Wildlife

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State of the

albedo

ENVIRONMENT

For copies of this report, please contact:

Information Centre - Publications

Alberta Environment

Main Floor, Great West Life Building

9920 - 108th Street

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T5K 2M4

Information Centre
Alberta Environment
#100,3115-12 Street NE
Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2E 7J2
Telephone: (403) 297-3362

Telephone: (780) 944-0313
Fax: (780) 427-4407
Email: env.infocent@gov.ab.ca

From anywhere within Alberta, use the toll-free Alberta Government number: 310-0000.

Internet Users:

Or download this report from the Alberta Environment website at

http://www3.gov.ab.ca/env/info/infocentre/publist.cfin

Cover photo credits:

Yellow-headed blackbird, Snowshoe hare - Gordon Court
Western blue flag - Joyce Gould

ISBN: 0-7785-2022-6 (printed version)
ISBN: 0-7785-2017-X (on-line version)
Printed: March 2002

Publication Number: 1/908

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• In recent years, the term “wildlife” has been broadened to encompass all wild species including both plants (vascular
and non-vascular) and animals (vertebrate and invertebrate). This State of the Environment report examines the current
status or well-being of Alberta’s wildlife, the pressures acting on this resource and some of the actions being taken to
mitigate such pressures.

• Alberta is a province of diverse and abundant wildlife. Wildlife is important as a component of biodiversity and the
ecological processes that sustain all life. This natural resource also produces economic benefits and is valued for its
recreational and aesthetic uses.

• Wildlife managers use a number of tools to determine whether wildlife populations are secure. One of these tools, the
general status review process, ranked 625 species including most of Alberta’s vertebrates and for the first time, some
plants and invertebrates. Of those species ranked, two per cent were classified “at risk,” nine per cent “may be at risk,” 18
per cent were “sensitive” and the remaining 71 per cent were “not at risk.” After formal review, individual species at risk
might also be added to legislation to provide a degree of legal protection. Currently, there are five endangered and seven
threatened species or subspecies listed under Alberta’s Wildlife Act.

• As the number of humans and their activities increase, wildlife populations face an increasing number of pressures.

These pressures can be direct (e.g. mortality of individual animals) or indirect (alteration, fragmentation or outright loss
of wildlife habitat). Agriculture, forestry, resource extraction, corridor development, urban expansion, harvest (hunting,
fishing and trapping) and recreation are widespread activities that impact wildlife and their habitat in Alberta.

• Just as wildlife is diverse in Alberta, so too are the number of actions being taken to protect this valuable resource. Some
of the approaches to mitigating human-induced pressures on wildlife include establishing parks and protected areas,
retaining wildlife corridors in multiple land-use zones, integrating wildlife management plans with other land use
practises, adapting harvest strategies, restoring wildlife habitat and identifying and establishing recovery plans for species
at risk.

• With more and more users competing for a fixed land base, habitat issues -(and thus wildlife issues) will continue to
grow in complexity in the future. Ensuring wildlife populations remain secure is the responsibility of all Albertans and
will require the integration of resources and the expertise and commitment of governments, individuals and
organizations across the province.

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Preface vii

1.0 Introduction 1

1 . 1 Why Focus on Wildlife? 1

1.2 Setting the Stage: Alberta’s Natural Regions 3

2.0 The State of Alberta’s Wildlife Today 11

2.1 Introduction 11

2.2 Stable Wildlife Populations in Alberta 15

2.3 Expanding Wildlife Populations in Alberta 17

2.4 Declining Wildlife Populations in Alberta 19

2.5 Summary of the Present State of Wildlife in Alberta 22

3.0 Pressures on Alberta’s Wildlife 23

3.1 Introduction 23

3.2 Direct Pressures on Alberta’s Wildlife 23

3.3 Indirect Pressures on Alberta’s Wildlife 27

3.4 Summary of Current Pressures on Alberta’s Wildlife 34

4.0 Actions to Protect Alberta’s Wildlife 35

4.1 Introduction 35

4.2 Actions to Manage Direct Pressures on Alberta’s Wildlife 35

4.3 Actions to Manage Indirect (Habitat) Pressures 37

4.4 Species at Risk in Alberta 40

4.5 Summary of Actions to Protect Alberta’s Wildlife 43

5.0 Conclusion 45

5.1 What are Some Important Trends Concerning Wildlife in Alberta? 45

5.2 What Can You Do To Help Alberta’s Wildlife? 47

6.0 References 49

7.0 Glossary 51

8.0 Appendix I - Resources Available for Further Information 53

9.0 Appendix II - Species at Risk in Alberta 55

10.0 Reader Feedback 57

K 1

List of Figures and Table

List of Figures

Figure 1. Alberta’s Natural Regions 3

Figure 2. The Area of Each Natural Region as a Percentage of Alberta’s Total Area 5

Figure 3. The Percentage of Species in Each Status Category 21

Figure 4. Alberta’s Protected Areas 38

Figure 5. Alberta’s Strategy for Identifying Species at Risk 41

List of Tables

Table 1. The Diversity of Alberta’s Wildlife Species 4

Table 2. The Number of Species Ranked in the General Status Review Process 16

Table 3- Examples of Exotic Animals and Plants 18

Table 4. Alberta Game Animals 24

Table 5. Examples of Wildlife Diseases 27

■ vi|

What is State of the Environment (SOE) Reporting?

State of the environment reports are produced by many municipal,
provincial/state and federal governments, in many countries around the world.
Environment Canada and Statistics Canada collaborated on Canada’s first State of
the Environment report in 1986. Provincial SOE reports generally follow
guidelines published by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment
(CCME). Such reports describe environmental conditions and trends, important
pressures acting on the environment and actions being taken to address these
conditions and pressures.

The purpose of State of the Environment reporting is to provide
timely, accurate and accessible information on ecosystem conditions
and trends, their significance and societal responses to such trends.

The Government of Alberta is committed to informing Albertans about the
environment and produces many reports on Alberta’s environmental resources.
Under the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act, the Minister of
Environment is required to report annually on the state of the Alberta
environment. This provides valuable information to the public and ensures
accountability for the management of this shared resource.

Alberta published its first SOE report in 1994 - a comprehensive report discussing
air, water, land and wildlife, with sections on forested lands, mineral resources,
agricultural lands, wetlands, protected areas and waste management. Subsequent
SOE reports focused on specific themes including waste management, aquatic
ecosystems, terrestrial ecosystems and air quality. In addition, fact sheets are
produced periodically, focusing on specific topics such as urban air quality and
duck populations. Education about the environment is an important goal of
Alberta’s SOE reports. In addition to facts and figures, these reports feature
background history and science to help readers interpret the information
presented. Environmental indicators - key measurements that can be used to
monitor, describe, and interpret change - are often highlighted in SOE reports.

Did you know?

Alberta's wildlife includes
approximately 92 mammal,
370 bird, 10 amphibian, 8
reptile and 60 fish species.

Did you also know?

Alberta's wildlife also includes
approximately 1,823 vascular
plants, 1,272 mosses and
lichens and 20,000 insect
species.

INI

Purpose and Scope of this Report

Albertans have a strong appreciation of their natural resources and are fortunate
to have enjoyed a legacy of diverse and abundant wildlife. The health of wildlife
populations and their habitat reflects the health and diversity of our shared
environment. In turn, a healthy environment is important to our own state of
health and well-being. The purpose and scope of this report is:

• to examine the current state of Alberta’s wildlife;

• to examine some of the pressures that are acting on Alberta’s wildlife; and
finally,

• to review some of the actions being taken to alleviate or mitigate such
pressures.

Definitions

Wildlife a term comprising the wide range of wild plants and animals that exist without

taming or cultivation by people. Alberta's wildlife includes many species of mammals,
birds, fish, amphibians, reptiles, plants (including flowering plants, mosses, lichens,
etc.) and invertebrates (worms, snails, spiders, beetles, etc.).

Species — classification of individuals that share common attributes and can interbreed with

one another.

Habitat the food, water, shelter and space an animal or plant needs to live.

I ™i I

Focus on Wildlife?

Albertans have a close association with wildlife and the habitat that we share with
them. A quick look at the number of fishing licences purchased in 2000
(208,364) or the thousands of enthusiasts who participate annually in nature
hikes, Christmas bird counts, owl prowls, bird festivals, May Day species counts
and other events around the province and it is obvious - Albertans value wildlife!
In a 1996 survey, Environment Canada estimated that 88.9 per cent of Albertans
15 years of age and over took part in a wide range of nature-related activities.
Wildlife also has an economic benefit. The Importance of Nature to Canadians
reports that Alberta residents spent $1.2 billion on nature-related activities in
1996, including outdoor activities in natural areas, wildlife viewing, fishing and
hunting (Federal-Provincial Task Force on the Importance of Nature to
Canadians 2000). In the same year, these activities supported 23,600 jobs in
Alberta.

The value placed on wildlife often depends on the user. Through time, Albertans
have valued wildlife for different reasons. Alberta’s first inhabitants were nomadic
hunters, who followed game north as glaciers retreated approximately 12,000
years ago. For several thousand years, the province remained sparsely populated
and the consumption of wildlife had little impact on wildlife populations.
Although Anthony Henday is credited as the first European to tread on Alberta soil
(in 1754), the fur trade had reached Alberta about 80 years prior. Native bands
from throughout the west travelled by canoe to York Factory on the Hudson’s Bay
coast to trade muskrat, otter, marten, fox, mink and beaver pelts for domestic
goods and guns. The fur trade provided a demand for wildlife and guns increased
the ability to supply this demand. This changed the value of wildlife from one of
strictly local consumption to include commercial gain. Game was killed for the
value of its fur as well as for food.

As competition in the fur trade increased, both the Northwest and Hudson’s Bay
Companies built trading posts in Alberta. By the time the first detachments of
Northwest Mounted Police were established at Edmonton and Fort Macleod in
1874, the once-thriving bison herds were already largely exterminated. Settlers
began to arrive in Alberta at this time and increased when the Canadian Pacific

Did you know?

The May Day Species Count is
an annual survey of birds,
mammals and plants in flower.
Surveys are carried out at
locations around the province
on the last complete weekend in
May. For more information,
contact your local bird or
natural history club, or contact
the Federation of Alberta
Naturalists at (780) 427-8124
or 11759 Groat Road,
Edmonton, Alberta T5M 3K6.

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Alberta State of the Environment - Chapter 1.0

Railway pushed across the prairies in the 1880s. While the fur trade placed
tremendous pressure on fur-bearing wildlife, the settlement of Alberta also placed
a heavy toll on game animals that provided fresh meat to newly arrived settlers.
Some species, such as pronghorn antelope, were severely over-hunted. Many
settlers took up commercial fishing to make it through hard economic times in
the 1930s, resulting in the overharvest of many fish species. Some wild species,
like elk, were domesticated. Others, like mink and fox, were raised on fur farms.
Predator species, like wolves and many birds of prey, were deemed “pests,” and
eradication programs were undertaken. And a few “exotic” (non-native) species,
including brook and brown trout, ring-necked pheasants and gray partridge, were
brought into the province from other areas.

Today, while consumption and economic gain are values still placed on some
wildlife, values have broadened to include a number of non-consumptive uses
and activities such as bird watching, hiking in natural areas and nature
photography. Wildlife is also viewed in broader terms - including a wider range of
plant and animal species. Even more importantly, there is a greater recognition of
the role wildlife plays in biodiversity and the very ecological processes, like
pollination and seed dispersal, carbon sequestering, and air and water filtration,
that are paramount to human existence. Wildlife species are important
environmental indicators and their health reflects the health and diversity of the
environment we share with them.

Unfortunately, many of the aesthetic and ecological values associated with wildlife
are not easily assigned economic values and do not fit easily into accounting
systems. For this reason, it is important for Albertans to stay well informed about
wildlife issues. Issues, such as proposed federal species at risk legislation, changes
to Alberta’s Wildlife Act, or additions to parks and protected areas, should be of
interest to all Albertans who ultimately benefit from and share the responsibility
for a healthy and sustainable wildlife resource.

Shortly after Alberta became a province in 1905, a provincial Game Branch was
established and legislation was passed to establish the basic tools for game
management, including licensing and season closures. Provincial responsibility
for wildlife wasn’t formally transferred from the federal government until the
Natural Resources Transfer Act (Alberta) in 1935. Over the years,
responsibilities have widened to include monitoring the well-being of a diversity
of wild species. Today, Alberta Sustainable Resource Development, under the
auspices of the Wildlife Act, the federal and provincial Fisheries Acts, and with
numerous partner agencies and individuals, works to ensure our wildlife is
managed and maintained in a healthy and sustainable manner.

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Alberta State of the Environment - Chapter 1.0

What is the state of wildlife in Alberta today? Following is a look at some of the
wildlife in Alberta, including a variety of plants (non-vascular and vascular) and
animals (invertebrate and vertebrate). Also included are some of the direct and
indirect pressures influencing the state of Alberta’s wildlife and some of the
actions being taken to mitigate such pressures.

Vascular plants

Vascular plants such as
coniferous trees, flowering
plants and ferns have a
specialized water transport
system that is absent in non-
vascular plants like mosses,
liverworts and lichens.

