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Turtle Info Session – Work In Progress – Visuals Pt 1

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Turtle Info Session – Work In Progress – Visuals Pt 1

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Updated sections so far...

I wanted to make an effort to include some culturally important symbols like the métis sash, spider web, wild rose, and fire alongside the visual representation of turtle island - which represents a creation story shared by many respective indigenous communities. Variations of these stories are shared within some Métis communities that continue storytelling traditions.

I specifically chose to include the wild rose and rose hips in honour of my grandmother Vina Cardinal. This represents her Métis floral beadwork and the cultural continuation that I intentionally root into through beadwork and other artistic expressions.

Up next... more turtles!

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Turtle Info Session – Work In Progress – Lettering and Template Style Update

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Turtle Info Session – Work In Progress – Lettering and Template Style Update

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Off to a good start with some nice colour blends and info containers...

I'm mostly happy with the headings and other text elements so far. I may refine some of the script lettering... getting a unified weight has been challenging at times, but this will become easier with more practice.

The next step will be incorporating some icons or other illustrations.

Had to adjust some info a bit and also drop the cute beaded flower on the last page to better fit the longer text for the closing prayer.

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Turtle Info Session – Work In Progress – Rough Visual Outline 

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Turtle Info Session – Work In Progress – Rough Visual Outline 

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I wanted to share a bit more of my process from BTS this time around... Including a quick glimpse into my messy outlining process. (see scrappy thumbnails above) Not shown, is the ~10 pages of passive notes I took prior, during the 1.5 hour session.

Most info sessions related to conservation efforts are presented by passionate and knowledgeable individuals who have so much valuable knowledge to share!

As a graphic recorder our job is to honour everyone in the room – through listening closely to details, and processing meaningful messages, with the goal of expanding the group experience through a visual medium.

Throughout this process, we always bring a bit of our own worldview and artistic flair as we aim to complement the inner worlds and thoughts shared by speakers, and support collective community goals and positive outcomes.

I also find journaling about this process to be incredibly helpful, as it allows me to hold more space to pause, process, and lean further into purpose and intention.

I may never be a gifted speaker, but I sure can appreciate them, and continue to show up in a way that honours our shared goals, perspectives, and experiences!

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Upcoming Volunteer Project - Graphic Recording Practice Continued...

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Upcoming Volunteer Project - Graphic Recording Practice Continued...

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Did you know there are species at risk in your community? The Lands, Resources and Consultations branch is hosting a Species at Risk Turtle Information Session on June 19, 2025 from 6:30 to 8p.m. The session will highlight turtle species at risk found within Region 2-5 and 7, the threats they face, and the importance of wetlands and aquatic ecosystems. Learn how to take action, deepen your connection with the land, and protect species at risk in your community! Please contact Michelle Correa at MichelleC@metisnation.org to register and get the Zoom link or if you have any questions.

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Western Chorus Frog (Pseudacris triseriata) on inaturalist

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Western Chorus Frog (Pseudacris triseriata)

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The western chorus frog (Pseudacris triseriata), also known as striped chorus frog, or midland chorus frog is a species of frog found in Canada and the United States. (Source: Wikipedia, ″, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_chorus_frog, CC BY-SA 3.0 . Photo: (c) Chia aka Cory Chiappone, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Chia aka Cory Chiappone)

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The sound of the western chorus frog

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How the tiny western chorus frog could stop Doug Ford’s Highway 413 | CBC News

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The western chorus frog is about as small as your thumb, but it could prove to be a large obstacle to Premier Doug Ford’s plans for building Highway 413.

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continued...

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continued...

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exploration with a new medium – Jelly Gouache – thinking about details that. contribute to an image... impression, lighting, realism, contrast, symbolism...

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Learned this script lettering style using guides from Molly Suber Thorpe

https://mollysuberthorpe.com/work

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🐸 Getting back into semi-realistic and stylized sketches as I prep for an upcoming project...

The top two are western chorus frogs - a species at risk here in Ontario - drawn using reference photos from @inaturalistorg

The bottom two are a practice in more general froggy form using another artist’s sketch work as a rough reference.

Thinking about adding some @beampaints watercolour to these…

#westernchorusfrog #speciesatrisk

https://www.instagram.com/p/DFqrTmDxZlU/

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I love how chill these little guys are – Here are just a few of many from our backyard. The longer you look, the more you see. 🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/260672820

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Work in Progress – The Western Chorus Frog – Species at Risk

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Work in Progress – The Western Chorus Frog – Species at Risk

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This week I’ve been enjoying the process of exploring flow and style… still some stuff to figure out… but it feels like im getting closer to a space that is more focused and in alignment.

Here’s a little preview of what I have so far...

Reflections

Noticed:

Continuing to experiment with different brushes, colour pallets, and practicing with lettering guides – getting closer to shaping a style that feels right for me…. I’m really loving this sort of soft and sometimes paint like look contrasting with the dark and bold text and icons!

Also having early access to the presentation slides is SOOO helpful – this makes such a huge difference for me personally when processing so much info! I know it won’t always be the case but YAY so appreciative for these this time around! 🎉

Still feeling a bit slow when it comes to processing information and executing my ideas technically, but I also feel a positive shift happening there as I continue to practice, experiment, and root into intention...

Enjoyed:

Holding space to rest and connect some threads of thought from outter orbits, in relation to perspective and process... including meditating on things like symbolism of our little froggy friends.

Learning more about River Recovery Efforts

Learning about the specific survey needs and protocols related to important reporting about this species at risk – something anyone can help contribute to even without a conservation or science background through citizen naturalist apps like inaturalist / seek app

Experimenting with different colours, brushes, lettering,and icons that feel good to me as an artist engaging in this work.

Actively setting aside time to do creative exercises prior to project work to create a calm and focusd headspace and nervous system.

Want to Try next Time:

Once I have more of a handle on technical aspects, formatting, style, and direction, I want to continue to challenge myself to take on more live recording practice, as well as a more streamlined approach with zoom recording (non-live) projects.

I want to continue to think more deeply about POP (purpose, outcome, and process) and expanding potential for positive impact in creative ways that honour everyone in the room.

Additional Notes

I’m thinking more deeply about the POP we’ve talked about during our Drawing Change sessions with Sam again …

In this case the info presented seems largely in relation to field work… (+ related grant applications) So I’m aiming for something that works as a more classic GR style, but ALSO maybe a kind of illustrated guide to print out or use for social graphics… For those who are working in conservation... as well as other folks who contribute by submitting photos, recording, etc to platforms like inaturalist… They go through each step of recording important data about the western chorus frog in detail, so that feels like a fantastic point of reference too make widely available… and it seems like it could be especially helpful for groups applying for this grant directly, to get community members on board and confidently informed about expected survey protocols.

Next Two weeks

Meet with Sam 1 on 1

Complete this GR project

Related beadwork project?

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Cervid..

Between two poplars..

Some karmic reflector..

I lack the language to explain..

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Continued lettering practice using a chalk script brush...

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Continued practice in lettering guided by @howjoyful ‘s brush pen lettering basics materials. Incorporated some nature inspired sketches into this practice session to get a better feel for possibilities for spacing and balance in alignment with script style lettering.

Made with @procreate
Using iPad + Apple Pencil + @paperlike
Various brushes used for background elements including some from @jingsketch
For the lettering, I used a customized version of the original procreate brush pen

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Continued lettering practice - this time with fancy flourishes. 💁‍♀️🌸

Flourish guide by @mollysuberthorpe

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I should check back to compare how my script style lettering is looking this time next year…

Utilizing some helpful calligraphy guides by @mollysuberthorpe here 🖊️

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Today I learned how to create an animated letter project in Procreate. Thanks to @mollysuberthorpe for sharing your tutorial!

✨ prioritizing progress over perfection ✨

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Continued Practice: Creative Mornings Field Trip 

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Continued Practice: Creative Mornings Field Trip 

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🦋 Virginian Tiger Moth // Yellow Wooly Bear

🎨 Time Lapse Video

🖼️ Continued practice in #graphicrecording #sketchnoting …

Created while attending a recent @creativemorning Field Trip: “The Beauty in Transition: A Movement Practice” with Jonas Altman

#creativemornings #CMFieldTrips

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A Caribou protected – surrounded by its essential needs to survive and thrive... Food, Shelter, Community, Peace...

Biophysical Attributes of Critical Habitat:

Older Forest Stands (80+ years)

High Elevation Alpine + Sub Alpine

Mainly Pine, Spruce, Fir, Cedar, Aspen

Higher Wind and Closed Canopy

Undisturbed + Undeveloped

This is one of the layered drawings that I created while working on my visual practice… sitting in on the Southern Mountain Caribou Recovery Strategy Amendment technical discussions.

