of darkness and night traffic on Highway 41 virtually non-existent, they are relatively safe at the moment. proposal includes expanding Highway proposal includes expanding 41, which extends from the U.S. border to just south of Lac La Biche, into a major corridor that would link the U.S. and Fort McMurray in order to transport heavy equipment to the tar sands via a route other than the existing corridor through the Coutts border crossing. is internationally significant as one of and least disturbed blocks the largest of mixed grassland on the northern glaciated plains of North A proposal is approved, this landscape will environmental impacts, with the suffer local communities receiving minimal or zero economic benefit.” of the southeast corner of the province – this concentrations of is one of the largest species at risk in Canada.

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lberta’s Alberta’s ear Address Albertans . Wallis C. Harry Chase, Shadow Minister encourages you to express your Albertans. “Logical north-south A W Hills Provincial Park southwest of Medicine Hat to meet current highway standards and to ensure traffic safety and operation Help facilitate a 24-hour port-of- Horse Border Wild entry at the Crossing on Highway 41, at the Alberta-Montana border south of Medicine Hat Alberta released its “20-Y A • Cypress at 41 Highway reconstruct • On January 29, 2008, the Government of Strategic Capital Plan to lberta’s Infrastructure Needs.” Infrastructure Alberta’s Plans and Among the “Medium-Term Priorities” are the following: 24-hour heavy truck traffic would be 24-hour heavy truck phenomenally expensive. need to consider whether they want their taxes to pay for infrastructure that may benefit a small minority and will irreversible environmental have large, and social costs. If nothing else, we must demand a full economic analysis, including the costs to prairie ecosystems and wildlife, the local communities, and average transportation routes already exist via the Coutts/Sweetgrass border crossing within less sensitive landscapes,” “These should be Wallis. Cliff argues emphasized rather than increasing traffic and disturbance within environmentally significant areas.” to Write views on the proposal. MP; MLA Transportation; for Infrastructure and and federal Minister of Public Safety Stockwell Day. Minister of Infrastructure; your MLA Alberta develops that feasibility studies for A W December 2006 Medicine Hat A Discussion with the Minister of There has been talk of a variety A Upgrading the roadways in this The swift fox is one of the many species at risk that will suffer increased mortality if increased of the many species at risk that will suffer The swift fox is one a major truck corridor to the oil sands. Highway 41 becomes in Montana, emphasized “the need for a in Montana, emphasized second 24-hour port as The project requires its Oil Sands region. heavy machinery to cross the border” , November (Helena Independent Record of 6, 2007). Obviously the primary intent the proposal is to accommodate a large increase in heavy truck traffic. has Transportation Infrastructure and already taken place. Jerry Lau, an Alberta Infrastructure planning engineer, told upgrading and realigning Highway 41 are in process: “If the port becomes 24 would look to see what kinds of we hour, upgrades are necessary.” of possible routes for the new north- using Highway 41 in south corridor, in conjunction with other less used roads the area, including Highway 501 and the This (see map). Trail White Black and would prevent trucks from having to go over the Cypress Hills. Chamber of Commerce article waxes enthusiastic about the corridor/crossing proposal, “with a focus on heavy truck traffic shipping oil and gas supplies The smaller rural north to the oil sands.” communities in the area may have a very does the prospect of perspective: different 24-hour heavy truck traffic through their previously quiet communities fill them with enthusiasm for the project? Even if only half of the 2,000 trucks per day that go through the existing 24-hour crossing at Coutts decided to use the new route, quality of life for both human and non- human communities would be eroded. corner of the province to accommodate

A , AMT that A interviewed W Association A A W Agenda). A

A Havre Daily News Havre April 10, 2006; an increase in traffic an increase Alberta Chamber of spoke with Mitzel, he A W , ” (Hansard Alberta” (AMT A A) to provide “further insight into that the Committee will be meeting will be meeting that the Committee A The Committee is also lobbying The Committee is also According to the lberta Motor Transport Transport Alberta Motor W (AMT the business case to support a 2nd North- South Corridor 24 hour Border Crossing within Mitzel he was presenting the proposal’s Mitzel he was presenting the proposal’s merits to truckers: he spoke at the January 17, 2008 monthly meeting of the insisted that “there would be no need to insisted that “there would be no need to upgrade at all” because semis already The current highway, use the highway. was not built to accommodate however, the amount of truck traffic that is expected to use this corridor should the proposal be approved, and more truck traffic is exactly what the proposal is about. On the same day Another Oil Sands Highway Another When Minister Day has conveyed in a letter to the Committee that his department is considering a review of the proposal. with Homeland Security later this spring. Security later with Homeland Public Safety Minister, Canada’s whose department Stockwell Day, crossings. is responsible for border According to the “The minister’s Commerce website, a lack of resources first response noted but a subsequent to address the issue, to working letter opened the door towards the with the regional director goal.” Mayor Boucher told vehicles using the port doesn’t justify any justify any the port doesn’t using vehicles News , Daily Havre ( hours” the in changes Horse Wild 5, 2007). But the November is pushing forward: Border Committee Hat Mayor Boucher informed Medicine A “The [Wild Horse Border] committee “The [Wild also wants to change the port, now open to commercial traffic only by permit, to commercial status, which would allow trucks to cross at the port without needing a special permit” (November when he Tester, 5, 2007). Senator Jon introduced the new crossing legislation represents all sectors of the highway including transportation industry, truckers. Furthermore, when Mitzel presented his Motion to the legislature in 2006, he stated: “Highway 41 has relatively low traffic volumes and can therefore support wide, and slow-moving by these heavy, vehicles emphasis added).

