All Resources

Economic impact of the Alberta forest industry

Description

This report provides a snapshot into the current financial state of the Alberta's forest products sector and outlines the key contributions of forestry within the regions where it operates.

Tags

Alberta furbearer harvest data analysis

Description

A literature review was conducted to examine the potential uses and limitations of using trapper harvest data to monitor species distribution and population trend. Harvest, price, and distribution... More ≫

Description

A literature review was conducted to examine the potential uses and limitations of using trapper harvest data to monitor species distribution and population trend. Harvest, price, and distribution of harvest for most furbearers in Alberta is presented. In addition, an attempt is made to measure changes in abundance by mapping distribution across time and calculating an abundance index based on harvest and pelt price. To make better use of current and future Alberta furbearer harvest data, the following suggestions are offered: The Alberta trapper harvest data needs to be collected consistently for the entire province; harvest data collection should be based on pelt counts rather than unverified trapper affidavits; an index of abundance for each species based on a thorough analysis of correlations between harvest and various indices of effort, and the findings of others should be developed; data verification routines are required to enhance consistency; and each year all collected...

Tags

Chisholm Fire Review Committee final report

Description

The Chisholm fire of May 23 – June 4, 2001 and the surrounding events prompted the Minister of Sustainable Resource Development to establish a committee to review the fire incident. The Chisholm... More ≫

Description

The Chisholm fire of May 23 – June 4, 2001 and the surrounding events prompted the Minister of Sustainable Resource Development to establish a committee to review the fire incident. The Chisholm Fire Review Committee carried out this review in the summer of 2001 through a public outreach process, a review of department policies and procedures and discussions with department staff. Generally, Alberta’s fire suppression activities conducted by Alberta Sustainable Resource Development (SRD) are very effective, however a small percentage of wildfires continue to escape initial suppression efforts to become large fires. This is of particular concern in wildland-urban areas, such as Chisholm. Broadly, the Committee concludes that it is necessary to address wildland-urban issues proactively in a cooperative and interdisciplinary manner. The Chisholm Fire Review Committee believes that such actions will increase human safety, decrease property losses and allow wildland fire suppression...

Tags

Environmentally significant areas : provincial update 2009

Description

The purpose of this report is to provide an overview for the update of ESAs in the province of Alberta. ESAs represent places in Alberta that are vital to the long-term maintenance of biological... More ≫

Description

The purpose of this report is to provide an overview for the update of ESAs in the province of Alberta. ESAs represent places in Alberta that are vital to the long-term maintenance of biological diversity, soil, water, or other natural processes, at multiple spatial scales. They are identified as areas containing rare or unique elements in the province, or areas that include elements that may require special management consideration due to their conservation needs. As applied to resource management systems in Alberta, ESA mapping is a strategic conservation tool that is useful to the development of landuse planning and policy. Identifying these areas using scientifically rigourous, defendable, and relevant methodology is the first step toward the successful integration of ecological values into provincial land-use planning and management. It enables decision makers to rapidly progress through the planning process where informed trade-offs can be discussed, priorities set and clear...

Tags

Gillett's Checkerspot in the Southern Headwaters At Risk Project (SHARP) area

Description

Gillett's Checkerspot is a colourful and distinctive butterfly that has a very small global range and a global conservation status rank of imperiled/vulnerable. The species is relatively well... More ≫

Description

Gillett's Checkerspot is a colourful and distinctive butterfly that has a very small global range and a global conservation status rank of imperiled/vulnerable. The species is relatively well known with respect to its biology and ecology. Available information is summarized in this report and differences between USA and Alberta populations are discussed. The ecology of the species renders it amenable to integration with economic activity. It can be accommodated without significant expense or impact on other natural resource uses. In some cases, forest canopy removal associated with development can be a positive factor for the species but in the past this has been an accidental byproduct of such activity. Brief strategic and operations guidelines are recommended.

Tags

Final documentation report Chisholm fire (LWF-063)

Description

As the severity of the 2001 fire season developed in late May, Land and Forest Service escalated man-up and aircraft expenditures significantly above normal levels in expectation of increased fire... More ≫

Description

As the severity of the 2001 fire season developed in late May, Land and Forest Service escalated man-up and aircraft expenditures significantly above normal levels in expectation of increased fire load. Prior to fire activity in the Protection Zone of Alberta, municipalities in the agricultural areas were experiencing extreme fire behaviour and property losses. This is the context for Alberta’s latest record fire event – the Chisholm fire (LWF-063), which was man-caused, igniting on May 23, 2001. It is notable that the fire intensity for the Chisholm fire replaces the previous record calculation of the 1968 Vega fire, which ran parallel to the Chisholm fire. Both fires started the same day of the same month 33 years apart; both were driven by a low-level jet wind; and both fires ended their run just south of the Town of Slave Lake as a result of a major weather change.

Tags

CWD program review 2012

Description

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is an invasive alien prion agent that recently arrived in eastern Alberta. The prion causes fatal infections in cervids and significantly alters the population... More ≫

Description

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is an invasive alien prion agent that recently arrived in eastern Alberta. The prion causes fatal infections in cervids and significantly alters the population structure and viability of local deer herds. There is no natural barrier to further spread, no treatment to eliminate infections, and no feasible live animal test to identify infected deer. CWD has significant environmental, social, and economic effects by altering major ecosystem structure and function, as well as decreasing recreational harvest and guiding/outfitting activity. Alberta was proactive in looking for occurrence of CWD and initially proactive in responding once it was found. Current programs focus on monitoring the ongoing geographic spread and numerical increase in eastern deer populations. Hunter harvest is the primary tool to find infected deer. Population reduction is the only known tool to manage CWD in wild deer.

Tags