I especially enjoy creating plant illustrations, and taking the time to explore little details is fulfilling… noticing the small difference that make up more specific types of sedges, moss, lichen, berries, shrubs, flowering plants, mushrooms, spruce, pine, willows, and more...

During the Graphic Recording process, I find that taking time to pause and reflect often illuminates details and nuance that we can't always connect with in moments of reactivity or with the pressure of immediate response...

Caribou populations have catastrophically declined in recent decades, with fewer and fewer viable herds remaining. Despite their species at risk status the government continues to green light contracts with extractive industries, and has historically neglected their moral responsibility to seek out free, prior and informed consent from first nations on resource projects that impact them, the land, and the wildlife they rely on.

We are all treaty people…

Should the government be held accountable to implement more environmental protections?

What does shifting away from hyperconsumerism to being better caretakers look like?

How can we build an economy more rooted in mutual aid and reciprocity instead of extraction, and exploitation?

What are the consequences if we don’t?

What are the benefits if we do?

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The chief of Xatśūll First Nation says she’ll be devastated if her Secwépemc community’s children never see a real caribou in their lives.

“We’re going to show them pictures of what caribou look like, which is sad,” she told IndigiNews. “It is scary to think about.”

The government’s string of approvals have her community increasingly questioning the province’s commitments to consult and listen to First Nations on resource projects that impact them, their territories, and the wildlife they rely on, she said.

Caribou populations have catastrophically declined in recent decades, with fewer and fewer viable herds remaining.

Southern mountain caribou — including the Barkerville herd near ‘Wells, B.C.’ with only an estimated 72 members left in 2017, federal scientists say — are an at-risk species, with fewer and fewer herds in the province.

https://indiginews.com/features/cariboo-gold-mine-proceeds-with-provinces-blessing-despite-xatsull-concerns?utm_source=ActiveCampaign&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Latest%20stories%20from%20IndigiNews%20for%20%20TODAY&utm_campaign=RSS%20Newsletter&vgo_ee=te33BIweBlSoI4V2ssv67Wbvme3nGgRNp7zDdcXp1wrUQkskYg%3D%3D%3A%2FV2IZdxhhn5EXU0UAu%2FJsFncABPRRJw6

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Cariboo Gold Mine proceeds with province’s blessing — despite Xatśūll First Nation concerns

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Two other First Nations — Williams Lake and Lhtako Dené — have signalled their support for the $1.1-billion project

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What a joyful surprise to see my artwork featured in my favourite newsletter! As someone who truly cherishes the Creative Mornings community this is an honour 💕

✨The magic of giving yourself permission to prioritize creativity and be present in the moment! ✨

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Continued Practice: Creative Mornings Field Trips

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Continued Practice: Creative Mornings Field Trips

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Continued Practice – Monday, December 16th...

Creative Field Trip: “The Magical Impact of Storytelling—How to Open Minds and Connect Hearts" with Jeff Leisawitz

Reflections

Noticed:

This piece feels more notably bold and artistic than my last practice...

Even an extra 15 minutes of thought, planning and searching for visual references can make a huge difference in the look and feel of the final piece... Natural landscapes and dreamy sort of flows seem to be a style I gravitate towards...

Enjoyed:

I enjoyed spending some additional time thinking about a more abstract visual application of ideas expressed during this field trip... I started with more symbols and containers... and then tried to minimize down to an idea when there was nothing left to take away. I also pulled in a background image that I had been working on previously... the yellow birch trees.

Want to try next time:

In contrast a more icon-focused style...

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Continued Practice – Sunday, December 15th...

- Started with a creative exercise practicing my lettering with The Paisley Corner

Creative Field Trip: “Audacious Creativity: Experience the magic of turning your wildest dreams into your reality" with Jill Allison Bryan

Reflections

Noticed:

As planned I tried to expand my use of lettering with this particular practice. I utilized some more script-like styles and a few containers to create visual hierarchy, while still maintaining a kind of dreamy flow or harmony reflective of the topic of discussion.

I find it's much easier to work quickly and without fear of making a mistake on the smaller canvas, however, there's obviously much less space to work with here. Using my notebook seems like a great way to keep up a more casual daily practice that will allow me to expand my skills and inform any larger-scale project I may take on!

Enjoyed:

I enjoyed bringing a few personal elements into this piece based on the visualizations that I was guided through during the more introspective portions of this coaching session. Connections to beadwork, threads of thought, presence, and the natural world.

Want to try next time:

Some more experimentation with template styles and lettering... The script lettering isn't the most comfortable for me since I don't utilize it often and it takes more time to map and draw out ... but it really can create a more elevated look in some applications. Maybe there are also some more bold lettering types to explore

Now that I have replaced my ~10yo ipad (thanks to my lovely husband James). I can also more freely explore digital illustration, without my procreate app constantly crashing. Thanks to some tutorial videos, I have already learned a few techniques that I didn't even know were possible before this week!

Additional Notes

Just showing up in any capacity has been really difficult the past few weeks... Having covid with fever and chills for over a week really knocked me out ... I still haven't fully recovered, and it has been a struggle to build my energy back up again... but wow it feels really great to step back into practice again... even if I can only carve out 1 hour to remind myself of how important these moments of connection and clarity are. I'm grateful for the opportunity to do that today.

Practice into this week

- Continued practice of GR skills with available podcasts, talks, etc

- Continuing to build my illustration skills and learning the ins and outs of the 'procreate' drawing app

- Thinking about volunteer opportunities, building, a portfolio, and developing a client intake process + material (contracts, checklists, etc)

- Looking into collaborative projects with other Graphic Recorders - sounds like more fun than going it alone!

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Evapotranspiration - a video highlighting this stunning process that I mentioned in reference to one of my preliminary drawings for the Caribou Recovery project. 

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Summer Dean on Instagram: "On today’s episode of trees are magical 🪄

Have you heard of evapotranspiration? It’s the reason why trees are so good at cooling us down 🌳

Evapotranspiration is the process by which trees move water from their roots and the soil into the atmosphere, playing a key role in water resource management. I like to think of it as the trees’ offering to the water cycle 💧✨

Besides balancing the water cycle, evapotranspiration is the reason why trees have such a big cooling effect (they can cool the air around them by up to 9 degrees during the summer months, coming in handy in urban areas).

It’s a reminder that everything around us is alive and contributing to the health of this beautiful planet. ❤️"

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4,719 likes, 36 comments - climatediva on December 8, 2024: "On today’s episode of trees are magical 🪄

Have you heard of evapotranspiration? It’s the reason why trees are so good at cooling us down 🌳

Evapotranspiration is the process by which trees move water from their roots and the soil into the atmosphere, playing a key role in water resource management. I like to think of it as the trees’ offering to the water cycle 💧✨

Besides balancing the water cycle, evapotranspiration is the reason why trees have such a big cooling effect (they can cool the air around them by up to 9 degrees during the summer months, coming in handy in urban areas).

It’s a reminder that everything around us is alive and contributing to the health of this beautiful planet. ❤️". 

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Notes on elements that were part of my vision... but I struggled to incorporate within the time limit... Trying to do too much but important connections here...

In the River (maybe it's the red river?)

Sam's Salmon

An Open Channel

In Flow

Wendy's Fox (Looking)

"Drawing is looking... Looking is loving"

On the rocky part

Processing trauma + talking about hard truths

Letting go of...

- harder self-judgements

- perfectionism

- fear of failure

Ceryne's Whitebark Pine (Growth)

Depth

Detail

Deeper Meaning

Together

Support

Intention

Slow Down

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"Drawing is looking ... Looking is loving"

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Recap and links from Workshop 5, Saturday Nov 30th

- We explored a blind contour drawing exercise

- We got into the topic of pricing and facilitation... visualizing what the looks like, and what to expect... including pricing.

- The Talk: “The Art of Paying Attention” By: Wendy McNaughton Timing: 15 minutes setup, 13  minutes TED TALK , 15 minutes final touches...

Reflections

Noticed:

Another great choice of audio/video chosen by Sam and Cat. This was so relevant to our learning together as a group and great takeaways here for us all!

I didn't quite have time to finish this one as I invisioned it, so I will be completing it after class... and maybe even digitizing it.

Enjoyed:

I especially enjoyed tying in small details in connection to a few classmates into this piece...

The fox was in connection to a photo and story that Wendy shared with us about foxes local to Red River today during our session.

I also included some Whitebark Pine (a species at risk) in reference to Ceryne's story about her work in the North. I wanted to lean more into depth and detail here... and after the talk she sent me photos of the trees upclose that I will now incorporate into the drawing giving it a little extra layer of meaning and connection.

