By Bryan Eneas

Province releases draft range plan to conserve woodland caribou

Nov 1, 2017 | 8:00 AM

The provincial government is now one step closer to protecting the woodland caribou population in central and northern Saskatchewan.

Woodland caribou are a threatened species according to the federal Species at Risk Act. All species listed as threatened require a National Recovery Strategy, which was first introduced by the federal government in 2012.

The draft range plan introduced by the government on Oct 30 is the province’s response to the federal government’s national recovery strategy. Saskatchewan is just the second province to have a plan in the works.

The draft plan will now undergo a 60-day public review process according to Michael McLaughlan, the caribou project manager from the wildlife, fish and lands branch of the Ministry of Environment.

“The public review period for the plan extends from Oct. 30 to Dec. 29, and that’s available for all public to review and comment on,” McLaughlan said. “Following the public review period we’re going to be reviewing all of the comments received, considering them, and then redrafting the plan to build a final plan.

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McLaughlan said depending on the amount of response to the draft, it will take between one and three months to create the final version of the plan.

Numerous reports issued by the provincial government call caribou an early indicator for boreal forest health. Caribou population decline can signify problems with ecosystem function in some cases.

Range planning is based on science as well as traditional knowledge within their territorial ranges in Saskatchewan according to the draft document published on the Ministry of Environment’s website.

Indigenous and Métis communities and other stakeholders will be consulted before the range plan is finalized. McLaughlan said traditional knowledge will be relied on and the economic impact caribou has on these communities will be considered.

Industry will also be consulted in the creation of a range plan, as their operations impact the ecosystems which caribou rely on.

Currently, participants in the forestry industry must obtain green certification which requires conservation of biological diversity, including at-risk species and the maintenance of forests with high conservation values.

The Saskatchewan Mining Association has developed their own caribou management and protection plans based off of “several guiding documents” according to the government’s draft range plan.

In 2000 it was estimated only 4,300 caribou exist in Saskatchewan. Caribou populations are especially susceptible to human activities like logging and industrial or urban development. Climate change and habitat loss can also impact the threatened species’ population.

Hunting is not as much of an issue when it comes to caribou population, as non-Indigenous hunters have not been allowed to hunt caribou for sport since 1987.

Gord Vaadeland, the executive director of the Saskatchewan chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS), said the process for creating the draft range plan is a collaborative effort between industries, Indigenous people, universities and NGO’s.

He said the province is leading the way for the rest of the country.

“We are pleased to see Saskatchewan making big strides on caribou in a relatively short period of time,” Vaandeland said in a release issued by CPAWS. “While this is only a draft, it’s an encouraging starting point.”

Bryan.Eneas@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @BryanEneas