scholarly journals An Analysis of Government Actions for the Protection and Recovery of Forest-dwelling Woodland Caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) in Ontario, Canada

Rangifer ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher J.A. Wilkinson
Keyword(s):  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Timber Harvesting ◽  
Species Loss ◽  
Species At Risk ◽  
Rangifer Tarandus Caribou ◽  
Woodland Caribou ◽  
Recovery Strategy ◽  
Government Action ◽  
Conservation Plan ◽  
The Government

The Government of Ontario has legal responsibilities to protect and recover the province’s population of forest-dwelling woodland caribou, which is classified as a threatened species. Loss and fragmentation of habitat caused by commercial timber harvesting, land clearing, and linear disturbances such as road building have resulted in range recession. Ontario’s Woodland Caribou Conservation Plan (2009) serves as the provincial government’s response to a recovery strategy. This paper contends that the likelihood of success for this conservation plan is low as it focuses on mitigating rather than eliminating threats, relies on the unproven and circumspect hypothesis that woodland caribou will re-occupy logged habitat, and lacks clarity and details on implementation. Sound government action focused on protection and recovery is needed to prevent the imperilment and extirpation of this species at risk.

scholarly journals An examination of recovery planning for forest-dwelling woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) in Ontario, Canada

Rangifer ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 13
Author(s):  
Christopher J. A. Wilkinson
Keyword(s):  
Natural Resources ◽  
Industrial Development ◽  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Timber Harvesting ◽  
Species At Risk ◽  
Rangifer Tarandus Caribou ◽  
Woodland Caribou ◽  
Recovery Strategy ◽  
Forestry Policy ◽  
Recovery Planning

Ontario’s population of forest-dwelling woodland caribou is listed both federally and provincially as a species at risk. It is estimated that 20 000 woodland caribou remain in Ontario, of which approximately one quarter inhabit the boreal forest and are described as the sedentary forest-dwelling population. This paper examines the recovery strategy for this population developed by the Ministry of Natural Resources, as well as discussing the implications of provincial forestry policy on woodland caribou management. Commercial timber harvesting will likely soon be allowed in parts of the northern third of the province, in which woodland caribou habitat currently is relatively unimpaired by industrial development. Abstract in Norwegian / Sammendrag:Planlegging for bevaring av skogsøkotypen av Rangifer tarandus caribou i Ontario, CanadaSkogsvillreinen av skogsøkotypen i Ontario er vurdert som sårbar både føderalt og på provinsnivå. Av provinsens rundt 20 000 skogsvillrein hører omtrent en fjerdepart til den stasjonære skogsboende skogsøkoypen. Artikkelen ser på bevaringsstrategien som er utarbeidet av naturressursdepartementet i Ontario for denne spesielle bestanden og diskuterer konsekvensene for villreinen av provinsens skogpolitikk. Kommersiell hogst vil mest sannsynlig og snart bli tillatt i deler av Ontarios nordlige tredel der skogvillreinens leveområder er relativt upåvirket av industriell virksomhet.

Addendum to “Managing wolves (Canis lupus) to recover threatened woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) in Alberta”

2015 ◽  
Vol 93 (3) ◽  
pp. 245-247 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dave Hervieux ◽  
Mark Hebblewhite ◽  
Dave Stepnisky ◽  
Michelle Bacon ◽  
Stan Boutin
Keyword(s):  
Canis Lupus ◽  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Journal Editor ◽  
Species At Risk ◽  
Rangifer Tarandus Caribou ◽  
Woodland Caribou ◽  
Recovery Strategy ◽  
Effective Assessment ◽  
Independent University

Managing predators to restore threatened or endangered species is often controversial. Hervieux et al. (2014; Can. J. Zool. 92(12): 1029–1037) report on the efficacy of wolf (Canis lupus L., 1758) reduction as a recovery strategy in the Little Smoky population of boreal woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou (Gmelin, 1788)) range in Alberta, which generated a lot of media attention. As such, the authors were invited by the journal editor who handled the original paper to write this addendum to provide clarification regarding the methodology used in the original paper. Wolf reduction was conducted by Government personnel in accordance with appropriate policy and laws (i.e., federal and provincial Species at Risk Acts; Alberta Wildlife Act; Alberta Woodland Caribou Policy). University-based researchers were involved only in data analysis and writing, and thus did not require approval by a university-based animal welfare board. Collaboration between independent university-based scientists and government biologists is essential to effective assessment of such controversial management practices. Hervieux et al. (2014; Can. J. Zool. 92(12): 1029–1037) in fact concluded that such wolf reductions, by themselves, would only “buy time” and would not restore woodland caribou alone without effective habitat protection.

scholarly journals In search of a critical habitat concept for woodland caribou, boreal population

Rangifer ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerald D. Racey ◽  
A. Alan Arsenault
Keyword(s):  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Local Population ◽  
Natural Disturbances ◽  
Rangifer Tarandus Caribou ◽  
Hierarchical Approach ◽  
Woodland Caribou ◽  
Recovery Strategy ◽  
Ecological Functions ◽  
Critical Habitat ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Scales

A hierarchical approach to critical habitat identification has been proposed in the draft National Recovery Strategy for the Woodland Caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou), Boreal Population. This approach proposes that critical habitat for boreal caribou be identified as equivalent with caribou ranges and their composite range components, and that it be consistent with the biological needs of a wild, self-sustaining local population of woodland caribou. These components include seasonal ranges, high use areas and calving sites, each of which provide for important ecological functions and are subject to specific risks from human development activities. Protection of critical habitat is accomplished through management of the amount and type of human developments and potential natural disturbances, not by prohibiting all activity. This approach to critical habitat sets the stage for management and monitoring of habitat at spatial and temporal scales appropriate for conservation of a wide ranging species such as woodland caribou.

