mc clelland l ake: where h ubris r eigns b eavers: a ... · peter sherrington and tim romanow...

OctOber 2012

Mcclelland lake: Where hubris reigns siege in the castle beavers: architects of hope the Milk river Watershed council

CONTENTSOctOber 2012 • VOL. 20, NO. 5

AWA respects the privacy of members. Lists are not sold or traded in any manner. AWA is a federally registered charity and functions through member and donor support. Tax-deductible donations may be made to AWA at Box 6398 Station D, Calgary, AB T2P 2E1. Ph: 403-283-2025 Fax: 403-270-2743 E-mail: [email protected] www.AlbertaWilderness.ca

Editor: Ian Urquhart

Graphic Design: Marni Wilson

Printing: Colour printing and process is sponsored by Topline Printing

AlberTA WIlderness AssoCIATIon “Defending Wild Alberta through Awareness and Action”Alberta Wilderness Association is a charitable non-government organization dedicated to the completion of a protected areas network and the conservation of wilderness throughout the province. To support our work with a tax-deductible donation, call 403-283-2025 or contribute online at AlbertaWilderness.ca.Wild Lands Advocate is published bi-monthly, 6 times a year, by Alberta Wilderness Association. The opinions expressed by the authors in this publication are not necessarily those of AWA. The editor reserves the right to edit, reject or withdraw articles and letters submitted.Please direct questions and comments to: 403-283-2025 • [email protected] to the WLA are $30 per year. To subscribe, call 403-283-2025 or see AlbertaWilderness.ca.

box 6398, station d,Calgary, Alberta T2P 2e1

403-283-2025Toll-free 1-866-313-0713

[email protected]

Cover Photo

The Guardians is the title of the cover photo by barbara Amos. It is one of a series of photos, Red Alert for the Castle Watershed, intended to create metaphors about caring for our watersheds.

31 Fall EvEnts

EvEnts

29 In MEMorIaM: rIchard collIEr

DEpartmEnts

28 UpdatEs

WilDErnEss Watch

4 aWa’s 2012 prIorItIEs: WatEr, thE lIFEblood oF albErta

6 McclElland WEtlands

11 bEavErs, bIodIvErsIty and WEtlands oF hopE

14 canada’s cold aMazon

15 thE MIlk rIvEr WatErshEd coUncIl canada – oUr WatEr, oUr lEgacy

18 clarIty oUt oF MUd

19 WatEr In thE castlE

22 loggIng trUMps all othEr concErns In thE castlE

FEaturEs association nEWs

24 toUrIng thE sUFFIEld natIonal WIldlIFE arEa

25 2012 aWa WIld WEst gala

27 aWa takEs toUrsIM, parks and rEcrEatIon MInIstEr cUsanEllI on toUr oF soUthEastErn albErta grasslands

Issn 1192-6287

Featured artist born and raised in a family of professional photographers and artists in

Montréal Claude boocock moved to Jasper in 1970 where she co-founded the Jasper Artists Guild. For decades glaciers have fascinated Claude. The acrylic works we are privileged to feature in this issue of WlA speak to her passion for interpreting their movement and grace on canvas. Claude’s works may be seen on her website: http://cboocock.com/index.html. Her works are also displayed in Mountain Galleries at the Fairmont (Jasper Park lodge) and Cava in edmonton (http://www.savacava.com/). They also will be displayed in the new Jasper Art Gallery when it opens next spring.

ThefirstlineoftheGovernmentofAlberta’swaterforlife.alberta.cawebsitereads:“Waterisnotonlyaresource,itisalifesource.Weallsharetheresponsibilitytoensureahealthy,secureandsustainablewatersupplyforourcommunities,environment,andeconomy–ourqualityoflifedependsonit.” BarbaraAmos’sphotograph,“TheGuardians,”thatgreetsyouonthecoverofthisissueoftheAdvocateisoneexpressionfromartistsinsouthernAlbertaabouttheirconcernforthehealthoftheCastleRiverwatershed(seewww.facebook.com/CastleHeadwaters). TogetherthetwostatementsbegthequestionofhowwellAlbertaisdoingwhenitcomestoguardingthislifesource.ThefeaturesinthisissueoftheWLA considerthatquestioninthenorth,south,west,andeast. First,SeanNicholsintroducesyoutotheimportanceofwaterandMcClellandLakeinAWA’s2012listofconservationpriorities.ThenCarolynCampbelltakesyoutothetarsandsinnortheasternAlbertawhereherlookattheFortHillsoilsandsmineproposalshouldleaveyougaspingwithdisbelief.TheMcClellandLakewetlandcomplex,suggestedbysometohavethequalitiesofaWorld

Heritagesite,willbesacrificedsoevenmorebitumenmaybeshippedtoforeignmarkets.ReclamationplanstheredisplaywhatIcanonlydescribeas“technologicalhubris”–anexaggeratedconfidencethatwhatevernaturalsystemwetearasunderwecanputtogetheragain. GlynnisHood’slookatCastor canadensis–theNorthAmericanbeaver–offersacorrectivetothosewhothinkthattechnologyalwaystrumpsnaturewhenitcomestoadaptingtonaturaleventssuchasdrought.Readherarticleforinsightsintotherolebeaversplaywithrespecttodrought,biodiversity,andbuildingbridgesbetweenlandscapes. PeterSherringtonandTimRomanowexplorethechallengeswaterstewardshipfacesinsouthwesternandsoutheasternAlbertarespectively.Loggingandirresponsibleoff-highwayvehicleusearehighlightedinPeter’slookatthecoursewatermanagementistakingintheCastle.Why,hewonders,won’tthegovernmentheedthecounselit’sreceivedfromAlbertansabouthowourlifesourceshouldbemanagedthere? Twohundredkilometrestotheeast,inthedry,aridlandscapesculptedbytheMilkRiver,thecontextandchallengesofwatermanagementcouldn’tbemore

differentthantheyareintheCastle.TimRomanow,theExecutiveDirectoroftheMilkRiverWatershedCouncil,detailstheworkthattheCouncil,andthelocalresidentswhosupportit,aredoingtotrytorealizetheambitious,essentialgoalsoftheWaterforLifestrategy. Tim’sarticlepointsouthowimportantinter-jurisdictionalcollaborationistostewardshipoftheMilkRiver;suchcollaborationisjustasimportantinthenorthasBobSandfordpointsoutinhisaccountofainternationalforumonmanagingtheMackenzieRiversystem. LookingintothefutureSeanNicholsmayofferusthemostinspirationalpieceinthisissueoftheAdvocate.Hissubject:84gradesevenstudentsfromRundleCollegeJuniorHighSchoolinCalgaryandthemessageaboutwaterstewardshiptheydeliveredtoAlbertaEnvironmentandSustainableResourceDevelopment.It’samessageaboutguardianshipandtheneedtotakethatresponsibilitymoreseriously.Wehopethegovernmentisn’ttooproudtoseethatseventhgradershaveasounder,moresensible,approachtowaterstewardshipthantheoneembodiedintoomanyprovincialland-usepoliciestoday.

-IanUrquhart,Editor

Where Have All the Guardians Gone?

PHoTo: © I. UrQUHArT

Likeagreatcirculatorysystem,anintricatenetworkofrivers,streams,andcreeksstretches

acrossAlberta,distributingitspreciouslifebloodfromtheheadwatersintheRockyMountains’easternslopesdownacrosstheprairietotheeast.Eventhedriestpartsofthegrasslandswouldbeawastelandwithoutthenourishmentprovidedbywater.Itbecomesself-evident,then,thatAWAwouldconsidersustainingacleanwildwatersystemforAlbertaandallAlbertans–humanandnon-humanalike–oneofitsveryhighestpriorities.Whenweweresettingoutourtenhighestprioritiesfor2012afterlastyear’sAnnualGeneralMeeting,theAWAboard,staff,andmembersengagedinlengthydebatesconsideringtherelativemeritsofthemanycandidateissues.ButlittledebatewasneededregardingtheimportanceofsafeguardingAlberta’swater:weallknewthisissuewouldfindaplaceatthetopofthelist. OneofthemostsignificantcomponentsofthatcirculatorysystemarethemagnificentandextensivepatternedfensoftheMcClellandLakewetlandcomplex,ofwhichAWAhasalreadywrittenmuchoverthelastseveralyears.Recognizedin1998bytheAlbertagovernmentasanEnvironmentallySignificantAreaanddescribedatthetimeasbeing“worthyofastrenuousprotectioneffort,”thecomplexhasbeenatopAWAprioritysincethemid-1990swhenproposalswerefirstmadetodevelopoilsandsminingprojectsintheFortHillsadjacenttothelake.Fensandotherpeatlandsaroundtheworldaredisappearingrapidlyduetohumanimpactfromactivitiessuchasmining,forestry,andagriculture,makingtheprotectionofthosethatremainevenmorecrucial.Whenintact,fensprovideimportantecologicalbenefits.Theystorecarbon,controlflooding,rechargegroundwater,filtersurfacewater,andofferhabitatforadiversecommunityofuniqueplantandanimalspecies.

Water: Quantity and Quality AWApositiononWater:Healthyecosystemspurifywaterandprovidedroughtandfloodprotection.Toincreaseourwatersecurity,Albertamustimproveheadwaters,wetland,andrivercorridormanagement.This

AWA’s 2012 Priorities: Water, the Lifeblood of AlbertaBy seAn nichols, AWA ConservAtion speCiAList

The southwest portion of the McClelland fen.PHoTo: © I. UrQUHArT

The North Saskatchewan River headwaters in Jasper National Park.PHoTo: © n. doUGlAs

4 WLA | october 2012 | Vol. 20, no. 5 | FeATUres

5FeATUres | october 2012 | Vol. 20, no. 5 | WLA

isaparticularlyimportantprecautionforpotentialeffectsofclimatechangeonourwatersupplies.FormostAlbertarivers,headwatersareasinthemountainandfoothillscontributemorethan80percentoftotalflows;theyaccumulate,store,purifyandgraduallyreleasesurfaceandgroundwaterflows.Theyarecriticalsourcewaterareas,bestprotectedbyintactfunctioningecosystems.AlbertamustfillgapsinheadwatersprotectionbydesignatingtheCastleareaintheOldmanRiverbasinandtheBighornareaintheRedDeerandNorthSaskatchewanRiverbasinsasfreefromindustrialactivity.Inallheadwatersregions,legacylineardisturbancemustbegreatlyreducedandrecreationaccessbettermanagedforwaterqualityandthreatenednativespeciessuchaswestslopecutthroattrout,bulltrout,andgrizzlybear.Healthywetlandsabsorb,slowlyreleaseandpurifyourwater,andprovidecriticalwildlifehabitat;Albertahasalreadylosttwothirdsofourcentralandsouthernwetlandsandanunknownareaofnorthernwetlands.TheAlbertagovernmentneedstoadopta“nonetloss”provincialwetlandpolicyandimplementstrongerincentivestoincreasewetlandsinareasofhighhistoricloss. Inthisissue:CarolynCampbellupdatesusonthemanycurrentdevelopments

acrossAlbertarelatedtothedevelopmentofwaterandwetlandpolicy.AssociationssuchastheMilkRiverWatershedCouncilarebusyatworkaroundtheprovince,designingnewpolicyundertheauspicesoftheLandUseFrameworkplanningprocess.AlsoofnoteinthisissueareCarolyn’supdatesregardingtheBow/Oldmanprocess,andtheAlbertaWaterCouncil.Finally,GlynnisHood,authorofThe Beaver Manifesto,writesaboutthatanimalgivingusafirst-handlookatonespeciesthatcallsAlberta’sriparianareashome.

8,000 Years in the Making, a decade in the taking AWApositiononMcClelland:TheMcClellandLakewetlandcomplexislocatednorthofFortMcMurrayatthenorthernedgeofthemineableoilsandsregion.Itisatriskfromlandandgroundwaterdisturbancefromimmediatelyadjacenttarsandsminingprojectsandproposals.McClellandLakeisthelargestnaturalwaterbodybetweenFortMcMurrayandtheAthabascaRiverdelta.TwoofAlberta’slargestpatternedfenslieoneithersideofthelake.TheMcClellandLakefentothesouthwesthasbuiltupover8,000yearssincethelastglacialretreat;itisintricatelypatterned,

withhundredsofnarrowtreedridgesseparatinglong,narrow,shallowpoolsofwater.Thewatershedalsofeaturestwelvesinkholelakes,rareinAlberta.McClellandLakeandthewetlandcomplexareanimportantwaystationandbreedingareaalongoneofNorthAmerica’smajormigratorybirdroutes.Theendangeredwhoopingcranehasbeenobservedthereonseveraloccasions;otherspeciesofconcernnotedthereincludetheCanadiantoad,sandhillcrane,yellowrail,blacktern,andshort-earedowl.Thewetlandcomplexhoststwentyrareorendangeredplantspeciesandararevegetationcommunity.AWAseekslegislatedprotectionforthewetlandcomplexandabanonindustrialdisturbancewithinthewatershed. Inthisissue:CarolyninvestigatestheclosureplansforminingoperationsinMcClellandanddiscusseswhateffectstheseplanscanbeexpectedtohaveontheareaasawhole. Aswebegintocloseouttheyear,andbegintocastaneyeforwardto2013,keepyourothereyeontheupcomingDecemberissueofWLA,wherewewillupdateyouonthefinaltwoprioritiesthatAWAhasbeenpursuingin2012,andthataresuretocontinuetoinformourworkintheyeartocome.

Glacial Erosion 24”x48” on wooden cradle panel© ClAUde booCoCk


Half of the outstanding McClelland Lake patterned fen is slated for certain destruction; the other half is unlikely to survive if the Fort Hills tar sands mine proceeds.PHoTo: © J. reZAC, WWF-Uk

Suncor,TotalMayNotProceedwithNewOil-SandsMines”readalateJuly2012DowJonesnewswire

article.ThiswasimportantinformationtoconsiderforthefateoftheecologicallyandaestheticallyoutstandingMcClellandLakewetlandcomplexinnortheasternAlberta.Inadeeplyflawedprocessin2002,regulatorsapprovedminingoftheupperpartoftheMcClellandwatershed,includinghalfofitsrare“patternedfen,”bytheFortHillstarsandsmineproject;thecaveatregulatorsaddedwasthattherebenodamagetotheun-minedportionofthecomplex. Tenyearslater,theFortHillsprojecthasnotyetreceivedformalapprovalfromthecurrentleaseholderowner/operatorSuncorEnergy.CitinggreatlyincreasedlightoilproductioninNorthAmerica,Suncor’sCEOstatedtoinvestmentanalyststhatSuncorwasreviewingthescopeandprofitabilityofitsnewmines.Furtherbadnewscameinamid-AugustCIBCenergyreportonNorthAmericanenergyprojects,whichstatedthataglutoflightoilproductionandlimitedpipelinecapacitywillmeanhigh-costoilsandsmineswillbethefirstenergyinvestmentstobedeferredinfavouroflesscapital-intensivealternatives. Located85kilometresnorthofFortMcMurrayontheeastsideoftheAthabascaRiverintheFortHillsofnortheasternAlberta,theMcClellandLakewetlandcomplex(MLWC)isaCanadiannaturalheritagetreasure.Thelakeandwetlandsareimportantbothfortheiraestheticandecologicalqualities.Thecomplexconsistsoftwolargepatternedfens–peatwetlandsbuiltupsincethelastglacialretreatbycomplexshallowgroundwaterflows.McClellandLakefenonthesouthwestsideofMcClellandLakeisintricatelypatterned,withhundredsofnarrowtreedridges(strings)separatinglong,narrow,shallowpoolsofwater(flarks).Thewatershedalsofeatures12sinkholelakes,whicharerareinAlberta.

