Exploring Solutions to Woodland Caribou in Northwest Alberta CHINCHAGA CARIBOU RANGE

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Dina Gaines
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1 Exploring Solutions to Woodland Caribou in Northwest Alberta CHINCHAGA CARIBOU RANGE An introduction to Daishowa-Marubeni, DMI s interests in the caribou file, and A Three-Phase DMI-Silvacom Project June, 2017

2 Woodland Caribou 2 sets of regulatory & policy instruments define its protected status and the aspiration of governments to recover caribou across their range in Canada

3 Woodland Caribou; Habitat Distribution BOREAL Woodland Caribou habitat is officially designated by the Canadian & Alberta governments as caribou ranges..51 across Canada 12 in Alberta

4 Northwest Alberta Context: Caribou exist at the intersection of 2 distinct ecozones (foundations for different Woodland caribou habitat) Taiga Plains / Boreal Plains NWT-Alberta Border BC-Alberta Border

5 Woodlands Business Unit; Tenures & Wood Supply DMI tenures intersect parts of 5 caribou ranges (Chinchaga, Red Earth, Bistcho, Yates, Caribou Mountains) Caribou Ranges

6 DMI s FMA tenures intersect 2 caribou ranges (Chinchaga, Red Earth) Chinchaga -ClearHills Amalgamates former Chinchaga, Hotchkiss, Deadwood/Dixonville ranges Env Canada includes BC range Red Earth West FMA East FMA

7 Woodlands Business Unit; How much caribou range overlap with DMI forest tenures? West-FMA portion affected by Chinchaga Caribou Range 44% DMI DTA portion affected by Chinchaga Range (MDFP FMA) 75% East-FMA portion affected by Red Earth Caribou Range 13% Neither FMA tenure encompasses the entire boundary of any one caribou range. The overlaps are partial-only.

8 Woodland Caribou; Do they really exist locally? L Fullerton GoA -Chinchaga EMEND Research Stn 2015 Wfraser Manning 2005

9 Woodland Caribou; What does their north boreal habitat look like?

10 Woodland Caribou; What is government s role? Governments (federal, provincial) are ultimately responsible for setting goals, objectives & recovery planning processes into play for at-risk species with consultation (public, industry, Indigenous peoples). Government (provincial) is responsible to develop range-specific plans, provincial implementation/action plans, and coordinate. Government (federal) can compel Provinces to act, assess quality of Provincial plans, & can issue orders (Emergency Protection Order, Safety Net) for national at-risk species. SARA is time-sensitive in its requirements. Caribou plight is a cumulative effects issue. Species recovery will require multiple simultaneous contributions & collaboration from; science community, governments, forest sector, energy sector, public users of land, & Indigenous peoples. IN CONCERT.

11 Woodland Caribou; What does government expect of industry among other stakeholders? Government can compel industry to adopt provincial/federal species goals within future company plans or to change an existing plan. (e.g. Sec12 FMA) Government can remove portions of forest management (FMA) tenure but subject to compensation terms within the FMA (Sec 6 FMA) Sustainable Forest Management (government policy + forest industry).can offer some particular tools & contributions to caribou landscape analyses IF government agrees to adopt them within a range recovery plan. FOREST INDUSTRY.can offer: contributions to caribou-range landscape analyses (1 to 100-year outlook), collaboration in the science that is necessary to support effective longrange planning, specific suites of forest management controls within eventual government implementation of those species recovery plans.

12 At-risk Species DMI voluntary leadership efforts DMI engaged the caribou file (1994) and the Grizzly bear file (2006). DMI co-initiated a regional caribou planning forum (active locally 1990 s -2005) DMI co-initiated a local grizzly bear working group following Gbear research collaboration (fri Research Institute) DMI co-initiated innovative caribou research Chinchaga caribou range (fri Research Institute + WFraser) 2013 DMI initiated a comprehensive Chinchaga caribou range assessment & toolkit project 2015

13 Woodland Caribou; How do DMI s FMA forest management targets relate to caribou? DMI forest management plans could accommodate Woodland Caribou consideration if a caribou range plan was enacted by government. 8 VOIT target areas (NOT all solely caribou driven performance areas) Indicator 6 Old interior forest amounts (hectares) Indicator 9 Participation commitment (government-led planning process) Indicator 10 Reporting government population estimates (FMA-ranges) Indicator 13 Reporting Conservation Reserve amounts (voluntary + official) Indicator 14 Reporting on amount of government Protected Areas growth Indicator 15 Government-driven Habitat Suitability assessments & status Indicator 21 Status of compliance with special featrues protection required Indicator C6 Status of protection of riparian areas (incl. Bogs/fens) While Alberta has a Recovery Strategy, Policy statement, & Action Plan there is currently NO range-specific recovery plan for NW Alberta caribou ranges so, no range-based plan for a forest management plan to anchor to

DMI history in caribou file engagement Rooted in early 1990 s participation in foundational caribou work in northern Alberta, 12+ initial projects

years (1994-2016) co-funding research associated with Boreal Caribou Committee (NW + NE Ab pre-2005), +Alberta Caribou Committee (2005) initiatives, and