members in the c t A e W A r o t P t o

The individual participants, whose The individual survey shows that by n t e area. names were not required in the survey, came from a wide background, ranging from those on their first trip to those having spent more than 50 years in They represented many the area. user groups from motorized different recreation to climbing. Likewise, the contacted represented organizations interests, including recreation different clubs, hunting, and equestrian outfitters, as well as campgrounds, lodges, and outdoor education groups. In total, 158 individuals and 22 organizations representing groups ranging in size from a single operator to more than 9,000 members responded to the survey. group of users believe the far the largest priorities for the Bighorn are pristine wilderness and fish and wildlife habitat. also Echoing this opinion, organizations ranked these priorities as being in the top three, adding as their number one priority as a source of clean importance the area’s has the opportunity “This valley water. to become a prototype for land use/water planning if done in the near future,” for a wilderness or backcountry for a wilderness or backcountry to September experience. From May was conducted of 2007, the survey solicitation at through on-the-ground and other gathering campgrounds, trails, the area. places for people enjoying by mailouts to This was complemented and organizations m e i g h o r n B a n a g f o r

M r e ighorn area east of the Wildland Park must Wildland The adjacent Bighorn area east of the t t i s i o n e began conducting A V B W s A k s e ee S a l u ighorn area contains wilderness that must be given Wildland Park Wildland The Bighorn area contains wilderness that must be given designation according to the boundaries delineated in 1986 by Minister Don the security of the Bighorn’s Protection must ensure, in perpetuity, Sparrow. Park status must preclude Wildland wild land, wildlife, and wild waters. motorized access. be managed to the highest standards of practice by all who use the area including industry and recreationists. AWA’ r s Following the designation of the e V s C.Wearmouth AWA volunteer Stephanie Whitehead AWA surveys a couple enjoying the Bighorn. (FLUZ) and the naming of the “Bighorn Each of these six FLUZs Backcountry.” covers a specific geographic location and comes with its own regulations and is The name itself permissible activities. merely a convenient moniker and does not provide protected area status. FLUZ system, trail monitoring research in the long before we Bighorn area. It wasn’t recognized the need for an informed body of knowledge about the area’s primary users – recreationists looking s s e U 2 r n e o r n h i l d i g lberta’s Alberta’s Alberta, lberta’s Alberta’s By Chris Wearmouth, Conservation Specialist Conservation Wearmouth, By Chris B W , which included lberta Wilderness Wilderness Alberta lbertans’ values and Albertans’ ) surveyed individuals A) surveyed individuals W Albertans while the 7,000 km ackcountry recreationists are ackcountry recreationists to hoping for better management wilderness of protect the pristine

The wilderness character of the Last summer, Last summer, “Unless the regulators make a serious The area presently maintains its

Eastern Slopes Policy extensive public consultation. Its numerous rivers bring water to more than a million Canada and the World,” wrote David World,” Canada and the Tours, Canoe Waters Wandering Hatto of which operates heritage canoe trips and winter adventures in the Bighorn. Bighorn and its importance to watersheds has long been recognized by just the people of this province. Lying National Parks, and Jasper east of Banff much of the Bighorn was designated as Wildlife Prime Protection and Critical Zones in the Government of ighorn, according to a recent survey the Bighorn, according to of users in the area. Association (A Bighorn active in the and organizations to find out where concerns lie when it comes to enjoying this magnificent mountain and foothills region in the west-central part of our The survey results show that province. almost half of the individuals and a third believe that the of the organizations most important goal for the future of the Bighorn is protection of its natural, wild Management issues topped character. list of current and future the participants’ topics to be addressed, followed by issues of access, including access by motorized recreationists. to protect the Bighorn, it will effort be lost as a valuable asset for

of surrounding lands provide extensive and relatively intact habitat for mountain and foothills wildlife. ecological integrity primarily because of a lack of development and an absence of roads. In 2002 a new management strategy was implemented with the designation of six Forest Land Use Zones B