Intermsofitsecologicalimportance,McClellandLakeisthelargestnaturalwaterbodybetweenFortMcMurrayandtheinternationallysignificantwetlandsofthePeace-Athabascadelta,whichisoneoftheworld’slargestinlandfreshwaterdeltas.McClellandLakewetlandcomplexisanimportantstopoverpointalongamajorNorthAmericanmigratorybirdroutetowardsthePeace-AthabascaDelta,andisanimportantbreedingareainitsownright.TwohundredandfivebirdspecieshavebeenrecordedwithinornearMLWC,ofwhichmorethan100staytobreed.Theendangeredwhoopingcranehasbeenseenonseveraloccasionsinthesewetlands.Thewetlandcomplexishometootherspeciesofconcern,includingtheCanadiantoad,yellowrail,rustyblackbirdandshort-earedowl.Thecomplexhostsovertwentyrareorendangeredplantspeciesandararevegetationcommunity.

bad politics plunders an ecological treasure TheMcClellandLakewetlandcomplexwasoriginallyexcludedfromsurfaceminingintheprovincialgovernment’s1996regionalIntegratedResourcePlan(IRP).ThisIRPwasdevelopedinasoundprocessincludingfouryearsofextensivepublicconsultation.However,duetoindustrylobbying,theAlbertagovernmentsuddenlyamendedtheIRPinmid-2002afterabrief,poorpublicconsultation,beforetheFortHillsmineapplicationhearingbegan.TheamendedIRPallowsmininginhalfofMcClellandLakefenandtheentireupperwatershedthatfeedsthewetlandcomplex.Atthattime,theFortHillsprojectwasownedbyTrueNorth,asubsidiaryofthesecretiveandpowerfulU.S.privatecompanyKochIndustries. Incredibly,atthe2002FortHillsmineapplicationhearing,regulatorsallowedTrueNorthtosetasidethenegativeEnvironmentalImpactAssessment

Mcclelland Wetlands: Mining our Outstanding Peat Wetlands Should Be PasséBy cArolyn cAMPBell, AWA ConservAtion speCiAList

“


(EIA)thatwaspartoftheirapplication.ThisEIAhadstatedthatwatertabledisruptionsfromminedewateringandotherleasedisturbanceswouldlikelykillpeat-formingmosses,endingpeatproductiononthefen.Instead,regulatorsagreedthatacompany-ledSustainabilityCommitteecoulddeviseaplantosustainthehalfofthewetlandcomplexthattheamendedIRPsaidmustremainun-mined.Approvalwasgrantedforthemine,aboutthree-quartersofwhichisoutsidetheMcClellandwatershed.TheAlbertagovernmentstipulatedthatsixyearsbeforeoperationsbeganintheMcClellandwatershed,thegovernmentmustreceiveandapproveanoperatingplantoensurethat,intheun-minedportionoftheMcClellandLakewetlandcomplex,waterflows,waterchemistry,andwaterlevelsaremaintained. Afterseveralownershipchanges,FortHillsisnowheldbySuncor(whichownsjustover40%),Frenchpetroleum

giantTotal(justunder40%)andTeckResources(20%).Accordingtomediareports,Suncorstillplanstopresentadevelopmentplaninmid-2013toitsBoardofDirectorsforsanctioningFortHillsandotherprojects.Totalmustalsoapprovethego-aheadofFortHills.Teckrecentlyannounceditwouldbeslowingdownitspreproductionspendingontheprojectamidstcurrentweaknessesinglobalcommoditymarkets. Whiletheinvestmentcommunitymaynowbeconcernedaboutmineprofitability,itwouldbefoolishtobecomplacentaboutthefateofthisexceptionalwetlandcomplex.Accordingtoitsrequiredannualupdateon

activitiesinFortHills,submittedApril2012,SuncorhadnotifiedtheAlbertagovernmentinlate2011thattheprojectsitewasreturningtoactivestatusafteraperiodofinactivity.Furthersiteclearingwasplannedfor2012inwatershedssouthofMcClelland. Suncor’sApril2012reportalsosummarizedMLWCSustainabilityCommitteeactivities.Committeemembershavedecidedwhichmonitoringindicatorstousetomeetregulatoryrequirements.AnetworkofsurfacewaterandgroundwatersitesintheMcClellandfenisnowmonitoringwaterqualityandflows.Vegetationmonitoringplotshavebeenestablishedinthefen,andbird

Suncor states that the un-mined wetland complex will be isolated from the mine and will have “sufficient surface and

groundwater flows” of the “required water quality.” The company doesn’t explain how it will do this.


andotherwildlifemonitoringhasbeeninitiated.Suncorstatedthatitintendstosubmitin2012therequiredoperationalplantomitigatethemine’seffectsontheun-minedportionoftheMLWC.AWAhasnotyetseenthisproposal.

a closure plan or closure experiment? SomeofSuncor’sintentionsforMcClelland’swetlandsareevidentintheFortHills2011ReclamationandClosurePlan,whichAWAdidobtain.ThisplanwassubmittedbySuncortotheAlberta

governmentinJanuary2012andhasn’tbeenapprovedyetbytheGovernmentofAlberta. Inthis2011closureplan,SuncorproposesthatsignificantforestclearcuttingintheupperMcClellandwatershedwilloccurduring2016-2020.Excavating,dewatering,andminingwouldfollowafter2021(seeproposeddisturbancemap).HalftheMcClellandLakewetlandcomplexwillbeexcavatedanddestroyed.Thiswillincludepeatlayerstwotofivemetresdeep(markedasMLD3andMLD4onthebaseline

Disturbance schedule from Suncor’s as yet unapproved Fort Hills 2011 closure plan. If approved, excavation to destroy the ‘upper’ half of McClelland watershed (which sustains the downstream or ‘lower’ half) would begin in 2021. Note the proximity of mining to the yellow ‘no surface access’ border inside the McClelland Lake wetland complex.

soilmaplegend).Thetopographyandsoilsintheupperhalfofthewatershedthathavesustainedfreshgroundwaterflowstoallowthewetlandstobuildtheirdistinctivepatternsover8,000yearswouldbelostforever.Thisalonewouldbeanirreplaceableecologicalandbiophysicallossforthisregion.Peatwetlandvegetationcomprisesoverhalfthenaturallandscapeofthe4,750km2mineableoilsandsregion;inotheropenpitmineleases,nopeatwetlandshavebeensuccessfullyrecreated.Twofenconstructionprojectsareintheirinfancy,butaccordingtoUofAwetlandbiologistsinaMarch2012peer-reviewedpaper,atbesttherewillonlybeasmallfractionofthepre-miningareaoffensreplacedonmineleases.Salt-tolerantmarsheswithfarfewerspeciesarethebestprospectcurrentlyforwetlandreplacement. Suncorstatesthattheun-minedwetlandcomplexwillbeisolatedfromthemineandwillhave“sufficientsurfaceandgroundwaterflows”ofthe“requiredwaterquality.”Thecompanydoesn’texplainhowitwilldothis.InAWA’sview,themassiveminedisturbancewillverylikelydestroytheotherhalfofthefenandputtheLakeandtherestofthewetlandcomplexatrisk.Noonehasevertriedtosavehalfapatternedfen.Ahighlyexperimentalengineeringandreclamationprojectonthisoutstandingpeatwetlandcomplexisunacceptable. Thefocusinthe2011closureplanisonhowthelandscapewillbere-contouredandre-vegetatedafterminingends.Asthetwosoilmapsshow,theproposedpost-mininglandswilllosetheincrediblevarietyofsoiltypeslaiddownbynaturalprocessessincethelastglaciation.Peat-formingareaswillbereplacedbyfarsmallersaltmarshesandexperimentalareasthat,experimentershope,willformfensinthedistantfuture.

“By law, the post-mine landscape must be ‘reclaimed to equivalent land capability.’ It’s ludicrous to suggest that there will be equivalency in soils, vegetation and species richness in this (Suncor’s) proposed closure plan.”


Atonepoint,theclosureplanstates:“Giventheimportanceofthishabitatforyellowrail,moose,andspecialstatusnon-vascularplantspecies,andgiventheextentoffensinthebaselinestudyarea,creatingfenwetlandsisfundamentaltothewetlandreclamationplan.”Buttherearemajordisclaimerselsewherearoundprospectsforpeat-formingwetlands.ThereistheuncomfortablefactthatevencurrentclimateconditionsinAlberta’sborealforestaredrierthanwhenthepeatwetlandswereforming8,000yearsago;theaddedstressofclimatechangewillonlydimtheprospectsoffencreation.Theclosureplanstatesthat“withcurrentorcoolerclimateconditions,peatisexpectedtoaccumulateandshrubfensmayestablishandtotalfenareawouldlikelyincrease…Shouldclimatewarm,becomedrier,and/orsubsurfaceflowpathsnotestablish,uplandecosites–ortransition[wetupland]ecositesatbest–wouldlikelybecomeestablished.”Inotherwords,donotexpectpeatwetlandsonthislandscape.Bylaw,thepost-minelandscapemustbe“reclaimedtoequivalentlandcapability.”It’sludicroustosuggestthattherewillbeequivalencyinsoils,vegetationandspeciesrichnessinthis(Suncor’s)proposedclosureplan. Thereisevensignificantuncertaintyabouthowwellprairie-likemarshwetlandswillfunction.Thereclaimedpeat-mineralsoilmixSuncorproposesforwetlandswillhavenaturalhydrocarbon“tarballs”fromthechurned-upsoils.Sothecompanymustmonitorandmixsoilstobelow-toxiclevelsofhydrocarbons.Thesaltspresentintheregion’sdisturbedlayersofmarinesoilswillalsolimitsuccessfulwetlandconstruction:theplannotesthat“acriticalconditionthatwillbedifficulttopredictoraddressisthesalinityofthesoilsandinfluentwater.”Theplanalsonotesthatlittleisknownaboutre-vegetationofborealwetlandplantspecies. Asfortheun-minedportionoftheMcClellandLakewetlandcomplex,itisscheduledtoreceivedischargefromaconstructedEastendpitlakefilteredthroughabufferofconstructedtreatmentwetlands.Endpitlakesarefardeeperthantheregion’snaturalwaterbodies;theirviabilitytotreatmine-affectedwaterandtofunctionasecosystemshasnotyetbeendemonstratedforoilsandsminereclamation.Suncorproposestodrainapost-miningengineeredareaof

60km2,includingmostofthemines’tailingsdryingareasandtheNorthandSouthDumps,viavegetatedwaterwaysintotheEastendpitlake(thegreenlinesonthereclaimedsoilsmap).Buttherearedisclaimersaboutthewaterwaysaswell:“Thesuccessofvegetatedwaterwaysishighlydependentonthesuccessofthevegetationcover,whichcanbecompromisedbypoorrunoffwaterquality(inparticularthepresenceofsalts)orfrequentflow,whichmayoccureveninverysmallwatershedsif

groundwaterseepageispresent.”Withconstructedwetlandsuccesshedgedbymanydisclaimers,thisseemsapoor,riskysolutiontocountontoprovidefreshwaterinthequantityandqualityneededfortheun-minedMcClellandLakewetlandcomplex,evenassumingithasn’tdiedfromchangesinwaterquantityorqualityoverdecadesofupstreammineactivity.Thisclosureplanleaveslittleroomforerrorwhenhugeuncertaintiesandhighecologicallossareatstake. Sixwildlifespeciesorgroupsare

Natural soils are far more diverse than reclaimed soils, from Suncor’s as yet unapproved Fort Hills 2011 closure plan. In this proposal, after the year 2070, mining process-affected water from the north and southeast mine site will flow in constructed streams (green lines) into the East end pit lake, then through constructed marsh wetlands (dotted blue zones) into the un-mined part of McClelland Lake wetland complex.


thefocusofclosurebiodiversityplans:snowshoehare,beaver,moose,blackbear,muskrat,Canadiantoadandunspecifiedwaterfowl.Forwetlandtypes,thekeyspeciestypesaremoose,beaver,muskrat,commonloonandtwospecialstatusspecies,Canadiantoadandyellowrail.The2011closureplanstates“thereisconsiderableuncertaintyastowhetherthesespecialstatusspeciesmightcolonizethesehabitats,butthewetlandtypesanddesignsarebeingselectedtoincreasethelikelihood.”InAWA’sview,theanticipateddrierlandscapeofyoungforests,shrubsandsaltmarsheswillverylikelysupportfarfewerspeciesthanthepreviouslandscape.

What about a land swap? ApioneeringagreementbetweenEnvironmentCanadaandFrenchenergycompanyTotalmayofferapathtoafutureforMcClellandLakewetlandcomplex.In2011,TotalreceivedregulatoryapprovalforitsJoslynNorthoilsandsmine,butatlasttheGovernmentofCanadarecognizedthatundertheSpecies at Risk Act,itneededtoensurethatdestroyedhabitatforspeciesatriskontheJoslynMineleaseshouldbereplacedelsewhere.InanOctober2011agreement,Totalcommittedtoprovidereplacementhabitatforthecommon

nighthawkandCanadawarbler,and“whereandwhenpossible,”fortheolive-sidedflycatcher.ThelocationidentifiedasagoodcandidateforsecuringthehabitatwaslandsontheeastshoresofMcClellandLake(FortHillsistothewestofMcClellandLake).TheselandswereleasedbytheAlbertagovernmenttoenergycompanies(anotherpoordecision,inAWA’sview)andnowformpartoftheNorthernLightPartnershiptarsandsmineleasesownedbyTotalandSinoCanadaPetroleumCorporation. NorthernLightsdoesnotcurrentlyplantodevelopthebitumenresourcesinthatpartoftheleaseandTotalispreparedtoreplacethespeciesatriskhabitataffectedbytheJoslynMinewith“ecologicallyequivalent”landontheirMcClellandlands.Equivalenceisdefinedintheagreementastheabilitytosupportandsustainsimilarlifecycleactivities.ThepartiescanreconsiderwhichlandswillbereplacementhabitatifTotaldecidestodevelopMcClellandlandsorifthereisafire.TheagreementisineffectuntilEnvironmentCanadadeterminesreplacementhabitatisnolongerrequiredbecausetherehasbeensufficientreclamationontheJoslynMinelandsorbecauseTotalprovidessufficientalternatereplacementhabitat.Whilenotperfect,thisagreementsuggeststhat,ata

bareminimum,thebestintacthabitatleftinthemineableoilsandsshouldremainintactasreplacementhabitatforspeciesatriskaffectedbycurrentmines. IfFortHillsdoesmineintheMcClellandwatershed,therewillbeadecades-longvivisectionoftheecologicaltreasurethatistheMcClellandLakewetlandcomplex–halfwillbedestroyedforthwith,withaverypoorreplacementaftermanydecadesthatwilllackthewetlandsandspeciesrichness.Theotherhalfisunlikelytoreceiveadequatecleanfreshwaterinthehighlyuncertaindecadesduringandafterupstreamopenpitmineexcavations.Thereisverylittleprospectofre-creatinghealthypeatwetlandsthatmakeupoverhalfthenaturalpre-mininglandscapeofthe4,750km2mineableoilsandsregion,99percentofwhichhasalreadybeenleased.Clearly,McClellandwatershedshouldberemovedfromtheminingplansoftheSuncor-Total-TeckFortHillsmine.TheAlbertagovernmentshouldcompensateSuncorforitsMcClellandlease,perhapsviaoperatingoilsandsminingcompaniescollectivelybearingthecompensationcostasanoffsettotheirreplaceablepeathabitattheyaredestroying.AWAwillcontinuetoworktotrytoensureabrightfutureforthisecologicalgeminnortheasternAlberta.

