Publications

Extreme wildfire behaviour associated with a dry cold frontal passage : case study of the 2012 Zama Fire in northwestern Alberta, Canada

Description

This report is a case study on extreme wildfire behaviour and how it impacted the Zama wildfire in 2012.

Tags

An examination of cultural sequences in the Boreal Forest of northeastern British Columbia

Description

This paper analyses several assemblages recovered during previous archaeological work in the Boreal Forest region of northeastern British Columbia to identify groups of projectile points with... More ≫

Description

This paper analyses several assemblages recovered during previous archaeological work in the Boreal Forest region of northeastern British Columbia to identify groups of projectile points with enough internal similarity to constitute a "type." Following this, the available dates were used to place these artifacts into temporal context, add detail to existing sequences, and create a framework that can be built on as more artifacts linked to dates become available.

Tags

Archaeology in western Canada’s boreal forest, 2021

Description

This volume is dedicated to archaeology in western Canada’s boreal forest and includes papers that contribute to understandings of pre-contact and historic adaptations. The papers also shed light... More ≫

Description

This volume is dedicated to archaeology in western Canada’s boreal forest and includes papers that contribute to understandings of pre-contact and historic adaptations. The papers also shed light on how past people and archaeological studies in this region can inform work across the country. Paper topics include cultural resources management archaeology, ground stone artifacts, Early Pre-Contact Period sites, GIS and remote sensing, archaeological methods of site detection, fur trade archaeology, and radiocarbon dating in the boreal forest.

Tags

Radiocarbon dates in Alberta’s northern forests and potential for inferring changes in ancient Indigenous populations

Description

Assemblages of radiocarbon dates have been used for inferring population changes, fine-tuning the chronology of specific events, and used in association with diagnostic stone tools to establish... More ≫

Description

Assemblages of radiocarbon dates have been used for inferring population changes, fine-tuning the chronology of specific events, and used in association with diagnostic stone tools to establish chronological markers. However, boreal forest ecosystems of northern Alberta have presented many challenges to using dates for these purposes, including academic neglect, acidic soils that decompose datable material, and the over-extension of typologies from neighboring regions. This study outlines recommendations for successful dating methods in the boreal forest, synthesizes Alberta’s boreal radiocarbon record, and infers changes in Indigenous populations throughout the Pre-contact Period. A total of 220 dated occupations from 135 pre-contact sites in Alberta’s Boreal Forest suggest that populations were very sporadic from about 10,000 cal BP until approximately 6,500 cal BP, then began to rise dramatically around 3,000 cal BP. Populations remained stable from approximately 1,500 cal BP...

Tags

Using GIS and remote sensing to monitor industrial impacts to archaeological sites in the Athabasca Oil Sands of Alberta

Description

The Athabasca Oil Sands region of Alberta has one of the densest accumulations of known archaeological sites in the country. Until recently, there has been little quantitative evidence to assess... More ≫

Description

The Athabasca Oil Sands region of Alberta has one of the densest accumulations of known archaeological sites in the country. Until recently, there has been little quantitative evidence to assess human impact on archaeological resources in the region. The goal of this paper is to raise awareness of the critical need to incorporate new archaeological remote sensing strategies to improve site monitoring approaches. We present methods and results from our GIS-based analysis that seeks to locate and partially characterize impacted sites.

Tags

Topographic setting of archaeological survey in the Boreal Forest of Alberta

Description

The archaeological record of the Canadian Boreal Forest is dominated by shallowly buried sites with little to no datable artifacts or stratigraphy. However, the factors that underlie this skew to... More ≫

Description

The archaeological record of the Canadian Boreal Forest is dominated by shallowly buried sites with little to no datable artifacts or stratigraphy. However, the factors that underlie this skew to shallow sites are rarely formally examined. Here we use a geomorphon-based terrain classification to assess the role of topographic setting in the placement of archaeological survey points. Our results show that there is considerable bias in current archaeological survey methods towards landforms that disperse sediment. This reduces the likelihood of finding deeply buried or stratified sites and calls into question the assertion that datable sites are largely absent from the region.

Tags

Forestry and archaeology in Alberta : a history and synthesis

Description

This paper presents the origins of cultural resource management in Alberta’s forestry sector and synthesizes key statistics since implementation in 2003. Over 4,600 archaeological sites have been... More ≫

Description

This paper presents the origins of cultural resource management in Alberta’s forestry sector and synthesizes key statistics since implementation in 2003. Over 4,600 archaeological sites have been recorded in the province during historic resources impact assessments of harvest blocks and forestry roads with an average of 246 new sites per year. The paper summarizes annual records of sites detected, the number and percentage of forestry developments subjected to fieldwork, site size, and shovel test intensity. The goals are to document trends and explain the value of forestry compliance for heritage protection in Alberta.

Tags

Off the shelf : modeling and management of historical resources

Description

This article summarizes how industry developers determine if and where known and unknown historical resources are located in development areas. Models are useful planning tools to minimize... More ≫

Description

This article summarizes how industry developers determine if and where known and unknown historical resources are located in development areas. Models are useful planning tools to minimize disturbances and manage historical resources in an expedient and economical way.

Tags

A review of indicators of wetland health and function in Alberta's prairie, aspen parkland and boreal dry mixedwood regions

Description

Wetlands cover approximately 21 per cent of the land area of the province of Alberta and are unique ecosystems that provide several valuable ecological economic functions including water storage... More ≫

Description

Wetlands cover approximately 21 per cent of the land area of the province of Alberta and are unique ecosystems that provide several valuable ecological economic functions including water storage and flood attenuation, erosion control, water quality improvement and habitat for various plant and animal species. Many wetlands in Alberta, especially in the southern half of the province, have been negatively impacted by anthropogenic disturbances which in turn affect the wetland health and function. The purpose of this report is to conduct a review of the primary literature on Alberta wetlands and identify potential indicators of health of wetland ecosystems i Alberta, specifically in the Prairie, Aspen Parkland and Boreal Dry Mixedwood regions.

Tags

Land capability for forestry : Winefred Lake - 73M

Description

This map evaluated forest productivity in the Winefred Lake Region of east-central Alberta using a seven-class capability system. It reflected the area's glacially influenced physiography, soil... More ≫

Description

This map evaluated forest productivity in the Winefred Lake Region of east-central Alberta using a seven-class capability system. It reflected the area's glacially influenced physiography, soil types, and climate conditions as of 1976.

Tags