1.3

ing the Stage: Alberta Natural Regions

Vertebrate species

Vertebrate species, including
fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds

Figure 1

Alberta’s Natural Regions

While the focus of this report is on wildlife - ecosystems, natural regions and
particular habitats are equally important when discussing the state of this
resource (e.g. the condition of prairie wetlands is a major factor in the nesting
success of ducks and geese in the grassland natural region). Alberta is a province
with a great deal of variation in its geographical regions (Figure 1), which
include mountains, foothills, forests, and prairies - as well as lakes, rivers, streams
and wetlands. Similarly, its wildlife is diverse (Table 1). While some species like
the red-winged blackbird and the prickly rose can be found throughout the
province, others, like the prairie short-
homed lizard and the western small-footed

bat, are found only in specific regions or in
specialized habitat. A good way to focus on
wildlife is to look at Alberta’s natural

regions with an overview of the flora
(plants) and fauna (animals) of each.
Similarities in landforms, geology, soils,
and climate can be used to classify six
natural regions in Alberta.

Foothills
Grassland
Parkland
Rocky Mountain
Canadian Shield
Boreal Forest

and mammals, possess a
backbone that is absent in
invertebrate species such as
worms, crayfish, insects, snails
clams, etc.

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Alberta State of the Environment - Chapter 1.0

Table 1.0

The Diversity of Alberta’s Wildlife Species

Vertebrate Groups

Approximate number of species in Alberta

mammals

92

birds

370

amphibians

10

reptiles

8

fish

60

Invertebrate Groups

clams

27

butterflies & skippers

170

dragonflies & damselflies

72

beetles, ants, wasps, flies,
lacewings, cockroaches,
spiders and other “bugs”

20,000

Non-vascular Plants and Fungi

mosses & liverworts

627

lichens

645

fungi

454

Vascular Plants

trees

28

shrubs

162

forbs

1,222

grasses & sedges

411

Grassland Natural Region
The Grassland Natural Region is 96,221 sq. km (or 14.5 per cent -
Figure 2) of Alberta and is comprised of flat to gently rolling hills
covering glacial deposits over bedrock. This region extends west to
the Rocky Mountains and north to the Parkland of central Alberta.
Although large areas of short (blue grama), mid-sized (spear
grass, western wheat grass and June grass) and fescue grasses are
predominant, treed river valleys, deeply eroded coulees, hoodoos,
wetlands, shallow lakes and sand dunes are also present.

Photo Credit: Gordon Court

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Alberta State of the Environment - Chapter 1.0

Major rivers draining the area include the Milk, Red Deer, Bow, Oldman and South Saskatchewan Rivers. The Milk River is a
part of the Missouri River drainage system and has three fish species that do not occur in other drainages in the province,
including stonecat, western silvery minnow and shorthead sculpin.

The prairie climate provides warmer and drier summers and milder winters in the Grassland region than in other areas of
Alberta. Historically, the Grassland provided large tracts of habitat for a number of unique species (including pronghorn
antelope, American badger, Ord’s kangaroo rat, prairie falcon, prairie rattle snake, yucca and prickly pear cactus) that are
adapted to its warm, dry conditions. Today, however, conversion for cultivation, transportation, oil and gas extraction and
urban development has altered as much as 75 per cent of the Grassland Natural Region, reducing the habitat available for
many wildlife species.

Figure 2

The area of each natural
region as a percentage of
Alberta’s total area

(Alberta Environment 1997)

Boreal Forest
53%

Rocky Mountains
7%

Canadian Shield
2%

Foothills

14%

Parkland

9%

Grassland

15%

Photo Credit: Lome Fitch

Prairie Rattlesnake

The prairie rattlesnake, once subject to intense persecution from humans, is now becoming more recognized as an
important component of Alberta’s Grassland Natural Region. This species is still relatively common within its habitat in
southeastern Alberta, but has declined in similar habitat in Saskatchewan and British Columbia. At the northern
extreme of its distribution in Alberta, the rattlesnake relies
heavily on its den site to survive through long, cold winters.

Overwintering dens may contain many individuals, and may
include other species such as bull snakes and garter snakes.

Public education has helped to change attitudes towards this
species and in some areas, rattlesnakes are appreciated for their
role in regulating rodent populations.

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Alberta State of the Environment - Chapter 1.0

Plains Prickly Pear Cactus

The prickly pear is one of three species of cactus that grows in Alberta. The prickly pear’s bright, yellow flowers and
sharp, barbed spines make it hard to miss among the prairie grasses and sagebrush found throughout the southeast part
of the province. Other cactus species include the brittle prickly pear and pincushion cactus.

Parkland Natural Region

The Parkland Natural Region, an area of approximately 62,307 sq. km, forms a transition zone between the grasslands to the
south and boreal forest to the north. It is comprised of large areas of level glacial deposits changing to gently rolling plains as
it approaches the foothills to the west. River valleys include the Red Deer, Battle and North Saskatchewan. Lakes are common
with the largest being Beaverhill, Buffalo and Pine Lakes. Saline wetlands are numerous.

Lake Sturgeon of the Saskatchewan River System
Lake sturgeon is a unique species inhabiting only two Alberta river systems.
River system is vulnerable, with fewer than 1,000 individuals. The
population in the South Saskatchewan River system is relatively stable but
has less than 5000 individuals. Lake sturgeon are slow growing, but
because they can live beyond the age of 80 years, they can weigh more
than 45 kg. The Alberta angling record is 47.7 kg.

The population in the North Saskatchewan

Groves of trembling aspen and balsam poplar, shrublands and grasslands characterize the region’s vegetation. Animal species
include a combination of prairie (upland sandpiper, Baird’s sparrow and Sprague’s pipit) and boreal (woodchuck, broad-
winged hawk and rose-breasted grosbeak) species. Other common species include northern pocket gopher, least weasel,
common porcupine and red fox. The Parkland Region is the most densely human-populated natural region. Land use
patterns associated with agriculture, energy resources and urban expansion have altered as much as 95 per cent of this
region.

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Alberta State of the Environment - Chapter 1.0

Beaverhill Lake

Beaverhill Lake, a large, prairie “slough” located in Alberta’s Parkland Natural Region, is internationally recognized for
its diversity and abundance of bird life. Most recently, the lake was designated Alberta’s first Important Bird Area. As a
significant migratory stopover for waterfowl and shorebirds, Beaverhill is host to thousands of snow geese every spring -
as witnessed by the thousands of birders attending the annual Snow Goose Festival. This area is also utilized by
thousands of neotropical songbirds migrating to their breeding grounds further north. The Beaverhill Bird Observatory
(BBO), located on the southeast comer of the lake, studies these and other natural history events in the area. For more
information, contact the BBO at P.O. Box 1418, Edmonton, Alberta T5J 2N5.

Foothills Natural Region

The Foothills Natural Region is a transition zone of folded sedimentary rock between the Rocky Mountains and the Boreal
Forest. Rolling landscape extends north in a widening belt of approximately 94,529 sq. km along the eastern edge of the
Rocky Mountains, from Himer Valley to the Grande Cache area. As well, several outlying areas, including the Swan Hills,
Pelican Mountains and Clear Hills are included in this region. Lakes in the foothills tend to be
small, but larger lakes include Buck, Crimson, Moonshine and Musreau Lakes. Wetlands are
common in low-lying areas. The region is drained primarily by the Smoky, Athabasca, Pembina
and North Saskatchewan Rivers.

Forests of lodgepole pine and mixedwoods of aspen and spruce are typical. The foothills harbour
a number of resident forest birds, including boreal chickadees, white-winged crossbills and
spruce grouse. The foothills also provide habitat for a number of large mammals (such as elk,
caribou, and grizzly bear), and a number of smaller species such as bull trout and long-toed
salamander. Although the area is sparsely populated by humans, land use is high in this region
of productive forests, significant oil and gas deposits and diverse recreational opportunities.

Controversy surrounds Grizzly Bear hunt

Grizzly bears are a majestic symbol of vast, rugged and pristine habitats found in the mountains, foothills and boreal
forests of Alberta. However, the grizzly population is small
(approximately 1,000 animals) and spread over a relatively wide
area. While the issue of hunting grizzlies sometimes makes
news headlines, the increasing loss of secure, high quality
habitat to recreational developments and resource extraction are
the major factors affecting this species' health and well-being in
Alberta.

Alberta State of the Environment - Chapter 1.0

Rocky Mountain Natural Region
The Rocky Mountain Natural Region is part of a major uplift forming the
Continental Divide. In Alberta, this region occurs in a broad belt (46,140 sq. km)
of rugged, mountainous terrain, ranging from 10 km wide near Waterton Lakes
National Park to more than 100 km at its widest point. Elevations rise from 2,100
m in the east to 3,700 m in the west. (The highest
peak in Alberta is Mount Columbia, at 3,782 m).
Several rivers originate in the area including, the
Crowsnest, Bow, North Saskatchewan, Athabasca and
Smoky Rivers.

Vegetation types are varied, but in general: alpine
sedges and dwarf shrubs grow on poorly developed
soils or rock at higher elevations; evergreen forests of
lodgepole pine and Englemann spruce grow at
middle elevations; and mixed forests (aspen and
spruce) and grasslands occur at lower elevations.
Similarly, wildlife varies with elevation. Hoary
marmots, grizzly bears and mountain goats occur at mid-mountain and higher
elevations, and blue grouse, mountain chickadees and black bear inhabit lower
elevations. Human land-use in this region relates mainly to tourism, outdoor
recreation and coal mining.

Boreal Forest Natural Region

The Boreal Forest composes the largest natural region (346,012 sq. km or 53 per
cent of the province) in Alberta and consists of a broad, lowland plain with
discontinuous hill systems interspersed with numerous wetlands. This region has
several large lakes including the largest in the province (Lake Athabasca), as well
as Lake Claire, Lesser Slave Lake, Lac La Biche, Utikuma, Wabamun and Cold
Lakes. The Boreal region also has the world's largest inland freshwater delta
occurring at the confluence of the Peace and Athabasca Rivers. The Peace River,
which originates in northeastern British Columbia, has several fish species in its
upper portion that are not found elsewhere in the province, including northern
squawfish, redside shiner and largescale sucker.

Did you know?

A mountain goat can stand on a
ledge as small as 15 cm (6 in.)
long and 5 cm (2 in.) wide. In
Alberta, approximately 2,100
mountain goats can be found in
the mountains and river
complexes of the eastern slopes.
Hunting closures and transplants
have been instrumental in this
species' recovery from a
population decline in the 1970s.

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Alberta State of the Environment - Chapter 1.0

Peace-Athabasca Delta

The Peace-Athabasca delta is the world’s largest inland freshwater delta. It is home to a variety of species, including the
peregrine falcon, a species renowned for its return from the brink of extinction. Environmental concerns regarding
regulated river flow, pulp mill effluents, municipal and agricultural activities and other development in the area led to
the initiation of the Northern River Basins Study (NRBS) in 1991- This study set out to determine the quality of the
water, fish and fish habitat, vegetation, wildlife and hydrology of the Peace, Athabasca and Slave Rivers. The NRBS
released its report in 1996, making several recommendations for preserving the area’s aquatic resources. The report can
be obtained from the Alberta Environment Information Centre or on-line at
http ://www3 . gov. ab .ca/env/water/nrbs/response/.

Climate in this region is characterized by short, cool summers and long, cold winters. Aspen-dominated forests including
black spruce bogs on wetter sites and mixedwoods on drier sites are characteristic vegetation. Jack pine dominates sandy
areas. Highly diverse, the boreal region hosts a variety of wildlife. It is the summer breeding grounds for a large number of
neotropical songbirds, including many warblers and thrushes. As well, it is the year-round home of many animals, including
owls, woodpeckers, lynx and moose. Human activity is expanding rapidly in this region, as heavy and conventional oil and
gas development, timber harvesting and agricultural activities increase.

What are Neotropical Songbirds?

The Boreal Forest Natural Region is the summer residence of a large number of neotropical songbirds, including
Swainson’s thrush and chestnut-sided warbler. These birds migrate north to the boreal forest to breed, but spend the
majority of the year in Central and South America. (Neotropical migrants, like some bat and butterfly species, also
migrate south for the winter.) Awareness of these birds has increased in recent years through news reports on habitat loss

and fragmentation of their breeding and wintering grounds.
Volunteer projects like the Breeding Bird Survey, Alberta Bird
Atlas and Migration Monitoring Network are dedicated to
monitoring the well-being of songbird populations. As well,
government, industry and academia have initiated several
research projects to better define the habitat needs of these
species.

Rose-Breasted Grosbeak Photo Credit: Gordon Court

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Alberta State of the Environment - Chapter 1.0

Canadian Shield Natural Region

The Canadian Shield Natural Region occupies the far northeast comer of Alberta
where the Canadian Shield geological formation enters the province - an area of
approximately 15,976 sq. km. Jack pine woods and rock barrens characterize the
area. Lake Athabasca splits the region in two. North of the lake, glaciated bedrock
provides low relief. To the south, extensive sand plains, sand dune complexes and
moraines are found. The Athabasca River is the only major drainage of this
region. Climatically, the region experiences warm and dry summers and long,
cold winters. As a result of poor soils, ground cover consists mostly of lichens and
mosses. Black spruce forests are typical in wet bog areas. Wildlife species are
similar to the adjacent Boreal Forest Region, including lynx, bear and moose.
Numerous lakes in the area are home to many fish species, including slimy
sculpin, lake trout, northern pike, spottail shiner and walleye. Sparsely populated,
most land-use activity in this region is tied to subsistence harvest. However, the
potential for mining precious minerals may be developed in the future.