I ran out of time (pause and pace is still a challenge for me here) but I also wanted to include a little tribute to Sam with the salmon that he shared today... A visual of them swimming in the river along with the many indigenous names he included in a recent project that I really appreciated.

and I was thinking about other little connections from stories shared by classmates I could potentially try to include from our time together as a class...

A small nod of appreciation from a sometimes quiet but appreciative classmate!

Want to try next time:

Again, I noticed that others in class are developing some really great skills in relation to utilizing lettering and icons. I'm not feeling as confident in this area, so this may again be an invitation to commit to practice in this area... and round out my approach a little more...

Additional Notes

As someone who often struggles with verbalizing my thoughts finding my voice can often be a real challenge for me. I'm learning that advocating for accommodations is part of that, with the main goal being meaningful connection over compliance...

I'm starting to understand how utilizing more strategic approaches... like using post-its to place hold, or requesting recordings to review... can allow me to better zone in on depth, detail, and deeper meaning.

I'm realizing that through this experience I have also been processing trauma in relation to how I show up in the world... I have found myself in some pretty unkind spaces over the years... and I have become used to not being heard or understood... So despite my great listening skills... speaking about things can be quite anxiety-inducing for me... Leaning into artistic expression has started to help change this dynamic for me... I'm also reminded that by being vulnerable and sharing our experiences we hold space for others to do the same... and even if when we feel like we can't articulate something well, or question what value we have to offer... sharing threads of thought can spark deeper conversations and connections.

Practice into this week

- Signing up for additional CIER practice workshops

- Continued practice of GR skills with available podcasts, talks, etc

- Continuing to build my illustration skills and learning the ins and outs of the 'procreate' drawing app

- Thinking about volunteer opportunities, building, a portfolio, and developing a client intake process + material (contracts, checklists, etc)

- Looking into collaborative projects with other Graphic Recorders - sounds like more fun than going it alone!

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A work in progress...

Added some new plants... Trying out a reflective look... I like the effect it creates...

Please don't ask me how many times my procreate app crashed out trying to create this... because I lost count. after the second individual drawing... 😅

I like the idea of making more of these for other species at risk...

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In the spirit of reciprocity, I offer this artwork created during this process to any beadwork artists in connection, who may be interested in carrying thoughts and ideas in relation into their work/practice.

Non-extractive relations require care and thought... to me this felt like a small offer of... solidarity?

Not exactly transactional in nature... but in alignment...

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Words shared by Chief Seattle... (My little sister's name sake) I was hesitant about sharing a kind of quote... and coming off more cliche... but this sentiment is one that has just always stuck with me... and feels so grounding...

I believe that when someone can view the world as a web of connections, every event and interaction becomes more meaningful. This perspective encourages us to pay attention to synchronicities and patterns that might otherwise go unnoticed, and to lean into intention. Everything is connected, even if not immediately apparent. Even when we can't pinpoint the science or lack language to expand on it.. we can still hold more abstract ideas of interconnection.

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A breakdown of some of the key sensory disturbances mention from the caribou's perspective...

Here I wanted to include an extra section focusing on the idea of the unseen... ideas that are sometimes referred to as a sixth sense... and maybe exploring ideas of a non-human-centric perspective, or senses beyond our understanding..

I guess holding space for a more open interpretation of multisenses...

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A work in progress...

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Threads of thought shared by facilitators

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The good stuff – some key takeaways about where we are meeting in alignment with respect, empathy, and kindness...

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Threads of thought shared by indigenous participants 

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Some thoughts on Community Consultation... 

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Playing with colour... ideas of high visibility...

Relevance... with Nature... and spirit or whatever you consider sacred...

The way we see the world shapes the way that we treat it...

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Not verbatim but, it felt in connection and important to highlight in relation to threads of thought expressed in sessions.

Birch leaves are a food source for caribou and parts of the birch is considered medicine in some communities.

When I was young I used to associate birch trees as watchful and protective... maybe in part because of the bark's appearance... I spent most of my early days playing outside under a birch tree and it's one of the first plants that I grew to deeply love in my immediate environment. My sister and I used to harvest small pieces of loose bark and use it as paper for drawing.

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After some time to pause and reflect... I connected some more dots... and highlighted some additional areas of nuance...

If I had additional time and resources... I would love to lean deeper into detailed stories from local nations/communities... For example Potlatch, which is sometimes described as a type of "economy" but which encompasses so much more... is something that I have heard stories about on the West Coast, but mostly in relation to it being outlawed.

Exploring and celebrating praxis of mutual aid or economy outside of capitalism and "wétiko economics"

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🪡…

In what ways do you observe the quiet natural rhythms of your own life?

Which concept of time resonates most with you - the constructed calendar, or your natural environment and cycles?

What priorities or agendas (self-imposed or external pressure) do you think may influence your concepts of time, especially in relation to productivity, rest, connection, or isolation?

Consider how the moon and sun are seen from many perspectives, latitudes, longitudes, environments and hemispheres. How does this concept compare and contrast to the idea of adherence to a “global calendar”?

Has anyone ever taught you about the rhythms of the moon – the unique phases of each cycle? Any spiritual attributes, links to the land, or our own biology?

Has your cultural community shared any stories related to the moon? If so where did you first hear that story? What themes, lessons, or threads of thought can you identify in these stories?

How could committing to honouring the moon cycles, and better observing the lunar phases be considered an act of rematriation or decolonization?

…🧵

Lunar Phases

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With this visual, I wanted to convey the idea of honouring the sacred while meeting in alignment with community. I wanted to center the indigenous experience and connection to the land and spirit.

The use of indigenous language, and centering Peace River here is intentional.

"Facilitating dynamic and nuanced collaboration from nearby Peace River // unchaga //sâkitawâhk to Peace Tower // adàwe"

This choice isn't about control or dominance, it's about balance, and honoring everyone in the room.

Throughout the document, I also aim to create associations with the use of specific colours.

I also wanted to highlight the visual juxtaposition between a natural landscape and gov/state building, with the continuity between the moon and the clock face.

Some of my beadwork explores similar threads of thought...

*Side note: My Dad and Grandmother were both born on Peace River, so the connection to this area and especially this watershed is also sacred to me.

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This past week: Connecting some dots and adjusting some of the artwork.

More visuals and thoughts on the process and experience to follow...

>>>>>Final work can be found here...

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Alberta’s majestic woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) are perfectly adapted to intact older foothills and boreal forests, but are headed for extinction without better habitat protection.

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Forestry, energy, settlement, and other human impacts have fragmented or removed intact older forests and peat wetlands in Alberta caribou ranges, leading to some of the most highly disturbed ranges in Canada. This disturbance stimulates moose, deer, and wolves, resulting in predation rates higher than caribou can tolerate. The conservation community, including provincial biologists, have recognized the need to protect caribou since the 1940s. Alberta has spent over 40 years researching and monitoring caribou declines, and has held multiple collaborative planning processes. Alberta has yet to produce caribou range plans and actions that adequately protect caribou habitat.

Status

Historically, woodland caribou populations across Canada's boreal forest were connected, as were mountain woodland caribou populations ranging between Alberta and British Columbia. Today, for management purposes, they are divided into populations associated with different remaining home ranges. In Alberta, there are 5 mountain and 12 boreal woodland caribou ranges - out of 17 ranges, 15 are found on provincial lands, and 2 ranges exist in the federally-managed National Parks of Jasper and Banff. Although range boundaries are often depicted as ending at provincial borders, retaining connectivity between ranges in Alberta, B.C., Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories is important for caribou conservation.

Provincial Designation
Under Alberta's Wildlife Act, the woodland caribou is designated as 'Threatened'. They were first listed under this law in 1985, due to their low numbers and the decline in their distribution resulting from direct habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation.

In September of 2010, the Endangered Species Conservation Committee (ESCC) recommended that the status of the woodland caribou be changed to 'endangered' because of persistently-shrinking populations due to a "decline in habitat quality with unsustainably high rates of mortality through predation" - essentially the same, persistent concern presented in 1985.

The research done by Hervieux et al. (2013) states that the future of caribou in Alberta is very uncertain with population trends showing significant declines - an approximate decline of 50% every 8 years.

Based on recent monitoring data of the 15 caribou populations on provincial public lands:

4 populations are stable, with two (Yates and Richardson) having the lowest levels of human disturbance of Alberta ranges, and two located in highly disturbed ranges (Little Smoky and A La Peche winter range) with an intensive annual wolf cull since 2005

9 populations are declining, including one that may be near extirpation (Narraway)

2 populations are likely declining, and may be near extirpation (Nipisi and Slave Lake)

( Draft Provincial Woodland Caribou Range Plan, Government of Alberta, 2017)

Federal Designation
Since 2003, Canada's Species at Risk Act has listed both 'southern mountain' caribou - the populations of mountain caribou found in Alberta - and boreal woodland caribou as 'threatened' species. In 2014, the federal scientific advisory group, Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC), recommended that the Canadian boreal population as a whole could maintain its 'threatened' status, while the status of the southern mountain woodland caribou should be changed to 'endangered'. The federal government has not updated the SARA listing of southern mountain caribou to reflect this scientific assessment.

