DRAFT Bistcho Lake Sub-regional Plan
Classification: Public
Environment and Parks, Government of Alberta March 2021 Draft Bistcho Lake Sub-regional Plan
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Table of Contents
Part I: Introduction...... vi Purpose ...... vii Strategic Management Outcomes ...... vii Part II: Legislative and Policy Context for Sub-Regional Planning ...... vii Part III: A Balanced Approach ...... viii Integrated Land Management ...... viii Ecosystem-based Management ...... ix Adaptive Management ...... ix Boreal Woodland Caribou Recovery...... ix Managing Multi-species ...... x Part IV: The Sub-Regional Planning Area ...... xi Vision Statement ...... xiii Part V: Bistcho Lake Sub-Regional Plan ...... 1 1.0 Indigenous Land Uses ...... 1 1.1 Indigenous led initiatives...... 1 1.2 Long-term opportunities for traditional land-use and wildlife habitat ...... 2 1.3 Indigenous participation in land-use planning ...... 3 1.4 Approaches for Inclusion of Indigenous Perspectives and Values in the Bistcho Lake Sub-Region...... 4 2.0 Bistcho Lake Sub-Regional Access Management Plan ...... 4 2.1 Technical Design of the Access Management Plan ...... 6 2.2 Development of New Access ...... 11 2.3 Watercourse Crossings ...... 14 3.0 Energy and Mineral Activity ...... 14 3.1 Sales of New Crown Mineral Agreements ...... 14
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3.2 Petroleum and Natural Gas ...... 15 3.3 Metallic and Industrial Minerals ...... 16 4.0 Pipeline Development and Maintenance ...... 16 4.1 Pipeline Construction and Operations ...... 17 4.2 Pipeline Access Allowances ...... 18 5.0 Geophysical Exploration ...... 19 5.1 Requirements for Geophysical Activity within the Bistcho Lake Sub-Region ...... 19 6.0 Forestry ...... 20 6.1 Forest Harvesting Requirements ...... 22 7.0 Surface Material Extraction (Sand, Gravel, Borrow) ...... 25 7.1 Requirements for Surface Material Extraction (Sand, Gravel and borrow) activity within the Bistcho Lake Sub-Region ...... 26 8.0 Peat ...... 28 8.1 Requirements for Peat Extraction within the Bistcho Lake Sub-Region ...... 28 9.0 Transmission Lines ...... 30 9.1 Requirements for Transmission Line Activities within the Bistcho Lake Sub-Region 30 10.0 Tourism and Outdoor Recreation Activities ...... 31 10.1 Recreation and Tourism Requirements within the Bistcho Lake Sub-Region ...... 32 11.0 Natural Disturbance ...... 33 11.1 Wildfire ...... 33 11.2 Insects and pathogens (not including Pine Beetle) ...... 33 11.3 Mountain Pine Beetle ...... 34 12.0 Restoration of Legacy Seismic Lines ...... 34 13.0 Wildlife ...... 35 14.0 Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting ...... 36 14.1 Performance Indicators...... 36 15.0 Plan Review ...... 39 16.0 Glossary ...... 40
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Part I: Introduction The Government of Alberta (GoA) is committed to maintaining jobs, building local economies, and supporting strong communities, while ensuring the conservation and wise management of our public lands. An important part of government’s approach to managing public lands is the involvement of local Albertans – those who live, work and recreate on the landscape. This was key to informing the draft Bistcho Lake Sub-Regional plan, and will be important as engagement on the plan is completed.
As part of its commitment to achieving and maintaining naturally self-sustaining woodland caribou populations in 2019, the GoA established the Northwest Caribou Sub-Regional Task Force (Task Force) to develop recommendations that would inform the development of this sub-regional plan. Government initiated a sub-regional approach to caribou recovery because it ensures we consider and balance a broader range of interests and activities. The Task Force included representatives familiar with the Bistcho Lake sub-region, from local municipalities, Indigenous peoples and organizations, the energy and forestry sectors, trappers, recreational users, environmental non-government organizations, and other local stakeholders and knowledge holders. The Task Force recommendations were important to the development of management approaches that support naturally functioning ecosystems, including a wide range of species. In line with Task Force recommendations, and commitments under the Alberta-Canada Section 11 Conservation Agreement for Boreal Caribou under the Species at Risk Act, the plan includes a focus on the conservation and recovery of boreal woodland caribou habitat and populations.
Alberta’s land and resources support our economy, vibrant communities, and many subsistence, recreational and cultural opportunities, including Indigenous1 traditional land use and culture, and activities associated with the exercise of First Nations’ Treaty rights, as well as harvesting by recognized Métis harvesters. This sub-regional plan is meant to build on Alberta’s environmental leadership by providing clear guidance and direction to regulators, and enable a working landscape that supports economic opportunities now, and into the future. While this plan provides clarity for the regulatory system to enable efficient transparent decisions, it also demonstrates Alberta’s commitment to develop our resources while also supporting other land-uses and the variety of wildlife and ecosystems across the sub-region. The holistic approach to land and resource management will support healthy, resilient ecosystems capable of supporting Alberta’s economic, social, and environmental objectives for the Bistcho Lake sub-region.
1 For the purposes of this sub-regional plan, the term Indigenous means one or both of First Nation or Metis. The Government of Alberta will continue to consult with Indigenous peoples when government decisions may potentially adversely affect the continued exercise of their constitutionally protected rights.
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Purpose Albertans understand the importance of stewardship of the province’s natural resources to maintain a way of life today and for future generations. The Bistcho Lake sub-region supports local, Indigenous and provincial economies by providing opportunities for forestry, oil and gas, tourism and recreation, hunting, fishing, trapping and other activities. Some of these activities alter the landscape and contribute to the change, disturbance and fragmentation of habitats and ecosystems. This plan provides certainty for resource development industries by outlining a series of management approaches and requirements for development and restoration of human footprint which aim to maintain or re-establish ecological processes, including landscape and habitat intactness. In doing so, this plan provides certainty that our public lands are capable of supporting the interests of all Albertans, including Indigenous peoples, for the present and into the future.
Strategic Management Outcomes Approaches and requirements in this plan focus on achieving three strategic outcomes:
Outcome 1: Support economic opportunities that provide benefits to local municipalities, Indigenous peoples and the rest of Alberta.
Outcome 2: Consolidate development over time to support landscape intactness, and naturally self-sustaining plant and wildlife populations, with a focus on species at risk.
Outcome 3: Support recreational, cultural and traditional land uses in the sub-region for the benefit of local people and all Albertans.
Part II: Legislative and Policy Context for Sub-Regional Planning Under the Land-use Framework, the GoA has affirmed an enhanced Integrated Resource Management System that sets out an approach for managing the province’s land and natural resources. Regional priorities, outcomes and direction are established through regional plans created under the Alberta Land Stewardship Act (ALSA).
The Bistcho Lake sub-region is located in the Lower Peace Region, and will be enabled under the Lower Peace Regional Plan once the regional plan is developed and implemented. Until then, it is
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proposed that the Bistcho Lake Sub-Regional Plan become effective in accordance with Section 8(2)(i) and 13(5) of the Alberta Land Stewardship Act as a sub-regional plan under the Lower Athabasca Regional Plan (LARP), pending approval of the Lieutenant Governor in Council. The regulatory or enforcement components in this plan will be added to LARP’s Regulatory Details
Part III: A Balanced Approach Achieving the outcomes of the sub-regional plan means that it must consider and balance multiple values across the landscape. This balanced approach takes advantage of Integrated Land Management, Ecosystem Based Management, and Adaptive Management to ensure activities on the landscape and their impacts work towards achieving the outcomes of the plan (Figure 1).
Figure 1. The sub-regional plan is developed using a combination of integrated land management, ecosystem-based management and adaptive management. Integrated Land Management Integrated Land Management (ILM) brings key land and resource users together to promote coordinated land use, and thereby improved land and resource stewardship. Accordingly,
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application of ILM is needed during all phases of land use and resource management. In particular, ILM seeks to coordinate access for resource extraction developments, reduce human footprint and conserve or improve habitat conditions for various species. ILM also facilitates an improved understanding of how various activities, when considered together, will occur on the landscape, and an understanding of the individual and cumulative effects of development activities. Ecosystem-based Management Ecosystem-based management (EBM) is an approach that considers ecological values and natural systems as a leading component in decision making related to resource management. This structured approach supports identification and achievement of environmental goals and objectives. Adaptive Management Adaptive management is a key component of both ILM and EBM. Achieving these goals and objectives may require adjustments to resource management requirements and approaches over time, particularly in consideration of events like wildfires that can greatly change the landscape. Adaptive management enables structured adjustments to the sub-regional plan and its management approaches, based on how well it achieved its outcomes during plan implementation. This relies on identifying and monitoring key indicators, which show us the effectiveness of management approaches.
Indicators are needed in relation to various management sections in the sub-regional plan, including the Access Management Plan (AMP) and the temporal and spatial occurrence of forest harvesting and other development footprint features. Detailed descriptions of these indicators and how they will be used to evaluate future landscapes can be found in section 14.0 Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Boreal Woodland Caribou Recovery A primary driver for the development of this plan is to address caribou conservation and recovery in the Bistcho caribou range. Caribou populations in Alberta are listed as threatened under both Alberta’s Wildlife Act and Canada’s Species at Risk Act. This sub-regional plan demonstrates actions to support caribou conservation and recovery, as identified in the provincial woodland
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caribou recovery plan2 and policy, and the federal boreal woodland caribou recovery strategy3. In particular, there is a need to describe how woodland caribou critical habitat will be conserved, managed and recovered. The sub-regional plan takes a holistic approach to caribou recovery, considering various interests in the planning area.