Did you know?

Alberta has 21 different species
of sphagnum moss. Sphagnum
forms the dominant vegetation in
many boreal lowland habitats,
where it has the ability to hold
large quantities (up to 20 times
its own dry weight) of water.
Sphagnum moss can also alter
the acidity and decomposition
rate of its surrounding habitat,
thus to some extent, controlling
the presence or absence of
other species around it. Peat
moss used in our gardens or
flower beds, extracted from
local peat operations, probably
belongs to the genus
Sphagnum.

Kiol

The State of^lberta’s Wildlife Today

2 ,i

oduction

What is meant by the “state of” and how is this condition measured as it pertains
to Alberta’s wildlife? Generally, discussing the “state of” something, appraises or
evaluates its well-being or “status.” In the case of wildlife, this often involves not
only the health of the particular species but its habitat (food, water, shelter and
space) as well.

In order to measure the condition of wildlife, a number of systems have been put
into place by the Alberta government and its partners to monitor populations and
provide information to wildlife managers. For game species (species that are
hunted, fished or trapped), a system of licensing, harvest questionnaires and
game surveys are used to monitor populations. The information collected through
these tools is used to assess the game species’ condition, looking at factors like
productivity, mortality and overall population size. Current, accurate and
complete data helps wildlife managers set sound harvest quotas for the coming
year.

A Few Good Anglers Wanted!

The Survey of Recreational Fishing in Canada is a series of nationally co-ordinated studies
conducted by Canada’s federal, provincial and territorial fisheries agencies.

Surveys have been conducted at five-year intervals since 1975 to develop an
understanding of, and trends in, Canada’s sportfishery. For the 2000 survey,
questionnaires were mailed to a random sample of 6,000 anglers who
purchased Alberta sportfishing licences in that year. Questions were asked about the
anglers’ experience, opinions and fishing activity, including location,
frequency and time spent fishing for 17 of Alberta’s fish species.

Another system used to assess the well-being of wildlife is the general status
review process. In 1982, the Minister responsible for fish and wildlife committed
to assessing the status of Alberta's fish and wildlife, including both game and
non-game species, every five years. The general status review process uses a

I nl

Alberta State of the Environment - Chapter 2.0

“coarse sieve” approach to quickly assess which wildlife populations are secure
and which may be at risk of declining to non-viable population numbers. The
first report - the Status of Alberta Wildlife published in 1984 - dealt mainly with
vertebrates. In subsequent reports in 1991 and 1996, the Fish and Wildlife
Management Division refined the process, increasing the number of species
assessed, as well as the number of participants (university researchers,
conservationists, species experts, etc.) in this consultative process.

“As interest in wildlife has grown and broadened ' and our
understanding of the value and need to maintain undisrupted and
diverse ecosystems has increased, the need to understand the
biological status of all wildlife has become essential. ”

From The Status of Alberta Wildlife. (Alberta Environmental Protection 1996)

Categories Used in the General Status Review Process

At Risk

Any species known to be at risk (declining to non-viable levels) after formal assessment.

May be at Risk

Any species believed to be at risk.

Sensitive

Any species known to be, or believed to be, particularly sensitive to human activities or natural events.

Not at Risk (or Secure)

Any species known to be, or believed to be, not at risk.

Status Undetermined

Any species where not enough information exists to use the ranking system.

Not Assessed

Any species that, for one reason or another, has not yet been assessed against the criteria.

In 2000, the review process ranked 625 species and for the first time included
some plants and invertebrates. Results are published in a series of Status of
Alberta Wildlife reports, as well as in a national report - Wild Species 2000: The
General Status of Species in Canada. The national report was created by the
Canadian Endangered Species Conservation Council as the first step in fulfilling a
commitment of [he Accord for the Protection of Species at Risk to “monitor,
assess and report regularly on the status of all wild species” (Canadian
Endangered Species Conservation Council 2001).

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Alberta State of the Environment - Chapter 2.0

While assessing the status of wildlife species every five years is the first step in
determining future management needs, the process is sometimes limited by the
availability of species information. For many uncommon plants and animals,
data collection programs like the Alberta Natural Heritage Information Centre or
the Biodiversity Species Observation Database (BSOD) work to collect historical
and present-day occurrence data. These data are then analysed, evaluated,
mapped and made available to wildlife managers and others involved in
conservation initiatives in Alberta.

Did you know?

Wild Species 2000: The General Status of Species in Canada ranks' 1,600 Canadian species in a unified process
across the provinces, territories and ocean regions. This first effort at a national ranking program is believed to
include about two per cent of Canada's known species (more than 70,000 species have been described to date),
leaving many more species to be examined in the future. Results of this and future reports are available at
http:/ /www.speciesatrisk.gc.ca.

Did you know?

Did you know Alberta has 27 different species of bivalves? The term "bivalve" is a common name for an animal
with a shell consisting of a pair of right and left valves connected by a flexible ligament. Bivalves include both clams
and mussels. To find out more about bivalves, the Alberta Natural Heritage Information Centre (ANHIC) is
collecting data on seven of the more uncommon species in this group. To report a sighting, visit
http:/ /www.cd.gov.ab.ca/preserving/parks/anhic/bivalvetrk.asp.

Did you also know?

There are 36 different types of willow that grow in Alberta. Some grow to a height of only a few centimetres, but
some grow as tall as 10 metres. Most are found in moist meadows and woods or along slough margins and
streambanks. ANHIC is currently compiling information on all of the vascular plants occurring in the province. To
date, this information has been used to include Alberta's ferns and orchids in both the provincial and national status
review processes.

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Alberta State of the Environment - Chapter 2.0

Case Study

Subject Moose (4 Ices alces ); “twig eater”

Challenge Use hunter harvest data and population surveys to determine if this species is declining in Alberta.

Description The largest member of the deer family, the moose is dark brown to black on the upper parts, fading

to lighter, sometimes grey tones on the lower legs. A long, “horse-like” head on a short neck ends in
a “humped” nose. The upper lip noticeably hangs over the lower lip and a “dewlap” or bell hangs
from the throat. Shovel-shaped (palmate) antlers are found on the bull only.

Distribution

With a population of approximately 110,000 individuals, moose are found throughout the province
except for the southern prairies.

^abltat Moose are often associated with the boreal forests of the north, however they often frequent river

valleys (e.g. the Red Deer River) well into the south. Moose prefer areas of young willow and aspen
but will also browse a wide variety of plants, often near lakeshores, streamsides and peatlands. Adult
moose browse mostly on twigs and branches but will also feed on submerged vegetation.

Life Cycle Young moose reach maturity in their second or third year, however, young bulls may not have the

opportunity to breed until they are five or six. A cow moose, after an eight month gestation period
(moose breed or “rut” in the fall), will give birth to one to three calves in May or June. Calves start to
follow their mothers at about two weeks of age. They are weaned by the fall but remain with the
mother until she calves again in the spring. Moose have been known to live up to 27 years.

Management

Concern over the number of moose in the province led to the initiation of a five year study - the

Northern Moose Management Program - in 1992. In an effort to better understand population
density, distribution and reproductive rates, government biologists surveyed large portions
of Alberta's moose habitat. During the same period, hunters were asked to submit moose
jaws to researchers to provide information on the age and sex of animals harvested by
Albertans each year. The information obtained from these actions helped managers
determine that bull numbers had declined in some areas. A number of changes in harvest
regulations were made: fine-tuning the characteristics of individual management units, and
taking into account a more numerous human population that has gained more access to
moose habitat in recent years. In the 2000 general status review process, this species was ranked
“not at risk” and in fact, moose are currently expanding into areas in the parkland and northern
prairies.

Species Outlook With continued management and co-operation between users, this species’ outlook is very good.

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Alberta State of the Environment - Chapter 2.0

2.s

i le Wildlife Populations in Alberta

What is a “stable” population? When assessing wildlife, researchers usually look
at two measures to determine if the species is stable or if changes have occurred.
“Distribution” is the extent of area the species occupies. “Population size” is the
number of individuals in a population. If population size is expressed as the
number of individuals within some measurable unit of area, it is called “density.”
For example, white-tailed deer are considered to be a relatively stable species in
Alberta. A population size of approximately 200,000 individuals can be found in a
distribution that covers most of the province (an area approximately 660,000sq.
km), for a density of approximately one white-tail for every 3-3 sq. km. Although
short-term, cyclical fluctuations may occur, stable populations tend to maintain
about the same number over the long term.

Researchers may look closer at distribution to determine the number of sites
where the species occurs within the distribution. Similarly, they may break down
population size estimates to measure only the number of breeding individuals.
Data collection and evaluation provides managers with the information they need
to assess the condition or state of wildlife in Alberta. If a species is expanding or
declining to its detriment, wildlife managers need to know this in a timely
manner so that appropriate management actions can be taken.

In the past, efforts to determine which species were stable tended to focus on game
populations. In recent years, however, this has been expanded to include a
broader diversity of wild species. In the 2000 general status review process, 57
mammals, 230 birds, 3 amphibians, 27 fish, 4 ferns, 11 orchids and 109
butterflies were ranked as “not at risk” (Table 2). A “not at risk” or “secure”
population is one where numbers are either stable, or not increasing or
decreasing to an extent that places the species in jeopardy. Information for many
plants and invertebrates is still lacking, however, and many species were not
assessed in 2000. Fortunately, this process is ongoing and will continue to
broaden to include a larger number of wildlife in the future.

A population may be stable, yet still have a small distribution or density. Many
orchid and fem species in Alberta are distributed over a wide area, but are rarely
abundant and usually occur only in small, isolated patches. Many prairie species,
like western spiderwort and Great Plains toad, reach the northern extent of their
distribution in southern Alberta. Hence, their numbers are never large here but
may be greater further south. Some species, such as pelicans and cormorants that
nest on islands, have very narrow habitat requirements. Species such as these may
require special management to address concerns related to low natural

Alberta State of the Environment - Chapter 2.0

Table 2.0

The Number of Species Ranked in the General Status Review Process

Category/Status

Not at Risk

Species of Concern

May be at Risk

At Risk

Extinct

Total Assessed

Mammals

57

10

6

3

1

77

Birds

230

50

2

7

3

292

Amphibians

3

3

3

1

0

10

Reptiles

0

5

3

0

0

8

Fish

27

7

4

1

1

40

Ferns

4

12

27

0

0

43

Orchids

11

6

8

0

0

25

Butterflies

109

20

1

0

0

130

Totals

441

113

54

12

5

to

on

populations or number of occurrences, limited provincial distribution, or particular habitat needs. Although their numbers
are stable, they may need special protection or management actions to ensure they remain secure.

What do stable populations indicate? Individually, a population that is stable and secure indicates the species is healthy and
has the resources it needs to exist. Many stable and secure populations, taken together, might indicate a particular habitat,
landscape or ecosystem is healthy. Considering wildlife species as indicators is a relatively new process used to assess the
health of particular habitats, landscapes, or whole ecosystems. Such models might use ducks and aquatic insects to measure
wetland health, marten and woodpeckers to measure old growth forest viability or aspen regeneration, and songbird numbers
to measure how quickly a disturbed forest returns to its natural state.

Ducks and Wetlands in Alberta

A secure duck population indicates a healthy wetland ecosystem. Conversely, a population decline indicates that stresses
occurring in the environment are adversely affecting ducks and their ability to reproduce. During the 1980s, drought
and increased cultivation around wetland margins combined to eliminate many wetlands and the upland nesting
habitat surrounding them. Without adequate cover, predation
on ducks increased and nesting success declined. Programs like
the North American Waterfowl Management Plan work to
restore the balance between waterfowl and their habitat,
benefiting a number of other wetland species at the same time.

(See Duck Populations: An Ecosystem Indicator (Alberta
Environmental Protection 1997))

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Alberta State of the Environment - Chapter 2.0

nding Wildlife Populations in Alberta

If a species’ density and/or distribution increases over a sustained period of time,
the population may be expanding. For example, raccoons are not only becoming
more numerous in the river valleys and agricultural areas of southern Alberta -
they have also expanded their range and have been observed as far north as Cold
Lake. Expansions are often the result of human actions that alter a particular
factor, making expansion favourable for a particular species. For many years,
industrial corridors were re-seeded with a clover mix that was especially attractive
to increasing numbers of grazing deer. In urban areas, species that have a high
tolerance for man’s activities, such as black-billed magpies and house sparrows,
appear to thrive. However, natural factors can also play a role in changing a
species distribution. For example, drought conditions in the southwestern states
may be the reason why black-necked stilts have expanded northward into
southern Alberta. Sightings of this distinctive shorebird have increased in Alberta
in recent years. Stilts are now a confirmed breeder in several areas, including
Beaverhill Lake southeast of Edmonton and areas near Calgary and Taber.

In some cases, increases in numbers and/or expansions in distribution might be
seen as positive, such as for game species. Higher deer populations allow more
opportunity for hunters to harvest this species. Increases in recovering
populations, such as the peregrine falcon, can indicate that a limiting factor (in
this case, the pesticide DDT) has been removed from this species' habitat,
allowing it to recover to its previous population size. However, many increases in
wildlife populations are cyclical or short-term and natural processes like
predation, disease or inclement weather soon act to correct the balance. Balance
is important in nature. Unchecked growth would see a natural population soon
outgrow its food and shelter, and might result in an increase in disease.