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, available at And as one respondent said, “Once The complete survey report, Wild Lands August 2007 issue of the Wild protection were eventually replaced by the current FLUZ system. It is our hope that this survey will be part of the process that will lead to the belated fulfillment of The future of the Bighorn this promise. depends on many longstanding policy challenges that need to be resolved by Albertans. If not confronted, these issues will continue to slide and we could lose great wilderness one of our province’s areas. it is gone, it will be gone forever.” “Recreational User Perceptions of the Bighorn,” is available on our website. For an in-depth look at the Bighorn, read the Advocate AlbertaWilderness.ca. www. believes that this would be best A In fact, an equivalent protected area W Map of the Bighorn showing the boundary of AWA’s Area of Concern and locations of Concern and Area AWA’s of Map of the Bighorn showing the boundary of the on-the-ground survey of the on-the-ground those who are active in the Bighorn want the area to be managed for wilderness and conservation values. A Wildland done through the creation of a Provincial Park with boundaries that follow the general outline of the Prime Zones. Wildlife Protection and Critical the addition of an appropriately With administered transition zone to the east of the proposed park, the interests of motorized recreationists and industry could be balanced in the Bighorn with the priorities identified in the survey. was promised by the Government of Alberta in 1986. Officials went so far as to identify the area on government maps, but the legislation was never put in place to fully protect the area; the plans for As ’s Bighorn ’s A W A , we reported Area is increasing. It is highly ’s vision for the Bighorn vision for the ’s s the results show, many of As the results show, A W lberta government, the Bighorn is Alberta government, However, a proportion of those However, While there are hopes of balancing A t the top of the list for changes that the list for changes At the top of as important Other issues identified Second to management was a concern In the December 2007 issue of the traffic monitoring project: the volume of traffic monitoring project: the volume traffic and illegal activity along the trail system near the Hummingbird Forest Recreation questionable whether this intensive use questionable whether this intensive use by high-impact recreation is suitable for an area that has been designated Prime the for drainage the houses and Protection one of the major tributaries of Ram River, the North Saskatchewan River. surveyed felt that wilderness values have to be balanced with allowing access to the area for all user groups. One individual noted that “things always get better when there is a need or want to use users should be them,” adding that OHV included in the future of the Bighorn. wilderness values with access, and voices in favour of motorized recreation within the Bighorn, most who provided their views on the subject saw the need for or limited in use to be prohibited OHV order to protect the natural character of the area. is supported by the outcome of this survey. wrote Jeff Wilson, owner/operator of owner/operator Wilson, Jeff wrote adventure a local Ventures, Klondike tourism company. to see in the Bighorn now people wish managing future is the issue of and in the priorities. “Wake for these effectively up, wrote one a world-class destination,” any other country survey participant. “In would or province, the Government for sustainable invest in, and manage uses, a jewel like this.” are more under “management” the creation of a enforcement of rules, improved trail management plan, and management. among individuals and organizations about access to the area, most often in regards to motor vehicles including vehicles (OHVs). off-highway another respondent wrote, “I wish our government would have the vision to see that motorized vehicle use is going to eventually destroy the wildness of this area.” Advocate Lands Wild findings of this year’s 36% 16% Alberta Total Cover Total 0 ). 8% Litter About 20 years 0 1% Lichen e 0 a s t l 5% Although soil development is Scree was highest on the disturbed Scree was highest on Clubmoss C lacking on the disturbed site, the very coarse substrate may reduce erosion while providing safe sites for plants to become established. (sub-plots) were collected for both the (sub-plots) were collected The data control. disturbed area and the and summarized were then categorized rock and bare as follows: scree (includes including ground); forbs; graminoids, smooth brome, Idaho fescue, northern and Scribner’s rough fescue, sedges, ); scribneri wheatgrass (Agropyron lichen; and litter. shrubs; club-moss; site (84% versus 57% for the control site) while total cover on the control site was 35% versus 16% for the disturbed plants on the Two 1). site (Table Natural Heritage Information Centre (ANHIC) list of rare plants were observed on the study area: Scribner’s wheatgrass and alpine townsendia condensata (Townsendia after the truck trail on Prairie Bluff was abandoned, the disturbed area is revegetating naturally without any human This shows that, given time and inputs. in the absence of non-native plants, narrow linear disturbances will revegetate systems are alpine Fortunately, naturally. still relatively pristine because conditions there are too harsh for non-native plants. Global warming could change that, restoration projects in Future however. the alpine may require inputs of resources to promote recovery of native species while controlling invasive species. the support of appreciates AWA we Shell Canada for the research on conducting in the Castle area are reclamation. he 1% 4% t

Shrubs i n s s 2% 4% e Graminoids u c c S 13% 21% Forbs 57% 84% Scree series of step point transects (linear c l a m a t i o n Of the six grass species seeded on the Of the six grass species grasses, canopy cover including Total A e Site Control luff alpine site Ground cover values on the Prairie Bluff Disturbed

within each quadrat was estimated using within each quadrat cover classes. the fine (non-native) disturbed sites, only hard fescue) were fescues (sheep and area (apparently observed on the study the alpine bluegrass the wheatgrasses and Canopy cover of fine failed to establish). on the fertilized fescues was 7% higher seed-only site (19% site compared to the versus 12%) and 15% higher compared to the undisturbed site (19% versus 4%). The higher cover of fine fescues on the fertilized site may be a result of the fertilizer treatment or it could be from other factors such as degree of exposure, amount of moisture, and relative amount of disturbance. forbs, shrubs, sedges, and club-moss cover was also higher on the fertilized site (36% versus 21%), but again it could be environmental rather than treatment factors. Rough fescue and Idaho fescue were the only fescues observed on the undisturbed site, with the highest total canopy cover at 41%. Treatments Alpine Site with No The portion of the old truck trail above the well site was abandoned in the late 1980s and allowed to revegetate It has since received some naturally. hiker and horse use, as well as occasional motorbike use violating the access The substrate both on management plan. the old trail and on adjacent undisturbed areas is mainly scree and cobbles. Most of the study area of about 1,500 m in length is exposed to the harsh, windy alpine conditions on Prairie Bluff. plots) were walked both on the old trail and on transects running parallel to the trail (control). Four hundred data points R , June v a l u a t i n g By Reg Ernst E Advocate Wild Lands Wild quadrats) for each transect. 2 he old truck trail under examination starts in the lower subalpine, winds through the Since the seeding, no monitoring Canopy cover for each species occurring 2006). During public hearings in 1987, 2006). During public some of Shell committed to revegetating to the well adjacent the disturbed areas sites, including an old truck trail that had been used to service a communications tower on Prairie Bluff peak. Reclamation of this trail was completed in July 1991. Botanist Reg Ernst conducted research to determine the success rate of AWA with the reclamation. T Twenty years ago, Shell Canada years ago, Shell Canada Twenty to drill for gas in the announced its plans top of Prairie Zone on Prime Protection of southwestern Bluff in the Castle region Alberta (see Subalpine Site with Treatments Subalpine Site with Five 30 m linear plots (transects) were surveyed for each of the three sites (two treatment sites plus an adjacent undisturbed site) and cover data were collected from ten 20 cm x 50 cm plots (0.10 m upper subalpine past Waterton #52 Waterton upper subalpine past well site, and terminates in the alpine peak. In area on top of Prairie Bluff the upper subalpine, the trail splits into two separate, parallel disturbances The alpine portion above the (braids). well site received no active reclamation treatments. Both portions of the trail in Waterton the upper subalpine (adjacent to #52) were seeded with 40 lbs/acre of a grass mixture, including two non-native fescues, three native wheatgrasses, and The west braid native alpine bluegrass. also received 200 lb/acre of fertilizer. This has been done to evaluate success. article summarizes the results of field sampling done in 2007 to evaluate the success of this seeding project completed in 1991, and compares reclamation to the natural revegetation of the nearby linear disturbance in the alpine on Prairie Bluff.