Managing Multi-species The GoA’s approach to broader species conservation and management interests within the Bistcho Lake sub-region is embedded in the various landscape management tools that will reduce footprint and disturbance over time. The GoA’s habitat approach to species conservation and management aligns with the Pan-Canadian approach to transforming species at risk conservation in Canada. Through its landscape management tools the sub-regional plan aims to assure that a representation of the habitat types within the sub-region will be available, at any given time, to support many species. This habitat approach for multispecies conservation will be used in conjunction with species-specific management tools to assure population recovery and conservation.
The approach is reflected in several elements of the sub-regional plan.
• Important habitats, and habitat connectivity are mapped and understood as part of underlying spatial analysis.
• The AMP considers and seeks to avoid important habitat areas when defining the road network.
• Throughout the sub-region, a setback of long-term development footprint from major rivers and permanent water bodies, supports habitat conservation and wildlife movements.
• Habitat fragmentation, conservation, and restoration will be monitored across the sub-region. Tracking of populations of species of interest will provide additional understanding of what the plan is achieving for habitats and how species are responding.
2 Alberta woodland caribou recovery plan 3 Recovery Strategy for the Woodland Caribou, Boreal population (Rangifer tarandus caribou) in Canada
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Part IV: The Sub-Regional Planning Area The Bistcho Lake sub-regional planning area is located in north-west part of the Lower Peace Region and covers 20,093 square kilometres (km) (Figure 2). Since time immemorial, First Nations peoples have existed in the sub-regional planning area, which overlaps the geographic area of Treaty 8. Métis peoples also share a deep history with this land. This sub-regional planning area is located entirely within the Green Area, which is managed for energy production, timber production, watershed health, fish and wildlife habitat, recreation and other uses.
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Figure 2. Map of the Bistcho sub-regional planning area
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Vision Statement The vision for the Bistcho Lake sub-region reflects the Land-use Framework’s vision of Albertans working together to respect and care for the land and resources as the foundation of our economic, environmental and social well-being.
The Bistcho Lake sub-region is a working landscape that supports functioning ecosystems, Indigenous land-uses, sustainable development of resources, and vibrant communities.
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Part V: Bistcho Lake Sub-Regional Plan
*It is intended that most of the content under Part V will be implemented as part of LARP’s Implementation Plan, which will provide direction and guidance for decision-makers and project proponents. In some cases, this may include government commitments to complete additional work to support the implementation of this sub-regional plan, which may later become part of the LARP Regulatory Details.
Contents under Part V that will be incorporated into the LARP Regulatory Details, and will become binding legal requirements, are included within the requirements outlined in each section. This content is currently reflected as concepts and will be subject to further drafting as part of finalizing these requirements in the LARP Regulatory Details.*
1.0 Indigenous Land Uses The sub-regional plan focuses on long-term landscape level improvements to how we manage human footprint. These improvements will result in a more intact landscape that can maintain and enhance opportunities for traditional land-use across the sub-region.
The GoA has been working to understand what is important to Indigenous peoples within the Bistcho Lake sub-region by directly engaging with communities, and including Indigenous voices on the Task Force. Dene Tha’ First Nation (Dene Tha’) is a prominent First Nation in the sub- region and has been an active participant throughout the planning process. The GoA understands there are three main objectives Indigenous peoples want to see reflected in the sub-regional plan:
• Indigenous-led initiatives are supported; • Long-term opportunities for traditional land-use and intact habitat for wildlife are supported; and • Ongoing opportunities for Indigenous participation in land-use planning.
1.1 Indigenous led initiatives
The GoA will work with Indigenous peoples to identify opportunities for collaboration which result from the implementation of this plan, including:
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• habitat restoration activities; • Indigenous led tourism opportunities; and, • community-based monitoring programs.
Support for Indigenous participation can range from using data and information provided by Indigenous peoples during development of land-use plans, to providing opportunities for communities to participate in programs like the restoration of seismic lines. For example, Dene Tha’ has developed a mobile application to collect a wide range of environmental data and is working with a range of organizations to establish field programs for monitoring. There is opportunity for Dene Tha’ and Alberta Environment and Parks (AEP) to explore how these data may be used in ongoing and future planning and resource management initiatives.
1.2 Long-term opportunities for traditional land-use and wildlife habitat
The Task Force recommended that the sub-regional plan manage the landscape in order to provide greater certainty about where, when, and what activities can take place across the sub- region. One of the main interests of the Task Force recommendation was to assure that Indigenous peoples have ongoing access to preferred areas for traditional land uses and cultural practices.
The measures described throughout the remaining sections of this plan work together to manage different activities and their associated footprint on the landscape. Implementation of the plan and its various measures is expected to result in improved outcomes for habitat intactness and opportunities for the practice of traditional land uses across the sub-region. Achievement of these outcomes will be supported by:
• The implementation of the Access Management Plan (AMP) (Section 2) that ensures large areas for biodiversity and traditional use will be present on the landscape over time by: o outlining criteria for managing footprint across the entire sub-region, to ensure the overall landscape supports a healthy environment. o specifying areas for low densities of road development, resulting in large areas within the sub-region that have low levels of footprint and are more conducive to traditional land uses. • Enhanced requirements for habitat restoration and footprint reduction across multiple industries, which reduces habitat fragmentation and improves landscape outcomes.
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1.3 Indigenous participation in land-use planning
Working with Indigenous knowledge holders and wisdom keepers is important to the implementation of this plan. Indigenous peoples have highlighted to government the importance of ongoing Indigenous participation in land-use planning. The GoA will continue to work with Indigenous peoples gathering traditional land-use information and considering how it can inform sub-regional plan implementation. Examples of how this information could be applied include:
How it would be incorporated into sub-regional Traditional land-use or Traditional Knowledge plan
Identifying an existing trail network (e.g. off- • Informing the placement of trails as part of highway vehicles and foot access). a recreation management plan. • Avoiding or minimizing impact to trails during restoration of seismic lines. • Reducing potential impacts during the AMP implementation, by considering alignment with known trail networks.
Identifying sites of historic significance, • Avoiding or minimizing impact to culturally significant sites during restoration of culturally significant and/or important for seismic lines. traditional land-uses. • Informing AMP development and implementation to avoid the potential impacts of roads on these areas. • Informing development of the Recreation Management Plan so that sensitive areas are avoided or carefully managed and opportunities for traditional land uses are improved.
Identifying important areas for traditional land • Considered during the implementation and ongoing adjustments to the AMP. uses. For example vegetation, terrain, or • Considered and incorporated into the sub- distance from roads. regional plan review.
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1.4 Approaches for Inclusion of Indigenous Perspectives and Values in the Bistcho Lake Sub-region
Through the Bistcho Lake sub-regional plan, the GoA commits to the following:
1.4.1 Provide opportunities for Indigenous peoples to participate in ongoing land-use planning.
1.4.2 Seek guidance from local Indigenous peoples on how to best gather and include Indigenous knowledge in a respectful way as part of the sub-regional plan implementation.
1.4.3 Work with Indigenous peoples to gather traditional land-use information for the purpose of incorporating the information into land-use plans. For example, the GoA will work with communities to identify important trails when completing restoration work. The restoration treatment plan will consider the trails to allow for continued access to the area.
1.4.4 Work with Indigenous peoples to identify opportunities for involvement in wildlife and habitat monitoring, including completed restoration projects.
2.0 Bistcho Lake Sub-regional Access Management Plan The Bistcho Lake sub-region has approximately 2,000 kilometres of paved, gravel and seasonal roads and trails (Figure 3) that provide access for resource development, traditional land-use or recreation activities. Proponents, seeking access to resources, build the majority of roads across the sub-region. Coordinated road development among multiple companies and across a large landscape is challenging, and is further complicated by considerations of other land uses and land users within the sub-region.
The existing road network (number, location, and scale of roads and trails) has not been sufficiently coordinated, resulting in redundant road development and higher costs for industry in some cases.
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Figure 3. Existing roads in the Bistcho Lake sub-region
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Despite these challenges, there is an opportunity for better planning in the sub-region since the majority of existing roads are concentrated within a few areas, leaving large portions of the sub- region without road access. This means that a thoughtful approach can be applied to when and where roads are developed to support future resource development, recreational opportunities and other land use requirements, all while maintaining areas to support wildlife and traditional land uses.
The AMP takes advantage of this opportunity, as it provides a coordinated approach for developing the road network across the sub-region. Pre-planning the road network is a long-term proactive approach to ensure future access supports desired outcomes for its various land users. Over time, the resulting access network will have a more efficient placement of roads, reducing footprint and supporting desired outcomes for the sub-region and its various land users. Some benefits of an AMP include:
• greater assurance of access to the resources;
• reduced construction costs and reduced maintenance costs of roads or trails
• expedited approval process for new road applications that are compliant with the AMP; and
• reduced impacts on wildlife, biodiversity, and traditional values.
