Conservation Values Planning, Caribou, and the Canadian Boreal

Forest Agreement

Prepared by: Ryan ChengGlobal Forest Watch Canada

Examples of Using Caribou as a Focal Species in Conservation Planning

• GFWC and Caribou Habitat Mapping• The Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement• Conservation Values Mapping Work for the

Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement- Process of determining conservation values- Examples of what the analysis looks like

• Limitations of the methodology- ENGO concerns with our methodology- Industry concerns with our methodology

GFWC work with Caribou Habitat Mapping

• 2008 – The GFWC Cumulative Access Dataset showed a relationship between calf recruitment (herd health) and anthropogenic disturbance. Further study was initiated to refine this relationship for the dates of collar data (herd range) and buffer distance of anthropogenic disturbance.

GFWC work with Caribou Habitat Mapping

• 2011 – A second Environment Canada report showed that, with additional refinements to the disturbance mapping, the relationship showed an increased correlation between range condition and calf recruitment

• Nearly 70% of the variation in caribou recruitment across twenty-four study areas spanning the full range of boreal caribou distribution and range condition in Canada was explained by a single composite measure of total disturbance (fire + buffered anthropogenic), most of which could be attributed to the negative effects of anthropogenic disturbance.

Environment Canada 2011

GFWC work with Caribou Habitat Mapping

• 2011 – GFWC releases report on state of caribou in the James Bay region in the province of Québec

• GFWC is presently working on a report showing potential habitat restoration-protection opportunities for caribou in the Québec James Bay region

GFWC and Caribou Mapping in Grand Council of the Cree Territory

Results from James Bay Caribou Region Study

• Of the four caribou analysis units in the study, two units each had over 40% of their area disturbed (fire plus anthropogenic).

• The probability of two of the four caribou analysis units supporting self-sustaining populations is likely medium-low. The probability of the third unit supporting a self-sustaining local population is likely medium. The probability of the fourth unit supporting a self-sustaining local population is likely high.

The Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement

The Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement

The six strategic goals are:• World-leading forest practices standards (Goal 1)• Completion of a network of protected areas (Goal 2)• Recovery of endangered species (Goal 3)• Reduction of greenhouse gases (Goal 4)• Improved sectoral and community prosperity (Goal 5)• Recognition by the marketplace (Goal 6)

CBFA Organization Structure• Steering Committee• Secretariat• Science Committee / Independent Science

Advisory Teams • National Working Groups • Regional Working Groups • Industry Caucus [Forest Products Association of

Canada]• Environmental Non-Governmental Organizations

Caucus

CFBA Science Committee• Made up of five member (from academia, industry and

ENGOs)• Coordinates the activities of the Independent Science

Advisory Teams. • The Independent Science Advisory Teams will develop the

scientific basis from which to achieve CBFA goals• Focus is currently on develop a plan to address CFBA goals

2 (protected areas) and 3 (caribou)– To this end the science committee has developed

methodological frameworks on caribou/protected areas/social-economic costs of conservation opportunities

– The MFs are given to the Regional Working Groups to standardise the caribou conservation science

GFWC and the CBFA

• ENGO Caucus• Regional Working Groups– British Columbia – Alberta• Lower Athabasca Regional Plan

– Saskatchewan – Manitoba– Quebec

Why caribou?

Environment Canada, 2011. Scientific Assessment to Inform the Identification of Critical Habitat for Woodland Caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou), Boreal Population, in Canada: 2011 update. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. 102 pp. plus appendices.

Boreal Caribou habitat

Environment Canada. 2008. Scientific Review for the Identification of Critical Habitat for Woodland Caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou), Boreal Population, in Canada. August 2008. Ottawa: Environment Canada. 72 pp. plus 180 pp Appendices.

What is Global Forest Watch Canada’s Role in the CBFA?

• Working Groups are developing plans to implement Goal 2 (protected areas) and goal 3 (species at risk)

• We help in spatially determining their “asks”.

Creating the Conservation Values Index for the CBFA ENGO Caucus

• Decision making process – DELPHI METHOD

– ENGOs were asked to come up with a list of all the conservation values that they wanted to examine

– This list of data was passed on to GFWC and we returned to the ENGOs what was available based on that list

– ENGOs returned with a ranking of the values– GFWC combined all values into a single conservation

values index. We applied this index for a 1km by 1km across Canada.

– What are common values between ENGOs and industry:• Caribou are defined in the CFBA as the priority focus (goal 3)

Important Considerations in the Conservation Values Assessment Process

• The conservation values chosen• Quality of the input data

(availability/extent/scale)• Political opportunities

Potential Conservation Values• List of datasets that we have available in Canada:

– Intact forest landscapes– Caribou/ caribou habitat – Carbon storage: Terrestrial (Soil Organic Carbon)– Assessment of Representation (AoR)– Aquatic density– Rainforests (Boreal)– Free-flowing major rivers– Proximity/adjacency to existing Protected Areas– Old growth forests (Forest age)– Wetlands – Carbon sinks (Net Biome Productivity)– Tree height– Focal species: Grizzly – Focal species: Wolverine– Species Diversity

• Examples of HCVF in Phase 1 conservation planning regions– Regional working groups

Phase 1 Area

National ENGO caucus

Decide on study boundaries/unit of analysis-The entire Canadian Boreal?-CBFA Tenures?-By watershed?

Comparison of Conservation Values Maps for two regions of Canada

GP Western CanadaEcological Value Weight (0-100)Estuaries 7.43Wetlands (Montane Cordillera and Pacific Maritime) 7.06Wetlands 6.91Real old-growth (Montane Cordillera and Pacific Maritime) 6.69Potential Old Growth Forests 3.72Caribou 5.95Grizzly 5.95Marbled murrelet 5.95Salmon 5.95Tailed Frog 5.95Bull trout 5.95Declining key Ecosystems 5.20Interior Cedar Hermlock 4.98Saltwater coastline length per watershed 4.46Lakes and rivers bywatershed 4.09Intact size 4.83Species Diversity 2.23Soil Organic Carbon 3.72Net Biome Productivity 1.49Proximity to Protected Areas 1.49

GP Eastern CanadaEcological Value Weight (/100)Intact size 23.81Key focal species 21.43Species Diversity 14.29Potential Old Growth Forests 9.52Wetlands 9.52Soil Organic Carbon 7.14Net Biome Productivity 4.76Proximity to Protected Areas 4.76Watersheds covered by lakes and rivers 4.76Species Diversity - Birds 3.90Species diversity - Mammals 3.90Species diversity - Reptiles and Amphibians 3.90

Species Diversity - Trees 2.60

CBFA ENGO Concerns with the Conservation Values Methodology

• Intact Forest Landscapes in Canada highlight the northern frontier forest, not the southern threatened forests near settled regions of Canada.

• Using conservation values creates hotspots as foci. However, large mammal cannot persist in areas where only those foci are protected – they require the entire range expanse

CBFA Industry Concerns with the Conservation Values Methodology

• The weighting of IFLs does not distinguish between levels of disturbance (for example: a tar sands mine is “equal” to the disturbance of a clearcut)

• The IFL concept does not account for the natural regrowth of a forest ecosystem

Conclusion

• The Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement is an evolving process for participants.

• The new methodological science frameworks will include new indicators as conservation values