Unchecked growth usually indicates something is wrong in the ecosystem. For
example, with the demise of the prairie wolf, coyotes have increased unchecked by
their former predators. They often come into conflict with urban and rural
residents in the Parkland region.

An expanding species may also create stress on other species by out-competing
them for limited resources. Although bull trout have declined primarily as a result
of overfishing, they also face competition from introduced brown, rainbow and
brook trout. Another example of negative expansion is when exotic species are
introduced into non-native habitat. Non-native weeds, like scentless chamomile
and purple loosestrife, compete for habitat, displace native plants and alter
ecosystems. Some introduced bird species, like house sparrows and European
starlings, compete with native bluebirds and tree swallows for food and nesting

Alberta State of the Environment - Chapter 2.0

cavities. Non-native insects, such as the Asian long-homed beetle which has no
natural predators in Alberta, could potentially be imported in packing and
shipping material and could seriously damage the province’s forests. The illegal
introduction of threespine sticklebacks into Hasse Lake has seriously altered the
lake’s native fish species composition. In general, the expansion of non-native
species usually has negative effects on existing native species.

Table 3.0

Examples of Exotic Animals and Plants

Mammals Eastern gray squirrel, black rat, Norway rat, house mouse

Birds gray partridge, ring-necked pheasant, house sparrow, European starling, rock dove (pigeon),

wild turkey

Fish brook trout, brown trout, golden trout, dolly varden, sockeye salmon, three-spine stickleback,

mosquitofish, sailfin molly, smallmouth bass, African jewelfish

Plants leafy spurge, scentless chamomile, purple loosestrife, Eurasian milfoil

Insects cabbage white butterfly, European skipper

Sometimes, what appears to be an expansion is actually the result
of new data; the species’ distribution may not have changed. For
example, the Alberta Bird Atlas Project recorded the calliope
hummingbird breeding in the upper Wapiti River near Grande
Prairie; it had previously only been recorded as far north as Jasper
National Park. Recent inventories of the Canadian Shield Natural
Region confirmed Arctic terns, usually found further north,
nesting within the northeast comer of the province. As well, new
information can provide evidence of greater population numbers
or density than previously known. Due to a lack of knowledge for
this species, the long-toed salamander was included on the red list
(at risk) in 1991- However, extensive surveys in the 1990s led to an
increase in the number of known individuals and this species was
downlisted to yellow (may be at risk) in 1996.

House sparrow

Photo Credit: Gordon Court

Alberta State of the Environment - Chapter 2.0

The Atlas of Breeding Birds of Alberta

Collected by more than 1,000 volunteers over a five-year period, Atlas data provides a snapshot of Alberta’s breeding bird
distributions. This data was published in book format in 1992 and can also be accessed electronically. The Atlas data is
currently being updated as the Federation of Alberta Naturalists (FAN) undertakes the second five-year data collection
period started in 2000. For more information or to volunteer your birding skills, visit www.fanweb.ca or contact FAN at
11759 Groat Road, Edmonton, AB. T5M 3K6

Aside from short-term fluctuations, and recovering endangered species like the
peregrine falcon and swift fox, one would expect few native species to be
increasing in size or distribution. Natural limiting factors such as competition,
predation and disease should keep populations in balance. As well, because of
their potential for harm, Albertans should be vigilant against inadvertently
introducing exotic species into the province.

ining Wildlife Populations in Alberta

Sometime, a species’ numbers decrease or its distribution gets smaller over a
period of time. Researchers must collect long-term data to determine if the
change is only temporary or a long-term trend. Although there are many reasons
for population numbers to decline, the most prevalent cause in Alberta today is
the loss or alteration of habitat, causing food, water, shelter or space to become a
limiting factor. The Grassland Natural Region is one of the most altered regions
in Alberta, and more than one-half of the species considered at risk in Alberta
depend on prairie habitats. Similarly in the north, woodland caribou is an
example of a sensitive species that is increasingly encroached upon by industrial
and recreational activity.

Other reasons for a decrease in wildlife populations include disease, predation,
overharvest and competition from other species. Disease is a natural part of any
ecosystem, but certain conditions may trigger increases in occurrence. In the
summer months, if temperatures are warm and lake levels low, botulism, a
dangerous type of food poisoning caused by toxins from a bacterium, may affect

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Alberta State of the Environment - Chapter 2.0

Woodland Caribou

Woodland caribou rely on large tracts of mature or old growth forest that supplies them with abundant lichens - their
favoured food. The clearing or conversion of forest for agriculture, mining or resource extraction and the reduction of
large patches of undisturbed, mature forest by forest management practices has negatively affected woodland caribou
populations in Alberta. The number of individuals remaining in the province is estimated at between 3,600 and 6,700.
In some situations, human activities in the forest have left behind too large a "footprint." Several initiatives between
industry and government are working to mitigate some of this
impact, avoiding activity during sensitive periods and regulating
the type and amount of development in primary caribou
habitat. However, until some of the “footprint” is removed from
the forest, the woodland caribou is likely to remain a threatened
species.

Photo Credit: Gordon Court

waterfowl. In 1995, 200,000 ducks (green-winged teal, pintail, northern shoveller
and mallard) were killed by botulism in Pakowki Lake, south of Medicine Hat.

Exotic species can bring new diseases to Alberta’s wild species, like the West Nile
virus carried by avian hosts as far north as eastern Canada recently. As well,
diseases such as tuberculosis, brucellosis and chronic wasting disease can be
passed between domestic and wild animals.

Predation is another natural process and is necessary to keep populations in
balance. Sometimes, however, predation increases to the detriment of the prey
species. For example, successive mild winters can lead to an increase in pine
beetles whose developing larvae affect trees like lodgepole pine. Similarly,
increasing industrial development in the northern forests has made access to
caribou herds easier for wolves, with a corresponding increase in rates of
predation.

Sometimes, a population experiences a combination of factors that drastically
reduces its numbers. A winter of heavy snow makes browsing difficult for deer
species. Add higher than normal hunter harvest or predation from wolves, harsh
weather, disease or parasite load, and the population may decrease substantially.

Under normal conditions, wildlife usually rebound from population lows.

However, with increasing pressure on wildlife from habitat loss and disturbance,
the effect of natural factors may become magnified. Complex interactions
between two or more limiting factors are often poorly understood for many
wildlife species requiring long periods of intense study before the correct
management actions can be determined.

20 1

Alberta State of the Environment - Chapter 2.0

If a species has been assessed and found to have decreased in number, or if there
is concern about a species but there is insufficient information about its status,
the species may be listed in one of several categories that imply it is a species of
concern. Categories range from “sensitive” species that require monitoring, to
species that are “at risk” - requiring immediate action to keep them from
imminent extinction or extirpation. In the 2000 general status review process, 179
species of birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, fish, ferns, orchids and
butterflies were identified to be of concern and placed in the categories of at risk
(12), may be at risk (54) and species of special concern (113).

After a formal review process (see page 40 - Species at Risk), species at risk might
also be legally defined as “endangered” or “threatened” species under the Wildlife
Act. Currently, there are five endangered and seven threatened species or
subspecies listed in Alberta.

Formal legislated categories for species at risk
Endangered - A species facing imminent extirpation or extinction.
Threatened - A species likely to become endangered if limiting factors are not reversed.

Species currently listed under the Wildlife Act

Endangered - swift fox, bison, whooping crane, sage grouse, piping plover.

Threatened - woodland caribou, barren ground caribou, northern leopard frog,
trumpeter swan, ferruginous hawk, peregrine falcon, burrowing owl.

Figure 3

The percentage of
species in each
status category

Sensitive

^18%

Maybe at Risk

8%

At Risk
2%

Secure

72%

1 I

Alberta State of the Environment - Chapter 2.0

Summary of the Present State of Wildlife
in Alberta

While many of Alberta’s wildlife populations appear to be healthy, it is difficult to
estimate the total number of wild species that are currently secure or at risk,
because a large number of species, particularly invertebrates, have insufficient
population data and/or have not yet been examined. (Remember that Table 1
indicated more than 24,000 species of wildlife in Alberta!)

For species whose general status was reviewed in 2000, two per cent (12 of 625)
are at risk and in need of immediate action to keep them from becoming extinct
or extirpated (see Appendix II). Another nine per cent (54 of 625) may be at risk
and require management or further study to keep them from becoming at risk.
Many (27) of the species in this category are ferns that have small known
distributions and specialized habitat requirements. A further 18 per cent (113 of
625) are “sensitive” species that should be monitored to ensure they do not
decline. A large number (50) of sensitive species are birds. The remaining 71 per
cent of species reviewed are not believed to be at risk and are secure for the time
being. However, they will be reviewed again in 2006 when the next general status
review process begins. Because wildlife populations are not static, populations that
are stable today may undergo expansions or declines in the future, hence
monitoring programs must be ongoing and inclusive.

Why do we categorize wildlife?

Assigning wildlife species to various categories such as “may be at risk” or “sensitive” is like using radar - it alerts us to
a species condition, hopefully before it becomes irreversible and influences what
actions are needed in the future. This allows wildlife managers to be proactive -
managing endangered species as well as working to ensure sensitive species never get
to the endangered stage. It also allows managers to prioritize actions - effectively
utilizing limited resources and manpower. With human populations and economies
expanding, many wildlife-related issues are expected to become more complex in the
future. Establishing an ongoing, effective process to assess the status of wildlife is
paramount to ensuring its survival in the future.

K 22 |

Burrowing owl Photo Credit: Gordon Court

( Pressures onjllberlas Wildlife

3 .intr'

oduction

As human populations and economic activities increase, wildlife species face an
increasing number of pressures or stresses on their populations. Pressure can arise
from factors that affect individuals directly, like harvesting (hunting, fishing or
trapping), or indirectly, from the alteration, fragmentation or outright loss of
habitat that can limit food, water, shelter and space. Whatever the cause,
pressures on wildlife can result in disease, starvation, reduced or complete
interruption of reproduction, or outright mortality. When a number of
individuals of a species fail to reproduce sufficiently, or mortality claims a large
proportion, the overall population may decline.

3.°2

cet Pressures on Alberta’s Wildlife

Harvesting

When settlers first came to Alberta, they hunted, fished and trapped many wildlife
species for their meat or furs. Today, while some subsistence harvesting still
occurs, these activities are carried out as commercial and recreational pursuits as
well. Thus, harvesting continues to place pressure on big game (moose, deer, elk),
upland game birds (pheasants and grouse), waterfowl (ducks and geese), fish
(trout, pike, walleye) and fur bearers (beaver, mink, fox). Utilizing the fish and
game resource incurs a cost. This cost must be managed
properly and according to sustainable use principles to avoid
affecting the long-term health and viability of harvested
species. For many species, harvesting, in the form of
hunting, fishing and trapping, has been managed successfully
in Alberta for almost 100 years. (For more information on
hunting and fishing in Alberta, visit the Government of Alberta
website at http://www3.gov.ab.ca/srd/fw.)

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Alberta State of the Environment - Chapter 3.0

Table 4.0

Alberta Game Animals

Big game white-tailed deer, mule deer, moose, elk, bighorn sheep, mountain goat, pronghorn

antelope, grizzly and black bear, cougar, coyote, wolf

Upland game birds ring-necked pheasant, gray partridge, Merriam’s turkey, ruffed grouse, blue grouse,

spruce grouse, sharp-tailed grouse, willow and white-tailed ptarmigan

Furbearers beaver, muskrat, red squirrel, badger, fisher, marten, mink, otter, ermine and weasels,

wolverine, coyote, red fox, arctic fox, gray fox, wolf, lynx, bobcat

Sportfish northern pike, walleye, sauger, perch, lake trout, rainbow trout, brook trout, brown

trout, bull trout, cutthroat trout, golden trout, Arctic grayling, lake whitefish,
mountain whitefish, sturgeon, goldeye, burbot

Waterfowl and other Geese: Canada goose, snow goose, Ross’ goose, black brant, white-fronted goose

migratory game birds Ducks: wood duck, mallard, black, green-winged teal, blue-winged teal, cinnamon

teal, pintail, wigeon, redhead, shoveller, greater and lesser scaup, ring-neck,
common and Barrow’s goldeneye, common, red-breasted and hooded
mergansers, ruddy duck,

Other: coot, Wilson’s snipe, yellow, Virginia and sora rails

Definition of Sustainable Use

Use of a resource that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability to meet the needs of the future.

Of all the different types of harvest, fishing is probably the most significant in
Alberta. While participation in hunting has steadily decreased in the past two
decades, participation in sport fishing remains high. Approximately 208,000
Albertans purchased a fishing licence in 2000 (an estimated 143,000 seniors and
youths not required to purchase licences also take part in fishing activities every
year).

In 1995, the Survey of Recreational Fishing in Canada estimated that 232,465
licensed anglers in Alberta fished for 37 million angler-days and caught 15.3
million fish, keeping only 4.6 million of the fish they caught (see Berry 1997).
These anglers spent $312 million in Alberta. The most sought-after fish species
are perch, northern pike, trout and walleye. In Lesser Slave Lake alone, the
annual walleye harvest is estimated at 100,000 kg (split between 65 per cent sport
fishing, 30 per cent commercial fishing and 5 per cent subsistence harvest).

1 24 1

Alberta State of the Environment - Chapter 3.0

Case Study

Subject Walleye (, Stizostedion vitreum ); “pickerel”

Challenge yTo recover and sustain walleye populations and to provide domestic, recreational, commercial and

economic benefits to Albertans.”