The AMP outlines an approach to manage roads, including developing new roads, phasing out unnecessary roads, and restoring forests and other land covers where roads are removed. Development of the AMP for the Bistcho Lake sub-region was guided by technical and outcome- based criteria, with allowances for future amendments that are consistent with the outcomes of the sub-regional plan. The AMP was informed by discussions with sub-regional stakeholders and Indigenous peoples. The AMP considers access requirements for the development of resources, as well as environmental parameters like wetlands, caribou critical habitat, and other sensitive wildlife habitats. Continued engagement of Indigenous peoples and sub-regional stakeholders will inform road density limits that will guide overall lands scape outcomes.
2.1 Technical Design of the Access Management Plan
The Bistcho Lake AMP will support the movement of resource development activities around the landscape over time, while maintaining areas suitable for other values such as Indigenous traditional land use and recreational activities. To accomplish this, the AMP breaks the sub-region into 28 planning units (Figure 4). Engagement with Indigenous peoples and local stakeholders, will inform the initial classifying of each planning unit as land-use Level 1 or Level 2. The category determines the set of requirements that must be followed within that planning unit,
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ensuring an ongoing balance of economic opportunities and areas where Indigenous traditional land uses and wildlife conservation are the priority.
1. Level 1: Areas with increased opportunity for long-term road networks that would facilitate higher levels of resource development. Limitations on road development will minimize impacts of roads on biodiversity and traditional land-uses while ensuring sufficient access to natural resources. a. At any time, no more than 12 units will be classified as Level 1 i. Planning units overlapping caribou range must not exceed 20% disturbed habitat as defined by the Recovery strategy for Boreal woodland Caribou [2012] b. Road density must not exceed 0.15 km/km2 2. Level 2: Areas where roads are kept at a lower level to minimize fragmentation to maintain multi-species values, wildlife habitat while maintaining limited access for traditional land uses recreations and wildland fire fighting activities. a. At any time, a minimum of 12 units will be classified as Level 2, 9 of which must be wholly within the Bistcho Caribou range. i. Planning units wholly within Caribou range must not exceed 5% disturbed habitat (as defined by the Recovery strategy for Boreal woodland Caribou [2019]) b. Road density must not exceed 0.07 km/km2
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Figure 4. Map of the planning units used in the Bistcho Lake Access Management Plan. Planning units will be categorised as Level 1 or Level 2 following engagement with Indigenous peoples and local stakeholders.
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Resource development projects can take decades to complete when considering exploration, planning, construction, operations, decommissioning, and reclamation. Planning unit classifications will be assigned for periods of time long enough to provide business with certainty regarding their opportunity to access resources. Initial planning unit categories will apply for 5 years, and will be reviewed at the same time as the first review (5 years) of the sub-regional plan. Subsequent planning unit categories will apply for 10 years, and will be reviewed at the end of each 10 year period in parallel with a review of the sub-regional plan. Review and renewal or reassignment of categories will be undertaken in collaboration with Indigenous peoples and local stakeholders.
Access Route Development
The AMP (Figure 5) focuses on roads that require the issuance of formal dispositions under the Public Lands Act and are outside of protected areas. Temporary access such as roads approved under a Temporary Field Authorization, or for forest harvest under Annual Operating Plans, are not within the scope of the AMP. The AMP uses a set criteria (section 2.2) for assessing requests for amendments to ensure the AMP supports achievement of desired outcomes for the sub- region. The AMP also accounts for the time required to shift to a more efficient and coordinated system of access. Management of this transition is supported by classifying roads as long-term or short-term.
2.1.1 Road Categories 2.1.1.1 Long-term – roads that will be used for 50 -100 years or more.
a) Ongoing appended development is permitted.
2.1.1.2 Short-term – roads that will remain on the landscape to accommodate resource development infrastructure
a) The road or portions of the road that are no longer required to access development infrastructure are required to be reclaimed concurrent with reclamation of the associated infrastructure.
b) As the intent of short-term roads is to maintain access to resource development infrastructure until they are no longer required, new appended development will not be allowed on short-term roads within Level 2 planning units.
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Figure 5. Road Classification with the Bistcho Lake Access Management Plan
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2.2 Development of New Access
To account for newly identified features, technological advancement, new best practices, or development constraints such as historical or cultural sites or sensitive environmental features, the AMP will be a living plan that can be amended as long as the technical and outcome criteria are met.
Road applications will be evaluated against identified criteria and categorized (Figure 6) as:
• Aligns with the AMP, • Deviates from the AMP, or • Addition to the AMP.
In accordance with applicable GoA policy as it may be from time to time, consultation with Indigenous peoples will continue to occur regarding road applications.
Figure 6. Road applications will be placed into an evaluation category based on the proximity of the proposed center line to the center line identified in the AMP.
2.2.1 Aligns with the AMP Requirements
The AMP will lay out a network of long-term and short-term road access corridors (300 metres [m] on either side of a road centerline). A road application that is located wholly within 300 metres of a corresponding access route will be considered aligned with the AMP (Figure 5) and will be approved for construction, subject to these requirements, which are flagged as future regulatory details:
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2.2.1.1 The road classification (1-5) of the proposed road needs to be lesser or equal to the corresponding route identified within the plan
2.2.1.2 The proposed road will not result in road density that exceeds the limit for the associated planning unit.
2.2.1.3 The AMP is developed to provide access across the sub-region in a manner that does not strand resources. Any proposed road must demonstrate alignment with connecting subsequent planned road segments to avoid isolating parts of the sub region.
2.2.1.4 The ROW does not parallel a named watercourse within 250 metres of the valley break or a waterbody greater than 4 hectares within 250 metres of the bed and shore.
2.2.1.5 Upon approval, the proposed road will replace the planned road within the AMP.
2.2.2 Deviates from the AMP Requirements
A road application that is located more than 300 metres from either side of the corresponding long-term access route, but within 1000 metres of either side of the corresponding long-term access route will only be approved for construction if it meets these requirements, which are flagged as future regulatory details:
2.2.2.1 The road classification (1-5) of the proposed road needs to be lesser or equal to the corresponding route identified within the plan.
2.2.2.2 The proposed road will not result in road density that exceeds the limit for the associated planning unit.
2.2.2.3 The proposed road must demonstrate an ability to connect with the remaining road segment outlined in the AMP, in order to avoid isolating parts of the sub-region and stranding resources.
2.2.2.4 The right-of-way does not parallel a named watercourse within 250 metres of the valley break or a waterbody greater than 4 hectares within 250 metres of the bed and shore.
2.2.2.6 The addition of the proposed route does not result in the planned road network exceeding the desired wetland disturbance level within any of the AMP’s 28 planning units.
2.2.2.8 The addition of the proposed route does not result in the long-term road network exceeding the 5% disturbed habitat within any of the AMP’s 28 planning units.
2.2.2.9 Upon approval, the proposed road will replace the corresponding planned road within the AMP
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2.2.3 Addition to the AMP Requirements
If a proposed road that is not identified as part of AMP (i.e., Not wholly within 2 km of a Proposed AMP route) it must meet the following requirements, which are flagged as future regulatory details:
2.2.3.1 The road classification (1-5) of the proposed road needs to be lesser or equal to the corresponding route within the plan.
2.2.3.2 The proposed road will not result in road density that exceeds the limit for the associated planning unit.
2.2.3.3 Demonstrate alignment with connecting subsequent planned road segments.
2.2.3.4 The ROW does not parallel a named watercourse within 250 metres of the valley break or a waterbody greater than 4 hectares within 250 metres of the bed and shore.
2.2.3.6 The addition of the proposed route does not result in the road network exceeding the desired wetland disturbance level within any of the AMP’s 28 planning units.
2.2.2.7 The addition of the proposed route does not result in the long-term road network exceeding the 5% disturbed habitat within any of the AMP’s 28 planning units.
2.2.3.8 An additional long-term road must not be within 6 km of an existing or planned long-term road identified within the AMP.
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2.3 Watercourse Crossings
The impacts of roads on fish and other aquatic life can be direct or indirect. Poorly constructed or poorly maintained watercourse crossings can result in habitat fragmentation, habitat degradation and barriers to fish passage. The GoA developed the Watercourse Crossing Management Directive and associated tracking system available for use by land users (beyond the Foothills Region) to include other crown land areas of the province. This directive provides a consistent monitoring approach and centralized data management process to improve local and provincial watercourse outcomes. Requirements for road crossings are outlined below, which are flagged as future regulatory details:
2.3.1 The crossing owner must monitor all watercourse crossings associated with a formal disposition and report all findings as per the Roadway Watercourse Crossing Inspection Manual as amended from time-to-time.
2.3.2 The crossing owner must report all watercourse crossing remediation or maintenance efforts at time of work being commenced and at completion of work.
3.0 Energy and Mineral Activity Alberta is endowed with many natural resources, the development of which, has been a significant contributor to the provincial and national economies. Alberta is uniquely positioned to meet global demand for ethically sourced responsibly developed oil, natural gas, coal and minerals. Alberta’s high environmental standards, which, in part, are achieved through integrated planning, are a main driver of the province’s environmental, social and governance performance. The energy and mineral approaches within the sub-regional plan will ensure Alberta remains attractive to investors by demonstrating concrete actions that allow for natural resource development while minimizing footprint and landscape fragmentation over space and time.
3.1 Sales of New Crown Mineral Agreements
In September 2016, the sale of Crown mineral rights in all caribou ranges in Alberta was restricted. This measure was put in place to minimize landscape disturbance while Alberta developed strategies and plans to support recovery of caribou habitat and populations on public lands. This sub-regional plan lays out the approach for managing lands for caribou recovery in the Bistcho caribou range.