Glacial Splendour24”x48” on wooden cradle panel© ClAUde booCoCk


authoritiesandinthepreservationofaquaticecosystemsthatwouldotherwiseberegularlydrained. InAlberta,wehavealreadylostover65percentofournon-borealwetlandsduetodrainingandinfillingandarejustbeginningtounderstandthemorecomplexbogsandfenswithinourborealregion.TosaythatbeaversplayanimportantroleincreatingandmaintainingCanada’swetlandsisanunderstatement.TheCanadianlandscapeevolvedwithbeaversonitandthetwoareintimatelylinked.Today’sNorthAmericanbeaver(Castor canadensis)hasexistedsincepriortothelasticeageandhasshareditshabitatwithsabre-toothedcats,woollymammothsandthebeaver’sdistantcousin,thegiantbeaver(Casteroides ohioensis).Thegiantbeaverweighedupto100kgandwasuptothreemetreslong;itdisappearedwithmanyotherlandmammalsapproximately11,000yearsago. Despitebeingtrappednearlytoextinctionduringthefurtrade,thebeaverhasmadearemarkablecomebackandnowfillsalmosteveryavailablehabitatthereis.Amazingly,inAlberta,trappingbeaverswasprohibiteduntilthe1930s

Allyoucouldseeacrossthesurfaceofthebeaverpondweremylips,nostrils,eyes,andhair.

Everythingelse–myclothes,mymud-coveredsocks,andmyenthusiasm–wascompletelyhiddenunderthemurkywater.Itwasn’tthatIdidn’task,“WhyamIstandinginabeaverpondinmyclothesjusttokeepawetlandintact?”,butnoonecouldhearmeasmylipsmadefish-likemovements(asdescribedbymyfieldassistant)justtokeepairinmylungs.Swimminghere(myfavouritestrokeisthedogpaddle…suggestingI’mnotastrongswimmer)wasrequiredtoinstallapondlevelertopreventbeaversfromfloodingapopularequestriantrail,whilestillallowingbeaversandtheirwetlandstoremainonthelandscapeforyearstocome.Bydesigntheleveleroperatesasasiphoneverytimethepondrisesabovethedesiredheightandensuresthattheusualfloodingdoesn’toccur.Theeffortofinstallingoneofthesedevicesisveryrewarding–bothintimeandmoneysavedbylandmanagement becausepopulationlevelsweresolow.

WhenIwasaPhDcandidateattheUniversityofAlberta,myadvisor,Dr.SuzanneBayley,andIhadthegoodfortunetoworkinElkIslandNationalParkwherebeavershadbeenextirpatedfromthemid-1800stotheearly1940s.OnlyaftertransferringbeaversfromBanffNationalParktoElkIsland,didbeaversslowlybegintofindtheirwaytohabitatsthathadbeenvoidofbeaversforalmost100years.Whenweexaminedthehistoricaerialphotographs,climatedata,andbeaveroccupancydataforthepark,wediscoveredaremarkableaspectofbeaverecologythatwouldreceiveinternationalattention.

beavers and drought Beaversarecrucialtoalleviatingtheimpactsofdrought.Overandaboveclimaticvariables,thepresenceofbeaversisthemostimportantvariablekeepingwateronthelandscape,evenduringperiodsofextremedrought.Duringourstudyofa54-yearperiod(1948to2002)wediscoveredthat,evenduringdrought,wetlandswithbeavershadninetimestheextentofopenwaterthansimilarpondswithoutbeavers.Moreover,thereweretwo

A summer day at the lodge on Grebe pond in Miquelon Lake Provincial Park.PHoTo: © G. Hood

Beavers, Biodiversity and Wetlands of HopeBy Dr. Glynnis A. hooD

Beavers play an important role in mitigating the impact of drought, an important reason for protecting their place on the landscape.PHoTo: © G. Hood


majordroughtswithinourstudyperiod(1950and2002),whichallowedustoseehowbeaversfaredinthedryyears.Althoughitwasthefourthdriestyearonrecord,1950hadover47percentmoreprecipitationthan2002(thedriestyearonrecord).Remarkably,2002stillhad61percentmoreopenwater.Thereasonwasthattheareaweanalyzedwith1950datahadnotyetbeenre-colonizedbybeavers;in2002beaverswereactivelyworkingthelandscapeandwereabletokeepwateraround.Localfarmersknewwhatbeaverscoulddo;someactivelysoughtoutlandownerswithbeaversontheirpropertiessotheycouldhelpfeedandwatertheircattle.Beaverswereactivelymitigatingtheeffectsofdroughtbydiggingchannelsanddeepeningponds.Justasafarmerdrainswateroffthefieldsinthespringbydiggingdrainageditches,beaversdugchannelstoconcentratewaterintothepondsduringthedrought.Pondswithbeaversweresomeoftheonlyoneswithwater;manyothersdriedupcompletely.

beavers and biodiverstiy SincethatstudymycurrentresearchprograminandaroundMiquelonLakeProvincialParkatthesouthernextentoftheCookingLakeMoraineineast-centralAlbertahasexpandedtoexaminetheeffectofbeaver-modifiedwetlandsonbiodiversityandtheavailabilityofopenwater.In2008,mystudentChantalBromley(BSc)andIconductedaresearchprojecttodeterminewhetheractivebeaverpondsprovidedwaterfowlwithaccesstoopenwaterearlierintheseasonthanpondswithoutbeavers.Notonlydidthepondsopenupanaverageof11daysearlieradjacenttotheoccupiedbeaverlodges,Canadageesewouldfightamongthemselvesfortherighttonestatoptheselodges.Oftentimeswewouldseetwosetsofgeesefightingoveralodge,onlytofindanothercouplewalkingupthebacksideofthelodgeandsettlinginforthespringnestingseason.Shorebirdsandmallardswerealsodrawntotheseopenwaterareas.AfteraCanadianwinter,earlyaccesstoopen

wateriscriticalformanywildlifespecies.Oftenduringoursurveys,wewouldalsoseethetracksofweasels,foxes,coyotes,deer,smallrodents,andbirdsadjacenttotheseopen-waterareas.ItbecamesocommonthatIstartedtocallthem“borealpolynias”aftertheopenwaterareasinCanada’shighArctic. Buildingonourobservationsofwildlifetracksaroundactivelodgesduringthewintermonths,anotherofmystudents,TimNelner,andIdesignedaresearchprojecttoexaminebiodiversityoflandmammalsaroundbeaverpondsinMiquelonandontheadjacentagriculturallands.AlthoughtherewerenodiscernibledifferencesinthenumberofwintertracksandwildlifespecieswithinMiquelonduringthewintermonths,theagriculturallandswereadifferentstory.Onagriculturallandswherefarmershadchosentokeepanactivebeaverlodgeortwoontheproperty,thenumberofspeciesofwildlifeandthedensityoftrackswasovertwicethatoflandsinthesameagriculturalareaswithoutinhabited

Installing a pond leveler to maintain water levels and prevent flooding of trails in the Cooking Lake/Blackfoot Provincial Recreation Area.PHoTo: © G. Hood


andmystudent,NilsAnderson(MSc),havediscoveredthatbeaverchannelsmightactasanimportantdispersalaidforwoodfrogsastheymaketheirjourneyfromwatertolandinthelatesummerandearlyfall.Anderson’sresearchisongoing,butshowsinterestingtrends.Whenlookingatsomeofthesechannelsonanaerialphotograph,itisamazingtoseehowtheyalsolinkseveralpondsacrossthelandscape.Theimplicationsofchannelsactingasecologicallinkagesinvitemuchmoreexploration.

swimming for Wetlands So,whydoIswiminbeaverpondsdespitemydislikeofswimming?Myanswer:whynotswimthereifitisgoingtosaveawetland?Myresearchandthatofmystudentsshowsthereissomuchmoretothesecomplexecosystemsthanmeetstheeye.Despitebeingthepondswithsomeofthehighestlevelsofbiodiversityandresilienceduring

drought,theyareoftenthefirsttobedrainedwhenconflictwithhumansoccurs.Inmid-September,wejustinstalledanotherpondlevellerwiththegenerousfinancialassistanceoftheAlbertaConservationAssociation;theAlbertaSports,Recreation,ParksandWildlifeFoundation;andthein-kindsupportofAlbertaParks;theAlbertaTrailRidersAssociationandsomeveryloyalfriends.Pondbypond,abitmorebiodiversityandhopeisleftonthelandscape.

Dr. Glynnis Hood, a former Parks Canada warden, is an associate professor in Environmental Science at the University of Alberta’s Augustana Campus in Camrose. For nearly thirty years she has worked on protected areas issues from the west coast to the subarctic. Aquatic ecology, beaver management, and human-wildlife interactions fuel her passion for teaching and research.

beaverponds.Infact,thebeaverpondsontheadjacentagriculturallandsappearedtobeactingassteppingstonesacrossthelandscapeandhelpedincreasehabitatconnectivitybetweenvariousprotectedareasinthesouthernmoraine. From2008to2011,entomologistDr.DavidLarsonandIworkedwithoursummerstudentstogatherhundredsofthousandsofaquaticmacroinvertebratespecimensrepresentingover46differenttaxa.Addingtothehydrologicaleffectofbeaverchannelsduringthedrought,wewerealsobeginningtonoticeadifferenceinspeciesdistributionthroughoutthesamebeaverpond.Aftersamplingmacroinvertebratesfromshoreline,openwater,andbeaverchannelhabitats,aremarkabletrendbegantoappear.Notonlydidbeaverchannelshaveahighernumberofspecies,theywerealsoahotspotforpredaceousmacroinvertebrates.Somespecieswereexclusivelyfoundinactivebeaverponds,whilesurprisingly,theabandonedbeaverpondswereproducingthebulkofthemosquitoes.Havingbeaversactivelymaintainingabeaverpondactuallykeptthemosquitopopulationdown,eitherthroughtheincreasedpresenceofaquaticpredatorsorthroughincreasedponddepth.

channels across landscapes Althoughpondswithactivebeavercolonieswerehigherinsomemeasuresofbiodiversity,thechannelsreallycaughtourattention.Abeaverchannelisalongtrenchthatbeaversdigperpendiculartothepondedgesotheycanhaulbackbranchestotheirlodge.Theyalsoactasescaperoutesandtravelcorridorssupportingthebeaver’sactivitiesaroundthepond.Usingageographicinformationsystem(GIS),Ideterminedthatchannelscanextendover200metresawayfromthepondedgeandincreasethepondperimeteralmosttenfold.Newnichesandincreasedvegetated-edgeprovideextensivehabitatsformanyotherspeciesinthepond,includingmacroinvertebratesandamphibians.Dr.CindyPaszkowski

Grinding Machine III48”x48” on wooden cradle panel© ClAUde booCoCk

September5and8,2012,theRosenbergForumbroughttogetherapanelofexpertsfromaroundtheglobetoexaminewhatscientificandlegalprinciplesmightbebroughttobearinthecraftingofatransboundaryagreementthatwouldbenefitalltheriparianjurisdictionssharingtheMackenzieoverthecomingdecades. Inadditiontointernationallyrespectedhydrologistsandaquaticecologists,theRosenbergpanelwascomposedoflegalscholarsfromCanadaandabroad:expertsinAboriginallawandpolicy,politicalscientists,andresourceeconomists. ThestatementoftaskrequiredthatpanelistsconsiderkeyquestionsregardingtransboundaryrelationsbetweenriparianneighboursontheMackenziesystem. Theyexploredthecurrentstateofscientificknowledgeinthebasinandidentifiedthemajorscientificquestionsthatneedtobeaddressedtoensurethatthewatersandlandsofthebasinaremanagedinawaythatprotectstheirintegrity. Thepanelalsoheardevidenceregardingtheextenttowhichindigenousknowledgemightsupplementorreinforcewesternscienceandthesocialsciencesinthebasin. Thepanelalsoconcentrateditseffortsondefiningtheroleofadaptivemanagementinscopingandimplementinganytransboundaryagreementinthefaceofthelevelsofuncertaintycreatedbyrapidwarmingespeciallyinthenorthernpartofthebasin. Thepanelwentontothoroughlyexaminethestrengthsandweaknessesofexistingcooperativegovernancestructurestodeterminehowtostrengthenexistingrelationshipsbetweenriparianneighboursnowandinthefuture. Finally,thepanelexploredwhetherreformedgovernancestructuresmightberequiredtoensurelevelsofcooperationbetweenriparianneighboursthatwouldmakeadaptivemanagementofthebasin

WiththesupportoftheWalter&DuncanGordonFoundation,aninternationallyrespected

waterpolicyforumrecentlyspentthreedaysdeliberatingontheeco-hydrologicalsignificanceoftheMackenzieRiverBasintoCanadaandtherestoftheworld. ItishopedthatitsfindingswillinformthecurrentnegotiationsofagreementsbetweenBritishColumbia,Alberta,SaskatchewanandtheNorthwestTerritoriesoverthefutureofCanada’slargestriversystem. Whatisatstakeistheultimatestateofoneoftheworld’smostimportantnorthernrivers,ariversystemscientificallydescribedasalynch-pinofwater-ice-climateinteractionsthatcreaterelativeclimaticstabilitynotjustinsouthernCanadabutthroughouttheworld. ConcernovertheMackenziesystemhasbeengrowingasclimatechangeeffectsaccelerateinnorthernCanada.Canada’sArcticiswarmingtwotothreetimesfasterthantherestofthecountry.NegotiationsbetweenAlbertaandtheNorthwestTerritoriesregardingthefuturemanagementofthe1.8millionsquarekilometrebasinwereinitiatedaftertheNorthwestTerritoriesbeganimplementingitsNorthernVoices,NorthernWaterswaterstewardshipstrategyin2011. Manywaterpolicyexpertsviewthisplanasground-breaking.Itisareactiontotheeffectsofwarmingtemperaturesonhowrapidlyandintenselywaterhasbeguntomovethroughtheglobalhydrologicalcycle,andtotherapidchangesthoseeffectsarebringingabout. In2008,theGovernmentoftheNorthwestTerritoriesinvitedtheUniversityofCalifornia-basedRosenbergInternationalForumonWaterPolicytoofferobservationsfrominternationalexpertsonelementsofitswaterstrategyandtoprovideadviceinsupportofitssuccessfulimplementation. InaforumheldatSimonFraserUniversityinVancouverbetween

moresuccessfulovertime. ItisimportanttonotethatpresentationsmadetothepanelbytwoofCanada’smostrespectedexpertsontheMackenziesystembothconfirmedtheglobalsignificanceofthebasinintermsofitsmoderatingeffectonthetemperaturesoftherestofthecontinent,theextentandnatureofitsestuary,andthehydrologicalinfluenceofitsflowsintotheArcticOcean.ThatmanagingtheMackenziesystemisamatterofgreatconcerntotherestoftheworldmaybegaugedfromtheextentofnationalandinternationalmediacoveragetheforumreceivedbothbeforeandafterthedeliberationsbegan. Newsoftheforum,includinginterviewswiththePremieroftheNorthwestTerritories,BobMcLeod,whoaddressedthepanelattheoutsetofdeliberations,appearedaroundtheworldandinnewspapersinprovincialcapitalsacrossCanada. TheoutcomesofthedeliberationsoftheRosenbergPanelarepresentlybeingincorporatedintoaformalreportthatwillbereleasedthroughtheWalter&DuncanGordonFoundationinJanuary2013. SowhyisthisimportanttoCanadians?Thisisanopportunitytoshowtheworldhowtoemployscienceandenlightenedlegalprinciplestobreakoutoftheprisonsoftreatiesthatnolongerrespondtotherealitiesthatareemergingastheglobalhydrologicalcyclerespondstoarapidlywarmingatmosphere. ItisanopportunitytocraftanagreementthatwillservethefutureneedsofnotjusttheNWT,butallofthejurisdictionsthatsharetheMackenzieBasin.Theworldwillbewatchingasthistreatyiscrafted.Canadiansshouldbewatchingalso.