Federal Imminent Threat Assessment for Southern Mountain Caribou
In May 2018, the federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change released a statement that "Woodland Caribou, Southern Mountain population is facing imminent threats to its recovery." This threat assessment includes seven B.C. herds and the Alberta herds of Narraway, Jasper-Banff, and Redrock / Prairie Creek - both Narraway and Jasper-Banff populations have less than 50 individuals, and the Redrock / Prairie Creek has between 100 and 300 individuals.

In June 2018 the full report was released, detailing the main ongoing factors contributing to the imminent threat to the recovery of southern mountain woodland caribou, from most to least significant, including:

Pervasive industrial activity - forest clear-cutting, oil and gas developments, mining and seismic exploration, hydro or wind energy-generating facilities - causing destruction, fragmentation, and general alteration of habitat;

Predation rate increasing intolerably, resulting from habitat alterations affecting predator (ie. wolf, grizzly and black bear) and alternate prey (ie. moose, elk, deer) numbers and movement, and;

Harassment and encroachment by industry and recreationalists into caribou habitat resulting in displacement.

National Parks
The basic 'habitat loss' problem also applies to caribou in Rocky Mountain national parks. Unlike the more northerly boreal woodland caribou of Alberta, the caribou found in Jasper and (previously) Banff are mountain caribou that need to migrate safely from their summer ranges in the mountains to their winter ranges in the foothills.

During the 20th century, their foothills winter grounds outside the parks were blocked and fragmented by roads, mines, cut-blocks and other human impacts. Inside the parks, artificially high elk populations were encouraged when predators were removed, and roads and trails were built into some key caribou areas. This greatly increased caribou predation by wolves, beyond levels they could tolerate. Since the late 1970s we have known that these caribou travel between Alberta and B.C., yet there has been little inter-provincial cooperation. Parks Canada's recent actions to support caribou on greatly reduced and fragmented ranges seem to be 'too little, too late' and now these important, genetically distinctive mountain caribou are near extirpation.

In Jasper National Park: Brazeau is "declining and functionally extirpated", Maligne is "declining and possibly extirpated" and Tonquin is "declining and at extirpation threshold" (Parks Canada official, reported in Jasper Fitzhugh, April 9, 2019).

In Banff National Park: Extirpated. The population was allowed to decrease until the few remaining caribou were killed in a March 2009 avalanche.

Management

The ultimate goal of both the Alberta and Canadian governments is to achieve self-sustaining caribou populations in all ranges throughout their current distribution, to the extent possible. According to the federal recovery strategies for boreal and southern mountain woodland caribou, recovery of all these caribou local populations is "technically and biologically feasible."

Woodland caribou management in Alberta is directed provincially by the Wildlife Act, and more specifically by a series of management plans. Federally, recovery strategies and other documents developed under the Species at Risk Act (SARA) govern woodland caribou management in Canada.

Alberta populations of woodland caribou have been in decline since the 1920's. Provincial biologists and the conservation community have urged adequate protection since that time. Despite over 40 years of researching and monitoring these caribou declines, and holding multiple collaborative planning processes, Alberta has yet to produce caribou range plans and actions that adequately protect caribou habitat.

Federal Caribou Recovery Strategies
Under the federal Species at Risk Act ( SARA), recovery strategies must be prepared for 'threatened' species within four years after listing. Recovery strategies are very important because they identify 'critical habitat', habitat goals, threats to the survival of the species and threats to its habitat. Under SARA, if the federal Environment Minister is of the opinion that identified critical habitat is not being protected on either federal or provincial lands, then the Environment Minister must, after consultation, recommend to Cabinet that the federal government issue an order to protect the critical habitat from destruction.

Both boreal and southern mountain woodland caribou species were listed as 'threatened' in 2003. In 2012 Environment Canada finalized the national boreal woodland caribou recovery strategy, five years past mandatory SARA deadlines. In 2014 the national southern mountain woodland caribou recovery strategy was released, seven years past mandatory SARA deadlines.

Critical habitat for boreal caribou has been identified as two parts:

The area within each range which contributes to the whole range being at least 65% 'undisturbed' at all times. This is a minimum level of 'undisturbed' habitat because it is expected to give caribou only a 60% chance of being self-sustaining, and;

Habitat in each range that has the 'biophysical' qualities caribou need to carry out life processes for their survival and recovery. This varies by location. For many of Alberta's boreal caribou populations, an example of biophysical habitat is: conifer forests older than 50 years.

Critical habitat for southern mountain caribou is identified in four parts:

All high-elevation range;

The area within each low-elevation winter range which contributes to that whole winter range being at least 65% 'undisturbed' at all times - in Alberta these are typically foothills forests;

Migratory corridors, and;

Lands adjacent to the range, which should be managed to keep wolf populations low.

The 2012 recovery strategy for boreal woodland caribou gave provinces and territories another five years to develop range management plans. These range plans need to outline how they would manage ranges to achieve and maintain, in the next 50-100 years, at least minimum caribou critical habitat requirements.

Alberta Habitat Management since the Federal Recovery Strategies
Alberta continues to rely mostly on land-use guidelines at an individual industrial project level to try to lessen caribou habitat impacts, instead of managing cumulative landscape impacts to caribou habitat. This approach has been ineffective in meeting Alberta's stated goals to achieve self-sustaining woodland caribou herds and maintain the distribution of caribou in Alberta.

In response to the federal recovery strategies, Alberta has been developing range plans since 2013. Not a single one has been completed. Meanwhile, disturbance from industrial and other human impacts has continued to expand in most caribou ranges. Some positive habitat-related policy decisions made by the provincial government since 2012 include:

In 2013, the issuance of new energy and mineral tenures was postponed in the Little Smoky and A La Peche caribou ranges until range plans are put in place. In 2015, this deferral was extended to all Alberta caribou ranges;

Logging volumes allowed in some core areas of west central Alberta caribou ranges were reduced - unfortunately, unsustainable clearcut levels were re-allocated to areas adjacent to the deferral zones, which tends to unfavorably stimulate deer, moose and predator populations there, and;

In 2018 and 2019, wildland provincial parks were established in northern Alberta that overlap with significant areas of two caribou ranges, and with parts of two other ranges.

Federal progress reports since 2018 show that Alberta has not effectively protected critical habitat for woodland caribou on provincial lands. This means that SARA could be used to apply a habitat protection order, providing mandatory protection to woodland caribou critical habitat.

Alberta Habitat Management before the Federal Recovery Strategies
Committees of key industrial representatives and other stakeholders have been involved in discussing caribou and developing provincial guidelines since 1991.

The Alberta Woodland Caribou Recovery Plan 2004/05 - 2013/14 stated two recovery goals: to achieve self-sustaining woodland caribou herds and maintain the distribution of caribou in Alberta; and to ensure long-term caribou habitat requirements are met. The 2011 Woodland Caribou Policy for Alberta committed the Alberta government to achieving naturally sustaining woodland caribou populations.

In practice, cumulative industrial land-use decisions have led to ongoing fragmentation and loss of caribou habitat, and to population declines.

Earlier management plans included the following recommendations:

2005 Alberta Woodland Caribou Recovery Plan 2004/05 - 2013/14: For areas occupied by caribou herds in immediate risk of extirpation - "A moratorium on further mineral and timber resource allocation [ie. sales] should be put in place until a range plan is completed, evaluated, and implemented. It is anticipated that this process will take a maximum of one year from the date of range team formation." This key consensus recommendation from an extensive multi-sector planning process was not adopted by the Alberta government.

1991 Procedural Guide for Oil and Gas Activity in Caribou Range: Coordinate resource activities such that forestry and hydrocarbon development are not producing unnecessary access - "Forestry, Lands and Wildlife [i.e. the government] will ensure all resource extraction activity is coordinated to minimize negative impacts on the caribou habitat" (Alberta Energy, 1991: 4).

1986 Woodland Caribou Provincial Restoration Plan: Restrict human access to caribou habitat via road closures and blocking seismic lines - "In important caribou habitat, access restrictions may be essential" (Fish and Wildlife, 1986: 39).

1978 Caribou Management Outline for Alberta: Protect Habitat - "Establish wildlife sanctuaries, preserves, reservations, and management areas to ensure caribou survival" (Fish and Wildlife, 1986).