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Upon adoption of this sub-regional plan as part of LARP, the sales restriction in place for new Crown mineral agreements in the Bistcho caribou range may be removed. All new Crown mineral agreements within the Bistcho Lake sub-region must align with the outcomes and relevant requirements outlined in this plan. Under the Mines and Minerals Act, the Minister of Energy may add or remove restrictions on the issuance of Crown mineral agreements.
3.2 Petroleum and Natural Gas
Within the Bistcho Lake sub-region, oil producing zones include Keg River and Muskeg, while gas producing zones include Bluesky, Sulphur Point, and Slave Point. Most gas within the sub-region is produced as solution gas from oil wells.
Petroleum and Natural Gas (PNG) activities within the sub-region will be managed to align with overall objectives of reducing footprint and increasing undisturbed habitat to ensure that future development can occur in alignment with the plan. The requirements are outlined below, which are flagged as future regulatory details:
3.2.1 Future PNG surface disturbance will be appended within 100 metres of road identified in the AMP.
a) Appended access will not exceed the lesser of, the grade of the associated long-term access road or class 3.
3.2.2 All licensees will be required to meet the mandatory annual site closure spend targets established under the Inventory Reduction Program, as part of the Liability Management Framework. The GoA is working with the Alberta Energy Regulator on the development of the Inventory Reduction Program, including specifically addressing increased site closure needs in caribou ranges.
3.2.3 Proposed permanent footprint within an identified Recreation Management Area must be compatible with the objectives and outcomes of the Recreation Management Plan for the area.
3.2.4 New surface disturbance associated with PNG development will not be permitted within 250 metres of the valley break of a named watercourse or within 250 metres of the bed and shore of a waterbody greater than 4 hectares in size.
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3.3 Metallic and Industrial Minerals
As the GoA undertakes a renewed minerals strategy, the sub-regional plan will enable further exploration and development in alignment with the objectives of reducing footprint associated with these activities. Any future land use related to metallic and industrial minerals in the sub-region will be subject to the following requirements, which are flagged as future regulatory details:
3.3.1 Roads associated with new projects must align with the requirements outlined under the AMP. 3.3.2 Proposed activities related to metallic and industrial minerals in caribou habitat of the Bistcho Lake sub-region will be subject to an evaluation of projected footprint against current disturbance forecasts for the sub-region, to make sure the activity does not conflict with caribou recovery objectives (as defined by the Recovery Strategy for Boreal Woodland Caribou [2012]). 3.3.3 New tenure in Recreation Management Areas will only be issued subject to a no surface disturbance restriction 3.3.4 Proposed developments will not be permitted within 250 metres of the valley break of a named watercourse or in 250 metres of the bed and shore of a waterbody greater than four hectares in size.
4.0 Pipeline Development and Maintenance Pipelines are an essential component of the oil and gas industry and critical to moving Alberta products to markets. The Bistcho Lake sub-region includes a large amount of pipeline infrastructure across the landscape. While important, pipelines and their associated infrastructure make up a significant portion of the footprint across the sub-region. However, pipelines also provide a unique opportunity to reduce footprint relative to other types of land uses, because the infrastructure itself is located mostly underground. Reducing the footprint associated with pipeline infrastructure in the sub-region will improve the habitat outcomes for species and create future opportunities for other types of development and investment to occur in the sub-region.
Reducing the surface footprint of below-ground pipelines within the caribou range portion of the Bistcho Lake sub-region contributes directly to the achievement of caribou habitat recovery objectives. By retaining vegetation during construction and revegetating portions of new and existing pipeline corridors throughout caribou ranges, pipeline companies can contribute to improving caribou critical habitat over time. While pipelines offer an opportunity for achievement of habitat objectives, it is necessary that pipeline operators continue to be able to access their pipelines for emergency response and routine maintenance.
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4.1 Pipeline Construction and Operations
Requirements for pipeline construction and operations are described below, which are flagged as future regulatory details:
4.1.1 Revegetation of pipeline disposition to maintain a minimum level of representative vegetative cover. Vegetative cover must be equivalent to pre-disturbance conditions, including tree cover on forested eco-sites.
a) Compliance with the current draft of Alberta’s Provincial Restoration and Establishment Framework for Legacy Seismic lines in AB.
4.1.2 Residual linear corridors within the pipeline disposition must not exceed 4m in width.
4.1.3 Human access must be effectively limited on pipeline corridors using strategies determined collaboratively by AEP, the Alberta Energy Regulator and the disposition holder. Implementation of measures to limit human access must occur concurrently with delivery of actions to revegetate corridors.
4.1.4 Revegetation programs for existing pipeline right-of-ways will include inventory of pre- construction site conditions, planning treatments, and implementation of revegetation treatments (where required). In recognition of the effort required, pipeline operators will have 20 years following the approval date of this sub-regional plan to re-establish vegetation on existing right-of-ways.
4.1.5 Revegetation of new pipeline projects must be completed within 2 years of pipeline installation.
4.1.6 New pipeline projects will not parallel a named watercourse within 250 metres of the valley break or a waterbody greater than 4 hectares within 250 metres of the bed and shore.
4.1.7 Proposed pipeline infrastructure developments within an identified Recreation Management Area must be compatible with the objectives and outcomes of the Recreation Management Plan for the area.
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To account for the requirements listed in section 4.1, the following allowances are provided, which are flagged as future regulatory details:
4.2 Pipeline Access Allowances
4.2.1 Emergency access. During a pipeline emergency, immediate access to the right-of- ways is permitted from the nearest practical access point to the location of the emergency.
a) New vegetation clearing is permitted to enable access to the emergency site.
b) The new vegetation clearing must be reported as required by the regulator
c) Restoration treatments of the access must commence within two years of the emergency being remedied, and completed within 4 years in accordance with the Provincial Restoration and Establishment Framework for Legacy Seismic lines in AB.
4.2.2 Maintenance access. When the least impactful way of accessing a section of pipeline or associated infrastructure for maintenance is to develop new temporary access from a nearby road, instead of disturbing a long section of pipeline disposition. When access is required outside of an existing pipeline corridor, notification must be provided to the regulator a minimum 14 days prior to accessing the site.
a) New temporary vegetation clearing (outside and within the ROW) is permitted to enable access to the site.
b) Notifications must include a spatial file of the access route
c) The pipeline operator must develop an access plan that outlines environmental considerations, historical resource considerations and mitigation plans as required.
d) If requested, the pipeline operator must provide the plan to the regulator for review.
e) Restoration treatments of the access must commence within two years of the maintenance activity ending and completed within 4 years.
4.2.3 Clearings wider than 4 metres are permitted for above ground infrastructure to allow for safe ongoing operations. This includes but is not limited to valve sites, helicopter pads, cathodic protection, and thermal electric generators.
4.2.4 Clearings are permitted for monitoring sites (e.g. geotechnical hazard locations that require a clearing).
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5.0 Geophysical Exploration Geophysical exploration is used to determine the type and location of sub-surface resources. This has been used extensively across the sub-region to identify oil and gas deposits. Linear footprint associated with geophysical exploration activities can leave the landscape fragmented, in some cases indefinitely because of slow or no vegetation regrowth. Geophysical exploration techniques and technology continues to improve, and offer an opportunity to reduce the near-and-long-term footprint associated with seismic lines. Ensuring that new, low-impact techniques and technologies are deployed across the landscape will play an important role in reducing geophysical footprint over time and increasing undisturbed habitat. Requirements for geophysical exploration in the sub-region are described below, which are flagged as future regulatory details:
5.1 Requirements for Geophysical Activity within the Bistcho Lake Sub-Region
5.1.1 Vegetation clearing must meet the following requirements:
a) Receiver lines must be meandering, and use tree avoidance techniques.
b) New technology is providing an opportunity to reduce or eliminate the need for clearing receiver lines. Adoption of newer technology requires transition time and will occur over the next 4 years.
c) Receiver lines shall not exceed 1.75 metres in width.
d) After December 31, 2024 receiver lines shall not exceed 0.75 metres in width.
e) Source lines must not exceed 2.75 metres in width, must employ tree avoidance techniques, and meander to limit line of sight to less than 100 metres.
f) Access lines within the program area (i.e. not source or receiver lines), including use of existing linear features, must not exceed 3 metres in width.
g) Turn around clearings at the end of the source lines and access lines are permitted
h) Doglegs must be employed at all intersections with linear features that are greater than 3.5 metres in width
5.1.2. Helipads must be constructed in natural open areas or existing clearings where they exist. If required, prepared helipads must not result in clearings that exceed 35 metres in diameter.
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5.1.3 Shot holes drop zones used in Heli-portable programs must not exceed 16 square metres.
5.1.4 Access control must be established and extended for 100 metres from all intersections with linear features greater than 3.5 metres. Access control must effectively deter Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) use. Access control options may include but are not limited to :
a) Debris roll back
b) Tree felling or bending across the line
c) Reforestation site preparation
6.0 Forestry Forest management practices in Alberta have evolved over time. Historically, multiple pass harvesting systems have been used, which are designed to minimize opening size and disperse disturbance across the landscape over many decades. Current practices often strive to emulate natural disturbance patterns. Increasingly there is consideration of when, where and how much harvesting can occur over time, and harvesting plans continue to reflect other interests and values. Current forest management practices take into account non-timber values, such as biodiversity, wildlife habitat, water integrity, and soil productivity and continue to evolve in the direction of Ecosystem Based Management (EBM). Using adaptive management, forestry practices within the sub-region will continue to work towards EBM by adjusting to changes from both anthropogenic and natural disturbance at a sub-regional level.