Bob Sandford is the EPCOR Chair of the Canadian Partnership Initiative in support of the United Nations Water for Life Decade and a member of Canada’s Forum for Leadership on Water. Bob is also a regular contributor to WaterCanada.

cAnADA’s colD AMAzon: The Rosenberg Forum Examines the Significance of the Mackenzie River BasinBy r.W. sAnDforD



TheMilkRiverwatershedisauniquedrainagelocatedinthemostsouthernpartofAlberta.

Itisdistinctive,notjustbecauseofitsextraordinarydrylandscapesanddiverseplantandwildlifecommunities,butalsoforthedirectioninwhichtheMilkRiverflows.TheMilkRiveristheonlywatershedinAlbertathatdrainssouthtotheGulfofMexico.AlbertasharesthiswatershedwithSaskatchewanandMontana,arelationshippresentingequallyuniquechallenges. Watershortagesarecommoninourdry,aridwatershed.Astheproblemofwaterscarcitygrows,properwaterandwatershedmanagementiscritical.In2005,communitydiscussionsleadtotheformalizationofTheMilkRiverWatershedCouncilCanada(MRWCC).Itsintentwastocreateabroadpartnershipofinterestedandinformedpeoplelivingandworkinginthewatershedtoprovidelocalleadershipinwatershedmanagement

andplanning.Earlyon,werealizedthatabroadpartnershipwouldneedtobeformedbetweengovernmentandnon-governmentagencies,industry,andwatershedresidentstoprovidecomprehensivewatershedplanningforasustainablefuture. TheMRWCCsupportstheAlbertaWater for LifeStrategy;weprovideStateoftheWatershedreporting;weareworkingondevelopingawatershedmanagementplan;weareworkingwithourcommunitytoproactivelypromotestewardshipofourwatershed.OurfirstStateoftheWatershedReportwascompletedin2008.Inthespiritofcooperationandcommunitywedevelopedthereportwithkeyagencypartnersandlocalexpertiseinsteadofparachutinginoutsideconsultants.Thisapproachproducedareferencedocumenttheentirecommunityisproudof.Thereportbalancedscientificcontentwithinterestinginformationaboutourwatershed.Wethinkit’samodelforhow

todelivereffectiveandcosteffectivemessagingtobothdecisionmakersandthegeneralpublic. TheMilkRiverwatershedisatransboundarywatershed;wefostergoodrelationshipswithourMontana

The north fork of the Milk River is augmented by diversion water from the St. Mary River in Montana; seasonal fluctuations are a challenge for riparian communities; uplands are dotted with diverse native grasslands.PHoTo: © k. roMAnoW

cAnADA’s colD AMAzon: The Rosenberg Forum Examines the Significance of the Mackenzie River Basin

The Milk River Watershed Council Canada – our WAter, our leGAcyBy tiM roMAnoW, ExEcutivE DirEctor, Milk rivEr WatErshED council

the Milk river Watershed council canada is an independent organization that supports the goals of Alberta’s Water for life strategy in the Milk river Watershed. these goals are:• safe, secure drinking

water supplies,• reliable water supplies for

a sustainable economy, and

• healthy aquatic ecosystems.


neighboursforthecontinuedco-managementoftheMilkRiverwaters.Ourheadwatersarereliantonthenearly90-yearoldSt.MaryDiversionsiphonsandinfrastructurenearBabbMontana.The1909BoundaryWatersTreatymandatessharingtheMilk’swaterswithourAmericanpartners.TheMRWCCiscurrentlyworkingonanumberofprojects,somecurrenthighlightsinclude:

2013 state of the Watershed report – growing transboundary cooperation TheCouncilisworkingtowardsupdatingits2008StateoftheWatershedReport(SOWR)andplanstoreleasethe2013SOWRnextspring.AsbefitsatransboundaryresourcethereportwillincludeinformationabouttheAlberta,Saskatchewan,andMontanaportionsofthewatershed.TheProjectintendstodevelopafactual,educational,andinterestingdocumentthatwillbereadbythescientificcommunityandthegeneralpublic.TheSOWRwillbeusedasatooltosupportwatershedmanagement.Thereportwillalsoidentifydataandknowledgegapswithinthewatershed,aswellasoutlineprojectsandactivitiesthathavebeeninitiatedinthewatershedsincethefirsteditionoftheSOWR. LocaltechnicalexpertisehasbeenemployedinallthreejurisdictionswithAlbertatakingacoordinatingrole.Workingacrossbordersisachallenge.Thenumberofjurisdictionsandotheractorsismultipliedandtherearealsochallengeswhenitcomestoadoptingconsistentmappingandmonitoringtechniques.Watchforupdatesontheprojectthiswinterandjoinusnextspringforthefinalreleaseofthereportatour2013AnnualGeneralMeeting.

2012 groundwater Well synoptic survey Inpreparationforthe2008StateoftheWatershedReport,aprojectwasinitiatedtoinvestigatewellwaterqualitywithinthefourcountiescomposingtheAlbertaportionofthewatershed.Tenwellswereselectedasrepresentativewellsfromeachmunicipalityandanextensivesetofparameterswereanalysed.Thelandownersreceivedacompletereportandthedatawassummarizedtoprotectconfidentiality.Theprojectprovidedageneraloverview,abaseline,ofgroundwaterqualitythroughoutthewatershed. WiththeassistanceofAgricultureandAgri-FoodCanadaAESBwerevisitedmostofthesesitesthispastDecemberandJanuaryandsampledthesamewellsagain.Generallyspeaking,twosamplesoverfiveyearsmakesitdifficulttomakeassumptionsregardingchangesinwaterqualityortrends.Anumberofwellsindicatedelevatedlevelsofheavymetalsandingeneral,elevatedsalts;thesedataareimportanttodocumentinthecontextoffuturechanges,forexample,changesinarealanduseovertime.

identifying sources of fecal coliforms on the Milk river Attimesoverthelastfewyears,therehasbeenincreasedpublicconcernregardingpotentialsourcesoffecalcontaminationinafewlocationsontheMilkRiver.ThemostvisualandpubliclyscrutinizedsitehasbeenatWriting-on-StoneProvincialPark.ParkstaffsamplethepublicbeachsitethereweeklyandthesamplesareanalyzedfortotalcoliformlevelsattheProvincialHealthLaboratory.Thebeachhasbeensubjecttooccasionalhealthriskadvisoriesdue

toE.coliconcentrationsthatexceededrecommendedguidelinesforrecreationaluse. Someblamed,withoutevidence,thelocalfarmingandranchingcommunityfortheelevatedconcentrations.TheMRWCCrespondedbyapproachingAlbertaAgricultureandRuralDevelopment(ARD)tocreateaprojecttoinvestigatethecoliformconcernandresearchthefecalcontaminationissuewithinthewatershed.Thisdiscussionledtoestablishingamicrobialsource-trackingproject.ThestudywillexamineallthepotentialsourcesofelevatedcoliformlevelsintheMilkRiver.Thesesourcesincludewildlife,humans,pets,livestock,andnon-fecalrelated,naturallyoccurringenvironmentalstrains.ItwillidentifyandquantifythemajorsourcesoffecalcontaminationandwillutilizeE.colifingerprintingasamicrobialsourcetrackingmethod. ThestudyalsowillconsidertherelationshipbetweenE.colilevelsandenvironmentalconditionssuchaslowwaterflows,highwatertemperatures,andsedimentload.SincesandhasbeenidentifiedasasignificantreservoirofnaturallyoccurringE.colistrainstheuniquelyhighsedimentloadintheMilkRivermaycomplicatethesituationfurther. FoursiteshavebeenselectedalongtheriverforsamplingandmonitoringthisseasonandwearecurrentlyassistingAlbertaAgriculturetobuildaDNAmarkerlibraryofvariouswildlifeandlivestocksourcesthatarefoundinthewatershed.ThiswillallowARDtomorecloselydeterminesources.Ifsuccessful,theprojectmaybeexpandedtohelpdirectandadjuststewardshipprojectimplementationwithinareasofthewatershedthatofferopportunitiesforimprovement. ThisisthefirsttimeaDNAsourcetrackingprojecthasbeenattemptedatalargerwatershedscalewithintheprovince.Watchforfutureupdatesontheproject.

draft Milk river integrated Watershed Management plan - Making progress TheMilkRiverIntegratedWatershedManagementPlan(IWMP)willbeatooltoprovideguidancetoresourcemanagersworkingintheMilkRiverwatershed.Itwilladdressthemanagementofwatersupplyandquality(surfacewater

In the shadow of the Sweet Grass Hill, Writing on Stone Provincial Park is a cultural and archeological gemstone in the Milk River Watershed; hoodoos and cottonwoods are critical habitat for numerous songbirds and species-at-risk.PHoTo: © T. roMAnoW


andgroundwater),riparianareasandwetlands,biodiversity,andlandusetoensurethatresourcesareavailableforfuturegenerations. In2010,theMilkRiverIWMPTermsofReference(theTermsofReferencesetthedirectionfortheplan)wasendorsedbymunicipalitiesandthepublicandsupportedbyAlbertaEnvironment.SincethentheIWMPPlanningTeamhasmettodrafttargets,thresholds,andrecommendationsforeachoftheresourceareasusingascientificapproachthatincorporateslocalknowledgeandresearchfromtheMilkRiverwatershed. Draftwaterqualityobjectives(WQOs)forfourreachesoftheMilkRiverweredevelopedusingdatacollectedfromtheon-goingsurfacewatermonitoringprogram.DraftWQOswereestablishedforsalts,nutrients,sediment,andbacteria.NewmonitoringdatawillbecomparedtotheWQOstodetermineiffuturewaterqualitytrendsarestable,improving,ordegrading.Waterqualityobjectivesreflectnaturaldifferencesinwaterqualityinthefourreachesduetochannelcharacteristicssuchasbedmaterial(e.g.,gravelorsand)andpositioninthewatershed(e.g.,upstreamordownstreamposition).Currently,thedraftWQOsonlyreflecttheopenwaterseasonthatisrepresentedbytheperiodwhenSt.MaryRiverwaterisdivertedtotheMilkRiverandtheperiodofnaturalflow. Draftriparianmanagementobjectivesandrecommendationsweredevelopedforriparianareasandwetlandslocatedinfivereachesofthewatershed(thesamefourreachesdelineatedforwaterqualityobjectivesplustheeasterntributaries)usinghistorical,pooledriparianhealthassessmentdata.Theriparianhealthtargetthatwillbeproposedisascoregreaterthanorequalto80usingtheCowsandFishriparianhealthassessmentprotocolsforstreamsandsmallandlargeriversandthethresholdthatwillbeproposedisascoreof70.Thetargetscorerepresentsthe“healthy”ripariancategoryandsuggeststhattherearelittleornoimpairmentstoriparianfunction.Thethresholdscorefallswithinthe“healthywithproblems”categoryandsuggestssomeimpairmenttoriparianfunctionsduetohumanornaturalcauses.CurrentriparianhealthdatasuggeststhereisroomtoimproveonriparianconditionsintheMilkRiverwatershed.

Recommendationsareprovidedthataddressthemanagementofinvasiveweedspeciesandtheconditionsneededtoestablishwoodyvegetationinriparianareasinordertoprotectstreambanksandreduceerosion. Managingforbiodiversityisanotherimportantaspectofwatershedmanagementasitisinterconnectedwithlandandwatermanagement.ManyofthefishandwildlifespeciespresentintheMilkRiverwatershedrelyontheriver,tributaries,riparianareas,andwetlandsforpartoralloftheirlifecycles.Speciesrelyongoodland-usemanagementtoprovideessentialhabitatsthatincludewaterandassociatedriparianvegetation,large,contiguoustractsofnativegrasslandanduniquehabitatslikesage-brush.Whenhabitat(orland-use)changeoccursinthewatershed,thequalityandquantityofboththewaterintheMilkRiver,andthewaterstoredinriparianareasanduplandwetlandsarealsoaffected.Thepresenceandabundanceoffishandwildlifespeciescanthusbeusedasindicatorsforoverallwatershedhealth.IntheMilkRiverIWMP,indicatorspeciesincludenativefish,amphibians,birds,andungulates.TheMilkRiverIWMPwillalsomakerecommendationsforrangemanagement,riveraccessmanagement,andcommercial/industrialactivitiesinthewatershed.TheIWMPTeamcontinuestoworkondevelopingappropriateinstreamflowneedsrecommendationsthatarerequiredforMilkRiverchannelmaintenance,riparianvegetationrecruitmentandfunction,fisheries,andrecreation.GroundwaterrecommendationswillalsobedevelopedandwillbebasedonthefindingsoftheMilkRiverTransboundaryAquiferProject.

TheMilkRiverIWMPiscurrentlybeingdeveloped.Whenthedraftplanisreleasedlaterthisfallallstakeholderswillhaveachancetoreviewthedocumentandprovidecomment.Atechnicalreviewofthetargets,thresholdsandrecommendationswasplannedforMaythroughSeptember2012.ApublicmeetingisanticipatedintheFallof2012toreceivepublicfeedbacktoensurethattheIWMPreflectslocalexpectationsforwatershedmanagement.Thereafter,municipalitieswillbeaskedtoprovidecommentsonthedraftplanandoffersuggestionsonhowtherecommendationsmaybeimplemented.TheMRWCCintendstohavetheMilkRiverIWMPcompletedandadoptedin2013.TheIWMPwillbealivingdocumentthatisupdatedasnewinformationbecomesavailable. MembersoftheMRWCCshouldfeelpositivelyaboutwhatthecouncilhasachievedsofar.Itssuccessshouldbeattributedtothebroadrangeofpartnershipsit’sbeenbasedon-ourruralmunicipalities,conservationgroups,provincialandfederalagencies,andmostimportantlyourlocalcommunityhaveplayedvitalroles. FormoreinformationontheMRWCCfeelfreetocheckoutourwebsiteatwww.milkriverwatershedcouncil.caAllMRWCCpublicationsandresearchprojectsmaybefoundinouronlinelibrary;orwhentravelingthroughourwatershedstopbyourofficeinMilkRivertopickupacopy. Tim became Executive Director of the MRWCC in October 2011 after working in Cardston County on the county’s sustainable agriculture program. Tim, a graduate of the University of Lethbridge and Lethbridge Community College, lives with his wife Kristie near Spring Coulee.

The MRWCC hosts an annual canoe trip for local residents and our partners to explore the Milk River.PHoTo: © M.lUPWAYI


couldabouttheeffectsofOHVuseontheenvironment.Oncesatisfiedtheyunderstoodtheissues,theyturnedtoaction.Theyproducedmediarangingfrompamphletstoacomicbookdescribingtheimpactsof“mudbogging”andsimilarOHVactivitiesonwildlifeandstreambeds.Theybuiltandenclosedanumberofinformativeresourcekitsingeo-cacheshiddenaroundtheCalgaryregionforgeo-cachersandotheroutdoorenthusiaststofind. Perhapsmostimportantly,theypresentedtheirfindingsandconcernstothegovernment. ThestudentsdescribedtoAlbertaEnvironmentandSustainableResourceDevelopment(ESRD)whattheydiscoveredabouttheseactivities.OHVsdisturbecosystems,destroyhabitatandfoodavailability,andincreasethelevelofpollutantsinthewaterthatwedrink.

