The Opportunity:

• Alberta's boreal forest represents one of the largest tracts of unbroken wilderness in the province
• Alberta’s Boreal forest is under pressure from forestry, oil/gas exploration and extraction activities
• Wildlife populations including woodland caribou and forest songbirds are in decline and there has been a deterioration in the water quality and quantity
• The forest is losing its overall integrity as a result of the increase in development and access
• A balance is needed between ecological, cultural, and economic values on the boreal landscape

Where is it?

Alberta’s boreal forest extends from the foothills near Jasper, east to the Alberta/Saskatchewan border, and north to the Alberta/North West Territories border.

What CPAWS Northern Alberta is doing:

Our Vision for Alberta’s boreal forest includes:
• The completion of the protected areas system in Alberta,
• Ecologically-based industrial practices on the remaining landscape and
• Ecologically and economically sustainable communities promoting stewardship.

CPAWS-NAB has initiated two boreal conservation projects which will maximize protection for endangered species such as woodland caribou, grizzly bears, and forest songbirds like the black-throated green warbler from increased industrial development:

1. The Athabasca Heartland – located in the northeastern part of the province, contains some of the last true wilderness in the province and represents an excellent opportunity for world-class conservation.

2. The Chinchaga Wilderness – located in Alberta’s Foothills Natural Region, contains a wonderful diversity of old-growth forests, marshes, lakes, and peatlands. Our goal is to increase protection in the region to ensure its values such as habitat for woodland caribou are adequately represented.

IN DEPTH

Alberta's Boreal Forest

Alberta contains a rich and diverse mosaic of mixedwood boreal forest, and is part of a much larger boreal landscape that spreads from coast to coast across northern Canada. An incredible array of wildlife call Alberta’s boreal forest home, including wood bison, snowshoe hare, marten, whooping crane, great gray owl, lynx, and hundreds of species of songbirds. And, it is the last stronghold for many species at risk, such as woodland caribou and wolverine. Our two major rivers, the Peace and the Athabasca, drain into one of the largest fresh water deltas in the world, the Peace-Athabasca Delta.

However, Alberta is under massive developmental pressure from the oil and gas industry and forestry operations. Large areas of the boreal forest in the province have already been severely impacted. Wildlife populations including woodland caribou and forest songbirds are in decline; there is deterioration in the water quality and quantity, and the forest is losing its overall integrity as a result of the increase in development and access.

Our Vision for the boreal forest includes the completion of the protected areas system in Alberta, ecologically-based industrial practices on the remaining landscape and ecologically and economically sustainable communities promoting stewardship.

CPAWS Edmonton’s Boreal Campaign

There is an alternative approach to the current management of Alberta’s boreal forest; one that ensures a balance between the ecological, cultural, and economic values on the boreal landscape.

The basic principles of this approach were outlined several years ago in the Alberta Forest Conservation Strategy. These include identifying areas of high ecological and cultural value and setting aside large areas for protection to balance the industrial activity on the remaining landscape. Other elements include the application of ecological principles on the remaining industrial landscape and special management and protection of endangered species. In addition, it is important to monitor and adapt to the changes that occur in the dynamic boreal forest.

We have initiated two boreal conservation projects that will maximize protection for endangered species such as woodland caribou, grizzly bears, and forest songbirds like the black-throated green warbler from increased industrial development.

The Athabasca Heartland in the northeastern part of the province contains some of the last true wilderness in the province and represents an excellent opportunity for world-class conservation.

The Chinchaga Wilderness located in Alberta’s Foothills Natural Region contains a wonderful diversity of old-growth forests, marshes, lakes, and peatlands. Our goal is to increase protection in the region to ensure its values such as habitat for woodland caribou are adequately represented.

The Canadian Boreal Conservation Framework

Canada's northern boreal forest represents one of the largest tracts of unbroken wilderness in the world and represents our natural and cultural heritage. In addition to many wildlife species, the boreal is home to people whose daily lives are intrinsically linked to the well-being of the forest. Hundreds of Aboriginal communities across Canada still practice their traditional ways of life and depend upon the boreal for food, medicines, and an economic livelihood.

In 2003, a group of leading conservation organizations, resource companies, and First Nations convened to form the Boreal Leadership Council. The Council's goal is to ensure that Canada’s boreal forest is managed to the highest possible standard so that its riches will continue to benefit humanity in perpetuity. In December 2003 the Council released the Boreal Forest Conservation Frameworkwhich details the group’s conservation goals, including targets for protected areas and principles of resource management.

CPAWS is a founding member of the Boreal Leadership Council and since 2000 CPAWS chapters have been working hard to develop innovative solutions to protect the boreal across the country. We are working in collaboration with Aboriginal people, governments, and industry. Find out more about our National Boreal Campaign