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W W 24 e pa r t m e n t s D WLA February 2008 • Vol. 16,16No. No. 11 25 Association) asked just At 300 yards you look a lot like — Neil MacLaine, Bragg Creek N. Douglas When Bill Newton (South Porcupine we share the same objectives and are infuriated by the same transgressions. Like all agents of the Crown, some are approachable, and more more better, accommodating than others. But the rider, only way that a responsible hiker, or hunter can distinguish him or herself from the brainless variety is by making that, you are Without personal contact. likely to be viewed with suspicion and hostility. that guy who made a huge mess last year. As Usual Not an Option on Business the Eastern Slopes This letter is an edited version of a to a meeting on December 3, response 2007 at Chain Lakes between the Energy (EUB) and interested and Utilities Board stakeholders concerning a proposed for further oil and gas “pilot project” development along the Eastern Slopes. This pilot is universally unpopular amongst landowners and environmental was the EUB Tilleman William groups. chair at the time of the meeting. Tilleman, Dear Mr. Hills Stewardship who is meant by the public in “public interest” or Gordon Cartwright (Pekisko Group) spoke about the diametrically opposed perspectives of regenerative practices (ranching, food production) as against extractive (mining, oil and gas) or John Lawson (Livingstone Landowners’ Group) articulated the inanity of trying members A Wild Lands Wild W A stories chronicle the abuses of It is the leaseholder who will be Reconciling the interests of the I would encourage all Public lands along the South Saskatchewan River Public lands along the South Saskatchewan McLean Creek or Indian Graves on a long weekend. Indeed, many Advocate an unthinking public on a fragile land. Somebody must decide what access is reasonable, and they must be close enough and care enough to enforce it. If who? not the leaseholder, rounding up livestock that escape through the gate left open, who must clean up the garbage from the people who couldn’t quite make it all the way to the dump, and who are left without pasturage when a carelessly tossed cigarette starts This is not a relationship of a grassfire. The non-leaseholder might equal risks. have to go elsewhere for recreation when confronted by a rude or inconsiderate on the The leaseholder, rancher. other hand, has his entire livelihood endangered by inconsiderate people accessing the land. “public,” which is populated by both sages and idiots, and my desire to preserve and protect land I hold dear is What is the answer? I tried no easy task. posting “Use Respect” signs by all gates The signs all giving access to my lease. by perhaps disappeared within a year, help but natural forces, although I can’t think that there are people who found the concept of using respect to be offensive. to think of the leaseholders as volunteer wardens who do it for love of the land and the small economic benefit from grazing livestock on it. In so many ways Wild Lands Wild Albertans enjoy Area of the province? r s e in most of their actions in most of their actions A t t W e A . I do, however, have a different have a different . I do, however, L I speak as someone who walks I speak as someone Public authorities have retained Even without accessing them If the leaseholders are not empowered and always enjoy reading the and always enjoy reading Advocate of Crown grazing opinion on the subject expressed in “Locked leases than the one Out” (October 2007). I hold a Crown both sides of the fence. also enjoy recreation grazing lease, and I access to other that leads me to seek leases. Some neighbours allow me access to their leases, while others do not. I’ll be honest. I am not happy about being denied access, but I think the rancher’s perspective on this issue needs some explanation. ownership of many resources while allocating certain privileges in exchange There is a long list for obligations. of “public” assets where some enjoy rights that the remaining 30 million or The authority entrusted with so don’t. public housing, public schools, and military bases, for example, may exclude activities they consider incompatible with that use. I am therefore not allowed unrestricted access to apartments in public housing projects or to army bases. for recreation, the public benefits Wildlife from agricultural leases. enjoys habitat that might otherwise be compromised. Fire hazard to neighbouring properties is reduced by the grazing of tall grass. high quality food at low cost, produced the Lastly, sustainably and locally. public benefits from the services of a custodian, who not only is required to maintain the land to a set standard, but is obligated to pay the province rent and the municipality property taxes. to exercise reasonable control of the lands under their care, who will be? it be conservation officers, who Will are already incapable of effectively policing the Green faith in the public’s Ms. Hildebrand’s wise and respectful use of the land might be shattered were she to visit Public Lands Access – A Rancher’s Rancher’s A Access – Public Lands Perspective I support Alberta, wildlife – Dan Onischuk, Edmonton tfield A Governments must better defend must better defend Governments our unbalancing of Nature, amend To is vanishing worldwide. It Wildlife © D. seek the healthiest animals, whereas whereas animals, the healthiest seek often weakest, kill the predators natural they diseased animals before taking out infect others. over wildlife conservation long-term economics and re-election short term concentrated in pandering to hunters must be willing to rural areas. Hunters to allow give up short-term pleasures to recover and be wildlife populations to ensure long-term scientifically studied Public healthy wildlife populations. provide lands managed by government that should not be wildlife habitat areas privatized. two every allowed be only should hunting or three years when wildlife populations (including predators) have recovered to seasons” would “Recovery levels. healthy enable animals to breed and mature so populations could recover to more balances. healthy natural predator-prey At the very least, across the province, hunting regions should be divided in half to give wildlife a local safe haven with Hunting safe access to food and water. for animal trophy heads, horns, or other body parts (bear gall bladders, pelts) should be banned. will be the eternal shame of government and irresponsible hunters that the few remaining stands of pristine wilderness and the wildlife therein are destroyed forever simply to kill because one is must We given a legal right to do so. ensure a positive future with abundant, healthy wildlife in their natural habitats. It is clear that if we leave hunting management to hunters and the Government of populations will continue to decline. Alberta, where the vast , December 2007) is a cleverly Respectfully, Phil Burpee We simply do not believe that your that do not believe simply We mandate. It’s Please embrace your Killing and removing wildlife illogical attempt to rationalize attempt worded but illogical hunting. Most opponents of hunting are so because of relentless overhunting that is not based on scientific population studies by independent third parties. The lack of funding for quality, independent research is inexcusable, especially in hands are tied. Go to your bosses and bosses and Go to your are tied. hands surely them what you must share with of the regulatory capacity The know. a sham, a hollow EUB has become to be as so meant was it of what reflection by EUB Information clearly articulated ever said any of this Letter 93-9. Nobody but there is nothing was going to be easy The extent easy about good stewardship. the interests of to which you disregard this land is directly those who most love to the success and inversely proportional than – none other venture of our universal beautiful and troubled our survival in this world. a worthy one. Reference was made last night to your having inherited a poison chalice. Get rid of the damn sick We’re it to us. offer thing. But don’t of swallowing all this bile. Protect? We What Should Lands Defend” (Wild We “What Shall Advocate wealth of oil and natural gas revenues easily enable governments to fund studies and apply high quality conservation should be alarmed by the We measures. massive lack of scientific information due to governments failing to properly fund their own biologists, other scientists, universities, and conservation groups to determine and assess wildlife populations, habitat conditions, and mortality issues. unbalances the natural predator-prey relationship, removes vital eco-system fertilization-pollination, introduces manmade chemicals into pristine eco- systems, and reduces the possibility of seeing wildlife alive in its natural habitat. Every prey animal killed by humans deprives a natural predator of essential food, while destroying predators prevents natural checks on wildlife prey populations. Hunting is no substitute for natural predators because humans And what a And how transparent! How can we make it any simpler? How can we make it When we look up the chain of Bill 46 has just about made people There’s a job to do, Energy Minister do, Energy a job to There’s Knight is saying, a Big One, which is sources getting the appropriate energy out into the marketplace where they can be accessed accordingly by the engines to do Clearly the thing of the economy. is get the wild card (aka the people of Alberta) out of the mix and get on with the job in the capable hands of the folks who know best, our betters uptown who have a much more professional and grown-up regard for how the world works. How patronizing! How sad! What a sorry state of affairs. troubling commentary on the state of our democracy. to slough off people’s concerns as being as being concerns people’s off to slough responses,” “emotional merely somehow made, a point was being a deeply rooted missed, and consistently point stubbornly by those willfully ignored, or perhaps industries in the hydrocarbon who govern this province. of are threatening the very lifeblood We Eastern Slopes of not only the southern increasingly the Rocky Mountains but planet itself. Surely the biosphere of the Surely of the day. prudence is the order understanding some more comprehensive of effects of the overall cumulative is called for, anticipated human activities is no longer even and “business as usual” a distant option. command of agricultural practices, especially those we refer to as sustainable or regenerative, we pass through the various levels of regulatory apparatus and legislative bodies and arrive, finally at the seat of Nature and absolutely, The capital investment that is itself. used as collateral for these activities is cyclical and governed by the rotating seasons and the capacity of the earth into food to process solar energies – a fantastic and marvellous thing. Increasingly we are realizing that by we jeopardize jeopardizing this capacity, the very foundation stone of our well- This is a fragile fabric that can be being. game torn in many ways. It is a fool’s those who express concern for to target this as being in any way “unrealistic.” Quite the opposite. Such people are being hyper-realistic. your boss who threw that That’s crazy. firecracker into the movie theatre. How contemptuous!