Woodland Caribou Management Plans and Recovery Strategies in Alberta
Alberta Management of Wolves, Deer and Moose in Caribou Ranges
Woodland caribou have co-existed with natural predators including wolves and bears for millennia. Caribou live in intact old growth forests and peat wetland areas, which other prey species such as deer and moose avoid. 'Business as usual' industrial development stimulates deer, moose and wolf populations in caribou ranges, and creates easy access to caribou, robbing caribou of their natural ability to avoid overlap with predators.

In winter 2005/06, an intensive annual wolf cull sponsored by the provincial government began in two west central Alberta ranges, Little Smoky and A La Peche. These ranges have high levels of energy and forestry industry disturbance. In subsequent years very high numbers of moose hunting permits were issued to control the resulting high numbers of moose. The wolf culls rely mostly on aerial shooting, although strychnine poisoning was used as part of the wolf culls in some years. In 2014, a peer-reviewed article by caribou scientists in government and academia concluded that the wolf cull appeared to stabilize, but not recover, these caribou populations. They suggested long-term habitat conservation, restoration and management was needed.

In 2014/15 the wolf cull was extended to the Redrock-Prairie Creek population and in 2016/17 to the Cold Lake population.

AWA does not support the use of poisons to manage wildlife populations. Furthermore, AWA believes the dire measure of predator culls can only be justified as a temporary, last resort measure combined with strong caribou habitat protection and habitat restoration.

Species Description

Caribou are members of the deer family ( Cervidae). Four subspecies of caribou are found in Canada - Woodland, Barren-ground, Peary, and Grant's - each with distinct behaviour, form, and distribution.

In Alberta, there are only Woodland Caribou ( Rangifer tarandus caribou). But two forms, or ecotypes, exist - the boreal woodland caribou and the mountain woodland caribou. Although they are the same species, each form has unique behavioural patterns when using the landscape.

Boreal woodland caribou in west-central, central, and northern Alberta move around their dynamic boreal forest ranges depending on fire and other disturbance. They primarily choose wetlands and older conifer or mixed conifer forests. Bistcho, Yates and Caribou Mountains populations in far northwest Alberta choose forests at least 80 years old, other boreal populations choose forests at least 60 years old.

Mountain woodland caribou in west-central Alberta are distinguished by their seasonal migratory behaviour - in winter, they have been known to migrate up to 100 km to foothills conifer forests 80 years or older, and return in summer to higher elevation sub-alpine forests.

Woodland caribou are typically 1.0 to 1.2 m tall at the shoulder and weigh between 110 and 210 kg when fully mature. They have a velvet-like coat that is dark brown with creamy-white patches around the neck and shoulders, rump and underbelly. Woodland caribou even have short white 'socks' above their cloven hooves - two large 'toes' at the front with two smaller 'toes' (or dew-claws) at the back. These special hooves spread wide when walking, allowing the caribou to travel easily on soft ground like snow and peaty-bogs. In the winter, caribou also use their hooves to dig through the snow to find lichens and other plants to eat. In fact, lichen is such an important food source for a woodland caribou that it makes up 70% of their diet. A mosaic of these lichens can be found in old-growth conifer-dominant forests - that is, mature stands of mainly spruce and pine 80 to 150 years old.

Unlike other members of the deer family, both male and female caribou can grow antlers. The presence of the female's antlers can vary, from two, to one, to none. Increased competition for winter food resources has been suggested as the determining factor for development of female antlers in a population. Both male and female antlers are only kept seasonally - the male caribou looses his antlers after (or potentially during) the fall rut that occurs from late September to the end of October, and the female loses hers later in spring after giving birth to a calf. However, the male's antlers are typically larger with one flattened paddle-like tine at the front.

Woodland caribou are slow to mature and have relatively low reproductive rates - females are able to breed after 2.5 years and only have one calf per year. If conditions are ideal, caribou can live 10 to 15 years on average, meaning that each female can be expected to have 7 to 12 calves in their lifetime.

Woodland caribou are also very difficult to count - partly due to their tendency to spread sparsely across the landscape, as well as their preference of living in forested areas. For that reason population trends from a collared subset of a population, rather than absolute numbers, are annually monitored. Based on limited observations from aerial surveys, the Alberta government provided a rough estimate of at least 2000 caribou in Alberta ( Draft Provincial Woodland Caribou Range Plan, 2017).

Distribution

Woodland Caribou are a species found only in North America with historical ranges from the western Rocky Mountains in British Columbia to the eastern seaboard in Newfoundland, and from the northern tips of Washington, Idaho, and Montana in the United States upward into Alaska and the northern territories of Canada. However, the current distribution of woodland caribou has shrunk dramatically over the past century, compared to their historical extent.

The two different ecotypes of woodland caribou in Alberta are boreal and mountain, and vary in distribution based on their habitat needs. The boreal variety of woodland caribou exist across Canada in the North West Territories, B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and in Newfoundland and Labrador (see green areas in map below). The mountain variety exist only in the western provinces and territories, with the Alberta sub-populations being part of the southern mountain woodland caribou population (see area with orange lines and black plus signs (+) in map below).

Both mountain and boreal woodland caribou display solitary behaviour for most of their lives, however they tend to spend time in small groups when calving, rutting, or over-wintering.

Alberta mountain caribou historically migrated between summer and winter ranges. In the summer, they live in alpine areas. In the winter, they typically descended into valleys and foothills to shelter in old-growth conifer forests. In recent decades, some or all of the populations have abandoned their winter ranges. This shift may be because of high human-caused disturbance in the foothills, and the associated high caribou mortality within those winter ranges and during migration.

Boreal woodland caribou move extensively throughout the year but their winter and summer ranges overlap. They choose areas of forested peat bogs and fens in combination with older coniferous forests.

Because woodland caribou require abundant access to lichens, they prefer to live in old-growth coniferous forests and peat wetland complexes. But these areas have been increasingly impacted by industry - the key contributor to exclusion of caribou from quality habitat. Caribou tend to avoid landscape disturbances - like un-reclaimed seismic lines and logged areas - for up to several kilometers, yet they require large areas of suitable continuous habitat where individuals are able to spread out and reach their preferred population density of approximately two to three caribou per 100 km 2. Landscape disturbances also stimulate other prey species such as white-tailed deer and moose, and in turn support higher wolf populations that can more easily travel to where caribou are found. With human-caused disturbances increasingly fracturing landscapes, this leaves little room for caribou to thrive.

Cultural Significance

Caribou have been an integral part of Indigenous culture in Canada for thousands of years, as a game animal, providing sustenance and resources for clothing and tools, and as a spiritual symbol, surrounded by many important cultural teachings and beliefs.

Many of the traditional and treaty territories of Alberta Indigenous peoples overlap with caribou ranges. In Alberta, there are 45 distinct First Nation groups living on 140 reserves covered by Treaty 6, Treaty 7, and Treaty 8. Both First Nations and Metis have constitutionally protected land and resource rights. Indigenous communities are rights holders and have important knowledge when considering matters regarding caribou conservation.

Most Alberta Indigenous communities have stopped hunting caribou as a way to help reduce impacts on the populations.

​

2019

December 2019 - On December 16 th, one day before the scheduled court date, an EcoJustice news release announces that the legal case of its clients AWA, Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation, Mikisew Cree First Nation, and David Suzuki Foundation, concerning protection for boreal caribou habitat in northeastern Alberta, is adjourned pending further discussions with the federal government.

November 2019 - Initial meetings are held for the multi-stakeholder Bistcho Lake, Cold Lake, and Upper Smoky caribou sub-regional task forces. The Alberta government states that the task forces will provide recommendations for sub-regional plans and for caribou ranges in the sub-regions that "will support both a working landscape and caribou recovery." AWA is represented on each task force. Target dates for the task forces to complete their recommendations are: Cold Lake area by March 2020; Bistcho Lake area by April 2020; and Upper Smoky by September 2020.

August 2019 - Governments of Canada and Alberta release a draft Agreement for the Conservation and Recovery of the Woodland Caribou, which is a conservation agreement under section 11 of the federal Species at Risk Act. It outlines a proposed 5-year strategy to assist both mountain and boreal woodland caribou populations to become self-sustaining over the long-term. Some highlights in the proposed agreement include: range plans being established under provincial law, making them enforceable; acknowledgment of the importance of Indigenous collaboration; the phase-out of mountain pine beetle 'surge clearcuts' and the development of forest management plans that set harvest levels to support caribou recovery; developing energy access plans that maintain and restore habitat; and applying conditions in forestry and energy approvals to reduce cumulative effects. However, it lacks any specific timelines to achieve minimum habitat requirements, lacks funding commitments, and does not mention any interim habitat protection measures.

