Putting the environmental impact assessment process into practice for woodland caribou in the Alberta Oil Sands Region

Since 1985, woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) have been designated as a threatened species in Alberta. Populations studied since the 1970s have been stable or declining, with no population increases documented. Resource expansion into previously undeveloped areas and associated increases...

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Main Author: Paula R. Bentham
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Septentrio Academic Publishing 2005-05-01
Series:Rangifer
Subjects:
Online Access:https://septentrio.uit.no/index.php/rangifer/article/view/1774
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spelling doaj-9794e8b936a14888bee649799682e0102020-11-25T02:11:59ZengSeptentrio Academic PublishingRangifer1890-67292005-05-0125410.7557/2.25.4.17741650Putting the environmental impact assessment process into practice for woodland caribou in the Alberta Oil Sands RegionPaula R. BenthamSince 1985, woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) have been designated as a threatened species in Alberta. Populations studied since the 1970s have been stable or declining, with no population increases documented. Resource expansion into previously undeveloped areas and associated increases in access have been implicated as possible causes for the declines. To facilitate development on caribou ranges, while ensuring the integrity and supply of caribou habitat, standing committees have been formed. The primary role of the committees is to act as advisory bodies to the government and to search for effective and efficient industrial operating guidelines. Recent research has been conducted on the responses of woodland caribou ecotypes to increased human and predator access. Based on this research, operating guidelines have been refined and implemented through Caribou Protection Plans. I discuss how the current operating guidelines are put into practice and linked to the Environmental Assessment process within the Oil Sands Region of Alberta. In particular, I discuss the origination of impact predictions, specific mitigation measures to reduce impacts and monitoring.https://septentrio.uit.no/index.php/rangifer/article/view/1774Caribou Protection PlansEnvironmental Impact Assessmentmitigationmonitoringoil sandsoperating guidelines
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Paula R. Bentham
spellingShingle Paula R. Bentham
Putting the environmental impact assessment process into practice for woodland caribou in the Alberta Oil Sands Region
Rangifer
Caribou Protection Plans
Environmental Impact Assessment
mitigation
monitoring
oil sands
operating guidelines
author_facet Paula R. Bentham
author_sort Paula R. Bentham
title Putting the environmental impact assessment process into practice for woodland caribou in the Alberta Oil Sands Region
title_short Putting the environmental impact assessment process into practice for woodland caribou in the Alberta Oil Sands Region
title_full Putting the environmental impact assessment process into practice for woodland caribou in the Alberta Oil Sands Region
title_fullStr Putting the environmental impact assessment process into practice for woodland caribou in the Alberta Oil Sands Region
title_full_unstemmed Putting the environmental impact assessment process into practice for woodland caribou in the Alberta Oil Sands Region
title_sort putting the environmental impact assessment process into practice for woodland caribou in the alberta oil sands region
publisher Septentrio Academic Publishing
series Rangifer
issn 1890-6729
publishDate 2005-05-01
description Since 1985, woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) have been designated as a threatened species in Alberta. Populations studied since the 1970s have been stable or declining, with no population increases documented. Resource expansion into previously undeveloped areas and associated increases in access have been implicated as possible causes for the declines. To facilitate development on caribou ranges, while ensuring the integrity and supply of caribou habitat, standing committees have been formed. The primary role of the committees is to act as advisory bodies to the government and to search for effective and efficient industrial operating guidelines. Recent research has been conducted on the responses of woodland caribou ecotypes to increased human and predator access. Based on this research, operating guidelines have been refined and implemented through Caribou Protection Plans. I discuss how the current operating guidelines are put into practice and linked to the Environmental Assessment process within the Oil Sands Region of Alberta. In particular, I discuss the origination of impact predictions, specific mitigation measures to reduce impacts and monitoring.
topic Caribou Protection Plans
Environmental Impact Assessment
mitigation
monitoring
oil sands
operating guidelines
url https://septentrio.uit.no/index.php/rangifer/article/view/1774
work_keys_str_mv AT paularbentham puttingtheenvironmentalimpactassessmentprocessintopracticeforwoodlandcaribouinthealbertaoilsandsregion
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