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D 26 e pa r t m e n t s D WLA February 2008 • Vol. 16,16No. No. 11 27 Alberta resulted tfield’s more memorable Atfield’s Atfield fell in love with the Atfield searching for more nature tfield A His move to southern Along with the joy of painting nature, When it comes right down to it, Another of from a visit with his daughter in Calgary from a visit with his daughter in Calgary in 1981. Like many who see them for the first time, Rocky Mountains. He decided to move out west permanently two years later so he could experience their majestic beauty and wonder on a regular basis. so often, but I’d TV “I’d seen them on I never been near any real mountains and The wildlife was really attracted to them. here is phenomenal compared to what I experienced back in southern Ontario.” Atfield also derives a great deal of satisfaction from helping other people connect with nature through his artwork. “People always ask me about the birds I’ve painted,” he says, “and I enjoy talking to them about that, explaining things to them.” though, the joy of experiencing the wild keeps love of that experience The to paint. continues to call to him, and even after 75 years, he never tires of answering that call. “The colours, the shapes, the wind and the sun, and the isolation of it, with all these wild creatures – I really love being outdoors, photographing them. It’s the height of living. I never tire of it.” back to eating berries. He was more back to eating berries. me.” interested in them than literally seeing the experiences involved “One view. world from a raptor’s-eye a golden eagle time, I climbed up into time, and got to nest, abandoned at the from up there.” see what it looked like golden eagles in the He has also observed nest from close proximity. © D. r t a Atfield found e l b A t o