Cold Lake First Nations (CLFN) and the Government of Canada release a separate draft Agreement for the Conservation of the Woodland Caribou, Boreal Population that reside on CLFN traditional territory, which is also conservation agreement under section 11 of the federal Species at Risk Act. This Agreement is intended to support the Cold Lake caribou population to recover to self-sustaining levels - enough to support traditional Indigenous harvesting rights. AWA praises this agreement as a step to enhance Cold Lake First Nations' capacity and leadership to recover caribou, and cautions that progress will ultimately depend on the Alberta government's willingness to advance the habitat and stewardship goals.

The Alberta government also announces the creation of three new sub-regional caribou task forces that will focus on specific sub-regional planning areas - Cold Lake, Bistcho Lake, and Upper Smoky. These task forces promise to include 12 to 16 stakeholder representatives from indigenous communities, forestry, energy, recreational users, local municipalities, trappers, and environmental groups, including AWA. The goal of these task forces is to "advise government on land-use planning at a local scale, including caribou recovery actions. Sub-regional plans will be built on a foundation of science and socio-economic assessments." The target deadline for the Cold Lake sub-regional draft plan is set for the end of 2019, Bistcho Lake for spring 2020, and Upper Smoky for fall 2020.

- Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) proposes an amended Recovery Strategy for boreal woodland caribou. This amendment identifies critical habitat for Saskatchewan's Boreal Shield caribou (SK1). Because of high fire disturbance (55%) and low industrial disturbance (3%), SK1 range's undisturbed critical habitat threshold is proposed at a minimum of 40% , giving the SK1 population a 71% chance of achieving a self-sustaining status. Total human-caused range disturbance is recommended to be maintained at or below 5% . For other ranges, the 65% minimum critical habitat threshold still applies, and equates to a 60% chance of becoming self-sustaining (or a 40% chance of being permanently removed from the landscape).

ECCC also releases its third 6-month Progress Report on Steps Taken to Protect Critical Habitat for boreal woodland caribou. Since the last progress report in December 2018, the Government of Canada has finalized three caribou conservation agreements - Northwest Territories, Yukon, and Saskatchewan - and completed negotiations on two draft agreements - British Columbia, and Newfoundland and Labrador - yet Alberta's is still absent.

David Suzuki Foundation (DSF) releases Room for Both: Realizing a Future with Sustainable Economies and Healthy Caribou Populations. The report suggests how industry and conservationists can approach caribou range planning "with the intent of finding solutions and properly acknowledging trade-offs" to optimize resource-based development and restoration that meets minimum habitat requirements for self-sustaining woodland caribou. The report includes three Canadian case studies, including the October 2018 'Restoration Economy' study of northwest Alberta commissioned by AWA, DSF and the Harmony Foundation.

March 2019 - The Kitaskino Nuwenëné Wildland Provincial Park is established by the Alberta government, arising from a collaboration with Mikisew Cree First Nation, Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation, the federal and provincial governments, and industry partners. This new park protects both the Ronald Lake wood bison population and partial tracts of the Red Earth and Richardson woodland caribou ranges.

Additionally, two draft conservation agreements under section 11 of the federal Species at Risk Act are released for Southern Mountain Caribou in British Columbia. The Narraway, Redrock-Prairie Creek, Jasper, and A La Peche southern mountain caribou in west-central Alberta are connected to B.C ranges affected by these agreements. AWA believes that the bilateral Canada-BC agreement has very fragile aspirations that can be easily postponed. By contrast, the four-way Partnership Agreement between Canada, B.C., Saulteau First Nations and West Moberly First Nations appears to be much more powerful for reducing cumulative land-use impacts to caribou ranges. It uses land-use zoning and includes upfront actions such as deferral of new tenure to start to deliver on its stated goals.

January 2019 - Ecojustice lawyers, acting on behalf of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation, Mikisew Cree First Nation, AWA and David Suzuki Foundation, file a lawsuit against the federal environment minister for her failure to protect the critical habitat of five boreal caribou herds in northeastern Alberta: Red Earth, Richardson, West Side Athabasca River, East Side Athabasca River, and Cold Lake herds.

2018

December 2018 - The Government of Canada proposes a protection order "to support the survival and recovery of boreal caribou through the legal protection of its critical habitat" on specified lands under federal jurisdiction. AWA comments that this protection is symbolic, affecting very little caribou range area. The protection order is finalized in June 2019.

Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) releases its second Progress Report on Steps Taken to Protect Critical Habitat for boreal woodland caribou. The report identifies that there are still "gaps in protection" in each province and territory with boreal caribou, and more needs to be done to "reverse the loss of critical habitat and declines in boreal caribou populations." Notable updates from the Alberta government include: a pledge to stop pine beetle-related surge clearcuts in the Little Smoky caribou range by April 30, 2021, an action that AWA has requested for years; and information that, under the current program of deferring new energy tenure auctions in caribou ranges until range plans are in place, 192,915 ha of energy leases in eight boreal caribou ranges have expired since July 2017.

November 2018 - Alberta MP Linda Duncan addresses the federal cabinet regarding the dire situation of Alberta woodland caribou herds, and the urgent need for the environment minister to issue a safety net order.

- The Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada determines there is an imminent threat to the recovery of southern mountain woodland caribou, including the Narraway, Redrock-Prairie Creek and Jasper populations of west-central Alberta.

The Alberta government establishes 4 wildland provincial parks - Kazan, Richardson, Dillon River, Birch River, and expands Birch Mountains wildland provincial park. AWA welcomes this decision, in part as it protects significant areas of the Richardson and Red Earth caribou ranges, and provides some benefit to the Cold Lake and East Side of Athabasca River populations. Good habitat restoration and access/infrastructure disturbance limits still will be needed to enable caribou to recover in their home ranges within and outside of these new protected areas.

April 2018 - The Canadian government issues its first Progress Report on Unprotected Critical Habitat for boreal woodland caribou. Under the Species at Risk Act ( SARA) section 63, these reports are due every 180 days after a recovery strategy or action plan that identifying the critical habitat is published; the Recovery Strategy for the Woodland Caribou, Boreal Population, in Canada was published in 2012. This report finds that caribou critical habitat is not protected in Alberta: "For Alberta, ECCC assessed the following provincial laws: the Wildlife Act; the Wilderness Areas, Ecological Reserves, Natural Areas and Heritage Rangelands Act; the Provincial Parks Act; the Alberta Land Stewardship Act; the Forests Act; the Public Lands Act; and the Mines and Minerals Act. With respect to the protection of critical habitat, while activities likely to destroy boreal caribou critical habitat are prohibited and regulated under various provincial laws, the discretion to authorize these activities (e.g., the issuance of permits, dispositions, licenses, agreements or approvals) is not subject to constraints consistent with those under SARA (e.g., section 73)."

- In early March, the Alberta government holds 1-day multi-sector workshops to discuss potential range plan scenarios for 6 caribou ranges in west-central, northwest and northeast Alberta. Then on March 19 th, the Minister of Alberta Environment and Parks announces the suspension of plans for designated areas to be set aside for caribou habitat protection in order to better understand the socio-economic costs associated with implementing Alberta's draft Provincial Woodland Caribou Range Plan.

February 2018 - The 2018 Action Plan for the Woodland Caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou), Boreal Population, in Canada: Federal Actions is published by the Government of Canada. This Action Plan acknowledges that it is "partial" and currently does not meet all requirements under the Species at Risk Act ( SARA). It commits to work towards its completion by supporting provinces, territories and indigenous communities with finalizing caribou range plans, then integrating them into the larger framework to create a "specific, measureable, achievable, and time-bound" conservation strategy.

To support public open houses during the consultation period for the draft provincial caribou range plan, Alberta releases an Engagement and Planning document outlining the current states of the 15 caribou ranges - where the highest total anthropogenic disturbance is 99% (ranges: Little Smoky, Narraway, Slave Lake) and the lowest is 36% (range: Richardson).

2017

2017 - Alberta releases a draft Provincial Woodland Caribou Range Plan for public comment. It describes current habitat disturbance and population trends by range, and lists potentially useful industry access and habitat restoration strategies. However, it does not include timelines, maps or commitments of how or when minimum caribou habitat requirements will ever be reached.

- Ecojustice, on behalf of AWA, Cold Lake First Nations and David Suzuki Foundation, petitions the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada to issue a safety net order to protect critical habitat of northeast Alberta caribou populations.

- The Alberta government misses a 5-year deadline to produce caribou range plans that prescribe how ranges will be managed to achieve at least 65% undisturbed habitat. The federal government issues a 5-year progress report on implementation of the 2012 Recovery Strategy for the Woodland Caribou, Boreal Population, in Canada. It finds that human-caused disturbance in ten Alberta boreal ranges actually has increased since the Recovery Strategy was released; disturbance dropped slightly in the two most remote northwest ranges, Bistcho and Yates.