InsharpcontrasttothewatersdisturbedbyOHVsthestudents’fundamentalconclusionswerecrystalclear.Strikingly,thestudentsproposedasetofrecommendationstoESRD.NoOHVuseinwetlandsandriparianareas.No“mudbogging”onpublicland.Thesearealsoveryclear,fundamental,andimportantrecommendations.TheyechoandreinforcetherecommendationsAWAhasbeendeliveringtotheAlbertagovernmentoverthelastdecade.Inshort,guidedbytheclaritythatcomesfromtheremovalofthepoliticsandspecialinterestssurroundingtheissue,thestudentsdidthescience,didtheresearch,and

Gradesevenstudentsclearly“getit.”Whydoesitsometimesseemthatmanyofourelectedofficials

don’t? ThislastJune,theCalgary Heraldranastory,“Are you drinking McLean Creek mud?”thathighlightedaprojectdonebyteacherBeverleyRoss’gradesevenclassatCalgary’sRundleCollegeJuniorHighschool.HerstudentswereinspiredbyanarticlebyAdamDriedzicoftheEnvironmentalLawCentre(seeAdam’sstoryonmotorizedrecreationintheApril2012issueofWLAforadiscussionofrelatedissues)explaininghowOHVmis-usedamagesriparianareas.Likeallgoodscientists,theclassdecidedtofindoutthetruthforthemselves. Overthefollowingyear,the84gradesevenstudentsembarkedonaprogramofinvestigationandexperimentationastheydesignedsimulations,broughtinspeakers,andlearnedeverythingthey

drewastraightlinetotheinescapableconclusion.They“getit.” Nowtheyarewaiting,alongwithallAlbertans,toseeifthegovernmentfinallywillgetittoo.AWAsharestheRundleCollegestudents’hopesthatESRDwillintegratesaneOHVmanagementregulationsintotheSouthSaskatchewanRegionalPlanbeingdevelopedundertheLandUseFramework(LUF)planningprocess. Atthesametime,AWAnoteswithcautiontheresponsefromESRDcitedintheCalgary Heraldarticle.Adepartmentspokespersonassertsthatthestudents’recommendationsarealreadycoveredbyexistinglawsbutthengoesontosaythat“peopleareexpectedtokeepOHVsoutofwetlands”andthatthey(ESRD)“havebeentellingpeopletostayonthetrails”(emphasisadded).Whatismissing,inotherwords,istheenforcement. AWAhopestheRundleSchoolmessagewillpromptsomerealactionontheenforcementfront.Allthisexpectingandtellingiswellandgood,butwithouttheenforcementtobackitup,itultimatelycomestonought. InaJulymeetingwithESRDtodiscussrecentOHVtraildevelopmentsintheBighorn(seethearticlebySeanNicholsintheAugust2012issueofWLA),AWAclearlycommunicatedourposition:AlbertaneedsbetterenforcementofOHVandtrailregulations.EnforcementisakeycomponentofanyOHVmanagementplan,andit’sonethatiscurrentlymissing.EnforcementconsiderationsabsolutelyneedtobeapartofthenewregionalplansimplementedunderLUF. AWAhopesAlbertanswillbeinspiredbythehardworkandinsightdemonstratedbyMs.Ross’students.Welookforwardtothegovernment’s“gettingit”too.WillESRDimplementandenforcetheregulationsneededtoprotectriparianareas?Weknowonegroupofknowledgeablegradesevenstudentswhowouldliketogivethedepartmentadetentionifitdoesn’t.

clArity out of MuD: Rundle College Students Teach ESRD A Lesson in Responsible ManagementBy seAn nichols, AWA ConservAtion speCiAList

Engineered wetland at start of project.PHoTo: © s. nICHols


What would the world be, once bereftOf wet and wildness? Let them be left.

GerardManleyHopkins,Inversnaid, 1881.

TheplainsofsouthernAlbertaaredrywithmostplacesaveragingonlyaround350mmofannual

precipitation.ThereasonforthisaridityisthattheyfallwithintherainshadowoftheRockyMountainstothewestwheremoistpacificweathersystemsdumptheirloadmainlyintheformofwintersnow.TheCastleMountainresort,forexample,annuallyreceivesover1,100mmofprecipitation,over900mmofwhichfallsaswintersnow.ItisthewatergatheredintheheadwatersoftheOldmanwatershedandcarriedbythestreamsandriverstotheeastthatsustainsmuchoftheagricultureandsettlementofsouthwesternAlberta.InfacttheCastleSpecialPlace,althoughitonlycomprisesfourpercentoftheOldmanRiverbasin,contributesamassive30percentofitsyearlywaterflow. Criticaltothisprocessaretheheadwatersub-alpineandmontaneforeststhatcapturethesnowfall,protectitfromthefiercedrychinookwindsforwhichtheareaisfamous,andregulateitsreleaseaswaterintotheheadwaterstreamsthroughtheforest’sspongysoils.Thiscomplexofforests,togetherwiththemagnificentmountains,lakes,andgrasslandsthatmakeupthe1,004km2

oftheCastleWildernessarealsosecondonlytoWatertonLakesNationalParkinAlbertainbiodiversity.Itsresidentsincludemanyrareorat-riskspeciesincludinggrizzlybearandbulltrout.

a fading legislative commitment to Water in the castle Theimportanceoftheseforestswasrecognizedinthe1906Dominion Forest Reserves ActwhichincludedtheKootenayLakesDominionForestReserve.ThisareanowincludesWatertonLakesNationalParkandtheCastleWilderness.TheActestablishedthereserves“forthemaintenanceandprotectionofthetimbergrowingorwhichmayhereaftergrowthereon,for

theprotectionoftheanimalsandbirdstherein,andthefishinthewaterstherein,andforthemaintenanceofconditionsfavourableforacontinuouswatersupply.” In1930thecontrolofAlberta’snaturalresourceswastransferredfromtheFederalgovernmenttotheprovince.TodaytherecognitionoftheimportanceofwaterisfoundinSection4oftheprovincialForest Reserves Act (2000):“Allforestreservesaresetasideandconstitutedfortheconservationoftheforestsandothervegetationintheforestsandforthemaintenanceofconditionsfavourabletoanoptimumwatersupplyinthosereserves.”The Forests Actofthesameyear,however,hasnosuchpurposestatement.TheAlberta Land Stewardship Act(2009)furtherdilutestheemphasisonwater.Section2(a)specifiesthatonepurposeoftheActis“toprovideameansbywhichtheGovernmentcangivedirectionandprovideleadershipinidentifyingtheobjectivesoftheProvinceofAlberta,includingeconomic,environmentalandsocialobjectives.” TheCastle’svalueasacritical“watertower”togetherwithitshighbiodiversityanditscentralimportanceforwildlifeconnectivitythroughouttheCrownof

theContinentecosystemshouldhaveresultedinitslegalprotectionlongago.Regretfullythishasnotyethappenedandthehistoryoftheareaisalonglitanyofunfulfilledexpectationsandbrokenpromises. ForsevenyearstheCastlewasactuallyprotectedaspartofWatertonLakesNationalParktowhichitwasjoinedin1914whentheCarbondaleRiverformedthepark’snorthernboundary.In1921,however,itwasremovedfromtheparkandwasthenadministeredasaprovincialgamereserveuntil1945.In1953,thefirstfireroadpenetratedalongtheSouthCastleRiverallowingaccessforrecreationaluseandin1957thediscoveryoftheWatertongasfieldledtomineralexplorationthroughoutthearea.ThegovernmentthengrantedsubsurfaceleasesintheCastletoShellCanada.Gasexploration,togetherwithlogging,inspiredthePincherCreekFishandGameAssociationtocallforprotectionoftheSouthCastleareain1958.FifteenyearslaterAWAproposedestablishingaSouthCastleWildlandRecreationAreaduringtheEasternSlopeshearings.InthesameyeartheAlbertaLandandForestsbranchexpressedconcernthat“...headwatersofstreamshavebeenallowed

Blue Lake, Castle Wilderness.PHoTo: © G. PeTersen

Water in the castleBy Peter sherrinGton


tobelogged,includingsomeprotectionforest,inordertomeetthequotas.” In1974agovernmentstudyrecommendedestablishingaparkintheheadwatersoftheCastleRiver.ThatsameyeartheEasternSlopespolicyagainidentifiedtheCastleashaving“considerableparkpotential”andin1979theIntegratedManagementPlanfortheCastleRiverproposed“alargeProvincialParkfortheCastleRiversub-basin.”Nothingcameoftheseproposals.Bythemid-1980sthegovernment’sIntegratedResourcePlan(IRP)weakenedprotectiontoallowtheexpansionofdrillingbyShellwhilestillstating,rathercynically,thatwatershedprotectionandrecreationremainedprimaryvalues.In1993the

NaturalResourcesConservationBoardapprovedtheexpansionoftheWestcastleSkiHillunderVacationAlberta’sfour-seasonresortproposal.ButitinsistedthatmostoftheCastlebegivenNationalPark-likeprotectionandrecommendedthatthisprotectionbegivenwhetherornottheprojectwentahead. In1998itappearedthatallthehardworkhadbornefruitwhentheCastle,togetherwith80otherareas,wasdesignatedaSpecialPlaceintheSpecialPlaces2000program.Unlikethoseother80areas,however,theCastlehasyettoreceiveitsfinallegislatedprotection,althoughitsstatusasaSpecialPlaceisconfirmedontheAlbertaTourism,ParksandRecreationwebsite.ThedesignationoftheareaasaForestLandUseZonewasintendedasaninterimmeasuretoregulateaccesstothearea.ItwastobefollowedbyarevisedIntegratedResourcePlanthat

wouldfinallygivetheareaprotection.ThisplanwasnotacceptedandtheCastleisstillmanagedundertheoutdated1985IRP,thatstillrecognizes,largelyinnameonly,watershedprotection,recreationandtourismasthehighestmanagementpriorities. In2010followinganextensivebuthighlyflawedpublicconsultationexercisetheC5(Crowsnest)ForestManagementPlanwasapproved.Thisplangavescantheedtotheavowedpriorityofwatershedprotection.TheDepartmentofSustainableResourceDevelopment(SRD)ignoredconcertedprotestsfromlocalcitizensandconcernsfromgovernmentfisheriesspecialistsandapprovedaclearcutproposalbyCochrane-basedSprayLakeSawmills(SLS)tologintheCastleinlate2011.Despitemoreprotests,rallies,picketsandahugeletterwritingcampaigntothePremierthefirstphaseoftheloggingstartedthispastFebruary. Governmentjustificationforthelogginghasvariedfromtheneedtocontrolpinebeetleinfestation(therearenonecurrentlyinthearea),firecontrol(althoughallmajorfiresintheareasince1934haveoccurredinclearcutareas),andtheobligationtoprovide“fibre”toSLS(whichhasotherapprovedtimbersourcesandtheCastleonlyrepresents8percentofitsfive-yearappetitefortimber).

recreational threats to Water Quality TheotherlargeandgrowingthreattoCastlewaterqualityisunregulatedoff-roadvehicleuseandrandomcamping.Thenumberofmotorizedrecreationalvehiclesusingtheareahasincreasedconsiderablyinrecentyearsresultinginthedevelopmentofanextensivenetworkofillegaltrails.Thesetrailsparallelandradiatefromdesignatedtrails;bridgesoverstreamsarewidelyignored.Randomcampingsitesareusuallylocatedadjacenttoawatersourceandoftentakeonthecharacterofvillagesduringthesummermonths,albeitwithoutgarbageandsewagedisposalfacilities.Loggingroadsincreasinglyopenupnewareasforillegalmotorizedrecreation.Evenifroadsandbridgesaredecommissionedorgatedthisappearsonlytoaddtothechallengeofthe“sport.”Enforcementofregulationsissporadicandoftenlimitedtosummerlong-weekendswhentheproblembecomesparticularlyacute.

and What about climate change? ThedegradationoftheCastlewatercatchmentarea,alreadywelladvanced,isalsotakingplacewithinacontextofachangingclimate.Whatevertheseeffectstheywilllikelyimpactthewatersupplyinimportantwaysandwewillneedintactforestsystemstocollectandregulatewaterflow.Todaythereislittleornooldgrowthforest(over230yearsinage)leftintheCastleandmatureforest(over150yearsold)isnowreducedtoninepercentoftheregion’sforests.Afurther5percentoftheregionisscheduledtobeloggedbySLSoverthenextthreetofiveyears.Modelspredictthatmaturetreesshouldcompriseabout40percentofan“unmanaged”forestintheCastle.WeshouldalsonotethatthesameforesttypeoccursinadjacentWatertonLakesNationalParkwhereitisneither“managed”forbeetleorforfirepreventionanditseemstobedoingjustfine!Clearcutsandimmatureforestarelessefficientatretainingsnowandbecauseofdisruptionoftheirsoilstheyareunabletofilterandregulatetherunoffwhenthawsoccur. AlanBrice,awell-knownfly-fishingguidefromtheCrowsnestPass,recountedagraphicillustrationthatoccurredlastJune.HeplannedtotakeclientstofishtheOldmanRiverdownstreamfromanextensivelyloggedarea.But,becauseofheavypersistentrainstheriverhadriseninamatterofhoursby170percent(from60to180m3/sec)butrapidlydroppedwithinonedayto50percentabovenormalflow.BycontrasttheupperCastle,whereclearcutloggingisnotyetafactor,receivedthesameamountofrainyetbecauseoftheretentionpropertiesoftheforestthewaterroseonlyby25percentandgraduallyreturnedtoanormalflowoveraperiodofseveraldays.TheOldmanbecameconsiderablyturbidwiththewaterbecomingopaqueandtheriverbottombeingextensivelyscoured;theCastleremainedclearandtheriverbedwasnotscoured.Junecoincideswithtroutspawninganditrequireslittleimaginationtopredictwhichriverwillbethemoreproductivethisyear. Fishare,ofcourse,excellentindicatorsofwaterqualityandriverhealth,andtheCastlehastwoat-riskspeciesofcold-waterfish.TheprovincehasclassifiedthebulltroutasaSpeciesofSpecialConcern;thewestslopecutthroattrout

Two of the dozens of protesters who braved bitterly cold temperatures this past winter to oppose plans to clearcut in the Castle.PHoTo: © G. PeTersen


isclassifiedasThreatened.LorneFitchchartedtheextirpationofthebulltroutfromtheCrowsnestRiver,mainlyasaresultofhumanactivities(seeLorne’sArticleintheJune2012issueofWLA).TheystillinhabitthecoldwatersoftheupperCastle,buthistoricallythey,andcutthroats,couldbefoundasfardownstreamasLethbridge.Theirretreathasbeendrivenbythewarmingofthewater,inpartbecauseoftheremovalofthermalcoveraffordedbytrees,bychangesinwaterchemistryandflowratesthroughhumanagencies(probablyincludingthecontroversialconstructionoftheOldmanDam)andbytheseverelimitingofbreedingsites(“redds”)throughincreasedfinesedimentflowthatcementstheintersticesinthestreamgravelswheretheeggsdevelop.Thesefinesoriginateinincreasederosionandrunoffbecauseoflogginganditsassociatedsurfacedisturbanceandthroughstreamdegradationbymotorizedoff-roadvehicles.SixtyyearsoflogginganditsassociatedandresultantactivitiesintheupperOldmandrainagehavealsoeliminatedbulltroutthere.