As part of the EBM approach, forest harvesting strategies within caribou ranges have been adapted in consideration of caribou requirements for large areas of undisturbed habitat, which are mostly mature and old coniferous forest. Future forest harvesting within the caribou range will focus on aggregating (Figure 7) forestry activities to minimize the overall extent of forestry-related disturbance, and create larger patches of intact habitat as the forest regrows. During the first decades, harvesting plans seek to limit harvesting activities in areas that currently show high caribou occupancy.
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Figure 7. Standard Spatial Harvest Sequence approach to forest harvest compared to an Aggregated Forest harvest pattern after 40 years
Aggregating harvest areas further reduces the amount of access required during any given timeframe and therefore slows and reduces habitat disturbance over time. Aggregated harvest approaches also offer the potential benefit of reducing construction and maintenance costs for the forest sector. Grouping of harvest activities will also enable regrowth of contiguous forest patches in areas currently fragmented by legacy seismic lines. Using an aggregate approach has an additional benefit of reducing potential large scale wildfires by reducing large areas of landscape fuel connectivity.
The location, extent, timing and rate of forest harvesting are key components of adaptive forest management – these factors need to be considered to maintain, manage, and recover adequate
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undisturbed habitat and biophysical habitat for caribou in each range. In addition, harvest location is a key consideration in relation to both patterns of caribou population occupancy and available biophysical habitat within a caribou range during a given period. In general, it will be important to monitor and adjust harvest activities to provide adequate amounts of habitat, in spatial patterns and at landscape-level scales that are effective for caribou and other wildlife. Forest harvesting requirements in the sub-region are included below, which are flagged as future regulatory details:
6.1 Forest Harvesting Requirements
6.1.1 Appended development requiring a formal disposition will have a road that is no further than 100 metres from an approved long-term access road identified in the AMP. 6.1.2 New permanent footprint will not be allowed within 250 metres of the valley break of a named river or within 250 metres of the bed and shore of a waterbody greater than 4 hectares. 6.1.3 Proposed permanent footprint within an identified Recreation Management Area must be compatible with the objectives and outcomes of the Recreation Management Plan for the area.
Forest harvesting within caribou ranges will follow an aggregated harvesting approach that requires the following, which are flagged as future regulatory details:
6.1.4 Harvest areas within caribou range are broken into harvest timing units (HTU) and shall be applied as illustrated in Figure 8. 6.1.5 The HTUs available for harvesting of applicable stands will become available for harvest during the predetermined decade. If applicable stands within a given HTU are not fully harvested, within the specified time period, the HTU will continue to be available during the following time period, and the following will apply: a) Harvesting within the HTU must be completed prior to initiating harvest in the next specified compartment(s). b) Once harvesting has been initiated in the next HTU, there will be no further harvesting in the preceding HTU until the following rotation. 6.1.6 Legacy seismic footprint within new harvest blocks will be reforested to the same standard as the surrounding harvest block. a) Ongoing access following reforestation along specified legacy seismic lines, for Indigenous traditional use and trapper access, shall not exceed 2 metres in width, and will require approval as part of the Annual Operating Plan.
b) If the seismic line is part of a provincial recreation trail plan, the requirements in that plan shall be followed. 6.1.7 Temporary roads, landings, storage sites and camp locations shall be restored, in addition to any requirements listed in Operating Ground Rules.
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a) Roads must undergo restoration treatment within 3 years of a HTU closing.
b) This includes roads that follow pre-existing disturbance not currently under disposition.
6.1.8 Forest Harvest Plans and Annual Operating Plans will incorporate additional requirements as deemed necessary by Alberta Agriculture and Forestry.
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Figure 8. Forest Harvest Timing Units (HTU) within caribou range. Each HTU represents a ten year time period. Forest harvesting outside of the caribou range will continue to follow the existing Forest Harvest Plans and Annual Operating Plans.
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Adaptive Management As with all land uses, forest harvesting does not occur in isolation on the landscape, therefore changes to the forest (i.e. wildfire, new projects on the landscape) may require an evaluation and possible modification to forest management plans.
Forest management plans will be reviewed by Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, and AEP in accordance to existing forest management systems, and as part of the overall sub-regional plan review in the following scenarios • If the amount of young seral forest (i.e., less than 40 years old) exceeds 75% of the natural range of variation. • If the amount of old forest (older than 120 years) declines below 25% of the natural range of variation. • The cumulative natural disturbance area exceeds 2% of the sub-region that overlaps Forest Management Unit (FMU) F26 within 8 years of the plan’s effective date. • If the annual total natural disturbance within the caribou range exceeds 10%.
During the review of the sub-regional plan and if changes are required the resulting plan must demonstrate: • Harvest locations will avoid areas of high caribou occupancy during the first 20-year period of the new plan. • The harvest plan will not result in a seral stage change below the second standard deviation for any stand type based on the natural range of variation. The seral stage change will apply to the portion of each Forest Management Unit that falls within the sub-region. 7.0 Surface Material Extraction (Sand, Gravel, Borrow) Sand, gravel and borrow are critical building blocks for economic development across the province, as they are used to create the infrastructure needed to develop resources (e.g. roads, well pads). Surface material operations, including sand, gravel, and borrow have a relatively small disturbance footprint compared to other industrial land uses and are generally located nearby the industrial developments they service. Requirements for surface material extraction are included below, which are flagged as future regulatory details:
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7.1 Requirements for Surface Material Extraction (Sand, Gravel and borrow) activity within the Bistcho Lake Sub-Region
7.1.1 Surface material extraction operations (and associated infrastructure) are not permitted within 250 metres of the valley break of a named watercourse or within 250 metres of the bed and shore of a waterbody greater than 4 hectares.
7.1.2 The Disposition Holder must maintain proper drainage of surface water.
7.1.3 Appended access in zone A (Figure 9) must be no more than 100 metres from the edge of a long-term access route ROW (right-of-way). Appended access in zone B must be no more than 1000 metres from the edge of a long-term access route ROW (right-of-way).
7.1.4 Extraction will occur in phases and will require progressive reclamation. • A maximum of 3 hectares can be open for extraction at a point in time for each disposition. • Following closure of an extraction area, reclamation must commence within 12 months. • Total disturbed area for a single disposition is restricted to a maximum of 9 hectares; consisting of extraction area and area being reclaimed (No reclamation certificate). • Final reclamation requires that 100% of the entire phase be reclaimed to the pre-existing vegetation condition.
7.1.5 Proposed developments in identified recreation management areas must be compatible with the objectives and outcomes of the Recreation Management Plan for the area.
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Figure 9. Surface Material Extraction Zones within the sub-region
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8.0 Peat Alberta’s existing directive (Allocation and Sustainable Management of Peat Resources on Public Land (2016)) establishes two land sensitivity classes on public lands:
Sensitivity Class Constraints to Peat Operations Peat Availability Generally Low Sensitivity Generally Available Available Sensitive or Critical Habitats where cumulative land use pose significant Excluded High Sensitivity challenges to the viability of sustaining fish Not Available or wildlife populations
8.1 Requirements for Peat Extraction within the Bistcho Lake Sub- Region
Using the criteria in the table above for the Bistcho Lake sub-region, the requirements for peat extraction are as follows, which are flagged as future regulatory details:
8.1.1 Proposed peat application areas (Figure 10) must fall completely within the Low Sensitivity area.
8.1.2 New footprint is not permitted within 250 metres of the valley break of a named watercourse, or within 250 metres of the bed and shore of a waterbody greater than 4 hectares.
8.1.3 Access must be compliant with the AMP for the Bistcho Lake sub-region.
8.1.4 Proposed developments in identified recreation management areas must be compatible with the objectives and outcomes of the Recreation Management Plan for the areas.
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Figure 10. Peat Application Areas within the Bistcho Lake sub-region
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9.0 Transmission Lines Transmission lines are an important infrastructure for all Albertans, as they bring power to homes, businesses and industrial activities. These lines carry electricity over long distances, connecting electrical generation to where it is needed by consumers (e.g. cities, industrial development). As electricity moves through the wires, some of it dissipated as heat and historically, transmission lines (>25 kilovolts) have been kept clear of vegetation as a safety measure. However, this clearing of vegetation at the ground-level contribute to disturbance levels in the sub-region causing unwanted impacts through habitat fragmentation, while the transmission lines themselves are located at high distances above ground. This presents an opportunity, similar to below-ground pipelines, to reduce footprint on the landscape without having significant impacts to the infrastructure itself through retaining or restoring vegetation along transmission line corridors, reducing impacts to a variety of species on the landscape, while transmission lines remain active and economically viable.
Retaining vegetation underneath transmission lines during construction would be the most preferred approach, however vegetation that is removed can also be re-established. Re- establishing native vegetation below transmission lines is a change to typical business practices and may present unique challenges for transmission line operators. The approach within the sub- regional plan recognizes the technical and safety challenges associated with revegetating the area beneath transmisson lines.