Participant; Research/Monitoring sub-committee (Alberta Caribou Committee) Participated in development of Industrial guidelines (interim) still the standing

14 DMI history in caribou file engagement Rooted in early 1990 s participation in foundational caribou work in northern Alberta, 12+ initial projects (telemetry, sampling protocols, weather, pellets, calf surveys, peatland analysis, vegetation sampling, DNA) DMI Investment & Collaboration in Science -22 years ( ) co-funding research associated with Boreal Caribou Committee (NW + NE Ab pre-2005), +Alberta Caribou Committee (2005) initiatives, and more recently, fri Research Caribou Program. Participant; Research/Monitoring sub-committee (Alberta Caribou Committee) Participated in development of Industrial guidelines (interim) still the standing guidepoint for BMP s in northern Alberta until inauguration of a range plan Current Activity Team participant; fri Research Caribou Program Total Investment now includes additive NEW Range Characterization project + Modeling Framework development (for baseline + scenarios generation)

15 Northwest Ab. Landscape Footprint History land use development reaching back into early 1900 s Agricultural frontier

16 Northwest Ab. Woodland Caribou ranges Disturbance (Env Can, Landsat-derived) Transboundary AB + BC UPDATE: fri -Linear Disturbance + RSF Project -Chinchaga delivery Nov 2016 (assessed natural recovery & habitat use caribou, wolves, human ATV utility) UPDATE: DMI-Silvacom assessment -Chinchaga

17 Northwest Ab. Woodland Caribou ranges Comparative-scale considerations: implementation viability challenge innovation opportunity space DMI s current project

18 Why DMI is interested in the caribou file Desire to advance the northwest Alberta caribou file (Northwest Alberta has been placed on-hold since 2005 dissolve of Boreal Caribou Committee no active local forum telemetry monitoring is active) Reduce business operation uncertainty -inherent business risks in continued absence of process, progress or solutions specific to NW Alberta Northwest Alberta is an opportunity (possibly less volatile ground than west central & NE Alberta).perceive more spatial flexibility

Caribou: Designing a fresh new approach (retrospective considerations).

learned elsewhere (lengthy historic Alberta dialogue, messages evident in other caribou

caribou solutions without repeating or re-discovering barriers, frustration or

motivated industry proponent willing to champion, develop & advocate for an innovative,

project-stage: comparing/contrasting scenarios BUSINESS CASE: Good ideas are likely to

anticipates various interests, skeptics & challenges Ensure the business case is visible

19 Caribou: Designing a fresh new approach (retrospective considerations).a voluntary DMI project initiated spring 2015: LEARN from others: Engage the lessons learned elsewhere (lengthy historic Alberta dialogue, messages evident in other caribou planning forums & planning processes, unimplemented plans) Seek innovative local context caribou solutions without repeating or re-discovering barriers, frustration or partial-starts experienced elsewhere in Alberta START SOMETHING: Begin with a single, motivated industry proponent willing to champion, develop & advocate for an innovative, multi-component, appealing caribou solution-space Efficiency in getting to the important project-stage: comparing/contrasting scenarios BUSINESS CASE: Good ideas are likely to take root, & allies likely to join when a clear business case is evident, which anticipates various interests, skeptics & challenges Ensure the business case is visible within the plan, Ensure it is compelling & speaks to: i) Business risks of government & industry, ii) Marketplace opportunity, iii) Balance

April 2015 -DMI engaged a project initiated as an internal risk

a voluntary DMI initiative A BEGINNING: Invested in an advisory

(caribou ecology, landscape study, EBM management concepts)

s (innovations, effectiveness, opportunity) fri Research Dr David

Conservation + Viability Golder Associates Paula Bentham RESEARCH:

20 April DMI engaged a project initiated as an internal risk management exercise.a voluntary DMI initiative A BEGINNING: Invested in an advisory workshop with invited consulting expertise in Alberta Science (caribou ecology, landscape study, EBM management concepts) Integrated large scale planning processes UofA -Dr Stan Boutin BMP s (innovations, effectiveness, opportunity) fri Research Dr David Andison Salmo Consulting Terry Antoniuk Socio-economics + Conservation + Viability Golder Associates Paula Bentham RESEARCH: Simultaneous ongoing investment in relevant applied science fri Research Chinchaga caribou range Linear disturbance LiDAR assessment + RSFs

Interest in consulting expertise advice.

design & deliver an innovative, compelling caribou recovery

21 Interest in consulting expertise advice..sok synthesis & Process experience If you had the opportunity to design & deliver an innovative, compelling caribou recovery solution on a new landscape trial, what would that solution look like? What components would it include? What challenges would you anticipate in its adoption? How would you approach distilling & sale on its merits? Considerations on scale?