hear, listen to the voices of the people Itisoftenthecumulativeeffectofmanysmall-scalechangesinwaterflowandqualityinthesmalleststreamsandthroughsubsurfaceflowthatprovetobecritical.Thesearerarely,ifever,measuredormonitored.Stablethicksnowcoverinmatureforestsmaintainsagentlesubsurfaceflowthroughoutthewintertosustainstreamflowsandwaterquality,yetthiscriticalelementisunmeasuredandthereforenottakenintoaccount.ByallowingloggingintheCastleSpecialPlacethegovernmenthascertainlynotlearnedfromitsmistakesintheCrowsnest,Oldman,andelsewhere. TheCastleareadoesnotexistinavacuumbutformspartoftheheadwatersoftheOldmanRiverwatershedandultimatelyoftheSouthSaskatchewanRiversystemthatisthemainsourceofwaterforsouthernSaskatchewan.In2010theOldmanWatershedCouncil(OWC)producedaState of the Watershed Report thatratedboththequalityandquantityofwaterintheCastleriversub-basinasgood,butallotherdownstreamsectorswerejudgedtobefairorpoor. Phase1oftheIntegratedWatershedManagementPlanwillfollowthisreport.Theplanningforthemanagement

planiswelladvanced.Itsinitialintentistomanageandprotecttheintegrityofheadwatersandsourcewaters.In2011acoreteamof37stakeholderswholiveand/orworkinthewatershedidentifiedthetoptenrisksinmostneedofaction.Thetopthreewere:alackofunderstandingofthecumulativeeffects,thedegradationandlossofaquaticandterrestrialhabitat,andheadwatersdegradation.Theyalsorecognizedthatgroundwaterandemergingcontaminantsareknowledgegapsthathavetobeaddressed.Adraftactionplanshouldbecompletedbymid-2013.InpartnershipwithWater Mattersaseriesoftwopublicmeetingsinelevencommunitieswillbeheldaspartoftheprocessinthefallandwinterof2012-13.ItisassumedthattheactionplanwillalignwiththependingSouthSaskatchewanRegionalPlan(SSRP)andwillconnectwithprovincialpolicy.Andthat,ofcourse,iswherethingswillgettricky! TheresidentsofsouthwesternAlbertaandAlbertaasawhole,however,havealreadymadetheiropinionsontheCastlecrystalclear.Earlyin2011thePraxisGroupconductedpublicopinionsurveysamongresidentsoftheMunicipalDistrictofPincherCreek,theTownofPincherCreek,theMunicipalityoftheCrowsnestPass,thePiikaniFirstNation,FortMacleod,theCityofLethbridgeandtheTownofCoaldale.Praxisfoundthat78percentofrespondentseitherstronglyorsomewhatopposedcommercialloggingintheCastle,80percentsupportedtheestablishmentofaWildlandParkintheCastle,and85.5percentprioritizedwatershedprotectionaheadofrecreationaluseintheCastle. InMarch2012thePraxisGroupproducedareportonCommunityValuesAssessmentfortheM.D.ofPincherCreekandtheSouthwestAlbertaSustainableCommunityInitiative(SASCI).Thereportfoundthatoutof38valuestatements,“conservingandprotectingwatersources”wasnumberfive,andinalistofelevenlanduseoptions“enforcingappropriateuseofpubliclands”wasnumberone.Thestatementabout“moreopportunitiesformotorizedrecreation,suchasoff-roading,dirtbiking”cameinlast;“allowingclear-cutloggingintheCastleSpecialManagementArea”wassecondtolast. Inlate2011andearly2012over100,000communicationsopposingthe

loggingoftheCastleweresenttothePremierandGovernmentofAlberta.TheweeksleadingupthestartoftheloggingsawhundredsofAlbertansattendprotestralliesatthesiteandaprotestcampwassustainedforthreeweeksintemperaturesthatfellto-40oC.TheseactivitiesreceivedwidespreadmediacoveragebutonFebruary1thefirsttreesfell,albeitnotbeforefourprotesterswerearrestedandbrieflydetainedbytheRCMPforrefusingtoleavethesite. TheCastle-CrownWildernessCoalitionandlocalresidentshaveaskedthecourtstoreviewtheAlbertagovernment’sdecisiontoallowclearcutloggingintheCastle.ThecasewillbeheardinCourtofQueen’sBenchonNovember8. TheApril23provincialelectionreturnedaProgressiveConservativegovernmentledbyAlisonRedfordwhocampaignedonaplatformof“change.”SubsequentlytheDepartmentsofSustainableResourceDevelopmentandEnvironmentwerecombinedunderasingleministerbuttodatelittleornothingappearstohavechangedasfarastheCastleinconcerned. TherealityintheCastle,however,stillremainsandneedsapositiveresponsefromtheRedfordadministration.Withoutimmediateregulationofoff-roadvehiclesintheCastleandarescindingofthecurrentlogginglicensegiventoSLSthemostprolificsourceofcleanwaterinsouthwesternAlbertawillcontinuetobejeopardized.Itisjustnotworththerisk.

As of the time this story went to press, AWA has learned that Alberta environment and sustainable resource Development has put some logging within the castle on hold pending the completion of the ssrP. While logging slated for the 2012-2013 season (representing about 230 ha of clearcut area, and with an estimated yield of approximately 50,000m3) will be allowed to continue, any further logging is to be deferred.


Inearly2012adramaticsceneunfoldeddaybydayinsouthernAlberta’sCastle.Oppositiontothe

plannedclearcutloggingprogramwasbecominglouderandlouder;thousandsofletterswerewrittencriticizingtheloggingplans;demonstrationswereheldinBeaverMinesaswellasCalgaryandEdmonton;theyculminatedinthearrestoffourprotestersonFebruary1.YettheAlbertagovernmentstillwasdeaftoanyvoiceotherthantheclearcutloggingmantra,seeminglydrivenby…butwhatweretheydrivenby? Astheclearcutloggingplanscontinuedunabated,AWAincreasinglywonderedwhythegovernmentwassodeterminedtopushaheadwithitsunpopularloggingplansinthefaceofgrowinglocaloppositionandintheabsenceofanyscientificoreconomicjustificationfordoingso.SoinFebruary2012,AWAappliedundertheprovincialFreedomofInformationandProtectionofPrivacyAct(FOIP)totrytouncoversomeofthebehind-the-scenescorrespondencebehindthisseeminglyinexplicableprocess.Howweredecisionsbeingmadewhenthereseemedtobenorationaljustificationforthem? InearlyJuly,379pagesofFOIPdocumentsarrivedattheAWAoffice.AsusualwiththeseFOIPapplications,thedocumentscontainmanymanygapsandunansweredquestions.Onlyonethirdofthematerialappliedforwasdeemedtobeinthe“publicinterest”andsoprovided

withoutfee.Ifwewishedtoseetheremainingtwo-thirds,therewouldbeasubstantialfee.Ofcoursetherewasnowayofquestioningthis“publicinterest”determination:whodecideswhat’sinthepublicinterestandaccordingtowhatcriteria? Despitetheselectivenatureofthematerialsupplied,thereismuchinterestinginformationtobegleanedfromthose379pages.Thereareafewsnippetsofstrikinginformation,alotofholes,butmorethananything,apervadingsenseofaForestryDivisionentirelydevotedtothepracticeofclearcutlogging.Itwasnotgoingtolistentoanyalternatives,notevenfromotherdivisionswithinthesameministry. ThoughtheFishandWildlifeDivisionandForestryDivisionwerebothpartoftheMinistryofSustainableResourceDevelopment,theFOIPdocumentsleavenodoubtthatonedivision–FishandWildlife–wasverymuchthejuniorpartner;alloftheshotswerecalledbytheforestdivision.Clearcutloggingplansweremadebytheforestdivision,workingcloselywiththeloggingcompanySprayLakeSawmills(SLS).FishandWildlife,withaminimalcomplementofstaff,wasgivenverylittletimetorespondtotheplans.Whenevertheywereunabletorespondwithinthetimeframesgiven,theirsilencewasinterpretedasapproval.OnafewoccasionsFishandWildlifewasn’tevennotifiedofplansuntilafter theresponsewindowhadclosed.

fish concerns Nevertheless,onanumberofoccasions,FishandWildlifestaffraisedsignificantconcerns,butatnotimedidtheirconcernsappeartoleadtoanychangesintheplannedlogging.InsteadresponsesfromtheforestdivisionmainlyjustifiedwhyFishandWildliferecommendationswouldnotbeadopted. Concernswereraisednumeroustimesaboutthelikelyimpactsofforestryactivitiesonhabitatforwestslopecutthroattrout(approvedforlistingasThreatened inAlberta)andbulltrout(listedasaSpecies of Special Concern).“HarvestshouldonlyproceedifForestManagementandSprayLakeSawmillscanensurechangestohydrology,streamtemperatureandsedimentloadswillnotimpactthesespeciesatrisk,”recommendedFishandWildlife.Yettheforestdivisioncontinuedtoproposehaulroadsthatrunwithinafewmetresoftroutspawningcreeks. Concernswereexpressedatthenegativeeffectsonfishhabitatifloggingaccessweretobeaddedtotheexistingnetworkofpoorly-designedrecreationalmotorizedvehicletrails:“thestateofthedesignatedtrailsinthisareaisappallingandmakesitverydifficulttoencourageSLStobemoreprecautionarywiththeirownroadingandstreamcrossingoptions.”Thisresultedinlittlemorethananacknowledgementthat“thedesignatedtrailsystemiswhatitis,”leadingonepersontoquestion“howrecreationalinterestsontrailusesupercedefishandwildlifeprotectioninterests/values.”

Alberta’s forest division seemed to pay little heed to anti-logging protests such as this one near Beaver Mines.PHoTo: © nIGel doUGlAs

logging trumps All other concerns in the castle: Findings from a Freedom of information ApplicationBy niGel DouGlAs


Wildlife concerns OtherFishandWildlifeconcernsincludedthelikelyimpactsofloggingonthreatenedgrizzlybears.“StructureretentionshouldbeincreasedtohigherlevelsforharvestplansinGrizzlybearcoreareas,”saidoneproposal.Thisrecommendationwascurtlydismissedas“outsidethescopeofOGR(operatinggroundrules).”GrizzlyconcernswereagainexpressedinalaterFishandWildlifeemail,writtenonFebruary1,thedaythatCastleprotesterswerebeingarrested.“Asyoumaybeaware,proposedharvestareasinthis(area)providesomeofthemorecontiguousandunfragmented/keyhabitatforgrizzlybearsinthisareaanditisdefinedascorehabitataspartofourrecoveryplan.Duringcollaborationwithresearchersoverthelastdecade,wehavecaptured,collared,trackedandobservedgrizzlybearsthroughoutthisareaandhavefoundhighuseandselectivityduringthesummermonths.Lowelevationdenningofgrizzlybearshavebeenverballyreportedtous(sic)…Inshort,bearsusethisareaextensively.”Onceagain,thereisnoevidencethattheseconsiderationsmadeawhitofdifference. Similarly,inaJanuary25newsrelease,AWAandtheWildCanadaConservationAllianceraisedtheissueofwinterloggingoperationsandtheirpotentialtodisplaceorevenkilldenningbears.Accordingtotheoperatinggroundrules(OGRs)forforestryoperations,SprayLakesSawmillsisrequiredtoproducemapsshowingdensitesofblackandgrizzlybears.Conservationistsrequestedcopiesofthesemapsandassurancesthatloggingequipmentwouldnotdisturbbearsintheirdens,butthesewereneverproduced.TheFOIPmaterialsdonotgiveanyindicationthatthesemapswereeversubmittedbySprayLakeSawmillsorapprovedbyFishandWildlife. Anothertypicalcaseinvolveslong-toedsalamanderswhicharelistedasaSpecies of Special ConcerninAlberta.TheOGRsforforestryoperationscallfora100-metrebufferforpondscontainingthesalamanders.Asforestdivisionplanscalledfordevelopmentclosetoastreamwherethesalamandershavebeenrecorded(theexactdistancehasbeendeletedfromthedocuments),FishandWildliferaisedtheirconcerns,buttheseconcernswereonceagainbrushedoff.“SLSisconfidentthatthe

30-90mbufferleftwilladequatelyprotectthesalamander,”readstheforestdivision’sresponse,addingthat“theOGRsrefertothebufferingofpondsnotstreams.”Withoutanyexplanationtheforestdivisionappearswillingtogivemoreweighttotheloggingcompany’sexpertiseonsalamandersthanitsowncolleagues,particularlywhenthesalamandersarefoolishenoughtoinhabitthewrongtypeofwaterbody!

rare plant concerns TheissueofrareplantsintheCastleisanothercasewheretheloggingparadigmwasallowedtorunroughshodoverotherconcerns.InJuly2011,theAlbertaNativePlantCouncilwrotetotheforestdivisiontoenquirewhethertherequiredrareplantsurveyshadbeencarriedoutintheproposedloggingareas,notingthat“theCrownoftheContinentecosystemsinsouthwesternAlbertaharbourtherichestbiodiversityinallofAlberta.”Theresultingflurryofemailsisalmostcomicalasitbecomesclearthatnobodyhadthoughttofollowthroughwiththis,eventhoughitwasarequirementoftheDetailedForestManagementPlan(FMP).“Wemightof(sic)missedthisstepofsharinganupdatedrareplantmapwithSLS…ascommittedtointheC5FMPaswellasincorporatingtheserequirementsintothenewgroundrules.”

filling in the blanks Asisoftenthecase,oneofthemoststrikingthingsaboutreadingtheFOIPmaterialsiswhatdiscussionsdidnotappeartotakeplace.NowhereisthereanysuggestionthattheCastleisanydifferentfromanyotherforestscheduledforlogging;thereisnoreferencetotheCastleasaSpecialPlace,designatedbytheAlbertagovernmentin1998as“amajormilestoneinthepreservationofAlberta’snaturalheritageforfuturegenerations.”Thereisnoreferencetothemountingoppositiontotheclearcutlogging,tothethousandsoflettersandemails,ortotheextensivemediacoverage. Evenmoresurprisingisthefactthatthereisnotevenanyreferencetothegovernment’sownland-useplanningprocess,theLand-UseFramework,anditsrenewedcommitmenttoprotectingheadwatersforests.The2008Land-Use Frameworkdocumentemphasized:“Historically,watershedandrecreation

weredeemedthepriorityusesoftheEasternSlopes.Theseprioritiesshouldbeconfirmed,andsoonerratherthanlater.”ThisprinciplewasthenreaffirmedinMarch2011inthedraftrecommendationsoftheSouthSaskatchewanRegionalAdvisoryCommitteewhichrecognizedtheneedto“Managelandintheheadwaters(e.g.,EasternSlopesandCypressHillsareas)sothatmaintainingwatershedintegrityisgivenhighestprioritybyconsideringimpactsoflanddisturbanceinmanagementdecisions.”Thereisnoindicationthatthisledtoanychangeswithintheforestdivision. TheperiodduringwhichtheCastleclearcutloggingdecisionswerebeingmadewasasomewhatturbulentoneinAlberta,withaninternalbattlefortheleadershipofthegoverningProvincialConservativeparty.ThoughtheAlbertagovernmentunderPremierAlisonRedfordwaselectedonaplatformofopennessandtransparency,unfortunatelyitappearsthathersouthwesternforestdivisiondidnotgetthememo.ThedocumentssuggestthatAlberta’sforestsstillseemtobemanagedalmostasapersonalfiefdom.Clearcutlogginghasbeenthemainstayofforestmanagementinthisareafordecades,andthereisnointentionofchangingthat,regardlessofwhatisgoingonintheworldoutsideforestdivisionoffices.Thecircular,self-fulfillingphilosophyseemstobe:“wemustmanageforeststhiswaybecausewehavealwaysmanagedforeststhisway.” NowthattheSustainableResourceDevelopmentministryhasbeenmergedwiththeEnvironmentMinistry,itmaybethatotherconcerns–particularlywaterconcerns–willbelatedlybeallowedtoplayaroleinfuturemanagementdecisions.Oneresponsefromabeleagueredandentrenchedforestdivisionmightbetodiginfurtherandtrytoensurethatfutureconcernsarenotputonrecord,soastopreventthemfrombeingrevealedinfutureFOIPapplications.Oralternatively,perhapsthenotoriousatmosphereofsecrecywhichsurroundsthedecisionsoftheforestdivisionwillinfuturebethrownopentomorescrutiny.Alberta’sforestsingeneral,andcertainlythepreciousandfragileforestsoftheCastle,deservesomuchmorethanasingularmanagementfocusonprovidingasustainedsupplyoflowqualitytimber.