Description The largest member of the perch family and one of Alberta’s most popular sport fish, walleye are

olive-yellow, torpedo-shaped fish, with sharp dorsal fin spines and distinctive white tips on their anal
fin and lower tail lobe.

Distribution

Walleye are found in approximately 240 lakes and rivers throughout the province.

Walleye have very specific food and habitat requirements. They are a cool-water species - occupying
larger lakes and rivers with maximum water temperatures of 23° C, low light penetration, abundant
food and dissolved oxygen concentrations greater than 3 mg per litre.

Life Cycle Mature walleye migrate up inlet streams to spawn shortly after ice break-up in April or May Male

and female walleye mature at about seven and nine years of age respectively. Females release as
many as 77,000 eggs per kg of weight over prime spawning area. The male follows close by to
fertilize the eggs, and eggs hatch in about three weeks. However, less than one per cent of walleye
eggs will survive to become adults. Newly hatched young, called fry, drift for four to five days before
they start feeding on zooplankton. As they grow, fry will switch from zooplankton to insects and small
fish, becoming the top predators in their food chain. Walleye can live up to 30 years of age.

Management High demand resulted in the collapse of walleye populations in several of the 240 water bodies where

these fish are found. To protect and enhance walleye and other fish species, the Alberta government
sets sportfishing and commercial regulations that restrict the size and take of catch for all

anglers. In water bodies where the walleye population has collapsed or where re-stocked
populations need time to become established, only catch-and-release fishing is allowed.
These restrictions allow the number of walleye surviving to spawning age to increase so

Species Outlook

that populations can again become self-sustaining. Protecting walleye habitat and educating and
informing the public about the need for protecting walleye populations are two other actions that
government, conservation groups and community organizations work together to achieve.

With the continued co-operation of users and managers, the outlook for this species is fair.

■25 ■

Alberta State of the Environment - Chapter 3.0

Unfortunately, many areas of the province are beginning to show the effects of
increasing harvest pressure. In the Eastern Slopes, where streams are cold,
nutrient poor, and fish are slow growing, the numbers of anglers doubled between
1990 and 1994. Anglers and biologists alike are concerned about the small size of
trout in this region. This concern led to a public review process and new
regulations for this area in 1998. Similar concerns with walleye and pike
populations throughout Alberta have led to new regulations and management
plans for these species as well.

Game harvest by recreational hunters, though declining in numbers, is also still
an important activity for many Albertans. In 1999, there were 93,719 wildlife
certificates sold, down from a high of 166,191 in 1980. These certificates are
required for anyone wishing to hunt wild game. White-tailed deer are the most
commonly hunted big game species and more than 30,000 were harvested in
1999- As well, over 14,000 mule deer, and 6500 moose were harvested that year.
Other big game species include elk, antelope, bighorn sheep, cougar, black bear
and grizzly bear. Birds hunted in Alberta include ducks, geese, and upland game
birds such as grouse and pheasants.

The trapping of furbearers for their pelts also remains a viable industry in Alberta.
In 1999, 2,300 trappers harvested 119,928 pelts. Although 17 species were trapped,
three species (red squirrel, coyote and beaver) accounted for 78 per cent of all
pelts. Economically, pelts held a value of $1.9 million, down from $2.2 million
the previous year. Coyote, beaver and marten pelts accounted for 84 per cent of
the total economic value. For the most part, trapping is a sustainable industry in
Alberta and much of our population information on furbearers comes from
trappers. For less common species such as otter, quota systems that limit the
number of animals harvested by each trapper are used to ensure populations
remain secure.

Disease, Competition and Starvation
All wildlife species are subject to pressure from natural factors such as disease,
competition, predation or starvation. In fact, these pressures often play an
important role in regulating population size. For example, owl populations often
fluctuate in response to the availability of small rodents in an ongoing predator-
prey cycle. Sometimes, however, these pressures may be exacerbated by conditions
such as the weather. Outbreaks of anthrax, occasionally infecting bison and rarely
other animals, usually occur when rainy weather is followed by a hot, dry
summer. Pronghorn antelope populations fluctuate widely, depending on the
severity of the prairie winters. Over time, however, nature has a way of balancing
these factors - adverse conditions reverse themselves and populations return to
“normal.”

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Alberta State of the Environment - Chapter 3.0

Table 5.0

Examples of Wildlife Diseases

Mammals anthrax, rabies, tuberculosis

Birds avian botulism, avian cholera, West Nile virus

Fish whirling disease

Plants Dutch elm disease, armillaria root disease, aspen canker, western gall rust

ect Pressures on Alberta’s Wildlife

Loss or Alteration of Habitat

The largest threat to wildlife today is the alteration, degradation, fragmentation or
loss of habitat. Although loss of habitat may not result in immediate death, it
indirectly affects populations by limiting requirements like food or shelter.
Individuals may eventually die (increased mortality) or fail to reproduce
(decreased productivity), causing population numbers and distribution to decline.
If the decline continues, the species may become extirpated or extinct. Habitat loss
or alteration occurs in many forms in Alberta.

Agriculture

Farmers and ranchers were the original settlers of Alberta, particularly in the
south where wide open prairies looked favourable for cultivation and grazing.
Today, with the help of irrigation, agriculture has become an important part of
Alberta's economy and farm operations occupy about one-third of the province’s
landbase. Alberta is the top beef producer in Canada and cattle ranches
represented 41 per cent of all Alberta farms in 1991- Dominant crops in Alberta
include wheat, barley, oats, tame hay and canola.

Although the production of food is very important, it can have negative impacts
on wildlife. Large tracts of native prairie (estimated as high as 75 per cent) have
been converted for human uses, reducing the living space for many species,
including the plains grizzly and plains wolf. Livestock may outcompete native
grazers like deer, or may overgraze sensitive plant species like western blue flag. As
much as 60 per cent of the wetlands in settled areas of Alberta have been lost,
often drained to increase the area under production; reducing the available
habitat for waterfowl, shorebirds and many other aquatic species. Pesticides,

Extirpated

a species that no longer
exists in the wild in Alberta
but is found elsewhere. The
swift fox was extirpated in
Alberta but transplants from
populations that occur
elsewhere have successfully
reintroduced this species.

Extinct

a species that no longer
exists anywhere in the world.
Examples include the
passenger pigeon and the
black-footed ferret.

I 27 |

Alberta State of the Environment - Chapter 3.0

applied to more than 15 million acres in 199 1, are used to protect monoculture
crops, but at the expense of other native grass or broadleaf species found in
naturally diverse habitats. Pesticides can also lose their effect, with unwanted
species gaining resistance. Pesticides, fertilizers and waste (manure) disposal can
contaminate water supply for all wildlife. Fortunately, landowners have a vested
interest in ensuring their lands (and the wildlife that shares it) remain healthy in
perpetuity. Land stewards are constantly looking for ways to meet production in
an economically and ecologically sustainable manner.

Western Blue Flag

Photo Credit: Joyce Gould

The Land Stewardship Resource Centre

For more information on sustainable land stewardship including tips, programs, contacts and resource materials,
visit the Land Stewardship Resource Centre on-line at http://www.landstewardship.org.

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Alberta State of the Environment - Chapter 3.0

Case Study

Subject Western Blue Flag ( Iris missouriensis)

Challenge Working with landowners, design a conservation management plan that protects this species and its

habitat.

Description The western blue flag is a member of the iris family. Flowers are a pale blue-violet, with nine

segments (three sepals, three petals and three enlarged styles). Purple veins radiate from a yellow
spot on the outer sepals. Plants are 30-60 cm tall, with pale blue-green leaves 10-40 cm long and
5-10 cm wide. Leaves grow from a thickened, dark-coloured rhizome and are folded in half
lengthways.

Distribution

Found in the wet meadows and shorelines of the foothills, western blue flag is common where
conditions are suitable south of the U.S.-Canada border but is at the northern extent of its range in
southwestern Alberta. Only six populations are known in the province - all in an area from the
western edge of the Milk River ridge to west of Carway and north of Okotoks.

Western blue flag occur on level or slightly sloping ground where there is full sun and abundant
subsurface moisture in the spring (usually the edges of wet meadows or seepage springs), but drier
conditions in the summer.

Life Cycle A long-lived perennial, blue flag has a thick, underground rhizome that allows populations to

maintain themselves for long periods of time. Flowers occur only under favourable conditions and
are cross-pollinated by insects. An oblong seed capsule splits down three sides when it is mature,
releasing seeds to the wind for dispersal.

Management Western blue flag is limited by its specific habitat requirements and by the loss of this habitat to

agriculture (drainage, overgrazing and cultivation) and urban and industrial development. In
Alberta, the Wildlife Act was amended in 1997 to allow for the designation, protection and recovery of
threatened and endangered plants. Western blue flag will be the first plant to be considered for this
designation. It is currently designated as “threatened” by the Committee on the Status of Endangered
Wildlife in Canada. Meanwhile, the implementation of a provincial management plan calls for the
co-operation of government, conservation groups and landowners. Sites where this and other native
plant species occur can be protected by acquisition or conservancy agreements. Natural sites of
scientific interest can be designated as “historic sites” or “environmentally significant areas,” or
given protection under the Provincial Parks Act or the Wilderness Area, Ecological Reserves and
Natural Areas Act. Municipalities can control conflicting land uses under their jurisdictions and
landowners can ensure overgrazing, cultivation or alteration of drainage patterns does not occur in
these areas.

Species Outlook Western blue flag was likely never common in Alberta and this is unlikely to change. Co-operation

between stakeholders can, however, ensure this and other native plant species remain a part of the
Alberta landscape. This species’ outlook is fair.

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Alberta State of the Environment - Chapter 3.0

Cows and Fish Project

The Cows and Fish Project is an excellent example of how landowners can protect shorelines and other wetland areas for
the benefit of wildlife and all Albertans. Cows and Fish is a farm and ranch-based, province-wide educational program
possible through collaboration between agriculture and conservation groups and government partners. The program
started out with a few small fencing projects in the foothills that prevented grazing cattle from eroding stream banks and
muddying the water. Less muck and clear water made it possible for fish to spawn again in many foothills headwaters.
The project has grown to involve thousands of Alberta ranchers in the past 10 years and now encompasses many
management techniques that promote the protection of healthy watersheds without the loss of quality grazing area.

Forestry

Just as agriculture has a dominant impact on wildlife in southern Alberta,
harvesting and clearing forests for lumber, pulp and paper production, or to make
way for other types of industrial development, has a dominant impact on wildlife
in the foothills and northern boreal forests. According to The State of Canada's
Forests , approximately one half (38.2 million hectares) of the province's
landmass (64.4 million hectares) is forested and 87 per cent of the forest resource
is on provincial lands (Canadian Forest Service 1998). The forest resource in
Alberta is made up of softwood (44 per cent) and hardwood (33 per cent) and
some mixedwood (23 per cent). Wood pulp (43 per cent) and softwood lumber
(33 per cent) make up the majority of products exported mainly to the United
States (65 per cent) and Japan (17 per cent).

Did you know?

In 1996, 20 million cubic metres
of timber were harvested from
an area of 55,830 hectares in
Alberta. Insect defoliation
occurred on another 337,784
hectares and forest fires burned
1,961 hectares.

For the most part, Crown forests are managed under Forest Management
Agreements that detail allowable cut and other agreements between a forestry
company and the province. Reviewing the status of all
Crown forests harvested in Alberta between 1975 and
1995, The 1998 State of Canada’s Forests reports that
63 per cent (506,000 hectares) were “stocked” (forest
cover met timber-production standards) and 37 per cent
(295,000 hectares) were “understocked” (yet to receive
forest management treatments such as site preparation,
planting, seeding or weeding to meet established
forestry standards).

So, what effect do forestry-related activities have on
forest wildlife? While once considered a vast and endless
resource, it is becoming more and more apparent that the forest landscape has its
limits and is coming under pressure from increased human activities. Altering the
age class and structural characteristics of large tracts of mature forest impacts the
species that rely on them. Woodland caribou, for example, live deep in the forest
where lichens are present and predators are few, and pileated woodpeckers prefer

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Alberta State of the Environment - Chapter 3.0

older mixedwood forests, with standing dead trees for nesting and fallen branches
and trees for feeding. As well, if improperly managed, harvesting forests can
negatively affect watersheds and the fish and other organisms that use them.
While forestry operations likely have many impacts on wildlife, projects like the
Foothills Model Forest mitigate these impacts where possible.

Mission Statement - Foothills Model Forest
“We are a community of partners dedicated to providing practical solutions for
stewardship and sustainability of our forested lands.”

Trembling Aspen

The ability of trembling aspen to shoot up suckers from wide-spreading roots makes it one of the first plants to invade
land cleared by fire, flood or man-made activities. Aspen stands
are rich in wildlife. Moose and deer feed on the twigs and buds
of young saplings, birds and squirrels nest in cavities in mature
trees and songbirds find insects and protected nest sites in their
leafy canopy. Aspen produces a hardwood that is used by
humans to manufacture wood pulp, paper and oriented
strandboard products.