AWA and conservation partners launch the website Caribou4ever.ca, an information resource for all who want to help woodland caribou survive and recover to naturally self-sustaining levels.

AWA, along with the David Suzuki Foundation and Ontario Nature, spotlights the lack of caribou habitat protection by publishing online industrial "hot spot" maps for the Chinchaga (Alberta), Pipmuacan (Quebec) and Brightsand (Ontario) caribou ranges. The interactive 'slider' satellite image maps highlight new habitat loss in the five years since the federal boreal caribou Recovery Strategy's release. During the 'Quarters for Caribou' postcards campaign, hundreds of real and virtual postcards signed by concerned Albertans are sent to the Premier's office.

2016

September 2016 - On September 27 th, Alberta Energy announced that no new energy or mining sales will occur in caribou ranges until "stringent operating practices" have been defined. AWA is concerned about what "stringent operating practices" will mean on the ground, and suggest that clear surface disturbance limits need to be set that will enhance, not detract from, caribou recovery efforts.

June 2016 - The Alberta government releases a draft range plan for public comment for the west central Little Smoky-A La Peche caribou. The draft plan proposes habitat restoration, energy project guidelines, and some limited short-term forestry reductions but does not indicate how long-term caribou habitat requirements will be achieved in those two ranges. The Government also commits to establish three Wildland Provincial Parks in northwest Alberta caribou ranges that will not adversely affect existing energy leases, in areas without existing forestry. These protected areas are proposed in the range plan mediator's May 2016 final report.

- Between 2013/14 and 2015/16, the Alberta First Nations Technical Services Advisory Group conducts boreal caribou monitoring with members from the Dene Tha' First Nation, Trout Lake First Nation, Loon River First Nation, and Whitefish Lake (Atikameg) First Nation. This initiative contributes to Alberta boreal caribou population data, exchanges Indigenous knowledge, and supports Indigenous peoples to participate in caribou monitoring as well as other careers in Science and Technology.

2015

September to December 2015 - The Alberta government commits to achieving self-sustaining caribou populations and defers sales of new energy leases in all Alberta caribou ranges until range plans are finalized. In December, the provincial government appoints a Little Smoky-A La Peche mediator to meet with indigenous communities and with multi-sector stakeholders including AWA, in order to advance range plans for these caribou populations.

- AWA finds that no new energy rights within any Alberta caribou ranges are scheduled for future sales. Two in-range licences covering 24 km 2, which had been posted for the August 19 rights auction, have since been withdrawn by Alberta Energy. AWA recognizes the importance of these lease sale withdrawals and urges the Alberta government to defer all new energy leasing within caribou ranges, until strong habitat-recovery range plans are in place to ensure survival of Alberta's endangered caribou.

July 2015 - The Little Smoky-A La Peche Ministerial Task Force report is completed. It reflects early 2015 government-industry discussions, scenarios and analysis that excluded indigenous communities and environmental groups.

April 2015 - In a news release AWA reveals that on April 29 th, in the midst of an election, the Alberta government plans another major auction of new oil and gas leases on 35,600 hectares (356 km 2) of endangered mountain and boreal woodland caribou habitat, without rules to reduce surface disturbance below current excessive levels. Since September 2014 the Prentice government has auctioned over 1600 km 2 of Alberta caribou ranges for oil and gas leases.

- On March 5 th, an AWA news release warns of Alberta government plans to auction new oil and gas leases on 21,000 hectares (212 km 2) of endangered Redrock-Prairie Creek mountain woodland caribou habitat, in the Kakwa region of west central Alberta, without rules to reduce surface disturbance below current excessive levels. The Redrock-Prairie Creek population is estimated to have declined from 212 animals in 2009 to 127 in 2012, a 40% decline. This population was rated as 'Stable' in 2004 when Alberta's ineffective 10-year caribou recovery plan was put in place.

On March 6, the Alberta government postpones the auction within the endangered Redrock Prairie Creek mountain woodland caribou range. AWA welcomes this decision and calls on the Alberta government to defer further energy lease sales in endangered caribou ranges until effective rules are in place to protect and recover their habitat.

Following this decision, the Alberta government posts new energy leases for sale in the same endangered mountain woodland caribou range in west central Alberta where it cancelled lease sales on March 6. AWA asks the Alberta government for consistent decisions to recover Redrock-Prairie Creek and Narraway mountain woodland caribou, and requests adoption of the principles of the Alberta Conservation Association's 2012 proposal for Redrock-Prairie Creek caribou range management.

2014

December 2014 - The Alberta government-led Little Smoky-A La Peche Multi-Stakeholder Advisory Group (MSAG) ends without completing a report or any recommendations.

- Alberta's mountain caribou are assessed as 'endangered' - in immediate danger of extinction - by Canada's Species at Risk Act scientist advisors - Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). Yet the Alberta government plans to sell off a further 1,765 hectares of energy leases in these endangered caribou ranges from May 14 th to June 25 th, in apparent disregard of the habitat crisis facing its caribou. AWA calls on the Alberta government to stop undermining caribou survival chances and to halt new leasing and surface disturbance within caribou ranges.

2013

August 2013 - Alberta's Little Smoky-A La Peche Multi-Stakeholder Advisory Group (MSAG) starts. MSAG's final report is targeted for mid-2014.

- The Alberta government extends its deferral of the sale of new mineral rights in Little Smoky to include some forestry activities in the same area. The newly approved forest management plan for Alberta Newsprint Company (ANC) includes a one-year deferral across the Little Smoky herd range. The logging deferral will exclude logging from 35% of the forest management agreement area held by ANC Timber, Ltd., better known as Alberta Newsprint Company (ANC). However, intensive logging so far remains within ANC's newly government-approved 10-year harvest plan in the adjacent A La Peche caribou herd's critical habitat.

- The Alberta government announces that, for the first time, it is deferring the sale of new mineral rights across the entire ranges of two of its fifteen caribou herds - the Little Smoky and A La Peche ranges - until Cabinet first adopts range plans describing how critical habitat will be protected to recover those two populations. AWA welcomes this decision.

- The Alberta government sells new petroleum and natural gas lease sales in five threatened caribou range areas, despite already unacceptably high industrial disturbance of caribou habitat in those areas. AWA calls on the Alberta government to cease new surface leasing and new disturbance permits in Alberta caribou ranges and to make good on its promises to maintain and restore caribou habitat.

February 2013 - AWA writes an open letter to Alberta Energy Minister Ken Hughes, urging that planned auctions of new energy dispositions in the Little Smoky caribou population range in February, March and April 2013 not proceed. AWA notes that despite horizontal drilling technology that could consolidate new exploration and production on a reduced footprint, the Alberta government continues to issue leases and approve new surface disturbance including in the 5% of the Little Smoky caribou range that was formerly intact. This violates the provincial government's 2011 Woodland Caribou Policy for Alberta that states the immediate priority is maintenance of habitat, followed by habitat restoration.

- AWA denounces extensive new disturbance in the Little Smoky caribou range as violating the 2011 Woodland Caribou Policy for Alberta. AWA visits and documents significant new road, well site and pipeline corridor disturbance within the last 5% intact area of the Little Smoky's range.

2012

2012 - The Government of Canada releases the final federal Recovery Strategy for the Woodland Caribou, Boreal Population, in Canada, five years past the 'mandatory' deadline for final recovery strategy under the federal Species at Risk Act ( SARA). Provinces and territories are given 5 years to develop range plans outlining how they will manage each of their boreal woodland caribou ranges to achieve a minimum of 65% undisturbed habitat over time, which would provide a 60% probability for populations to be self-sustaining.

Strong public pressure appears to have helped improve the final Recovery Strategy. There are much better goals of showing progress every 5 years towards a 65% undisturbed habitat target for even the most vulnerable herds. This is important for Alberta's boreal caribou, whose undisturbed habitat as of 2010 ranged from only 43%(Caribou Mountains) to a mere 5% (Little Smoky). The final strategy rejects the draft strategy's unacceptable preference for wolf kills and clearly gives the most urgency to landscape level planning and to habitat protection and restoration.

It would be better if the plan's undisturbed target was set higher, at 80% chance to be self-sustaining. But given that Alberta populations' habitat is so highly disturbed now, achieving 65% intact habitat would be significant progress. AWA calls for swift range plan development by Alberta and on-the-ground actions to meet the targets.

- The Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation (ACFN) releases a stewardship strategy for the management of caribou and wood bison in a huge area of northeastern Alberta. The report is titled Níh boghodi: We are the stewards of our land. An ACFN stewardship strategy for thunzea, et'thén and dechen yághe ejere (woodland caribou, barren-ground caribou and wood bison). The report calls for two huge zones: a Protection Zone in the north, and a Stewardship Zone further south.