24 WLA | october 2012 | Vol. 20, no. 5 | AssoCIATIon neWs

A smallgroupofAWAstaffandsupportersmetearlyinthemorningofAugust1inRalston,

AlbertaforaguidedtouroftheSuffieldNationalWildlifeArea(SNWA).Thiswasaveryspecialoccasionasfewnon-militarypeoplehavethisopportunityandwewereaccompaniedandguidedinouryellowschoolbusbyDrewTaylor,RangeBiologistatSuffield. TheSuffieldNationalWildlifeArea,locatedwithintheboundariesofCanadianForcesBaseSuffield,comprises458km2oflargelyundisturbedprairiegrasslandalongtheSouthSaskatchewanRiver.ThisareawasdesignatedasaNationalParkfrom1922until1938.In2003,itwasestablishedasaNWAundertheCanada Wildlife Act.TheDepartmentofNationalDefenceadministersandcontrolsthearea. TheSuffieldBlock,about2,690km2 ofmarginalagriculturallandhadlittlesuccessfulsettlementduetoitssemi-aridclimate;thefederalgovernmentexpropriateditfromtheprovincein1941.Forthenext30yearstheareawasusedforvariousmilitarytrainingandresearchpurposes.In1971aten-yearagreementwassignedwithGreatBritaintoallowtheBritishArmedForcestousethenorthernthreequartersoftheSuffieldBlockforarmoured,infantry,andartillerylive-firetraining.Thisshared-usedagreementwiththeCanadianForceshasbeenextendedindefinitelysince2006. OurfirststopwasatanoverlookoftheSouthSaskatchewanRiverwhereBillTaylor,aretiredCanadianWildlifeServicehabitatbiologist,gaveusanoverviewofthehistoryofprotectedareasecologicalmanagement.It’sbeen125yearssincethefirstprotectedareasprogramforwildlifewasintroduced.Hediscussedthefluvial,glacial,andeolianlandforms,andhabitatsthatoccurintheSNWA.HepointedoutthemanylandslumpsalongtheSouthSaskatchewanRiverbelowus.Theselandslumps,incombinationwiththeriparianvegetationalongtheriver,create

excellenthabitatforreptilehibernacula(hibernationsites).Theparticipantsspentsometimeappreciatingtheexpansiveriverviews,andtheprairiegrassesandflowersbeforeattackingthemoreimportantjoboffreeingourschoolbusfromthesandysubstrateofthisnarrowtrack. WenextdrovenorthalongthesouthwesternedgeoftheWildlifeArea.ThereJanetNg,aPhDcandidatefromtheUniversityofAlberta,gaveusapresentationonhawks.JanethasbeenworkingonaprojectstudyingferruginoushawksforseveralyearsanddescribedtheSNWAasahighlydesirableworkingareaduetothebeautyofthegrasslands,theabundanceofwildlife,thecooperationofthebase,andthegoodfortunetobeoneofthefewtoaccesstheselands.WithsmalldigitalcamerasmountednearthenestsandverysmallGPSsatellitetransmitterswornbythebirds,hergroupisstudyinghawkmovementstodeterminehowtheyareusingthehabitatandtheeffectsofexternalinfluencesontheirbehaviour.Shementionedthattheyoftenseesurveystakesincorporatedintotheirhugenests!Manyofushadthechancetousesomeclevergadgetrytopeerintoanunoccupiedbadgerhole,acommonsitefornestingburrowingowls.TheBurrowingOwlProjectteamdevisedthisequipment(hosing,goggles,andalightedplumber’ssnake.Therewerenoburrowingowlspresentbutwecouldclearlyseetheburrowwallsandplantroots. OurlunchstopwasatanotheroutlookovertheSouthSaskatchewanRiver.Participantswanderedthroughthegrassandsage-brushtoafencedareaprotectingamedicinewheelwheremorephotographsweretakenoftheriverbelow,theslopingcoulees,andtheglacialerraticscollectedbyaboriginalpeoplestoformthestonecircleandextendingrays.LunchwasafamousfabulousfeastcourtesyoftheresidentchefsatAWA’sCalgaryoffice Ourafternoonstopwastowardsthenortheastintoanareawithaviewofsand

dunes.WhenDr.JohnPalliservisitedthisarea,theseduneswereactivelymovingacrosstheprairiesatarateofuptoametreperyear.Removingbisonfromthelandscapeprobablyhadasignificanteffecttheratesofdunestabilization.Today,theyaremostlystabilized. CoreyScobiepresentedanoverviewofsanddunedynamicsandkangaroorats.TheOrd’skangarooratisaspecieswitharangefromMexicotoitsnorthernmostpointintheSNWA.Itdiffersfromitsmembersfurthersouthbybeingupto50percentlargerwiththeabilitytouseaformoftorporwherebodytemperaturecanbedroppedtobelowfreezing,probablyasahibernationstrategy.Incontrastwithsouthernratswhichbreedduringoneperioddefinedbyspringrains,ournorthernmostratsreproducewheneverpossible,sometimesallyeararound. Scobieisconcernedbecausethekangarooratsdependuponactivelyerodingsanddunesfortheirsurvival.Studiesshowthatkangarooratsaredeclining,probablyduetochangingsanddunedynamicswithalossto40percentofactivesanddunesinrecentdecades.Scientistspredictthatallsandduneswillbestabilizedby2014.Dr.DarrenBenderexplainedthaterxperimentaltechniquessuggestthatfireandincreasedungulategrazingcancombatstabilizationbutgenerallythedunesrestabilizeafteraboutthreeyears.ThebaseatSuffieldhassomeinterestinintroducingfiretotheseareastohelpprovideabetterhabitatforthekangaroorats. WereturnedtoCalgarywithmemoriesofbigsky,rollinggrassland,grazingpronghorn,wheelinghawks,andsoftwinds.Wewereimpressedwiththescientists’enthusiasmfortheprojectsinthisspeciallandscape.WegainedanewappreciationfortheecologicalbenefitsoftheCanadiangovernment’sdecisiontocreateamilitarytrainingfacilityinthisarea,effectivelyblockingrampantindustrializationfromdisturbingthisprairiegrassland.

Association news

TouringtheSuffieldnational Wildlife AreaBy chris hAvArD

Likeafinewine,therearesomethingsthatjustgetbetterwithage.Ifthisyear’svintagewas

anyindication,AWA’sWildWestGalaissurelyoneofthosethings.After24yearsofcomingtounderstandwhatworksandwhatdoesn’t,andlearningfromtheoccasionalmisstep,AWAwasabletolassothestarsintoalignmentonSeptember21andputonourbestgalatodate. Fromthegorgeousorientalpillowstothefieldsoffragrantbasil,anentirekitchen’sworthofappliances,toysfortots(andnot-so-tots)and,yes,thetowering“winetree,”attendeesweretreatedtoatrueplethoraofprizes.Savepossiblyforthefewwhogotoutbid,no-onewenthomedisappointed. Ofcourse,itwasn’tjusttheauctionitemsupforbiddingthatmadetheevent.

2012’s offering: A recommended vintage for the AWA Wild West GalaBy seAn nichols, Connoisseur oF Fine Wines And Finer ConservAtion orgAnizAtions

Therewasanalways-mouthwateringprimeribdinner,greatconversationandtheswingingstrainsoftheevening’sentertainmentprovidedbyMattMasters.Aboveall,theGalaprovidedtheopportunitytogettogetherwithsomanyofourfriends,colleagues,andsupporterstocommemorateoursuccessesoverthelastyearandtocelebratethebeautyandmajestyofAlberta’swilderness. Itwasalsoanopportunitytolookforwardtowhatthenextyearmaybring.OutgoingconservationspecialistsMadelineWilsonandNigelDouglasmayhaveleftsomeprettybigpawstofill,butthenewestmemberoftheAWAteam,KatieRasmussen,isalreadyofftoarunningstartasshetriesthemonforsize.Friday’seventwastheperfectchancetointroduceKatietomanymembersof

AWA’sextendedfamily. Asalways,theeventwouldn’thavebeenpossiblewithoutthecountlesshoursputinbyvolunteersorthegenerosityofourdonorswhoprovidedsomeofthosefantasticauctionpackages.InthemiddleofmorethanafewlongnightsleadinguptoSeptember21,therewerethoseintheAWAofficeswonderingifwewouldevermanagetopullitoffatall.Butthankstoeveryonethatpitchedintohelp,notonlydidtheGalacometogether,butitwastrulythemostsuccessfulandfestiveyet. Withthehelpfulimpartialityofanewcomer,Katiegotstraighttotheheartofthematterasshenotedthecamaraderiepermeatingtheevent,remarkingthat“itjustseemedlikeagroupofgoodfriendsgettingtogetherforafuntime.”Thatsoundsaboutrighttous.

Auctioneer Jesse Starling sets the bidding in the right direction.PHoTo: © k. MIHAlCHeon

Groovin’ to the sounds of Matt Masters.PHoTo: © k. MIHAlCHeon

The bidding war heats up for Chris Havard’s knitted baby elephant.PHoTo: © J. QUIroZ

“Can I bid on this one, Nana?”PHoTo: © J. QUIroZ

Ana Rojas gets into the spirit of things.PHoTo: © k. MIHAlCHeon

AWA Conservation Specialist Carolyn Campbell, Executive Director Christyann Olson, and EmCee and Board Member Jim Campbell.PHoTo: © k. MIHAlCHeon

The table centrepieces were hard to resist for more than a few owlnappers.PHoTo: © k. MIHAlCHeon

1

2

3

4

5

67

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

25AssoCIATIon neWs | october 2012 | Vol. 20, no. 5 | WLA

w

Glacial Motion12”x48” on wooden cradle panel© ClAUde booCoCk

Around the world in 80 wines? The wine tree was one of the evening’s hottest items.PHoTo: © k. MIHAlCHeon

“Tired now.”PHoTo: © k. MIHAlCHeon

It was a night to focus on the awareness part of AWAs mission.PHoTo: © k. MIHAlCHeon

8

9

10

11

12

The always-popular “grizzly bear” balloon pop backs up the basil-filled baskets.PHoTo: © k. MIHAlCHeon

The fall harvest theme, made possible only thanks to the help of the Gala’s many donors and volunteers.PHoTo: © k. MIHAlCHeon

8

10

11

12

9

26 WLA | october 2012 | Vol. 20, no. 5 | AssoCIATIon neWs

27AssoCIATIon neWs | october 2012 | Vol. 20, no. 5 | WLA

Earlierthisyear,AWAhadtheopportunitytomeetwithChristineCusanelli,thenewministerof

AlbertaTourism,ParksandRecreation(TPR).InthatmeetingweintroducedtheministertoAWA’sconcernsformanyofAlberta’swildlandsandwildspacesandthethreatsfacingthem.Thisintroductioncoveredmanyofthesametopicswehavehighlightedinthe“2012Priorities”seriesappearinginWLAoverthecourseofthisyear.ThemeetingwasfolloweduponJuly26withatourofsoutheasternAlbertatogiveMinisterCusanellitheopportunitytoseethegrasslands“throughAWA’seyes.” ThetourstartedoffwithavisittothetwoprimaryreachesofPakowkiLake,givingtheministertheopportunitytoseefirst-handtheextensivemarshesofthisimportantstagingareaformigratingshorebirds.Wehadachancetospeakwithanumberofbirdersattemptingtocatchaglimpseoftheblack-headedgullthathadbeenspottedonthelakethepreviousday–thefirsttimethisspecieshaseverbeenseeninAlberta. NextontheitinerarywasthePinhornGrazingReserve,a77,000-acreexpanseofnaturalgrasslandhabitatthatstillsupportsavarietyofwildspecies,includingseveralspeciesatrisksuchassoapweed,yuccamoth,andburrowingowl.AttheedgeofthegrazingreservewestoppedtotakeinthesweepingvistasoftheMilkRivercanyonandgetaquickhands-onlessononAlberta’sdisappearingnativegrassescourtesyofCherylBradleyrepresentingtheAlbertaNativePlantCouncil. Thefinalstoponthetourincludedanexquisitehome-cookedmealatBayotandFranciscaBritschgi’sJ-bar-JranchnearOrion.TheJ-bar-JispartofaninitiativebyMultiSAR,anorganizationdevotedtopreservinggrasslandhabitatsforspeciesatrisk.Thegeneralinitiativeaimstofostercoordinationbetweentheconservationandranchingcommunities.OnranchesliketheJ-bar-J,expertsfromthedifferentcommunitiesworktogethertoadaptoperationsinwaysthatbettersupportnativevegetationand

animalspecies.Forexample,previously-cultivatedparcelsoftheJ-bar-Jhavebeenreturnedtonativegrasstypes.Fencesontheranchhavealsobeenmodifiedtobefriendliertopronghornantelope.BradDowneyfromMultiSARwasonhandtodiscusssomeofthesemeasuresandtheBritschgiswereabletogiveMinisterCusanelliaperspectiveonrurallivingthatisincreasinglydifficulttosomeby. AWAspecificallychosetheGrasslandsNaturalRegionasthedestinationforthetourbecausewithonly0.8percentofthegrassland’sareaenjoyinganyformoflegalprotection,itistheleast-protectedofAlberta’ssixNaturalRegions.Itfallsfarshortofthe17percentfigurerecommendedbytheInternationalUnionforConservationofNature.Inexplicably,thisisdespitethefactthatitishometomorespeciesatriskthananywhereelseintheprovince.Fromtheiconicsage-grousetoitseponymousfescuegrasses,settlement,industry,andagriculturehavehadadevastatingeffectonthewildlife,wildwaters,andnaturalecosystemsofthis“forgottencorner”ofAlberta. TherealityisthatAlberta’sfarsoutheastisnolongerforgottenbyindustry–howevertheprovincialgovernmenthasnotkeptupwiththatdevelopmentwhenitcomestoensuringthatareasaresetasidetomaintainacontinuedhomeforthesethreatenedspecies.Sonow,AlbertaTPRhassomecatch-upworktodo.ThisisthemessageAWAconveyedtotheministerandherstaffonthistour. AWAappreciatesthetimetakenbytheministerandherstafftoimmerse

AWA takes toursim, Parks and recreation Minister cusanelli on tour of southeastern Alberta GrasslandsBy seAn nichols, AWA ConservAtion speCiAList

Top: Members and staff of AWA, the Alberta Native Plant Council, and Alberta TPR at the edge of the Milk River Canyon.

Bottom: Alberta TPR Minister Christine Cusanelli at the edge of the Milk River Canyon.PHoTos: © C. olson

themselvesinsomeofAlberta’slesser-seenwilderness,andtoheartheperspectiveofAWAandsomeofourmembersandassociates.Wehopethattheimpressionsmadebythistoo-shortvisitwillpositivelyinformanypolicydecisionsmadebythedepartmentfortheremainderofthissessionofthelegislatureandintothefuture.