Photo Credit: Gordon Court

Resource Extraction

Unlike agriculture and forestry, which are predominately activities of the south
and north respectively, oil and gas exploration and development has occurred in
every natural region in Alberta. According to Alberta’s State of the Environment
Report on Terrestrial Ecosystems , about 70 per cent of the energy produced in
Canada is from hydrocarbon (oil, natural gas and coal) reserves from Alberta
(Alberta Environment 1997). While 23 per cent of the natural gas produced from
the province’s 45,000 natural gas wells is sold domestically, approximately 77 per
cent is exported to the United States and eastern Canada. With demand increasing
in the U.S., it is expected that this industry will continue to grow in Alberta. Coal,
sand and gravel are also non-renewable resources extracted from the earth.

One of the biggest impacts of resource extraction is the large number of linear
corridors developed to locate, produce and deliver product. There are few areas of
Alberta not yet criss-crossed by pipelines, cutlines, seismic lines, power lines, fibre-

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Alberta State of the Environment - Chapter 3.0

optics lines and right-of-ways, not to mention the web of roads and highways
across the province. In 1997, Alberta’s highways and roads totalled approximately
178,000 km in length. Another 8,800 km of rail lines and almost 20,000 km of
electricity transmission lines cover the province (Alberta Environment 1997).

Such linear corridors fragment the habitat they traverse, impacting the terrestrial
and aquatic ecosystems they encounter along the way. Impacts on wildlife include
the displacement of individuals, the barring of dispersal and the creation of
isolated “islands” of habitat.

Tiger Salamanders and the Trans-Canada Highway

Tiger salamanders are widely distributed in Alberta, but because they are nocturnal, they are rarely seen out in the open.

They spend much of their lives in subterranean burrows,
congregating briefly at aquatic breeding sites in the spring. In a
survey of road kills on the Trans-Canada Highway in Banff
National Park, researchers reported 183 tiger salamanders killed
while trying to cross the highway to an adjacent wetland during
eight days in the fall of 1999 (Clevenger et al. 2000).

Photo Credit: Kris Kendell

As well, increasing the number of corridors allows for increased access into once-
remote areas. Intensive and extensive recreation in prime habitats, including the
increasing use of all-terrain vehicles and lake and riverfront recreational
properties, can increase the disturbance to wildlife during critical life stages.
Recreational activities may go on indefinitely, long after resource extraction
activities have ceased.

Climate Change

Complex interactions that lead to global conditions such as a warmer climate
also loom on the horizon. One impact of a warming trend may be that a number
of species will shift their present-day distribution. Where this brings exotic species
into the province, native species may be negatively affected.

Many of the impacts of climate change are interrelated. For example, warmer
temperatures may melt the ice and snow of the Rockies and decrease the size of
the glaciers that feed prairie rivers. Lower water levels and drier conditions add
pressure to wildlife, such as moisture-loving amphibians reliant on aquatic
ecosystems.

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Alberta State of the Environment - Chapter 3.0

While some changes brought on by warmer temperatures may be beneficial, other
changes may cancel some of the benefits. For example, the Canada Country Study
of global climate change concludes that while growth and productivity of the
boreal forest ecosystem may improve, disturbances such as fire, insects and
diseases may also increase (Herrington et al. 1997). Overall, the implications of
climate change are extremely complex and not yet well understood.

Political Boundaries

Political boundaries can also present a challenge to wildlife. A set of rules in one
jurisdiction may not hold true in another. For migrating species, or a species
whose distribution spans more than one jurisdiction, protection may end at the
border. In Canada, peregrine falcons are protected as a threatened species. In the
United States, this species was removed from the endangered list in 1999-
Similarly, when peregrines and other migratory bird species fly south, dangerous
chemicals not permitted in Canada may be present. Fortunately, legislators are
beginning to take these differences into account when signing trade and other
agreements. For example, in 1997, as part of the North American Agreement for
Environmental Co-operation between Canada, the U.S. and Mexico, the
Commission for Environmental Co-operation (CEC) established a North
American Regional action plan that would see the phased reduction of DDT use
in Mexico by 80 per cent within five years. (Find out more about DDT and this
initiative by visiting the CEC website at http://www.cec.org.)

Urban expansion

Photo Credit: Gordon Court

Up until the 1940s, Alberta’s population was mainly rural and under 800,000.
Between 1931 and 1991, the provincial population grew by almost 248 per cent to
nearly three million people. With an expanding econom
comes an increase in the growth of urban centres and
today, approximately 80 per cent of Alberta’s population
urban. As cities expand into adjacent rural landscapes,
they take more and more agricultural land out of
production; they crowd out more wildlife and wildlife
habitat and add more pollution to already-taxed air and
water systems.

Equally significant are the number of recreational
properties and acreage developments on the outskirts of
Alberta cities, and in areas of scenic beauty such as the
Bow corridor. These developments also contribute to the loss of productive soil and
wildlife habitat and increase the incidences of negative human-wildlife
encounters.

Alberta State of the Environment - Chapter 3.0

mary of Current Pressures on
Alberta’s Wildlife

While pressure from wildlife harvesting can be effectively managed, interactions
between land-users and wildlife are much more complex. The effects of habitat
loss on wildlife can be difficult to measure, often requiring long-term and
intensive study. For example, while we can count the number of wetlands drained
for cultivation or the area cleared of forest, it is more difficult to establish the
number of aquatic insects or forest songbirds that were affected by those actions.
Common sense, however, tells us that the more habitat that is altered or lost
through man’s activities, greater is the pressure placed on the wildlife that once
occupied them. As more and more of the province’s land mass comes under
human influence, Albertans must take into account their impact on wildlife and
must develop creative solutions to mitigate this impact.

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fictions to Pro tect^/llberta ’s Wildlife

oduction

A • JL

While the pressures placed on wildlife are growing, there are also a number of
initiatives in the province that monitor, mitigate and prevent some pressures from
impacting wildlife. Actions may take many forms, such as conducting surveys,
monitoring wildlife species through their life cycles, placing restrictions on
certain land use activities, setting aside critical habitat or sensitive riparian zones,
captive breeding, re-introductions or stocking. As well, these actions may be
carried out by a number of agencies, including provincial and federal
governments, academic researchers, conservation agencies, individual landowners
or concerned citizens.

Actions to Manage Direct Pressures
on Alberta’s Wildlife

Harvest Restrictions

For the most part, the provincial government is responsible for setting wildlife
harvest restrictions. In setting these restrictions, however, the province often
consults with interest groups such as the Alberta Fish and Game Association or the
Alberta Professional Outfitters Association. As well, information collected from
hunters, anglers and trappers through compulsory registration and user
questionnaires helps determine the annual status of certain wildlife populations.
When required, studies are undertaken to more clearly define a species’ well-being
and harvest potential.

While an increasing demand is causing pressure on the fisheries resource,
managers are working at a number of creative solutions to keep this resource
renewable in the future. Regulations have been altered to set seasons (or closures)
that protect spawning and immature fish. Catch-and-release programs encourage
the sport without removing the supply. Daily limits have been reduced and

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Alberta State of the Environment - Chapter 4.0

minimum size requirements (designed to allow immature fish to reach maturity)
have been set. Programs such as “Report a Poacher” encourage fairness so that
everyone can enjoy hunting and sportfishing in Alberta.

While the Alberta government strives to maintain native fish populations wherever
they occur, they also use fish raised in hatcheries to supplement populations. This
supply is used to re-establish populations that have collapsed, to establish new
populations where suitable water bodies occur and to provide the fish for diverse
fishing experiences in areas where few angling opportunities exist. In 2000,
7,699,400 trout, walleye and perch were released into 291 water bodies across the
province, with the largest releases in Pine Coulee Lake (1,390,000 walleye), Sawn
Lake (1,740,000 walleye) and Tyrrell Lake (500,000 rainbow trout).

Funds required for fish stocking are raised from a portion of the fees collected
from the sale of hunting and fishing licences and administered by the Alberta
Conservation Association (ACA). This not-for-profit society’s objectives are to
preserve, protect, develop, enhance and promote the conservation of fish and
wildlife populations and habitat throughout the province. As such, the ACA is
responsible for the Fisheries Habitat Development, Fisheries Management
Enhancement, the Wildlife Habitat Development, the Wildlife Management
Enhancement, and Report a Poacher programs.

Controlling Exotic Species

The control of exotic pests entering Alberta is regulated by Alberta Sustainable
Resource Development, Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development and the
Canadian Food Inspection Agency - to ensure exotic species are not inadvertently
or deliberately brought into Canada. However, border patrols are costly and time
consuming. Instead, public education can make Albertans aware of the damage
exotic species can cause. Albertans can take a number of simple actions, such as
not bringing firewood in from areas outside the province, or washing boats and
fishing gear before travelling from one water body to another.

Where exotic species have already become established in Alberta, eradication
programs may be undertaken. In 1999, the Alberta Native Plant Council carried
out a program to survey over 1,500 km along several Alberta river systems for new
infestations of purple loosestrife. Teams identified 57 infestations of this pervasive
exotic plant. Volunteers helped to remove plants and will return to check
inventoried sites in the future.

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Alberta State of the Environment - Chapter 4.0

ns to Manage Indirect
(Habitat) Pressures

The management of habitat does not come under one realm of authority in
Alberta. Instead, many agencies across municipal, provincial and federal
jurisdictions, as well as industry, conservation organizations and private
landowners, must work co-operatively to deal with habitat issues on a site-by-site
basis.

Multiple-Use Land Zoning

In many jurisdictions, local governments control land use through land use
zoning. While buffers are established to minimize conflict between industrial and
urban development, areas of suitable habitat must also be set aside for wildlife. In
Edmonton, the Edmonton Natural Areas Program is striving to check urban
sprawl and identify and protect a number of unique natural areas located within
city boundaries before they are bulldozed for development. Similarly, many cities
in Alberta set aside the habitats located adjacent to rivers for a combination of
recreation and wildlife use.

In Alberta, public (or Crown) lands occur throughout the province. To effectively
protect wildlife and habitat in these areas, public land managers integrate fish
and wildlife management with overall land use activities. For example, wildlife
managers have produced a list of conditions for land use near trumpeter swan
habitat that limits the timing and proximity of activity in these areas. Through
the provincial land use permit system, these conditions are reviewed and must be
met by industrial and agricultural users, before activities are permitted. Thus, fish
and wildlife managers are often involved in developing various land use
guidelines or codes of practice and can articulate wildlife concerns into broader
land use management plans. Such integrated resource management is ongoing
in many areas throughout the province. (For more information on the
Government of Alberta’s approach to integrated resource management, visit
http://www3.gov.ab.ca/env/irm.html)

Integrated Resource
Management

"Integrated resource
management recognizes
that everything is connected
to everything else and that
the use of a resource for
one purpose can affect
both the use of that resource
for other purposes and the
management and uses of
other resources."

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Alberta State of the Environment - Chapter 4.0

Figure 4

Alberta’s Protected Areas

Protected Areas

Like zoning special areas for special purposes, sanctuaries,
parks and protected areas preserve habitat for a number of
wildlife species. Today, Alberta has designated 532 sites of
public land (not including five national parks) with some
form of protection, including 67 provincial parks, 27
wildland parks, one (Willmore) wilderness park, 266
provincial recreation areas, 16 ecological reserves, three
wilderness areas and 152 natural areas. Combined, these
protected areas cover approximately two million (or 3 per
cent) of Alberta’s 66 million hectare landbase (Figure 4).

While some protection is achieved by government initiatives
such as the Special Places 2000 program, many private
initiatives also protect wild spaces. Conservation programs like
Operation Grasslands encourage landowners to protect habitat on
private lands. Landowners can participate voluntarily, or they may
formalize protection through land trusts held by organizations like the
Nature Conservancy.

Special Places 2000

In response to the World Wildlife Fund (Canada) Endangered Spaces Program , Alberta initiated the Special Places
2000 program in 1992. The goal of this program was to create a network of protected areas with representative
examples of the 20 sub-regions that make up the environmental diversity of Alberta’s landscape. Between 1995 and 2000,
76 sites were designated under this initiative, adding approximately 1.3 million hectares to Alberta’s parks and protected
areas.

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Alberta State of the Environment - Chapter 4.0

Habitat Rehabilitation

Where habitat cannot be zoned or protected for wildlife, other initiatives are
needed to compensate wildlife in multiple land use areas. For over 50 years,
Ducks Unlimited Canada has been involved in a number of partnerships, like the
North American Waterfowl Management Plan, that work to restore and protect
habitat for waterfowl and other wetland species. More recently, initiatives like the
Cows and Fish Project and the North Saskatchewan Watershed Alliance work
towards resolving habitat issues to the benefit of a variety of stakeholders,
including wildlife.

North American Waterfowl Management Plan
The North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP) is an agreement between Canada, the United States and
Mexico to conserve habitats important to waterfowl on a continental scale. In 1999/2000, nearly $16.3 million was
invested in Alberta, and more than 45,400 hectares of wetlands and uplands were conserved for wildlife.

Prairie Habitat Joint Venture at Majorville Medicine Wheel
At the Majorville Medicine Wheel in southern Alberta, the Prairie Habitat Joint Venture (a program under the North
American Waterfowl Management Plan) worked with local ranchers in a 47,000-acre area to improve native grasslands
and wetlands for waterfowl and other wildlife and cattle. Old irrigation canals were used to stabilize existing wetlands
and create 36 new ones. New fencing allowed for a rotational grazing system that benefited both livestock and wildlife.
The Medicine Wheel project has been called “a model of economically and environmentally sustainable agriculture in
action.”