A minimum of access routes through the transmission line right-of-ways will be maintained in order to conduct maintenance and inspections. This will be important to ensuring vegetation heights are monitored and controlled in order to prevent arc flash, which could lead to forest fires. Mitigation strategies, such as breaking line of sight and access controls, must be employed throughout these access corridors in order to reduce residual effects from predation and human access.
Requirements for transmissions lines in the sub-region are included below, which are flagged as future regulatory details:
9.1 Requirements for Transmission Line Activities within the Bistcho Lake Sub-Region
9.1.1 Revegetation of transmission line right-of-ways to maintain a minimum level of vegetative cover to reduce negative implications to wildlife. Vegetative cover will be indicative of pre-disturbance conditions.
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a) On new lines, vegetation cover is required to be a minimum of 2 metres high across the right-of-way for forest ecosites.
b) On existing lines, vegetation is required to be a minimum of 2 metres high across the right-of-way for at least 25 metres on each side of a tower located on a forest ecosite.
c) Residual linear corridors may be up no more than 4 metres wide.
9.1.2 Human access must be effectively limited on transmission line corridors using strategies as determined by the GoA and the proponent. Implementation will occur within the same timelines as restoration.
a) Revegetation programs for existing right-of-ways will include inventory of pre- construction site conditions, planning treatments, and implementation of revegetation treatments, where required. In recognition of the effort required, operators will have 20 years following the approval date of this sub-regional plan to re-establish vegetation on existing right-of-ways.
9.1.3 Restoration treatments for new transmission projects must be completed within 2 years of transmission line installation.
9.1.4 Proposed developments within identified Recreation Management Areas must be compatible with the objectives and outcomes of the Recreation Management Plan for the areas
9.1.5 A right-of-way shall not parallel a named watercourse within 250 metres of the valley break or a waterbody greater than 4 hectares within 250 metres of the bed and shore.
10.0 Tourism and Outdoor Recreation Activities Maintaining high quality, natural areas on the landscape is important to ensure places are available for tourism and outdoor recreation opportunities and activities. Prioritizing areas that support tourism and outdoor recreation requires careful consideration and management of land uses to ensure the ecological, cultural, and historical values that attract users to these areas are not compromised by other land uses. Many areas of public land support outdoor recreation activities like fishing, hunting, bird watching, hiking, random camping and off-highway vehicle use. These areas often have high scenic value, occur in natural settings, and are associated with
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rivers or lakes and their surrounding riparian areas and terrestrial uplands. Tourism and commercial recreation activities often overlap because of the diverse and desirable recreational opportunities they encompass.
Existing tourism operators on public lands have formalized dispositions enabled through the Tourism and Commercial Recreation (TCL) lease process for tourism and commercial recreation purposes. However, in order to grow tourism, provide economic benefits, and create employment within the sub-region and the province, new and expanded tourism development experiences need to be supported. Opportunities for tourism and commercial recreation development will be located in areas that align with significant tourism and recreation resource values and where the ecological values of the area can support these types of development.
A Recreation Management Plan will be developed with input from stakeholders, the private sector and Indigenous peoples. Locations of proposed Recreation Management Areas will be identified collaboratively during engagement on this plan and future recreation management planning and will be prioritized for outdoor recreation and tourism opportunities. Accordingly, the following will apply in the sub-region, which are flagged as future regulatory details:
10.1 Recreation and Tourism Requirements within the Bistcho Lake Sub-Region
10.1.1 Recreation Management Areas identified in the Recreation Management Plans will be reserved for outdoor recreation activities and tourism development opportunities.
10.1.2 *Not part of LARP regulatory details* A Recreation Management Plan will be created and implemented for the Bistcho Lake sub-region.
a) *Not part of LARP regulatory details* An inventory of tourism and commercial recreation opportunities will be completed for the Bistcho Lake sub-region.
10.1.3 Infrastructure supporting outdoor recreation and tourism developments that aligns with the management intent for the area will be considered within 250 metres of the bank of a large permanent watercourse or a water body.
10.1.4 Proposed infrastructure supporting outdoor recreation and tourism developments aligns with the planning unit category and any applicable criteria or management intent.
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11.0 Natural Disturbance Natural disturbances are an ongoing influence within the sub-region. Wildfire, insect outbreaks and forest disease are the most common disturbances that alter vegetation and associated habitat. Although natural, these disturbances can have a negative impact on species and economic opportunities throughout the sub-region, and monitoring natural disturbances as they occur and as part of regular sub-regional plan reviews will be important to ensure the plan continues to achieve its outcomes.
11.1 Wildfire
Wildfire on Alberta public land is primarily managed by the wildfire management branch (Alberta Wildfire) in Agriculture and Forestry, in accordance with the five provincial priorities: human life, communities, watersheds and sensitive soils, natural resources and infrastructure that has a major impact on public safety or the local economy. Alberta Wildfire is committed to reducing the number and impact of human-caused wildfires through the implementation of wildfire prevention and FireSmart programs and by rapidly detecting and effectively responding to wildfires. Alberta Wildfire has adopted a proactive risk management program based on the ISO-31000 standard with the goal of developing risk based wildfire management plans for each forest area that outline mitigation strategies to reduce the probability of wildfire ignition or the potential impact to values. This planning process involves the engagement of multiple stakeholder groups in identifying the key economic, social and environmental values and objectives that are fundamental to these plans. Wildfire management plans are reviewed every five years, or if a large disturbance occurs, to incorporate policy changes or align with regional and sub-regional planning direction.
Agriculture and Forestry has indicated that while aggressive fire suppression has worked for many decades, climate change effects are challenging suppression efforts and catastrophic wildfires have become a more regular occurrence in Alberta. Alberta Wildfire is working to identify and mitigate where these potential events may occur. In recent years, policies have been adopted to allow wildfires to be managed with the intent of creating a landscape more resilient to future large fires. Further research and adoption of strategies that support landscape resilience and the protection of our critical values is underway and remains essential to the future success of wildfire management programs.
11.2 Insects and pathogens (not including Pine Beetle)
Forest pest management requires systematic approaches to limiting pest damage to social and economically acceptable levels. The GoA is committed to sustaining the health of our forests, and does so through survey and monitoring, assessment of risk, and implementation of various management programs.
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11.3 Mountain Pine Beetle
Mountain pine beetle infestations, and resulting impacts to pine forests can impact hydrological function, ecosystem function, sensitive sites and wildlife habitat as well as sustainable forest harvest levels. Pine stands in Alberta have been assessed for susceptibility to damage from mountain pine beetle. Less than 1% of the sub-region has a low to moderate susceptibility due to the lack of pine located in the sub-region. The GoA will continue to prioritize use of Level 1 (single-tree removal of high risk mountain pine beetle sites) control treatments in the sub-region where it is most effective and approving Level 2 (block or patch harvesting of infestations) treatments as necessary.
12.0 Restoration of Legacy Seismic Lines Seismic lines within the sub-region and province are primarily used during assessments of sub- surface oil, gas, and mineral resources. Modern seismic practices and technology have reduced the residual disturbance associated with seismic operations; however, many historical legacy seismic lines (70 years and more) remain on the landscape and have yet to show significant levels of forest establishment, decades after they were first impacted. To address the impacts of seismic operations in the future, the sub-regional plan outlines requirements for geophysical exploration that will help ensure future seismic lines have low long-term impacts across the landscape. However, the sub-regional plan cannot achieve its outcomes of supporting new development and increasing undisturbed habitat over the landscape without addressing legacy seismic.
The challenge with addressing legacy seismic is not reserved to the Bistcho Lake sub-region, as there are approximately 250,000 kilometres of legacy seismic lines in caribou ranges across Alberta. It is estimated that 150,000 kilometres of those legacy seismic lines, in their current state, are not fully capable of natural woody vegetation re-establishment, and therefore require some treatment(s) to encourage restoration. Restoring these lines presents an adaptive management opportunity that supports working landscapes over the long-term while maitaining ecological integrity. By minimzing landscape fragmentation by historical footprint we make space for new development to occur while limiting impacts on biodiversity. Partnerships, includng funding arrangements with industry and the Federal government are important and will require a coordinated effort. To coordinate this work, AEP will lead a provincial restoration program, with assistance from a third party restoration agency. This restoration program will direct priorities for restoration, and guide operational implementation while supporting ongoing involvement of local and Indigenous peoples.
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While some disturbance features provide access routes for Indigenous peoples, hunters, trappers and other commercial users of wildlife, and recreationists, the vast majority of these areas do not functionally contribute to access. Prior to initiating restoration work, the GoA will seek input from Indigenous peoples and other land users to identify areas of use and to integrate restoration and coordinate development with land-use practices or rights associated with land use in the area.
13.0 Wildlife Moose
Moose within the Bistcho Lake sub-region are an important resource for Indigenous and non- Indigenous peoples. Moose are also a key prey species for wolves, and increased moose densities may lead to increased wolf numbers, which could result in increased predation of caribou. Moose abundance will be monitored on a periodic basis to assess if moose densities rise to levels that might compromise caribou populations. Where required, moose populations will be managed through harvesting opportunities.
Bison
The Hay-Zama population of reintroduced wood bison overlaps with the Bistcho Lake sub-region. These bison are provincially listed as a species at risk, and are protected under the Wildlife Act as an endangered species. After reintroduction, the bison population increased in numbers and geographic area of occurrence. This led to the initiation of a managed (limited entry) hunt to limit conflicts with humans in communities and on roadways, and to minimize the potential for contact with diseased bison managed by the Government of Canada in the Wood Buffalo National Park. The opportunity to hunt Hay-Zama bison is highly sought after by both Indigenous and non- Indigenous hunters. This bison population is surveyed annually to monitor population size, calf recruitment to the population, and distribution. These data are used to inform annual hunting allocations.