Steve Dixon, an AWA founder, whose determination, tenacity, and untiring energy for defending wilderness helped shape AWA and the success we are today is shown here on his 95th birthday with Helen, his wife of 73 years, at their home near Brant, Alberta.PHoTo: © C. olson

28 WLA | october 2012 | Vol. 20, no. 5 | WIlderness WATCH

National Park Wardens: A Community under Siege InJasperNationalParktheSeptember8weekendsawalargegatheringoffriendsandfamily.ThisgroupofpeoplewasconnectedbytheircollectivelifelongcommitmenttoprotectandpreserveCanada’sNationalParks.“WardenDays”isabi-annualgatheringofpastandpresentNationalParkWardens,theirfamilies,andotherParkemployees.ItfirstbeganasaskillscompetitionbetweenwardensfromdifferentNationalParks.TeamswouldcometoJaspertocompeteinbeartrappingtechnique,fire-startingskills,packhorseraces,andthenwrapitupwithadinner,barndance,andpancakebreakfast.Theseeventsallstilltakeplace,buttrophiesarenolongerawardedandvisitingnowmanagestobethemainorderoftheweekend. Sadly,manyParksCanadaemployees

losttheirjobsthisyearasaresultofbudgetcutshandeddownbytheHarpergovernment.InthehostparkofJasperoneineightemployeeswere“scaledback”orletgoaltogether.Itwashardtofindapersonwhowasn’taffectedbytheseshockingchanges.ThesecutbacksnotonlythreatentheecologicalintegrityoftheNationalParksbyeliminatingnecessaryconservationpositions,buttheyhavealsohavehadanextremelydishearteningeffectonthecommunityasawhole. Thisyear,itwaswidelyacknowledgedthatWardenDayswasnotaParksCanadaevent;ratheritwasafamilyreunion.Thiswasachanceforfriendstocometogethertoreminisce,socialize,andassertfaithintraditionalmethodsofparkstewardship.OnSeptember7aprotestagainstintensifiedcommercialdevelopmentattheColumbiaIcefieldssawaproudcontingentfromtheWarden

AlumniAssociationstandingupfortraditionalvaluesofNationalParksalongsidecitizensfromaroundtheprovince.WardenDayswasaweekendthatgavethiscloseknitgroupanopportunitytorememberthedayswhentheirbeliefsofconservationweresharedandsupportedbypoliticians,tohonourskillsthatwereonceanecessarypartoftheprofession,andtocelebratethefriendshipandcamaraderiethatmakesthiscommunitysostrong.Assomeonewhohasbeenfortunateenoughtoberaisedasapartofthisfamily,Ihopeitwillbeabletosurvivetheseattacksfromthefederalgovernment.ThiscommunityisthefirstlineofdefenseforNationalParks;ourparksareanintegralpartofaCanadiannationalidentitythatneedstheprotectionthesededicatedindividualsprovide,nowmorethanever. - Becky Best-Bertwistle

updates

Sixteen Years after Being “Protected” Rumsey Natural Area Sees a Halt to New Oil and Gas Access Sixteenyearsafteritwasofficially“protected,”RumseyNaturalAreamayfinallybeabletolookforwardtoafuturefreeofindustrialdevelopment.AWAlearnedrecentlythatAlbertaEnergyhasmadechangessothat,asofFebruary29,2012,allnewpetroleumandnaturalgasagreementswithintheRumseyNaturalAreawillnowcomewiththecondition:“SurfaceAccessisNotPermitted.”Anynewenergyresourceextractionwillhavetobecarriedoutfromoutsidetheprotectedarea,usingdirectionaldrillingtechniques. Previously,leasesweresoldwith“SurfaceAccessSubjecttoRestrictions”butthisseemedtodolittletoslowdownescalatingdevelopment.DespitethefactthatRumseywasdeclaredaNaturalAreain1996,ithascontinuedtoseemoreandmoreoilandgasdevelopment.Lessthanayearafteritwasdesignated,44newoilandgasleasesweresoldbytheAlbertagovernmentintheNaturalArea.Sincethennewoilandgasleasescontinuedtobesold;newwellshavebeendrilledandnewpipelinesconstructed.Theincomparablevaluesoftheareahavesufferedasaresult.

Locatedabout40kilometresnorthofDrumheller,the241-km2Rumseyareaconstitutesthelargestremainingintacttractofaspenparklandintheworld.Rumseyisamosaicoftremblingaspenwoodland,grassland,andwetlandhabitats.ThismosaicontherollingterrainatRumseyisimportantformanytypicalparklandplantsandanimals.Itsbiologicalsignificanceliesmainlyinthevariety,quality,andextentof

representativenaturalhabitats. AWAhasbeenfightingformeaningfulprotectioninRumseyforseveraldecades.Weregardthenewchangesasanencouragingfirststepinthelong-termphasingoutofoilandgasactivityintheNaturalArea.Ithasbeenalong,longtimecomingbutwearepleasedthatRumseymaybestartedalongtheroadtotrueprotection. - Nigel Douglas

Caption: Rumsey is one of the only large protected areas in Alberta’s Parkland Natural Region. Less than one percent of the region is protected.PHoTo: © C. WAllIs

29dePArTMenTs | october 2012 | Vol. 20, no. 5 | WLA

Richard Collier1941-2012 the following excerpts are taken from the eulogy rick’s wife Mardy and her sister sandy wrote. reverend grant dawson delivered it at knox united church in calgary on august 23, 2012.

TherearesomanypeoplethatRichard’slifetouched–somanydifferentcircles,indeed,that

perhapsmanyofyouaremeetingforthefirsttime–andonlynowdiscoveringthemanysidestoRichardCollier.AmainsphereofactivityforRichard,ofcourse,washisinvolvementinorganizing,attending,andspeakingoutatpublicralliesandprotestsonsocialjusticeissues.In2009,hewascallingonthefederalgovernmenttoofferasylumtoAmericanswhodidn’twanttofightinIraq.HewasamemberoftheCanadianCubanFriendshipAssociationandorganizedseveralralliestoreleasethe“CubanFive”jailedintheU.S.HebroughtbagsoffoodtotheOccupyCalgaryprotesterslastwinter.Calgary’sRagingGrannies,(includinghisartistsister-in-lawSandra),rememberhimastheirmoststaunch(andaudible)supporter.Infact,asonefellowactiviststated,“Ican’timaginegoingtoaprogressivemeetingorrallywithoutseeingRichard’senthusiasticfacethere.”Richardbelieved,eveninthefaceofdiscouragement,that“justbecauseyoucan’tdoeverything,doesn’tmeanyoushoulddonothing.Dosomething–anything.” Intermsofoutdoorpursuits,atanytimeoftheyearRickmightbecompetinginarunorbikerace,skiing,headingoutonacross-countrybiketourorplanninganambitiousadventure.Friendsandfamilyoftenhadgreatideasforatriporaclimb…butitwasusuallyRickwhotooktheinitiativetomakeithappen.Hehad,overthecourseofafewyearsandwithhisstepsonsPaulandDave,bikedtheentireperimeteroftheUnitedStates.HewasoneofthefoundersoftheOldGoatsClimbingClub,aloosecollectionofpeoplewhoenjoytheoutdoorsandwhostayintouchwitheachotherbye-maildisbursedthroughaYahoobulletinboard. Overthepast50years,Rickclimbed

over1,300peaksintheCanadianRockies,Selkirks,andCoastRange,aswellasintheU.S.,SouthAmerica,EuropeandNewZealand.Hewasthesecondtoclimball54ofthe11,000-footpeaksintheCanadianRockies.In2005,hecompletedhisprojectofclimbingall572peaksintheSouthernRockieslistedintheclassic1973editionoftheGuidebook.Healsofinishedoffallthepeaksinhisfriend,AlanKane’sScramblebookin2006andclimbedallthenamedsummitsonthecontinentaldividebetweentheU.S.borderandSaskatchewanRiverCrossinginthesameyear. HislastclimbwasonMountGeikieinMountRobsonPark,westoftheAlbertaborder,wherearockfacegavewayasheledtheascent.Butdespitealltheseascents,Rickwasnotjusta“peakbagger;”heloved,evenmorethan

reachingasummit,theproblemsolvinginvolvedinclimbing,themeadowsalongtheway,theunknownlakesandvalleysandthecompanionshipoffellowclimbers.Hewastoyingwithwritingaguidebook–nottohelpfolksclimbmountainsbuttoguidethemtothemostbeautifulbuthiddenplaceshe’ddiscovered. InaninterviewwiththeCalgary Sun inMarch2012,Richardsaidhewasmostproudof“exploringthoroughlymostofAlberta’smagnificentmountainandprairiewildlands,whilesimultaneouslyworkingfortheirresponsibleuseandpreservation.” Richard’sstandonenvironmentalissuesisprobablywell-known.HewasamemberoftheCanadianParksandWildernessSocietyandtheAlbertaWildernessAssociation.HefoughttopreservetheWeaselheadNaturalareanearhishomeinLakeviewandwasactivelyprotestingtheplannedloggingnearBraggCreek.

Hegainednotoriety(aswellaspraise)whenhestoodhisgroundattheofficiallyprotectedCastleWildernessareainFebruary2012.Hehadtraveledtheretoprotestclear-cutlogginginthispristineplace,withdozensoflocalresidents,businessleaders,andactivistsintheoften

below-zeroweather.Herefusedtomoveasidewhenorderedtobypolice,andwasarrestedandjailedalongwiththreeothers.Hismaincomplaintabouttheincidentwasthathisjailersdidn’tevenprovideanythingtoreadduringthehalfday-longstintinaprisoncell. Whilestronginhispoliticalviews,Rickranonlyonceforpublicoffice–asaprovincialcandidatefortheNDPinCalgaryGlenmoreinthelastelection–andlaughinglyvowedthat,althoughhehadlovedtheexperience,he’dneverdosoagain.Hispublicaddressesforthecampaignweredirect,honestandfromtheheart,causingmanyintheaudiencetoapplaudhisforthrightstyleandconvictions.Hewasreadyandwillingtoengageinfriendlydebatewithanyonedespitetheirholdingdisparateviews,andnumberedConservativesandWildRosemembersamonghisfriendsandclimbingbuddies. RickisrememberedasadedicatedEnglishprofessoratMountRoyal

in Memoriam

We’re here to celebrate the life of a committed activist, a wholehearted environmentalist, an avid outdoorsman, and a proud family man, Richard Collier. And, not least, an all-round great guy who at whatever point of his life his death occurred, it would seem too soon.

Richard CollierPHoTo: © AlberTA ndP

30 WLA | october 2012 | Vol. 20, no. 5 | dePArTMenTs

Universitybyhisfellowacademics,teachersandtheover5,000studentshetaught,andhewashonouredwiththreeteachingawards.Longafterheleftteachingin1996,hecontinuedtoreadacademicarticlesandcarryonhisobsessionwithpropergrammarandwordusage,inhishumourousnotestofriendsorreviewsofteachingandwritingguides.Whilesomemightretireforthenightwithagoodmysterybook,Rickpreferredabookofpoetry.Hekeptintouchwithhiscollegeroommates(fromCantonCollegeinMinnesotaandtheUniversityofWisconsinatMadison)andhispalsfromthosedaysreferredtohimasXP,whichstoodforExProfessor. Rick’spublicpersonahasbeenmulti-faceted,butifasked,hewouldprobablysaythemostimportantthinginhislifewasfamily.BorntoparentsRexCollierandJudyIpsen,heandhisbrothergrewupinSt.Louis,andhewasoneofmanywhocametoCanadainthelate1960sduringtheVietnamWar.Asonbyhisfirstmarriage,Tim,wasfathertofourofRick’sgrandsons(Caleb,Eli,BenandJaden),wholovedthetimestheyspentwiththeirgrandfather.HemarriedMardy

Robertsin1996andwasasecondfathertohersonsDavidandPaul.Hisnewestgrandson,Finlay,wasborntoDavidandhiswifeBridgetjustoverayearago.HetalkedoftenaboutsharingwithFinthejoysofoutdooractivities. OneofRick’sfavouritepoetswasMaryOliver,andherpoemWhenDeathComesseemsafittingtributetoRichardCollierandalifewell-lived:

i want to step through the door full of curiosity, wondering: what is it going to be like, that cottage of darkness?

And therefore i look upon everything as a brotherhood and a sisterhood, and i look upon time as no more than an idea, and i consider eternity as another possibility,

andIthinkofeachlifeasaflower,as common asafielddaisy,andassingular,

and each name a comfortable music in the mouth tending as all music does, toward silence,

Glacial Moraine12”x24” on wooden cradle panel© ClAUde booCoCk

and each body a lion of courage, and something precious to the earth.

When it’s over, i want to say: all my life i was a bride married to amazement. i was a bridegroom, taking the world into my arms.

When it’s over, i don’t want to wonder if i have made of my life something particular, and real.

Idon’twanttofindmyselfsighingand frightened or full of argument.

i don’t want to end up simply having visited this world.

Andtoclosewiththewordsof CheGuevera—wordsthatRichardoftenquoted,

“At the risk of seeming ridiculous, let me say that the true revolutionary is guided by a great feeling of love. It is impossible to think of a genuine revolutionary lacking this quality.”

31eVenTs | october 2012 | Vol. 20, no. 5 | WLA

Rock Lake24”x24” on wooden cradle panel© ClAUde booCoCk

Martha Kostuch Annual Wilderness and Wildlife Lecture and the Annual Wilderness Defenders AwardsFRidAY, NOvemBeR 16, 2012 Guest Lecturer – Lorne FitchTwo Alberta Wilderness Defenders Awards and one Great Gray Owl Award will be presented at this evening of celebration.• Location: 455 – 12 Street NW,

Calgary• Reception: 6:00 p.m.• Wilderness Defenders Awards:

7:00 p.m.• Lecture: 7:30 p.m.• Cost: $30.00• Registration: 1-866-313-0713 or

1-403-283-2025• Online: www.AlbertaWilderness.

ca/lecture

Alberta Wilderness AssociationAnnual General MeetingSAtuRdAY, NOvemBeR 17, 2012• Time 11:00 a.m.• Location: 455 – 12 Street NW,

Calgary• Registration: 1-866-313-0713 or

1-403-283-2025• Online:

www.AlbertaWilderness.ca

Music For the WildSAtuRdAY, OCtOBeR 27, 2012Robbie & WillRobbie & Will (Robbie Bankes, Will Lynch and Brigitte Ouellet) return to the Music for the Wild for the third time. They have left our audiences dazzled and delighted with their wonderfully skilled playing and their great sprit on stage. They play a mix of Celtic and folk music with élan using guitar, bouzouki, mandolin, accordionsandfiddle.Opening Act: Blue Rambler• Doors open at 7:00 p.m.• Music starts at 7:30 p.m.• Tickets: $15.00• Pre-registration is required:

1-403-283-2025• Online: www.AlbertaWilderness.

ca/events

Winter WalktHuRSdAY, deCemBeR 13, 2012Join AWA for a walk through the winter wonderland of Big Hill Springs east of Cochrane! AWA’s Vivian Pharis will be hosting this interpretive stroll through the coulees of Big Hill Springs. Be sure to bring your mug, because you’d better believe there will be hot chocolate a-plenty, as well as carolling and more.Please phone or see the AWA website for details.• Registration: 1-403-283-2025• Online: www.AlbertaWilderness.

ca/events

events

Canadian Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement No. 40065626 ISSN 485535

Alberta Wilderness AssociationBox 6398, Station D

Calgary, Alberta T2P [email protected]

Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to:

Canadian Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement No. 40065626 ISSN 485535

Alberta Wilderness AssociationBox 6398, Station D

Calgary, Alberta T2P [email protected]

Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to:

STIll only 13 maleS lefT?

Sage-grouse have been endangered for many years but governments have done very little to eliminate human disturbances in critical sage-grouse habitat.

www.albertaWilderness.ca

mc clelland l ake: where h ubris r eigns b eavers: a ... · peter sherrington and tim romanow...

Documents