Whether designating protected areas or effectively managing multiple land uses,
most land managers today have recognized the importance of and are striving to
conserve biodiversity. In 1995, the Government of Alberta, along with the
governments of other provinces, territories and Canada, committed to using the
Canadian Biodiversity Strategy as a guide for conserving biodiversity and
ensuring the sustainable use of biological resources. More about the programs
established by the Alberta government to meet these guidelines can be found in
the report, Sustaining Alberta's Biodiversity (Alberta Environmental Protection
1998). This report can be downloaded from
http://www3.gov.ab.ca/env/resedu/biodiversity/index.html.

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Alberta State of the Environment - Chapter 4.0

ies at Risk in Alberta

Although managers are striving for the conservation of all species and their
habitats, the reality is that like many other places around the world, some species
in Alberta are already at risk. In Alberta, species at risk have been recognized since
1977 when the American white pelican and double-crested cormorant were first
listed as “endangered” under the Wildlife Act. As well as listing species, this Act
also provides for the legal protection of nests or dens and fines for anyone
disturbing, killing or trafficking in endangered animals.

Co-operative efforts and processes to identify species at risk have been in place for
many years. Nationally, wildlife species are assessed by the Committee on the
Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC), a body of scientific experts
created in 1977 to identify species at risk of extirpation or extinction in Canada.

In 1988, the Recovery of Nationally Endangered Wildlife (RENEW) committee
was formed to prepare and implement recovery plans for threatened and
endangered species. These two programs work co-operatively to identify and
recover species at risk in Canada. To further increase co-ordination among
federal, provincial and territorial jurisdictions, the 1996 Wildlife Ministers Council
committed to the Accord for the Protection of Species at Risk in Canada. This
accord makes a commitment to a national approach to identifying and
conserving species at risk. The general status review process, and changes to the
Wildlife Act to include any endangered animal, fish, plant or invertebrate, are two
examples of how Alberta is meeting these commitments.

As well, Alberta’s Endangered Species Conservation Committee (ESCC) was created
in 1998. The ESCC is a broad stakeholder group including scientists, government
and corporate land managers, resource based land users and conservation
organizations. After careful review of species assessments and recommendations
by its Scientific Subcommittee (SSC), the ESCC advises the Minister responsible
for wildlife on matters relating to the identification, conservation and recovery of
species at risk. The committee recommends which legal designation (endangered
or threatened) a species at risk should receive, what focus recovery plans it should
have, and what conservation actions are required immediately to prevent further
risk or loss of the species until the recovery plan is implemented.

The World

Conservation Union's
Red List

According to the World
Conservation Union's Red
List, one in five mammal
species and one in eight
bird species are threatened
with extinction worldwide.
This list includes 1,130
mammals, 1,183 birds, and
thousands of other species
including amphibians,
insects and plants. The
organization attributes
human activity as the cause
of the 816 extinctions known
to date.

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Alberta State of the Environment - Chapter 4.0

Figure 5

Alberta’s Strategy for
Identifying Species at Risk

= Process

= Outcome or Publication

If = Decision Point

Alberta State of the Environment - Chapter 4.0

Once the ESCC recommendations are received, it is the Minister’s responsibility to
designate a species as endangered or threatened under legislation. Species listed
under the Wildlife Act become candidates for recovery programs. The Minister is
also responsible for immediate actions to protect the species, and to secure
national and international co-operation where necessary.

Inventories, management and recovery programs are ongoing for a variety of
species at risk. Work on Alberta’s first two endangered species, the pelican and
cormorant, resulted in these species' recovery and removal from the endangered
species list. Other recovery programs such as peregrine falcon and swift fox
reintroductions have met with great success. Sometimes, a recovery plan may call
for more study of the species. This is the case for the burrowing owl, a species that
may be limited by a lack of food on its breeding ground, as well as a shortage of
habitat in its wintering grounds.

Endangered Species Conservation Committee
Based on recommendations made by the ESCC, the Minister in June 2000 made several regulatory changes to species
identified at risk under the Wildlife Act. One of these changes was to downlist the peregrine falcon from endangered to
threatened. After several decades of management, peregrine falcon populations have grown to about 50 pairs in the
province and this species is expected to make a full recovery.

As well as identifying species as endangered or threatened, other legislated actions
include creating a new category for “species of special concern” such as the
Sprague’s pipit, a small grassland songbird. The prairie rattlesnake is not listed in
a specific at risk category but has had its seasonal protection (of individuals and
their dens) extended to year-round protection. In some cases, a species’ listed
status may remain the same but actions to protect the species may change.
Although burrowing owls have declined in Canada, some populations remain
stable in Alberta. This species remains in the threatened category but actions,
such as protecting nest sites, have been strengthened and monitoring carried out
to collect more information before a change in status is made. Similarly, the swift
fox remains endangered but new monitoring and conservation agreements will be
carried out to assist this species’ recovery.

As well as working within the province, Alberta continues to co-operate with its
national and provincial counterparts. A variety of plans are being developed to
implement the Accord for the Protection of Species at Risk in Canada as well as to
develop new terms of reference for COSEWIC, RENEW and the Canadian
Endangered Species Conservation Council.

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Alberta State of the Environment - Chapter 4.0

mary of Actions to Protect

Alberta’s Wildlife

When implemented properly and adhered to by everyone, management strategies
are effective in allowing for a sustainable harvest of certain game species. Disease,
starvation, or predation are to be expected in natural populations and usually
require little management except to ensure natural stresses are not compounded
by human activities. Habitat loss is the biggest threat facing Alberta’s wildlife
today. While a small area can be protected for wildlife, the reality is that today’s
increasing human population and expanding economy will force more and more
users onto a finite land base. Wherever possible, integrated land management
must take into account the needs of wildlife. Where needs cannot be met,
assessment programs must quickly identify species of concern, ensuring that
actions are taken to prevent species from becoming at risk.

The Upland Game Bird Shelterbelt Program

While the introduction of non-native species is largely frowned upon today, the introduction of ring-necked pheasants
and gray (Hungarian) partridge early in the century in Alberta probably had positive effects on the local landscape. As
early as 1907, the Calgary Fish and Game Protective Association (today the Alberta Fish and Game Association), among
other things, undertook an ambitious campaign to introduce several game bird species into the province. Releases
eventually led to the study of both exotic and native species and, eventually, to habitat improvement projects. In 1959,
an Upland Game Bird Shelterbelt Program was initiated to the benefit of many wildlife species. The project was also a
model of co-operation - provincial biologists selected the sites; the Department of Agriculture supplied the trees and
shrubs; local Fish and Game Association members planted them; with further care the responsibility of farmers. Today,
many agencies including government biologists, conservationists and land stewards, are coming together to protect the
endangered sage grouse and its habitat in southern Alberta.

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44

5.4

at are some Important Trends

concerning Wildlife in Alberta?

Alberta’s former approach to wildlife management focused on the maintenance of
individual game species like white-tailed deer, beaver or walleye. This approach
has shifted in the past few decades as wildlife managers recognize the non-
consumptive and ecological values of wildlife, as well as the need to conserve all
biodiversity and to maintain basic ecological processes. Managers have also
shifted from single-species management to habitat or landscape management,
and efforts are being made to extend this knowledge to broadly-based ecosystem
management that takes into consideration ecological, social and economic
factors.

However, despite improvements in wildlife management, some species are
currently at risk and must be adequately protected. Protection can be through
legislation such as the Wildlife Act or the proposed federal Species At Risk Act, or
through consultative processes (like the Endangered Species Conservation
Committee) where a combination of stakeholders determine the course of action.
Where habitat is a limiting factor for species at risk, it too must be protected. The
protection of habitat is probably the largest and most contentious issue facing
wildlife managers today. While initiatives to increase protected areas across the
province can benefit a variety of species, failing to restrict industrial and
recreational developments within these areas reduces their value to some wildlife
populations. Equally important is ensuring that the level of use on non-protected
lands allows room for healthy ecosystems and wildlife populations.

The trend that will likely challenge wildlife managers most in the near future is
the increasing growth of the human population and the associated demands
placed on the landscape and wildlife resource. Increased industrial activity to
extract resources needed by a burgeoning human population also brings
increasing access and disturbance to many wildlife populations and their
habitats. With these increasing pressures, the problems facing wildlife today are
likely going to become more complex with time.

Fortunately, there is also a trend towards an increase in public awareness and
concern for all species. Stakeholders and landowners are playing an increasing

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Alberta State of the Environment - Chapter 5.0

role in pursuing conservation initiatives. People living in urban areas are showing greater concern for actions upstream of
their drinking water, air, and where and how their food is produced. The need for co-operation is being recognized through
joint ventures and alliances between industry, conservation groups and government agencies. Plans for integrated resource
and land management require innovative and co-operative partnerships that meet challenges of the new millennium.

Ag Initiatives 2000

In the first half of 2000, a unique initiative took place in Alberta. Over 1,500 stakeholders invested time and energy into
a process that examined every aspect of the agriculture and food industry. Working together, participants developed a
long-term vision that called for “the continued growth of a profitable and environmentally sustainable agriculture
and food industry in Alberta. . . ” As well, an Environmental Stewardship Incentive Program Action Team was formed to
address issues pertaining to integrated land use, sustainable land management practises and responsible stewardship.

As Alberta approaches its centennial in 2005, wildlife managers can look back on 100 years of wildlife management in the
province. While some species have come perilously close to extinction, changes in management practises, recovery plans and
reintroduction programs have countered many of these declines. As well, several processes that gather information on all
species, identifying sensitive species before they become at risk, have been implemented to ensure timely action is taken before
a species becomes at risk.

Living By Water

As an example of a project that bridges the gap between wildlife management and managing habitat for wildlife, the
Living By Water Project is an initiative to assist landowners living by lakes, rivers or other water bodies to make their
homesite more ecologically friendly. Homesite assessments identify areas where landowners can improve the natural
condition of their shoreline; making as little impact on nature as possible and
encouraging wildlife to remain in the area. For more information, visit
http://www.livingbywater.ca

Working towards healthier human and wildlife habitat
along the shorelines of Canada

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Alberta State of the Environment - Chapter 5.0

5 :2

at Gan You do to Help

Alberta’s Wildlife?

Because it belongs to all of us, keeping the state of our wildlife healthy and off the
“at risk” list is the responsibility of all Albertans. The decisions and actions we
make every day have an impact on other species and it is our responsibility to
ensure those decisions are wise ones.

Actions as simple as not littering are important to uphold as well as to teach to
others. Practising the 3 Rs of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle helps lessen the demand
for natural resources. Lowering the thermostat a few degrees or using compact
fluorescent light bulbs are also ways of lessening the demand for energy. Using
public transit, riding a bike or car-pooling not only saves energy, it also cuts down
on air pollution. Making your consumer choices wisely can lessen the impact
you make on wildlife. Did you know choosing shade-grown coffee can ensure that
the winter habitat of many of Alberta’s songbirds is protected?

Deciding not to cultivate a wetland or maintaining a private woodlot are simple
ways of sharing space. Limiting the use of pesticides or using native plants to turn
a backyard lawn into a butterfly garden help maintain wildlife in urban areas.
Joining a local natural history club or a regional land-use planning committee
are ways of actively learning about and protecting the natural resources around
us. The possibilities are endless! Respecting wildlife and giving it adequate space
to live and reproduce will ensure this resource is maintained for everyone’s benefit
- today and in the future.

Get involved - Take part in the Canadian FrogWatch Program
Frogwatch is a national volunteer monitoring program designed to monitor frog populations across Canada. Volunteers
are asked to listen for male frogs calling during the spring breeding period, recording what frogs are calling at a
particular site, when they are calling, under what conditions they are calling and whether they are still calling there the
next year. In Alberta, this program is co-ordinated by the Alberta
Amphibian Monitoring program. For more information, write to
the Alberta Amphibian Monitoring Program at 7th floor, O.S.

Longman Building, 6909 - 116 Street, Edmonton, AB T6H 4P2.

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Alberta State of the Environment - Chapter 5.0

Get involved - Join a local Natural History Club!

So, you want to hang out with a bunch of cool outdoor, natural history types but aren’t sure where to find them? Check
out the Federation of Alberta Naturalists (FAN) website at http://www.fanweb.ca/ or contact FAN at 11759 Groat Road,
Edmonton, AB. T5M 3K6 for information on 24 plant, bird and naturalist
organizations located across the province. From the Wood Buffalo Wild Bird Club
and Fort McMurray Field Naturalists Society to the Grasslands Naturalists and the
Bow-Kan Birders, there’s something for everyone - a great way to learn about and
appreciate wildlife and other natural elements in your area.

Photo Credit: Gordon Court

48

Literature Cited

Alberta Environment. 1997. Alberta State of the Environment Report - Terrestrial Ecosystems. Alberta Environment.
Edmonton. 198 pp.

Alberta Environmental Protection. 1998. Sustaining Alberta's Biodiversity. An Overview of Government of Alberta
Initiatives Supporting the Canadian Biodiversity Strategy. Alberta Environmental Protection. Edmonton. 43 pp.

Alberta Environmental Protection. 1997. Duck Populations: An Ecosystem Indicator. Alberta’s State of the Environment Fact
Sheet Vol. 3, No. 2. Edmonton. 4 pp.

Alberta Environmental Protection. 1996. The Status of Alberta Wildlife. A Wildlife Management Division Report. Alberta
Environmental Protection. Edmonton. 44 pp.

Berry, D.K. 1997. Sport fishing in Alberta, 1995 : summary report from the Fifth Survey of Recreational Fishing in
Canada. Alberta Environment, Fisheries and Wildlife Management Division. Edmonton. 19 pp.