Predation
Together with habitat change and loss, excessive wolf predation is a key factor that affects caribou population growth - caribou population declines across Alberta are typically due to increased wolf predation on caribou as a result of human-caused habitat change. The effects of predation on caribou within the sub-region will continue to be monitored on an annual basis, and options for wolf population management will be assessed and delivered, as needed.
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14.0 Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting As a key element of an adaptive management approach, the GoA will complete five-year stewardship reports. AEP will be accountable for reporting on items as committed to through this plan, in collaboration with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, Alberta Energy, the Alberta Energy Regulator, and other relevant departments and agencies.
14.1 Performance Indicators
Tracking and reporting on indicators is a valuable source of information for land managers, Indigenous peoples, stakeholders and the public, as it provides information by which to evaluate the effectiveness of the requirements under the plan at achieving the desired outcomes in the sub-region. Through this monitoring, land managers can understand if adjustments to the plan are needed to ensure the sub-regional outcomes are met.
For this purpose, the sub-regional plan will track and report on a combination of social, economic and environmental indicators. Indicators will be reported on at a minimum frequency of every 5 years.
14.1.1 Environmental Performance Indicators
Indicator Description Purpose Amount and trend of undisturbed Disturbed/undisturbed habitat as defined by the Recovery Federal assessment of habitat Strategy for Boreal Woodland Caribou recovery Caribou (2012)
Amount, type and trend of Federal assessment of Biophysical habitat biophysical habitat attributes Caribou recovery
Spatial habitat Spatial pattern and landscape scale Federal assessment of parameters occurrence of caribou habitat Caribou recovery
Contributes to evaluating Anthropogenic The area of anthropogenic landscape change over (human caused) disturbance features, classified by time, informs future re- Footprint originating activity openings or revisions of the sub-regional plan. Contributes to evaluating landscape change over Size and location as monitored by Natural Disturbances time, informs future re- Alberta Agriculture and Forestry openings or revisions of the sub-regional plan.
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Indicator Description Purpose Contributes to evaluating Area within each seral stage by landscape change over Forest Cover Age major forest cover type will be time, informs future re- Class monitored within forest management openings or revisions of the units of the sub-region. sub-regional plan.
Contributes to evaluating the landscape changes Amount of area directly impacted by over time, and informs Wetlands anthropogenic footprint future re-openings or revisions of the sub- regional plan.
Kilometers of line restored, achieved Assessment of trajectory to Restoration of Legacy either through active restoration or by desired level of undisturbed seismic lines field-confirmed natural recovery habitat for sub-region
Assessment of Caribou Caribou population recovery, specifically Estimated number of caribou size minimum population requirements
Caribou population Assessment of Caribou demographic rates Estimate of trend in population size. recovery and growth (lambda)
Caribou occurrence Identification of habitat areas under Informs planning and focus and movement active use. of restoration efforts patterns.
Informs management Moose population size Estimated number of moose. strategies such as sustainable harvest levels
Informs management Bison population size Estimated number of bison. strategies such as sustainable harvest levels
Assessment of available habitat on Contributes to evaluating the landscape and associated Barred Owl landscape change impact populations metric based on habitat on species of interest availability modeling
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Indicator Description Purpose
Assessment of available habitat on Contributes to evaluating the landscape and associated Song Birds landscape change impact populations metric based on habitat on multi-species availability modeling.
14.1.2 Socio-Economic Monitoring and Performance Indicators
Socio-economic indicators and considerations may also be used to track, monitor and project land use changes within a given region to help managers evaluate the economic and social benefit of the plan.
The socio-economic metrics related to communities connected to the sub-region will be monitored and considered as part of the socio-economic assessment accompanying the sub- regional plan, and as part of assessments completed following scheduled reviews.
Indicator Description Purpose Contributes to an Assessment of local economies (e.g. Economic Conditions understanding of local employment). economic conditions Contributes to an Assessment of provincial and federal understanding of local Fiscal Conditions economies economies in context of provincial and federal State and trends in sub-regional Informs future planning Demographics demographics (population size and opportunities composition) Community support structures (programs and facilities) in sub- Community Informs future planning regional (e.g. Health and social Infrastructure opportunities and focus services/programs, housing conditions) Recreational infrastructure in the Informs future planning Recreation sub-region (programs, trails, facilities, opportunities and focus opportunities)
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15.0 Plan Review The GoA is committed to achieving positive environmental, economic and social outcomes for the benefit of current and future generations of Albertans. The principles of ILM, EBM and adaptive management ensures that we can adapt our management approaches in response to new information on their efficacy toward achieving the plan objectives. If the management actions outlined in the sub-regional plan do not meet intended outcomes, the plan will be adjusted following engagement with stakeholders and Indigenous peoples.
The commitment to adaptive management is embedded in the plan by the following:
15.0.1 A review and update to the plan 5 years after its approval, and every 10 years after the first review. 15.0.2 An annual review of the plan if the natural disturbance within the year exceed 10% of the caribou range
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16.0 Glossary
Term Definition
Access Corridor A linear corridor identified for human movement where roads or trails are planned and developed.
Adaptive Management A management approach that involves monitoring and performance evaluation followed by adjusting management actions to achieve the intended outcome. Adaptive management also allows information to be fed back into the project planning and design process so that future reclaimed project areas will meet the intended objectives. A tenet of ecological management, in which human resource users are flexible to change the way they interact with the environment, based upon need and the availability of new information.
Aggregated Harvest Harvest planning that concentrates forestry activities in space and time. This results in large, generally contiguous patches of young forest that should better imitate large natural disturbance patterns created by fire.
Anthropogenic (human The visible alteration or conversion of native ecosystems to caused) Footprint temporary or permanent residential, recreational, agricultural, or industrial landscapes.
This definition includes all areas under human use that have lost their natural cover for extended periods of time, such as cities, roads, agricultural fields, and surface mines. It also includes land that is periodically reset to earlier successional conditions by industrial activities, such as forestry cut blocks and seismic lines.
Annual Operating Plan A plan prepared and submitted by a forest operator every year. An (AOP) AOP approved by government provides the authorization to harvest.
Appended Development that occurs immediately adjacent (in 200m) to the Development centerline of a road that is recognized in an access management plan.
Bed and Shore Public lands which forms the definable channel of a river, stream or watercourse; or the basin of a lake of other permanent and naturally occurring body of water that is bound by a bank as defined in section 17 of the Surveys Act which may or may not be fully covered by water. The shore is the exposed bed when not fully covered by water.
Caribou Range The geographic area occupied by a group of individuals that are subject to similar factors affecting their demography and used to
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satisfy their life history processes (e.g. calving, rutting, wintering) over a defined time frame.
Chronic Wasting A disease that kills members of the deer family (i.e. white-tailed Disease (CWD) deer, elk, and moose). Transmission occurs from individual to individual and in certain situations may involve environmental contamination.
Commercial Recreation Instructing/guiding/outfitting activities (e.g., commercial trail riding, dog sled tours, heli-ski tours, fishing, game hunting, off-highway vehicle tours, etc.) or developments that offer facility oriented recreational, tourism or accommodation services or programs to the general public on public land for which a consumer pays a fee and which the operator require a permit or disposition.
Compartments A sub-section of a given area for which operational plans are developed.
Disposition Holder The holder of a disposition according to the records of a regulatory body. (Public Lands Administration Regulation)
Disposition Roads Roadways associated with holder of a formal disposition according to the records of a regulatory body.
Disturbance In respect of public land, means human activity that moves or removes one of more of the following features of the public land or that alters or results in the alteration of the state in which it existed before the human activity occurred, and includes any change in the intensity, frequency or nature of the human activity:
(i) vegetation;
(ii) soil;
(iii) subsoil;
(iv) bedrock;
(v) landform;
(vi) wetland;
(vii) water body or watercourse;
(viii) air flow or wind currents;
(ix) ambient sound volumes;
(x) light or shade;
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Disturbed Habitat Habitat showing: i) human-caused disturbance visible on Landsat at a scale of 1:50,000, including habitat in a 500-metre buffer of the human-caused disturbance; and/or ii) fire disturbance in the last 40 years, as identified in data from each provincial jurisdiction (without buffer).
Ecosystem Based Ecosystem-based management (EBM) is an integrated, science- Management (EBM) based approach to the management of natural resources that aims to sustain the health, resilience and diversity of ecosystems while allowing for sustainable use by humans of the goods and services they provide.
Footprint The impact or extent of a disturbance on public land and includes the intensity, frequency and nature of any uses or activities related to the disturbance.
Forest Harvest Plan or Standards for operating and planning field practices that must be Timber Harvest Plan measureable and auditable and based on forest management plan objectives.
Forest Harvest Timing Compartments which define the sequence in which forest Units (Harvest management activities are permitted within a given area of a Forest Compartment) Management Area.
Forest Management A renewable 20 year agreement between the government and a Agreement (FMA) company that grants the company the rights and obligations to manage, grow, and harvest timber on a specific area in a manner designed to provide a yield consistent with sustainable forest management principles and practices.
Forest Management An administrative land unit established under the authority of the Unit (FMU) Forests Act that may be designated for forest management.
