Alberta, NWT, should protect more wildlife habitat from development: report

Canadian Press, January 30, 2008 -- Woodland caribou herds could be wiped out and songbird populations could decline in Alberta and the Northwest Territories if governments fail to protect significant areas of northern forests from pipeline and oilsands development, a new report says.

The Canadian Boreal Initiative report to be released on Thursday says without long-term protection, such industrial activity will continue to fragment older forests that make up vital wildlife habitat.

"The study demonstrates the profound impacts of industrial development in the Mackenzie Basin ecosystem," said Larry Innes, executive director of the conservation group.

"If development is going to go forward it must be done in a way that it looks not just at the opportunities to exploit resources, but rather to minimize the impact of development."

Using computer models, researchers compared the oilsands region of Alberta with the relatively untouched Deh Cho area of the N.W.T. that is part of the route for the proposed Mackenzie Valley natural gas pipeline.

The study suggests that if the Alberta government doubled its small amount of protected area in the oilsands region it would reduce the decline in songbird populations, but it wouldn't have much of an impact on dwindling caribou herds.

At this point the province would be better off if it protected a large region north of oilsands projects near Fort McMurray from industrial development, he said.

"These areas could be set aside as a buffer against the loss of these very important caribou populations and other key species such as songbirds to maintain viable biodiversity."

The report also used computer models to study the proposed Deh Cho land use plan that would set aside and protect millions of hectares of land before the Mackenzie pipeline is built.

The findings suggest this "conservation first" approach would help maintain caribou herds and reduce the decline of songbirds.

Matt Carlson, one of the report's authors, is to present the findings at the University of Alberta on Thursday.

The information is also to be shared with the Alberta and N.W.T. governments.

"The Mackenzie watershed is one of the last places on earth to be developed," Carlson said.

"This research shows that if we develop according to the status quo we will lose biodiversity. Canadians have a responsibility to maintain this rich ecosystem for future generations. We need some foresight and some courage."