tfield A One of his most memorable He also loves grizzly bears. When bears. He also loves grizzly After his sabbatical, r t i s t © D. wilderness experiences involved a berry- munching bear he met during a hike in Kananaskis. He started taking pictures, but almost had a close encounter of the ursine kind when the bear noticed he was not alone. “He started coming towards me. I began to back up and I tripped,” Atfield says. “I thought that was it. But the bear stopped when I fell, and believe it or not, I laughed a bit, and was able to get up and get out of there, and he went that the more he immersed himself in that the more he immersed he became painting, the more interested raptors. “I in painting birds, especially of falcons,” love the shape and symmetry many of those.” he says. “I’ve painted from Ontario to he retired and moved Alberta in 1983, he had the opportunity to see them in the wild and capture them he on film and in his paintings. Initially, had to overcome his fear of bears in the I had wild. “When I came out to Calgary, “But as soon as I he says. a bear-phobia,” started taking pictures of them, I realized They’ll leave what they’re really like. you alone most of the time.” That has changed, and he now sells both That has changed, and and those that commissioned paintings of his own choice. are based on subjects A fe i l d l i W w r a D s e

Atfield says. “I turned to

o c k i ver since he can remember, David ver since he can remember, Atfield was wandering around in the woods and fields, enjoying At that time, he did not sell many By John Geary By John R

That was when he decided to Atfield did not take much formal Other interests drew him away from E nature. The Magrath artist turned that nature. love of nature into artwork, also at a very early age. “I started drawing comics in Grade 3,” paintings; instead, he gave many away. painting when I was about 12.” concentrate on depicting the natural world. Growing up in Brantford, Ontario, he found he could relate to the birds and animals he encountered while enjoying his sojourns in nature. training, but he did rely extensively on books to learn about how to paint: how to paint wildlife. in particular, also he oils, in mainly works he Although paints with acrylics and watercolours. Because many of his paintings are very that oils work much better, he finds large, as some colours do not always come through as well in acrylics. He tends to do his smaller works, especially when the subject is small birds like chickadees, in watercolours. painting during his adolescence, but once he was married and working full time, he picked up his brushes and began to paint again. Artist David Atfield Artist David Alberta Sport, Adopt-a-Plant

Alberta is set to launch Alberta Sustainable lberta and one in southern Alberta and one in southern April 2008 and welcomes There is no fee to join the program There is no fee to join In its first three years, the program Adopt-a-Plant a s o n e and training is provided to volunteers and training is provided in a technical through their participation spring (one in workshop hosted each northern botanists and Alberta). Professional their time to resource managers donate and survey for train volunteers to identify to learn how to use their adopted species, to learn about field a GPS and maps, and safety methods. has received financial support from the Government of Canada Habitat Stewardship Program; Wildlife Recreation, Parks and Foundation; TD Friends of Resource Development; the Environment; and Shell Canada. The program also receives a tremendous amount of logistical support from professional botanists and resource managers, and from a wide variety of resource management agencies, and private conservation organizations, land stewardship organizations. again in René new and past volunteers. Dr. Belland, Chair of the Alberta Steering Committee, insists that “the program is open to anyone with a keen interest in native plants.” Since rare plants occur throughout Alberta, the program needs the support of individuals across the province. For more information or to join a mailing list to receive updates on when registration will begin and when/where training workshops will be held, please contact Kelley Kissner at (403) 313-3138 or by email at [email protected]. ca. Information is also available on the program website at www.ab.adoptaplant.ca. Kelley Kissner is the program Alberta. Adopt-a-Plant for coordinator by training, she has worked biologist A or at-risk on initiatives involving rare Alberta for the past eight species in years. Kelley lives and works in Calgary. S l d e i F i r d h K. Kissner T t s Alberta Natural I s he Several group field events occur Data collected by volunteers a u n c lberta’s plants and animals. Here plants and Alberta’s at locations where it has been previously at locations where it has been previously a volunteer recorded. Robert Grey, has been with from Fort McMurray, the program since 2006. “The main satisfaction I get in doing all this,” he program says, “is being part of a large aimed at preserving the biodiversity of our natural world.” each summer to allow volunteers to assist resource management agencies, and private stewardship organizations, plant-species-at-risk recovery programs with specific conservation or habitat stewardship initiatives. In 2007 events included a rare plant survey of a Nature Conservancy of Canada property and population surveys of at-risk species, including western spiderwort, western blue flag, and tiny cryptanthe. are provided to the Heritage Information Centre (part of NatureServe), which stores information on the data are made available to resource managers for use in formal conservation status assessments, and to land users for flagging locations of rare plants in of order to mitigate potential effects developments. Professional botanist Dana Bush (centre) botanist Dana Bush (centre) Professional training volunteers at a technical April 2007. workshop in L r t a e l b Alberta, A Alberta Native Alberta but l a n t Alberta Species -P lbertans are keeping Albertans are keeping Adopt-a-Plant L. Matthias a - Alberta Natural Heritage t p d o

rom Medicine Hat to Fort rom Medicine Hat to McMurray, their eyes open for rare plants and their eyes open for rare

