An examination of recovery planning for forest-dwelling woodland caribou (&lt;em&gt;Rangifer tarandus caribou&lt;/em&gt;) in Ontario, Canada

Wilkinson, Christopher J. A.

doi:10.7557/2.28.1.147

Cited by 3 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…A provincial Woodland Caribou Recovery Team was subsequently established to develop a Recovery Strategy, and a Caribou Advisory Committee provided relevant recommendations and advice. The Recovery Strategy was finalized and made available in 2008 (Ontario Woodland Caribou Recovery Team, 2008), considerably changed from and addressing many of the criticism directed at the draft strategy (Wilkinson, 2008). …”

Section: Public Consultation and Engagementmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Based on the Recovery Strategy and Science Review Panel report, a discussion paper was developed to solicit public input to support development of the CCP (OMNR, 2008a). Public consultation efforts specific to the CCP included several stakeholder consultation sessions in fall 2008and winter 2009(OMNR, 2008b, and invitations to participate through posting on Ontario's Environmental Registry (Government of Ontario, 2009).…”

Section: Public Consultation and Engagementmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…One of the key commitments of the CCP was met by the initiation of a long-term collaborative caribou research program that has been under development for some time. A number of previous workshops and assessments involving government (federal and provincial, including neighbouring provinces) and non-governmental individuals (university academics, industry representatives, and non-government environmental organizations) had been undertaken to identify key research questions, develop a research approach and experimental design, and to identify candidate research study areas (Rodgers et al, 2007;2008;. Key identified uncertainties related to the direct and indirect effect of habitat disturbance, principally forest management, on caribou persistence.…”

Section: Enhanced Research and Monitoringmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Caribou conservation and recovery in Ontario: development and implementation of the Caribou Conservation Plan

Armstrong

Gluck

Hooper³

et al. 2012

Ran

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Abstract:The range of Ontario's woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) (forest-dwelling ecotype) has receded northward substantially over many decades, leading to its current Threatened designation. Ontario released its Caribou Conservation Plan (CCP) in the fall of 2009. This policy responded to public input and recommendations from the Ontario Woodland Caribou Recovery Team and the Caribou Science Review Panel, and outlines conservation and recovery actions to conserve and recover caribou. Within an adaptive management framework, the CCP builds upon a recent history of managing at large landscape scales in Ontario to implement a range management approach as the basis for recovery actions. These commitments and actions include enhanced research and monitoring, improved caribou habitat planning at the landscape scale, an integrated range analysis approach using advanced assessment tools to evaluate thresholds of habitat amount, arrangement and disturbance, the assessment of probability of persistence, consideration of cumulative effects, meeting forest management silvicultural performance requirements, consideration of caribou recovery implications when managing other wildlife, an initial focus on the southern edge of caribou distribution where threats are most significant, improved outreach and stewardship, and consideration of Aboriginal Traditional Knowledge in recovery actions. Implementation of the CCP signifies a long-term provincial commitment to caribou recovery, initially focusing on identified priorities within the CCP.

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Section: Public Consultation and Engagementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Public Consultation and Engagementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Enhanced Research and Monitoringmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Caribou conservation and recovery in Ontario: development and implementation of the Caribou Conservation Plan

Armstrong

Gluck

Hooper³

et al. 2012

Ran

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“…Habitat fragmentation isolates habitat patches and reduces patch size, thereby increasing the vulnerability of local popu¬ lations to environmental and demographic threats (Shaffer, 1981;Lande, 1988). Boreal caribou are wide-ranging with natural occurrence at low popula¬ tion densities typically between 0.03 -0.05 caribou/ km2, and have protracted time lag responses to habitat changes (Tilman et al, 1994;Arsenault, 2003;Schaeffer, 2003;Environment Canada, 2007;Vors et al, 2007;Wilkinson, 2008). Therefore, studies that focus on landscape pattern analysis, as well as struc¬ tural and functional habitat connectivity, are neces¬ sary to determine impact development thresholds, critical habitat, and movement corridors (Manseau et al, 2002;O'Brien et al, 2006;Fall et al, 2007;Racey & Arsenault, 2007;Galpern et al, 2010).…”

Section: Ecological Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Therefore, studies that focus on landscape pattern analysis, as well as struc¬ tural and functional habitat connectivity, are neces¬ sary to determine impact development thresholds, critical habitat, and movement corridors (Manseau et al, 2002;O'Brien et al, 2006;Fall et al, 2007;Racey & Arsenault, 2007;Galpern et al, 2010). Boreal cari¬ bou population declines are characterized by a loss of landscape connectivity accompanied by declines in population size and constrictions in local range occu¬ pancy, followed by a period of persistence of isolated populations exhibiting a slow decline culminating in local extirpation and range recession (Schaefer, 2003;Wilkinson, 2008).…”

Section: Ecological Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Land management strategies for the long-term persistence of boreal woodland caribou in central Saskatchewan

Arsenault¹,

Manseau²

2011

Ran

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We investigated landscape changes and their potential effects on woodland caribou-boreal ecotype (Rangifer tarandus caribou) within a portion of the Smoothstone-Wapaweka Woodland Caribou Management Unit (SW-WCMU). The SW-WCMU is one of eight areas delineated by the Province of Saskatchewan for potential recovery planning efforts for boreal caribou, and is one of four management units located on the Boreal Plain Ecozone. The Prince Albert Greater Ecosystem (PAGE) study area was selected within the SW-WCMU for intensive study from 2004 - 2008. Studies focused on quantifying a suite of landscape and population parameters. This paper presents a summary of study results to date and recommends land management strategies intended to contribute to the long-term viability of boreal caribou in the central boreal plain ecoregion of Saskatchewan. The PAGE study area has undergone structural changes from an area that historically presented a lesser amount but well connected mature coniferous forest, to a currently larger amount of mature coniferous stands fragmented by a highly developed network of roads and trails. Movement data pointed to highly clustered use of the landscape by small groups of caribou and smaller home ranges when compared to 15 years ago. Calving sites were located within each individual home range in treed peatland and distant from hardwood/mixedwood forest stands, roads and trails access. Adult annual survival rates were low, averaging 73% over the course of the study. In order to ensure a self-sustaining population level, study results clearly point to the need for landscape restoration to reduce the level of anthropogenic disturbances in some key parts of the study area. Key strategies include retention of mature softwood forest interior proximate to local areas of caribou activity, protection of calving habitat, improving structural connectivity, planning disturbances (forest harvesting, fire salvage, resource exploration, access development) in ways to minimize the anthropogenic footprint, and recovery action planning integrated with other land-use planning initiatives

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

Wilkinson¹

2010

Ran

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Abstract: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.

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An examination of recovery planning for forest-dwelling woodland caribou (<em>Rangifer tarandus caribou</em>) in Ontario, Canada

Cited by 3 publications

References 15 publications

Caribou conservation and recovery in Ontario: development and implementation of the Caribou Conservation Plan

Caribou conservation and recovery in Ontario: development and implementation of the Caribou Conservation Plan

Land management strategies for the long-term persistence of boreal woodland caribou in central Saskatchewan

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

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