22 PRINCIPLES of credibility Best available information (data) Utilize existing knowledge (Science, Caribou planning guidance) Fluid (accommodate new information / knowledge as availed) Transparent process that can be replicated Alignment EnvCCCan, CBFA Methodology, Alberta Policy Widest suite of tools (holistic, innovative) Multiple values (multiple species, multiple audiences/interests)

23 June 2015 Initiation: A DMI project engaging 3 distinct complementary phases internal risk management exercise Parts of Conceptual RANGE PLAN Phase-I: Chinchaga Range Profile (Range & habitat characterization, Transboundary BC+AB range).a neutral product, necessary start-point Documentation of process & visualization (maps, outputs summary tables) Phase-II: Modeling Framework Development Identify: Objectives, 44 ES Indicators (functional habitat, caribou, other landscape condition aspects & species), 21 Socio-Economic Indicators, 8 Management levers (habitat, population actions).regionally meaningful context Baseline scenario definition + Model testing Documentation of process & visualization (outputs dashboard) Phase-III: Scenarios Construction & Solutions Assessment Build: solution scenarios (including bookends, suites of tools & zonation), Management lever power assessment, Model runs: Solution space search + Distill for multi-audience business case/merits & climate change vulnerability Documentation & visualization(maps, outputs dashboard) Other phases (NEW Chinchaga fri Research integration active discussion, Outreach) Consulting expertise: Silvacom team + Salmo Consulting (caribou SME) Antoniuk-Nishi Others as-needed (e.g. data owners, academics, researchers AB + BC)

Process Scope & Planning Anchors Environment Canada National Recovery Strategy (& science documents) Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement Caribou Planning Methodology.

2010-15, DMI participated in a national committee ( Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement ) that set out an innovative science-based national planning approach in collaboration with notable

24 Process Scope & Planning Anchors Environment Canada National Recovery Strategy (& science documents) Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement Caribou Planning Methodology.a scenario-based, sequential approach to discovering solution-space (national) CCFM criteria -Sustainable Forest Management (multi-value, multi-species) NEW activity 2016 (federal) , DMI participated in a national committee ( Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement ) that set out an innovative science-based national planning approach in collaboration with notable biologists, scientists, Canada s largest forest companies (FPAC members) & leading Environmental Organizations. This novel planning approach now serves to guide pilot caribou action planning efforts across Canada.

PROTECTING Critical Habitat defined inside each

25 Canada s Requirements for Woodland Caribou recovery Particular attention must be focused on PROTECTING Critical Habitat defined inside each range (scientifically-defined biophysical attributes )

26 In the case of the Chinchaga caribou range, DMI has voluntarily championed & invested in the accelerated completion of 2 key project phases. This could assist government (federal, provincial) to meet their range preparation obligations under SARA for the Chinchaga Caribou range. ( and others that could follow this template???)

27 Phase-I Project: Range Characterization Contents & components: (NECESSARY CONSIDERATIONS FOR RANGE PLANNING) Habitat profile (physical landscape, habitat classification biophysical attributes) Telemetry profile (data on caribou) Data processing approach & consultations (credibility in interpretations) Range habitat assessment Core habitat (focal areas of caribou HQ habitat-types) Range occupancy and Caribou use of available habitat (75% + 90% kernels) Seasonality Movement or travel corridors? Historic range use shifts? Range delineation? (MCP) Forest age class profile Range disturbance assessment (preliminary, update since Env Can product) Other boreal species priorities considerations (multi-species aspect) Socio-economic profile considerations inherent in landuse dependencies at-play NOT a solutions-discussion nor range plan outcomes rather a tool to inform caribou recovery planning for the range.

28 In the case of the Chinchaga caribou range, Critical Habitat is generally illustrated in green Transboundary AB + BC

29 .but the analyses show that in the case of the Chinchaga caribou range, Critical Habitat is unevenly distributed within a mosaic of non-suitable caribou habitat illustrated in orange and yellow

Phase-II Project: Building a Modeling Framework (tool) INPUTS OUTPUTS (RESULTS of a SCENARIO, 1-100yrs) Caribou Current Condition of the Range Other Species Landscape State Social + Economic 67

30 Phase-II Project: Building a Modeling Framework (tool) INPUTS OUTPUTS (RESULTS of a SCENARIO, 1-100yrs) Caribou Current Condition of the Range Other Species Landscape State Social + Economic 67 diverse indicators of performance Mixtures of Intervention Tools a tool for exploring different options or conceptual mixtures of recovery tools (habitat + direct wildlife management) seeking best solutions.

31 Why DMI is investing in the caribou file since 1994? Demonstrate to government & public stakeholders pro-active DMI desire to advance: Caribou science/knowledge in northwest Alberta, Analyses of caribou range landscapes in our region, Innovative opportunities for low risk solutions Reduce business risk & uncertainty inherent in the absence of clear government process or solutions specific to NW Alberta Be prepared for Alberta government request seeking local industry feedback on proposed solutions (NW Alberta) Northwest Alberta is an opportunity (very large caribou ranges may be less politically volatile than west central & NE Alberta, & more spatial flexibility)

Ecological Monitoring Committee for the Lower Athabasca. Annual Report

Ecological Monitoring Committee for the Lower Athabasca Annual Report 2013-14 Released April 23, 2014 Ecological Monitoring Committee for the Lower Athabasca 2013-14 Annual Report Table of Contents 2013-14