By Kelley Kissner By Kelley A The program was founded in 2005 “adopt” one or more Volunteers

a program that trains plant enthusiasts a program that trains observations of to identify and record the province. “I rare native plants in of it,” says Sharon loved every minute from Edmonton McGonigal, a volunteer who took part in a 2007 workshop. “I had my eyes opened to a whole new exciting world.” by professionals from the Plant Council, Information Centre, at Risk Program, Northern and Prairie Plant Diversity Centre, Federation of Alberta Naturalists, and an independent These individuals were lichenologist. number of concerned about the large plants considered rare in about which there was insufficient data of to determine whether they were at risk decline or loss. Until data are available, these species will receive little attention or protection. rare plants that occur close to their communities or in areas where they are likely to venture during the summer. They search for new locations of their adopted species or monitor the species F collecting information to help conserve collecting information These individuals biodiversity. Alberta’s are volunteers for Adopt-a-Plant volunteers counted western spiderwort plants in the Pakowki Lake Sand Hills near Medicine Hat in July 2007.

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A to

A W A A W has given W A A A W A As this event — Nigel Douglas — Christyann Olson hopes that school children, A W The student teachers presented the teachers presented The student program allows The MT A h our thinking, Martha’s presence and our thinking, Martha’s influence is well documented. information to a wide range of ages in information to a wide “I got schools. a number of different teaching in a the opportunity to practice settings, classroom variety of different says MT to Grade 9,” from Kindergarten The students’ student Jennifer Foisy. their teaching challenge was to adapt audiences different techniques to these learn some important while helping them concepts about watersheds. is proud to recognize Martha for all she has done and for the legacy she leaves to those who will carry on her work. In her honour, contact more children than our limited resources would otherwise allow; at the same time, it provides a valuable opportunity for student teachers to develop their teaching abilities with ages in a variety of children of different school settings. “By allowing me to plan and implement a lesson, me the opportunity to become a more says Foisy. confident teacher,” student teachers, and classroom teachers will benefit from these presentations for many years to come. has renamed our annual lecture the Annual Wilderness Martha Kostuch . Lecture and Wildlife always challenges our thinking and our actions, this is a fitting tribute for someone who has challenged all who know her. o s t u c

K A, they a W h lberta has Alberta A a r t office, learning A M W A N. Douglas While Martha’s health is failing, While Martha’s b r a t i n g e l e at a reception in Calgary. Some call her at a reception in Calgary. She is an eco-warrior; others, a mentor. phenomenal, inspirational, and there is no mind that she has been doubt in anyone’s a visionary and successful activist in a league of her own through the past four decades. her ability to inspire us and to challenge and to us to continue making a difference wild of vision our in tall stand She is a dear friend never been stronger. s we search and will be sorely missed. A Resource Wilderness the records in our Centre, reviewing the history and learning about the ideals that have shaped major role in AWA’s outreach and outreach AWA’s in major role education work. Masters of Teaching students play a Masters of Teaching became immersed in conservation. They conservation. became immersed in days of their 10-day spent the first two placements at the lberta’s Watersheds: The Source The Source Watersheds: about “Alberta’s remainder of their For the Water.” of our into groups and placements, they formed throughout Calgary traveled to schools area to deliver and the surrounding based on this classroom presentations theme. ut for their placements with But for their C s ew ’s ’s N A Annual W A ’s board was ’s A Armstrong W Richard Secord A s s o c i a t i o n in this year’s program had a in this year’s ’s involvement as a Community ’s A A A Files Vice-President, Cliff Wallis Cliff Vice-President, Vice-President, Vivian Pharis Vivian Vice-President, A W W nd st The 19 new student teachers hosted W A President, Heinz Unger President, Heinz Secretary/Treasurer, Jim Campbell Secretary/Treasurer, Past-President, Director, Frank Calder Director, Hyland Director, Owen McGoldrick Director, Ian Urquhart Director, A On February 2, 2008, we were thrilled to join with friends and colleagues to honour Martha Kostuch A 1

board Member Emeritus, Herb Kariel 2 AWA’s Board of Directors AWA’s 2007 At the November 17, General Meeting, members and The board elected. executive are the following: Placement organization in the program. in the program. Placement organization by wide variety of educational backgrounds, from kinesiology to music to drama. involvement in the University of (MT) Teaching Masters of Calgary’s program. Fall 2007 marked the ninth year of Teaching Masters of Mandate AWA’s Extends Since 1999, close to 20,000 school children have benefited from classroom presentations as part of members) A W

(403) 283-2025 1-866-313-0713 $20 per person (A $25 per person (non-members) N. douglas WINTER HIKE WINTER 23, 2008 February Saturday, Valley: Sheep River Hike Winter Guided A Nigel Douglas With the tend to do much less hiking in We much to but winter hiking has winter, a Snow-covered mountains offer offer. animal trails criss- spectacular backdrop; waiting for those cross the landscape, them. who know how to read west of Valley, The Sheep River corner of is a forgotten Valley, Turner but a stunning area, Kananaskis Country, us for a Join particularly in the winter. and a chance to make hike in the valley, the most of this spectacular time of year. No experience needed. Cost: Contact: Or register online: http://shop.albertawilderness.ca/ Pre-registration is required. Alberta building, raising April 8, 2008 ndrew’s enthusiasm for pulling enthusiasm Andrew’s A. Franke Tuesday, March 18, 2008 Tuesday, Fantastic Falcons Project the Peregrine With For the past few years, a breeding pair of peregrine falcons has lived atop a University of chicks under the eyes of three webcams and millions of online viewers. Every step in their life cycle is recorded, from the laying of eggs, to hatching, to feeding, to fledgling, to migration. Learn and history, more about the biology, success of these charismatic creatures from the project participants (the people, that is) at this interactive presentation. Tuesday, Bulldozers, Bio-Invasions, and Birdhouses Stiles Andrew With The explosion of non-native invasive plant species is turning the Calgary region into the heart of new Mongolia. challenges to the face profound We continued survival of the diversity of species we have enjoyed until now. What is the answer? Come for a look at how our landscape is changing and to be encouraged by the grassroots efforts underway in this province. But beware – weeds to give native species a hand up is infectious!

