Transcript Prepared by: Ryan Cheng Global Forest Watch Canada

Conservation Values Planning,
Caribou, and the Canadian Boreal
Forest Agreement
Prepared by: Ryan Cheng
Global 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:
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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/socialeconomic 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:
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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 Canada
Ecological Value
Estuaries
Wetlands (Montane Cordillera and
Pacific Maritime)
Wetlands
Real old-growth (Montane
Cordillera and Pacific Maritime)
Potential Old Growth Forests
Caribou
Grizzly
Marbled murrelet
Salmon
Tailed Frog
Bull trout
Declining key Ecosystems
Interior Cedar Hermlock
Saltwater coastline length per
watershed
Lakes and rivers bywatershed
Intact size
Species Diversity
Soil Organic Carbon
Net Biome Productivity
Proximity to Protected Areas
Weight (0-100)
7.43
7.06
6.91
6.69
3.72
5.95
5.95
5.95
5.95
5.95
5.95
5.20
4.98
4.46
4.09
4.83
2.23
3.72
1.49
1.49
GP Eastern Canada
Ecological Value
Intact size
Key focal species
Species Diversity
Weight (/100)
23.81
21.43
14.29
9.52
Potential Old Growth Forests
9.52
Wetlands
7.14
Soil Organic Carbon
4.76
Net Biome Productivity
4.76
Proximity to Protected Areas
4.76
Watersheds covered by lakes and rivers
3.90
Species Diversity - Birds
3.90
Species diversity - Mammals
Species diversity - Reptiles and
3.90
Amphibians
2.60
Species Diversity - Trees
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