Formal Disposition A disposition issued under the Public Lands Act before or after the coming into force of the Public Lands Administration Regulation and bearing a title and number assigned by the Department for the purposes of identifying the disposition in the records of the Department, and includes numbered instruments bearing the title
(i)commercial trail riding permit,
(ii) repealed AR 57/2017 s2,
(iii) easement,
(iv) farm development lease,
(v) grazing lease,
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(vi) grazing licence,
(vii) licence of occupation,
(viii) mineral surface lease,
(ix) miscellaneous lease,
(x) pipeline agreement,
(xi) pipeline installation lease,
(xii) surface material lease,
(xiii), (xiv) repealed AR 57/2017 s2,
(xv) lease for tourism and commercial recreation purposes,
or any other instrument issued in a form prescribed under section 6 of the Act;
Green Area Comprises most of northern Alberta as well as the mountain and foothills areas along the province’s western boundary and is managed for timber production, watershed, wildlife and fisheries, recreation, tourism, and other uses.
Habitat The sum of the environmental conditions in which an organism lives, or the physical and biological environment that provides essential food, water and shelter for an organism.
Habitat Restoration The practice, process or result of active human intervention and treatments to renew and restore degraded, damaged or destroyed ecosystems and habitats. Habitat restoration aims to protect and restore critical “services” that the environment provides.
Historical (Legacy) Footprint as of 2014, deemed unnecessary to support continued footprint human activity, is not initially restored and does not have a legally responsible party to deal with the restoration work (for example, historical seismic lines that have not been returned, either naturally or through management action, to a successional pathway towards effective caribou habitat).
Holistic Approach Consideration of the whole, including many inputs, perspectives and parts of a system. Often referred to as taking a holistic approach.
Indigenous peoples “Indigenous peoples” includes “aboriginal peoples of Canada” within the meaning of Section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.
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Indigenous Knowledge For the purposes of this plan, the knowledge regarding the subject- matter of this plan that Indigenous peoples or their members share outside their community.
Integrated Land A strategic, planned approach to managing and reducing the human Management (ILM) caused footprint on the land. The goals of ILM are to reduce land- use disturbance relative to what would occur in the absence of integration efforts, and to foster a stewardship ethic in all land users.
Land Conversion An actual, observable land-use change from an agricultural use to a non-agricultural use (or vice versa), such as agricultural to urban development. Conversion can be temporary (e.g., upstream oil and gas development) or permanent (e.g., urban development). Conversion may be positive or negative (i.e., a gain or loss of agricultural land, respectively).
Land Use All uses of land, such as agriculture, forestry, conservation, recreation, tourism, oil and gas, mining, utility corridors, transportation, cities and towns, industrial development, etc.
Land Use Framework In 2008, the GoA implemented Cabinet-approved provincial-scale policy to develop a new land use planning system for the province. The Land-use Framework sets out an approach to manage Crown and private lands and natural resources to achieve Alberta’s long- term economic, environmental and social goals. The framework is designed to ensure good stewardship of Alberta’s lands and resources so that future generations of Albertans benefit from the province’s natural beauty and prosperity, just as we do today. The Land-use Framework was developed through extensive consultation with Albertans and their collective feedback formed the guidance from which a provincial vision and a set of desired provincial outcomes and principles were created. (Planning System Overview).
Limit A transition point beyond which an unacceptable risk to a desired objective (or outcome) occurs. The limit is the value of an indicator which represents the point, if exceeded, that the system moves to an undesirable state and management action must be taken.
Local Population A group of caribou occupying a defined area distinguished spatially (caribou) from areas occupied by other groups of caribou. Local population dynamics are driven primarily by local factors affecting birth and death rates, rather than immigration or emigration among groups.
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Multiple Use Management of a land area to support integrated use including timber and non-timber interests such as water, grazing, industrial development, recreation, tourism, and wildlife.
Natural Disturbance Term used to describe a type of disturbance to the landscape that is not human caused. These disturbances can include fire, wind, insects, floods, and landslides.
Natural Range of The spectrum of natural conditions possible in ecosystem structure, Variation composition, and function, when considering both temporal and spatial scales.
Natural Resource(s) Occur in nature, including non-renewable resources, such as timber, fish, wildlife, soil, water, coal and minerals.
Nature-based Tourism Tourism that is undertaken largely or solely for the purpose of enjoying natural attractions and engaging in outdoor activities, whether for relaxation, discovery or adventure (e.g., camping, birdwatching, downhill skiing, hunting, mountain biking, motorized recreation, etc.).
Non-renewable Natural resources that are in fixed supply, such as coal, oil and Resource(s) minerals.
Objective The desired end result or goal in well-defined, measurable terms achievable in a certain timeframe. Translates the broad outcomes into more specific quantifiable statements and guide content and direction of policy.
Operating Ground Standards for operating and planning field practices that must be Rules measureable and auditable and based on forest management plan objectives.
Outcome An event, occurrence, or condition that results from an activity or program and has an actual effect on resources, the environment or Albertans. For planning purposes, outcomes are the desired/expected endpoint or state and should guide the development and implementation of related programs. An outcome can be expressed as a business result or a resource/environmental result. A program may have multiple outcomes for different timeframes and scales.
Outdoor Recreation The experience that results from freely chosen participation in physical, social, intellectual, creative and spiritual pursuits in an outdoor nature-based setting that enhances individual and community wellbeing.
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Progressive Interim or concurrent reclamation undertaken during, following or in Reclamation connection with construction, development and ongoing operations associated with an active disposition, where there is no expectation of re-disturbance and where the final approved plant community is establishing. For well sites minor re-disturbance may be required to replace reclamation material over the operational area (tear drop) at final reclamation.
Protected Area(s) Areas such as provincial parks, national parks, wilderness areas, ecological reserves and some recreation areas that have protected designations according to federal and provincial statutes. Protected areas are land and freshwater or marine areas set aside to protect diverse natural and cultural heritage.
Public Lands Land of the Crown in right of Alberta.
Reclamation Any or all of the following: (i) the removal of equipment or buildings or other structures or appurtenances; (ii) the decontamination of buildings or other structures or other appurtenances, or land or water; (iii) the stabilization, contouring, maintenance, conditioning or reconstruction of the surface of land; (iv) any other procedure, operation or requirement specified in the regulations;
Recreation Opportunity The availability for an individual to engage in a chosen recreation activity within a preferred recreation setting in order to achieve a desired experience.
Restoration The process of restoring site conditions as they were before the land disturbance
Restored Habitat Habitat that was disturbed in the past, but has since returned to a state that is no longer considered by Alberta to be disturbed.
Right of way (ROW) A cleared area facilitating linear activities, that contain an access road and its associated features such as shoulders, ditches, cut and fill slopes, or the area cleared for passage of utility corridors containing power lines or over or under-ground pipelines. Typically, the ROW is a specially designated area of land having very specific rights of usage attached.
Self-sustaining local A local population of caribou that on average demonstrated stable or population (caribou) positive population growth over the short-term (≤20 years), and is large enough to withstand random events and persist over the long- term (≥50 years), without the need for ongoing active management intervention.
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Seral Stage A stage of forest succession. A series of plant community conditions that develop during ecological succession following a major disturbance to the climax stage. Most common characteristics/classifications include tree species and age.
Spatial Harvest A stand level map depicting forest stands scheduled for timber Sequence (SHS) harvesting that are feasible to be operated by the organization. SHSs are generally prepared for 20 years.
Stand or Stand Type A community of trees sufficiently uniform in species, age, arrangement or condition as to be distinguishable as a group in the forest.
Sub-Regional Plan Sub-regional plans address location-specific issues through the integration of higher-level plans, policy and operational requirements. Plans are outcome based, provide clear operational direction and must be considered when making decisions in the planning area. Enabled through the Alberta Land Stewardship Act and ministry legislation (e.g. Public Lands Act), sub-regional plans are built through a collaborative process and include input and feedback from Indigenous peoples, stakeholders and the public.
Temporary Roads A road approved under a public lands authorization or forestry annual operating plan.
Tourism The activity of persons traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes not related to the exercise of an activity remunerated from within the place visited. A tourism trip occurs when a visitor takes an overnight trip, or a same-day trip of more than 40 km (one-way) outside of their home community.
Traditional Uses For the purposes of this plan, “traditional uses” has the same meaning as in the GoA’s policies on consultation with First Nations and Metis Settlements on land and natural resource management, as those policies may read at any one time.
Treaty Rights Constitutionally protected rights to hunt, trap, and fish for food. These rights may be practiced on unoccupied Crown lands or lands to which First Nations members have right of access for such purposes.
Undisturbed Habitat Habitat not showing any: i) human-caused disturbance visible on Landsat at a scale of 1:50,000, including habitat in a 500-metre buffer of the human-caused disturbance; and/or ii) fire disturbance in the last 40 years, as identified in data from each provincial and territorial jurisdiction (without a buffer).
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Valley Break The interface between the upland tableland and the crest or rim of the main (oldest) slope of the board river valley.
White Area The White Area (settled portion) consists of the populated central, southern and Peace River areas of the province. In the White Area, public land is part of the agricultural landscape. It is managed for various uses including agriculture, recreation, soil and water conservation, and fish and wildlife habitat.
Working Landscape An area of land managed for multiple environmental, social and economic objectives. These objectives include environmental conservation, as well as human use for social and economic value.
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