scholarly journals Conserving woodland caribou habitat while maintaining timber yield: a graph theory approach

2016 ◽  
Vol 46 (7) ◽  
pp. 914-923 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan L.W. Ruppert ◽  
Marie-Josée Fortin ◽  
Eldon A. Gunn ◽  
David L. Martell
Keyword(s):  
Graph Theory ◽  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
High Volume ◽  
Timber Harvesting ◽  
Optimization Approach ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Heuristic Procedure ◽  
Woodland Caribou ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Old Growth Forest

The fragmentation and loss of old-growth forest has led to the decline of many forest-dwelling species that depend on old-growth forest as habitat. Emblematic of this issue in many areas of the managed boreal forest in Canada is the threatened woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou (Gmelin, 1788)). We develop a methodology to help determine when and how timber can be harvested to best satisfy both industrial timber supply and woodland caribou habitat requirements. To start, we use least-cost paths based on graph theory to determine the configuration of woodland caribou preferred habitat patches. We then developed a heuristic procedure to schedule timber harvesting based on a trade-off between merchantable wood volume and the remaining amount of habitat and its connectivity during a planning cycle. Our heuristic can attain 84% of the potential woodland caribou habitat that would be available in the absence of harvesting at the end of a 100 year planning horizon. Interestingly, this is more than that which is attained by the current plan (50%) and a harvesting plan that targets high volume stands (32%). Our results indicate that our heuristic procedure (i.e., an ecologically tuned optimization approach) may better direct industrial activities to improve old-growth habitat while maintaining specified timber production levels.

If You Build It, Will They Come? Caribou Habitat Restoration for Pipeline Projects

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian Coupal ◽  
Paula Bentham
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Management ◽  
Habitat Restoration ◽  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Local Population ◽  
Landscape Fragmentation ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Woodland Caribou ◽  
Recovery Strategy ◽  
Control Programs ◽  
Northeastern Alberta

The federal Recovery Strategy for the Woodland Caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou), Boreal Population in Canada, identifies coordinated actions to reclaim woodland caribou habitat as a key step to meeting current and future caribou population objectives. Actions include restoring industrial landscape features such as roads, seismic lines, pipelines, cut-lines, and cleared areas in an effort to reduce landscape fragmentation and the changes in caribou population dynamics associated with changing predator-prey dynamics in highly fragmented landscapes. Reliance on habitat restoration as a recovery action within the federal Recovery Strategy is high, identifying 65% undisturbed habitat in a caribou range as the threshold to providing a 60% chance that a local population will be self-sustaining. In alignment with the federal Recovery Strategy, Alberta’s Provincial Woodland Caribou Policy identifies habitat restoration as a critical component of long-term caribou habitat management. Habitat restoration initiatives of Alberta’s historical industrial footprint within caribou ranges began in 2001 and have largely focused on linear corridors, including pipelines. Initiatives include revegetation treatments, access control programs and studies, and restricting the growth of plant species that are favourable to moose and deer, the primary prey for wolves. Habitat restoration for pipelines also includes pre-construction planning to reduce disturbance and create line-of-sight breaks, and construction techniques that promote natural vegetation recovery. Lessons learned from habitat restoration programs implemented on pipeline projects in northeastern Alberta will be shared as an opportunity to improve common understanding of restoration techniques, the barriers to implementation, and potential outcomes.

scholarly journals Putting the environmental impact assessment process into practice for woodland caribou in the Alberta Oil Sands Region

Rangifer ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 89
Author(s):  
Paula R. Bentham
Keyword(s):  
Oil Sands ◽  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Assessment Process ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Primary Role ◽  
Woodland Caribou ◽  
The Government ◽  
Current Operating ◽  
Impact Predictions

Since 1985, woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) have been designated as a threatened species in Alberta. Populations studied since the 1970s have been stable or declining, with no population increases documented. Resource expansion into previously undeveloped areas and associated increases in access have been implicated as possible causes for the declines. To facilitate development on caribou ranges, while ensuring the integrity and supply of caribou habitat, standing committees have been formed. The primary role of the committees is to act as advisory bodies to the government and to search for effective and efficient industrial operating guidelines. Recent research has been conducted on the responses of woodland caribou ecotypes to increased human and predator access. Based on this research, operating guidelines have been refined and implemented through Caribou Protection Plans. I discuss how the current operating guidelines are put into practice and linked to the Environmental Assessment process within the Oil Sands Region of Alberta. In particular, I discuss the origination of impact predictions, specific mitigation measures to reduce impacts and monitoring.

Fascioloides magna (Trematoda) in woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) of the George River herd, Labrador

1988 ◽  
Vol 66 (2) ◽  
pp. 475-479 ◽  
Author(s):  
Murray W. Lankester ◽  
Stu Luttich
Keyword(s):  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Liver Weight ◽  
Rangifer Tarandus Caribou ◽  
Woodland Caribou ◽  
Intensity Of Infection ◽  
Fascioloides Magna ◽  
The Mean ◽  
George River ◽  
Liver Flukes

Fifty-eight percent of woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) of the George River herd, Labrador, were infected with up to 110 giant American liver flukes (Fascioloides magna). The prevalence and intensity of infection did not differ between 2 sampling years or between sexes. Prevalence tended to increase with age while intensity did not differ among age groups. Liver weight increased with intensity of infection but condition, as measured by the mean depth of back fat, did not differ between infected and uninfected animals. Caribou must be considered a suitable host of F. magna since the growth and maturation of the parasite and lesions produced in Rangifer resemble those in deer and wapiti.

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