Assistant Professor of Office, A W 455 - 12 St. NW, Calgary 455 - 12 St. NW, 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. children $5 per adult, $1 for (403) 283-2025 1-866-313-0713 n t s e v E wright J. Tuesday, March 4, 2008 Tuesday, An Oil Sands Development: Unnecessary Evil Noel Keough Dr. With Our urban lifestyles and urban planning decisions drive oil sands development, Calgary so how can we organize and craft more fulfilling differently lifestyles so tar sands extraction can become an unnecessary evil? Join us for an informative and challenging evening as Noel Keough, Sustainable Design at the University of Calgary and Senior Researcher with leads us to Sustainable Calgary Society, some solutions. Tuesday, February 19, 2008 February 19, Tuesday, Letter A Conservation: Wolverine On a Naturalist to His Colleagues from Jonathan Wright With miss this unorthodox glimpse Don’t inside the world of a legendary and fascinating animal – and the scientists it. Jonathan who chase and fur-trappers singer- falconer, fur-trapper, Wright, fitness instructor… writer, songwriter, the list goes on… will also explore some interwoven solutions to what he sees as crises. social and conservation current our Time: Cost: Contact: Or register online: http://shop.albertawilderness.ca TUESDAY TALKS TUESDAY for all talks. is advised Pre-registration Location: A

e pa r t m e n t s WLA February 2008 • Vol. 16No. 1

D 30 e pa r t m e n t s D WLA February 2008 • Vol. 16,16No. No. 11 31 displays in A W lberta’s best-known best-known Alberta’s A lberta’s poor grades Alberta’s /Volunteer.htm. We’ll find We’ll A/Volunteer.htm. needs your help. If you’re feeling W A “There is no better place to be If you would like to help out with W various venues, or with some of our other initiatives, give us a call or fill in the volunteer form at albertawilderness. ca/A an opportunity to use your skills and interests. Wild, Alberta Keeping Time at a Volunteer One A a bit blue about in Environmental Stewardship 101, “engagement therapy” might be the way to climb out of the doldrums. Not only will you meet some great, like- a minded people – you’ll also be making difference. an environmentalist today than in Alberta!” declared during Kostuch, Martha environmentalist, the celebration in her honour on February 2. So why not get in on the excitement! Climb, the Tower events such as the or Talks, Tuesday s lberta’s Alberta’s Daniel’s Alberta and loved this province. Daniel’s April Alberta gems Annual Annual ssociation and Association offers sincere sympathy in the loss of Daniel Nicholson. sincere offers m o r i a m A e W as we

A A M W n uffalo Jump hike the badlands of Dry Island Buffalo Lake canoe the northern waters of McClelland backpack along the Continental Divide and explore many other A lberta’s endangered Alberta’s I family and friends have made donations in his memory to help make a toward preserving our earth and helping others appreciate its difference his family chose the following memory, In Daniel’s tremendous beauty. find the universal elements enough; to find quote by John Burroughs: “To the air and the water exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter; to be thrilled by the stars at night; to be elated over a bird’ Daniel Nicholson, father, partner, son, brother, and uncle, a loyal friend – son, brother, partner, Daniel Nicholson, father, 31, 2007. – passed away on December World and Champion of the Danny, Daniel lived in many parts of nest or a wildflower in spring – these are some of the rewards of the simple life.” • • • • In the past, posters and signs have In the past, posters The mural theme for this Join Watch our website – a full schedule will be available at the end of February! our website – a full schedule will be available at Watch Calgary Tower will host our annual Earth will host Tower Calgary with the 17th Day Celebration lberta Wilderness Wilderness Alberta Wilderness for and Run Climb Competition – Mural 2008 March 8, Saturday, and 6th Wilderness Climb for un for Wilderness on Saturday, on Saturday, Wilderness Run for than 1,200 This event has more 19, 2008. climbing the 802 participants of all ages Tower. stairs of the Calgary up the stairwell, but decorated the walls on some of began creating more permanent artwork in 2003, contestants personal we invite you to create your own This year, the staircase landings. time to get organized, of the remaining landings – it’s masterpiece on one and warm up your paint brushes. polish up your ideas, year is wildlife within its habitat. Full details and registration forms are available at our Climb and Run website: www.climbforwilderness.ca. Anticipating Summer Hikes Anticipating Summer in our wild places. hope you’re out enjoying the great winter opportunities We up in about the exciting weekly adventures coming forget But don’t wilderness this summer.

Learn about wilderness and wildlife in Alberta at one of the best Earth Day events in Canada!

celebrate wilderness! • climb the calgary tower • get your heart pumping • make new friends • have lots of fun

outstanding prizes & entertainment all day

race (1km Run & Climb) 8:00 am corporate team challenge 8:15 am public climb 8:30 am

register at climbforwilderness.ca or 403-283-2025

Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to:

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

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