Canada's Woodland Caribou
 There are 2.4 million caribou in Canada, distributed among four subspecies on the basis of their appearance, habitat use and behaviour.
Barren-ground caribou, which make up about half of all caribou, often gather in large herds across the far north and migrate seasonally between the tundra and the taiga. Woodland, or forest-dwelling, caribou are generally found in smaller groups in the boreal forest across the country and in mountainous areas of Western Canada.
Woodland caribou have been classified as at risk across Canada, largely as a result of habitat loss or fragmentation caused by human development. The National Boreal Caribou Technical Steering Committee, with representatives from across Canada, is collaboratively developing a National Caribou Recovery Strategy.
Canada's woodland caribou
Woodland caribou are found in large tracts of mature and old-growth coniferous forests that have large quantities of terrestrial and arboreal (tree-inhabiting) lichens. They favor large, contiguous forested areas with little or no vehicle access or human disturbance.
The many factors leading to caribou decline include habitat loss when forest land is converted to other uses such as agriculture; habitat degradation as a result of harvesting or other disturbances, and landscape and habitat fragmentation due to harvesting, roads, pipelines, transmission corridors or other developments.
Caribou recovery plans being developed across Canada identify critical habitat and support decisions related to land use planning, road access and long-term habitat management. Local communities, First Nations and resource industries are actively involved in the implementation of these recovery actions.
Other recovery strategies include strong, local stewardship initiatives to maintain habitat, and access planning and management to reduce the number of roads and trails.
The Atlantic-Gaspésie woodland caribou
The Atlantic-Gaspésie caribou population, found on the Gaspé Peninsula in Quebec, is classified as endangered, which means it is at imminent risk of extirpation or extinction. Under Quebec legislation, it has been classified as vulnerable since 2001.
Gaspésie Provincial Park was established in 1937 to protect the declining herds. Hunting inside the park was banned in the 1930s and logging ended in 1977, yet the population declined from about 500 to 1,000 individuals in the 1950s to about 200 in the 1970s.
The population stabilized in the 1990s after a national recovery plan called for strategies such as coyote control and management of tourist activities. Since 1999, a special forest management plan was implemented for the habitat area outside the park boundaries.
Protecting species at risk
Canada's national regime to protect species at risk includes federal species-at-risk legislation, habitat stewardship programs and a network of protected areas with representative examples of biodiversity. About eight per cent of Canada's forest is in parks and other formally protected areas.
The Species at Risk Act is a key federal government commitment to prevent wildlife species from becoming extinct, to help species at risk recover and to manage species of special concern.
Canadians are involved in decisions related to the development, protection and use of the 93 per cent of Canada's forests that are publicly owned. Integrated land use planning allows people representing a wide variety of sectors and interests to develop a shared vision for the use of their public lands and resources.
Resource development and caribou
Forest management practices consider the specific needs of different woodland caribou populations across Canada, and most forest companies operating in caribou habitat have some form of access management to limit the effects of humans and predators on caribou.
In regions with caribou populations, land and resource management plans and forest management plans identify areas where harvesting is allowed and the best methods to maintain appropriate caribou habitat.
Roads, especially permanent, all-season roads, fragment caribou habitat, create direct barriers and lead to habitat loss due to land conversion. This can be alleviated through long-term road management strategies that reduce the number of roads and consider elements such as density, road access control and decommissioning.
Taking action to reduce impacts
In 2005, the Manitoba Model Forest held a national woodland caribou forum where experts and experienced practitioners in caribou ecology and management from across Canada shared their knowledge and experience to improve understanding and find ways to overcome challenges.
There are a variety of caribou recovery activities underway in jurisdictions across Canada, including:
In Alberta, forestry and oil and gas companies operating within the habitat of two major caribou herds are coordinating resource development to minimize access impacts.
Since newborn calves are targets for predators, researchers in the Yukon found that they were able to help a small herd facing severe declines likely resulting from predation by enclosing pregnant caribou cows in a fenced area until their calves were about three weeks old.
In British Columbia, some forest companies operating in core mountain caribou habitat use a unique harvesting system, long cables and heli-logging to operate in steeper areas that less suitable for caribou and to reduce the need for roads.
Ontario's caribou recovery strategy proposes five recovery zones based on differences in caribou distribution, ecological conditions, and threats, each with specific guiding principles to assist with the development of action plans.
In Quebec, forest companies prepare special management plans which include the temporary maintenance of large forest blocks and the application of special silvicultural practices.
The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is involved in a detailed monitoring study to determine the size and location of its woodland caribou population.
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