Canadian Endangered Species Conservation Council. 2001. Wild Species 2000: The General Status of Species in Canada.
Minister of Public Works & Government Services, Canada. Ottawa. 50pp.

Canadian Forest Service. 1998. The State of Canada’s Forests: The People's Forests 1997-1998. Report prepared for Natural
Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service, Ottawa. 109 pp.

Clevenger, A., Mclvor, M., Mclvor, D., Chruszcz, B. and K. Gunson. 2000. Mass Movements and Mortality of Tiger
Salamanders on the Trans-Canada Highway in Southwestern Alberta. Research Links - A Forum for Natural, Cultural
and Social Studies. Vol. 8(3) :4, 8-9. Parks Canada, Western Canada. Calgary.

Federal-Provincial Task Force on the Importance of Nature to Canadians. 2000. The Importance of Nature to Canadians:
The Economic Significance of Nature-Related Activities. Prepared by the Federal-Provincial Task Force on the Importance
of Nature to Canadians. Environment Canada, Ottawa. 49 pp.

Herrington, R., Johnson, B. and F. Hunter. 1997. Responding to Global Climate Change in the Prairies. Canada Country
Study: Climate Impacts and Adaptation. Volume III. Environment Canada. Ottawa. 75 pp. plus appendices.

I 50 |

Biodiversity the diversity or variety of life on earth.

Distribution the total area in which a species occurs.

Density

Ecology

the number of individuals of a species in a defined unit of area.

the study of the relations of animals and plants and their communities to their
surroundings.

i

— 11 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 II I I 1 Hill I iNlllilllillllilllliaiHIIIWWBBBBMBMMBMBBMBm

Ecosystem an association of living things and their interactions with each other and the

environment.

Environmental indicators key measurements that can be used to monitor, describe, and interpret changes in the

environment.

Exotic Species a species that is not native to the place that it is found (i.e. it has been brought in or

“introduced” from another area).

iw^B^MiHiiiiiiBiiiiiiiiiiyiiiiiii^'iMH iiiii h iii imimitmmmmmmmmm

Game wild animals that are hunted for sport or food.

■■■■■Hi

Habitat

the food, water, shelter and space an animal or plant needs to live.

51 |

Hardwood

the wood of a deciduous tree as opposed to softwood, the wood of coniferous trees.
Mixedwood forests have a mix of both deciduous and coniferous species.

Alberta State of the Environment - Chapter 7.0

Harvest

the act or process of gathering food, timber, fur or other natural products.

Predation

the act of preying or killing.

Species

a classification of individuals that share common attributes, have a common name and
interbreed with one another.

Vascular plants

MWl y III! 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Hi— ^ ^ MM 1111111 1 HI HUM

have a specialized water transport system that is absent in non-vascular plants.

:: ' ~ " "v. : ■ ~

Vertebrates

a group of animal species that possess a backbone as opposed to invertebrate
organisms that lack a backbone.

Wildlife

a common term used to encompass the large range of wild plants and animals that
grow without taming or cultivation by people. Alberta’s wildlife includes many species
of mammals, birds, fish, amphibians, reptiles, plants (flowering, mosses, lichens, etc.)
and invertebrates (worms, snails and clams, spiders, beetles, etc.).

I 521

Resources Available for Further Information.

Useful References

Acorn, J. and I. Sheldon. 2000. Bugs of Alberta. Lone Pine Publishing, Edmonton. 160 pp.

Alberta Environment. 2000. First Report of the Alberta Endangered Species Conservation Committee. Report prepared for
the Endangered Species Conservation Committee. Edmonton. 25 pp.

Alberta Environmental Protection. 1996. Alberta State of the Environment Report - Aquatic Ecosystems. Alberta
Environmental Protection. Edmonton. 152 pp.

Alberta Environmental Protection. 1994. Alberta ’s State of the Environment Comprehensive Report. Alberta Environmental
Protection. Edmonton. 119 pp.

COSEWIC, 2000. Canadian Species at Risk, May 2000. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Ottawa.
23 pp.

Ercelawn, A. 1999- End of the Road - The Adverse Ecological Impacts of Roads and Logging: A Compilation of
Independently Reviewed Research. Natural Resources Defense Council. New York. 130 pp.

Gutsell, R., Feser, S. and S. Cotterill. 2000. Status of Alberta Wildlife 2000 Preliminary Status Evaluation of Birds: Non-
passerines. Prepared for Fisheries & Wildlife Management Division, Alberta Environment. Edmonton. 182 pp.

Gutsell, R., Feser, S. and S. Cotterill. 2000. Status of Alberta Wildlife 2000 Preliminary Status Evaluation of Birds:
Passerines. Prepared for Fisheries & Wildlife Management Division, Alberta Environment. Edmonton. 166 pp.

Hardy, W.G. (Ed.). \%1. Alberta -A Natural History. Hurtig Publishers. Edmonton. 343 pp.

Heidecker, B. and C. Mayer. 2000. Catalyst for Growth - Framework for Change: Key Findings from Ag Summit 2000.
Report prepared for Ag Summit 2000. Edmonton. 31 pp.

Macdonald, C., Roberts, W.E. & D.M. Ealey. 1994. The Vertebrate Species of Alberta. Insert in Alberta Naturalist Vol. 23(3),
17pp.

Mackay, W.C. 2000. Status of Alberta Wildlife 2000 Preliminary Status Evaluation of the Fish. Prepared for Fisheries &
Wildlife Management Division, Alberta Environment, Edmonton. 72 pp.

Pattie, D. and C. Fisher. 1999- Mammals of Alberta. Lone Pine Publishing, Edmonton. 240 pp.

Pekalski, B. 1995. d historical series of agricultural statistics for Alberta. Selected statistics from the Census of
Agriculture. Market Analysis and Statistics Branch, Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development. Edmonton.

Rice, C. 2000. Status of Alberta Wildlife 2000 Preliminary Status Evaluation of the Odonates: Dragonflies &
Damselflies. Prepared for Fisheries & Wildlife Management Division, Alberta Environment. Edmonton. 78 pp.

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Alberta State of the Environment - Chapter 8.0

Russell, A.P. and A.M. Bauer. 2000. The Amphibians and Reptiles of Alberta. A Field Guide and Primer of Boreal
Herpetology. University of Calgary Press. Calgary. 279 pp.

Vance, F.R., Jowsey, J.R. andJ.S. McLean. 1984. Wildflowers Across the Prairies. Western Producer Prairie Books. Saskatoon.

336 pp.

Vitt, D.H., Marsh, J.E. and R.B. Bovey. 1988. Mosses, Lichens & Ferns of Northwest North America. Lone Pine Publishing.
Edmonton. 296 pp.

On the World Wide Web

Ag Summit 2000 - http://www.agrivantage.ab.ca/index.htm
Alberta Environment - http://www3.gov.ab.ca/env/

Alberta Natural Heritage Information Centre - http://www3.gov.ab.ca/env/parks/anhic/infosite.html
Alberta Special Places - http://www3.gov.ab.ca/env/parks/sp_places/

Alberta Sustainable Resource Development - http://www3.gov.ab.ca/srd/index.html
Alberta’s Species at Risk - http://www3.gov.ab.ca/srd/fw/riskspecies/

Beaverhill Bird Observatory - http://www.bsc-eoc.org/national/bbo.html

Canadian Wildlife Service (Environment Canada) - http://www.cws-scf.ec.gc.ca/cwshom_e.html

Committee On the Status of Endangered Wildlife In Canada (COSEWIC) - http://www.cosepac.gc.ca/

Ducks Unlimited Canada - http://www.ducks.ca
Federation of Alberta Naturalists - http://www.fanweb.ca/

Foothills Model Forest - http://www.fmf.ab.ca/

Land Stewardship Centre of Canada - http://www.landstewardship.org

Living By Water - http://www.livingbywater.ca

Canadian Forest Service - http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/cfs-scf/

Nature Conservancy of Canada - http://natureconservancy.ca/files/index.asp
Status of Alberta Wildlife - http://www3.gov.ab.ca/srd/fw/status/

As well, a list of materials available from Alberta Environment is online at Alberta Environment’s Information Centre Web
site, http://www3 . gov. ab.ca/env/info/infocentre/

II

Species At Risk in Alberta

(As per Canadian Endangered Species Conservation Council 2001)

Extinct

Birds:

Fish:

Mammals:

Greater Prairie Chicken, Passenger Pigeon, Eskimo Curlew

Banff Longnose Dace

Black-footed Ferret

At Risk

Amphibians:

Northern Leopard Frog

Birds:

Burrowing Owl, Ferruginous Hawk, Peregrine Falcon, Piping Plover,

Sage Grouse, Trumpeter Swan, Whooping Crane

Fish:

Shortj aw Cisco

Mammals:

Swift Fox, Wood Bison, Woodland Caribou

May Be At Risk

Amphibians: Canadian Toad, Great Plains Toad, Plains Spadefoot Toad

Birds:

Long-billed Curlew, Short-eared Owl

Butterflies:

Weidemeyer’s Admiral

Ferns:

Aleutian Maidenhair-fern, Alpine Lady Fem, Boareal Moonwort,

Crenulate Monwort, Created Shield Fern, Fragile Rock-brake,

Hairy Water Fern, Lace Lip Fem, Least Grape-fern, Male fem,

Mingan’s Moonwort, Mountain Bladder Fern, Northern Beech Fem,
Northern Moonwort, Peculiar Moonwort, Prairie Dunewort,

Rock Polypody, Siberian Polypody, Smooth Cliff-brake, Smooth Woodsia,
Spoon-leaf Moonwort, Western Moonwort, Western Polypody,

Gastony’s Cliff-brake

Fish:

Shorthead Sculpin, Pygmy Whitefish, Spoonhead Sculpin,

Western Silvery Minnow

Mammals:

Grizzly Bear, Long-tailed Weasel, Northern Bat, Ord’s Kangaroo Rat,
Wandering (Vagrant) Shrew, Wolverine

Orchids:

Bog Adder’s-mouth, Broad-leaved TWayblade, Mountain lady’s-slipper,

Pink Lady’s-slipper, Slender Bog-orchid, Slender Ladies’ -tresses

Western TWayblade, White Adder’s-mouth

Reptiles:

Prairie Rattlesnake, Short-horned Lizard, Western Hognose Snake

|55fl

Alberta State of the Environment - Chapter 9.0

Sensitive: Amphibians: Columbia Spotted Frog, Long-toed Salamander, Western Toad

Birds: American Bittern, American White Pelican, Baird’s Sparrow, Bald Eagle,

Butterflies:

Barred Owl, Bay-breasted Warbler, Black Tem, Black-backed Woodpecker,
Black-crowned Night Heron, Blackburnian Warbler, Black-necked Stilt,
Black-throated Green Warbler, Bobolink, Brewer’s Sparrow,

Broad-winged Hawk, Common Nighthawk, Canada Warbler,

Cape May Warbler, Caspian tem, Clark’s Grebe, Forster’s Tern,

Golden Eagle, Grasshopper Sparrow, Great Blue Heron, Great Gray Owl,
Great-crested Flycatcher, Harlequin Duck, Horned Grebe, Lark Bunting,
Loggerhead Shrike, Lewis’ Woodpecker, Mountain Plover,

Northern Goshawk, Northern Pygmy Owl, Osprey, Pied-billed Grebe,
Pileated Woodpecker, Prairie Falcon, Purple Martin, Sandhill Crane,
Sedge Wren, Sharp-tailed Grouse, Sprague’s Pipit, Swainson’s Thrush,
Swainson’s Hawk, Upland Sandpiper, Western Grebe, Western Tanager,
White-faced Ibis, White-winged Scoter

Afranius Duskywing, Alberta Arctic, Arrowhead Blue, Boisduval’s Blue,
Edward’s Fritillary, Gillette’s Checkerspot, Gorgone Checkersport,

Gray Copper, Lorquin’s Admiral, Monarch, Moss’ Elfin,

Mountain Fritillary, Nevada Skipper, Old World Swallowtail,

Riding’s Satyr, Rocky Mountain Dotted Blue, Sagebrush Checkerspot,
Shasta Blue, Sheridan’s Hairstreak, Uncas Skipper

Ferns:

American Rock-brake, Bracken Holly Fern, Fragrant Cliff Wood Fern,
Green Spleenwort, Moonwort Grape-fem, Mountain Cliff Fern,

Northern Holly Fem Oregon Woodsia, Ostrich Fem, Rusty Woodsia,

Shield Fern, Slender Lip Fem

Fish:

Arctic Grayling, Bull Trout, Lake Trout, Largescale Sucker,

Northern Redbelly Dace, Northern Squawfish, Sauger

Mammals:

Badger, Bobcat Canada Lynx, Cougar, Fisher,

Olive-backed Pocket Mouse, Pronghorn (Antelope),

Red-tailed Chipmunk, Water Vole, Western Small-footed Bat

Orchids:

Alaskan Orchid, Menzie’s Rattlesnake-plantain,

Small Round-leaved Orchid, Spotted Coral-root, Striped Coral-root,

White Bog-orchid

Reptiles:

Bullsnake, Plains Garter Snake, Red-sided Garter Snake,

Wandering Garter Snake, Western Painted Tlirtle

56

10.0

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Alberta State of the Environment Report - Wildlife

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Alberta State of the Environment - Chapter 10.0

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