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

A Alan Arsenault,Micheline Manseau

doi:10.7557/2.31.2.1988

Abstract

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

Highlights

Strategies for boreal caribou in Canada are outlined in ment (2009) is developing natural forest pattern the national recovery strategy (Environment Canada, standards and guidelines for the forest industry, 2007)
The analysis revealed that the Prince Albert Greater Ecosystem (PAGE) animals are sedentary, with individual summer and winter ranges overlapping, with range occupancy being comparable between the two studies, but with individual home range sizes being significantly smaller (t = —2.559, P = 0.013, df = 52) for the 2004-2008 telemetry data (MCP: x = 221 km2, s.d. = 145, n = 23), compared to the 1992-1995 telemetry data (MCP: x = 441 km2, s.d. = 393, n = 31)
Ecological considerations The boreal forest landscape is naturally dynamic with specific habitat components having a functional role at different spatial and temporal scales which are necessary to assure persistence of local boreal caribou populations (Racey & Arsenault, 2007)

Summary

Introduction

Strategies for boreal caribou in Canada are outlined in ment (2009) is developing natural forest pattern the national recovery strategy (Environment Canada, standards and guidelines for the forest industry, 2007). With boreal caribou agreed that recovery efforts vest areas that look and function like landscapes and should occur at the range level because caribou popu¬ disturbance patches created by natural disturbances lations have broad landscape-level habitat require¬ such as fire. They identified landscape disturbance thresholds above which population growth rate would likely be declining. Numerous documents have been prepared at the provincial/territorial level detailing best man¬ agement practices, industrial operating guidelines, and landscape management planning processes that will serve as the basis for boreal caribou recovery action planning efforts across the country (Environ¬ ment Canada, 2007)

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Conclusion