The Protection zone would include: No new industrial developments; no licenses, leases, authorizations, or permits on the land without ACFN's written consent; and provincial and federal governments to fund and work with ACFN to implement a program of habitat reclamation where habitat has already been degraded.

The Stewardship zone would include: Total disturbance area within stewardship zone not to exceed 20% ; no industrial footprints to exceed one hectare per square kilometer in any given square kilometer; and maximum linear disturbance threshold of 0.4 km/km 2 within the stewardship zone as a whole

March 2012 - The federal government posts a Notice on the Species at Risk Act public registry that it "intends to post a final [boreal caribou] Recovery Strategy in late spring 2012" due to the volume and nature of public comments received on the draft strategy, and due to ongoing consultations with Aboriginal communities.

February 2012 - An extended public consultation period on the draft federal Recovery Strategy for the Woodland Caribou, Boreal Population, in Canada ends February 22, 2012. The government receives 14,000 public comments. Environment Minister Peter Kent suggests the government will delay releasing the final Recovery Strategy beyond the required 30-day window.

2012 - Federal Environment Minister Kent makes a decision not to recommend emergency protection of critical habitat for threatened caribou herds in northeastern Alberta.

Global Forest Watch Canada issues a report titled " Canada's woodland caribou: Industrial disturbances in their ranges and implications for their survival". The eight boreal woodland caribou populations within Alberta's bitumen (oil sands) region had 64% of their habitat disturbed by industry as of 2010, compared to a Canada-wide average of 14% (these are disturbances buffered by 500 m). As of June 2011, 83% of caribou ranges within Alberta's oil sands areas had oil sands leases. 80% undisturbed habitat is needed for caribou herds likely to be self-sustaining, according to Environment Canada' s science assessment.

2011

- Parks Canada releases a proposed Conservation Strategy for Southern Mountain Caribou in Canada's National Parks. AWA comments on the strategy, and is supportive of habitat-related measures: reducing human, deer and elk access into caribou ranges, thereby reducing wolf access. AWA will only support translocation, and limited use of cow-calf penning or predator management, if there is a clear priority placed on habitat-related actions.

- The Government of Canada releases a years-overdue proposed Recovery Strategy for the Woodland Caribou, Boreal Population, in Canada. "The long-term recovery goal for boreal caribou is to achieve self-sustaining local populations throughout their distribution in Canada to the extent possible". This is weaker than the 2007 federal recovery goal supported by the AWA, which was: "Boreal caribou are conserved, and recovered to self-sustaining levels, throughout their current distribution (extent of occurrence) in Canada."

For herds at greatest risk of extinction because of habitat loss, including seven of Alberta's 12 herds, the strategy proposes that undisturbed critical habitat may decrease to a mere 5% as long as jurisdictions provide a plan to stabilize populations "through the use of mortality and habitat management tools." AWA immediately and strongly criticizes this policy in a news release, stating "The war on wolves goes national."

For herds that are not self-sustaining but are important to maintain connectivity across Canada, which includes Alberta's remaining 5 herds, the strategy proposes that undisturbed habitat must increase over 50 years to provide 65% undisturbed habitat in the herd's total range. This 65% habitat target, if reached, will only provide a 60% chance a population will be self-sustaining.

Federal Environment Minister Peter Kent is quoted in a Canadian Press article August 26 th, 2011 that the plan means killing wolves. "Predator control has been chosen," he said. "That bothers me a great deal. It certainly disturbs me that 100 wolves have to be killed to protect four caribou calves."

- On July 28 th, The federal court decision is announced in response to legal action by AWA, Pembina Institute, and Alberta Ecojustice, seeking a court order to force federal Environment Minister Kent to recommend emergency protection of critical habitat for threatened caribou herds in northeastern Alberta. The Federal Court overturns the minister's decision not to recommend emergency protection for caribou. "It is not immediately apparent how, given the foregoing facts, the Minister reasonably could have concluded that there are no imminent threats to the national recovery of boreal caribou," Justice Crampton writes in his decision.

Also in July, a major new science and policy briefing note issued by the International Boreal Conservation Science (IBCS) Panel: Keeping woodland caribou in the boreal forest: Big challenge, immense opportunity. The report is clear: "To conserve woodland caribou means dispensing with business as usual, which has demonstrably and repeatedly failed to meet caribou conservation needs."

The report emphasizes that recovery is achievable: "Although the challenge of conserving caribou may look daunting, science indicates that both caribou conservation and resource exploitation are possible-if society makes room for caribou in the boreal forest in its plans and desires for the future."

But the challenges are substantial, including:

"The consequences of today's actions, or inaction, will reverberate for at least a half-century."

"Caribou need old forests, typically more than 50 years old, and they range over large areas, often thousands of square kilometres. Managing the boreal forest must occur at commensurate scales in time and space. Planning must consider the long term, in accordance with the long-term consequences of present-day human activities in the boreal forest."

"The viability of a caribou population declines in the midst of disturbances to habitat, whether natural or human-caused. Such disturbances need to be considered cumulatively. Current understanding suggests that disturbed areas must not encompass more than about one-third of a population's range if the population is to persist."

"Ensuring a future for woodland caribou populations must include a margin for error, in recognition of many uncertainties and the need to keep management options open. Protected areas provide insurance against unfavourable outcomes as well as a template for evaluating the effectiveness of management prescriptions beyond protected areas' boundaries."

In an accompanying letter to the Alberta government, the IBCS Panel writes: "Now more than ever, urgent action is required by the Alberta government to sustain caribou populations throughout the province. We appreciate that the Land Use Framework provides new tools for establishing new thresholds for development and opportunities for conservation. We therefore recommend that your government act now to protect key habitats and implement a comprehensive caribou protection plan to ensure that this iconic species is sustained for future generations."

- On June 21 st, AWA, along with Pembina Institute and Ecojustice, take the federal Environment Minister, Peter Kent, to court, seeking a court order to force the minister to recommend emergency protection of critical habitat for threatened caribou herds in northeastern Alberta. The groups point out that the Government of Alberta's reluctance to introduce any meaningful caribou habitat protection through its recent Lower Athabasca Regional Plan makes immediate federal action even more critical.

"Alberta's chronic failure to protect its caribou means the federal government must step in with emergency protections before it's too late," says Cliff Wallis, AWA vice-president in a news release. "If they continue to ignore Alberta's reckless behaviour, the feds will be complicit in the disappearance of these majestic animals from Alberta's forests."

The Government of Alberta produces a Cabinet-approved two‐page woodland caribou policy stating "The Government of Alberta is committed to achieving naturally sustaining woodland caribou populations... Actions will be taken to address caribou habitat needs, including achievement of those requirements in land-use planning and approvals.. Maintaining caribou habitat is the immediate priority. Restoring caribou habitat is a critical component of caribou habitat management." There are no concrete actions, nor any schedule for planning and implementing further actions.

A report by Global Forest Watch Canada demonstrates clearly that the draft Regional Plan for the Lower Athabasca region will fail to protect caribou habitat. Under the draft Lower Athabasca Regional Plan, a mere 4% of caribou habitat in the region would benefit from new protection. This would add to the meagre 3% already protected.

February 2011 - The Alberta government admits that it will be ignoring the advice of its own scientists to change the status of caribou from threatened to endangered, despite clear evidence that caribou numbers continue to decline.

The government's Endangered Species Conservation Committee (ESCC) makes recommendations to the minister of Sustainable Resource Development on the status of Alberta wildlife. The ESCC is a 'stakeholder' committee, including representatives from the Alberta Forest Products Association (AFPA), Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) and the Western Stockgrowers' Association. As a non-expert committee, they often take scientific advice from their own Scientific Subcommittee. But when the Subcommittee recommends in December 2010 that the plight of woodland caribou was so dire that they should be downgraded from threatened to endangered, their advice is ignored. The Alberta government refuses to publish the recommendations of the Scientific Subcommittee, and so the reason why the ESCC decided to ignore the advice of its own scientists is unclear. AWA initiates an application under Freedom of Information legislation to see the reports from the ESCC and its scientific subcommittee.

2010

- The Alberta government publishes the 2010 update of the report, Status of the Woodland Caribou in Alberta. The language in the report makes it very clear that, after 23 years of Alberta's caribou "recovery" process, the picture remains dire for the species.

"Of the 13 populations with sufficient monitoring data, 10 are demonstrating population decline. The 10 caribou populations documented to be in decline occupy 83% of the total area of current caribou range in Alberta, and constitute the majority of caribou occurring in the province."

"Approximately 70% of all caribou in Alberta occur in populations that are known to be declining."

"More provincial caribou populations are now in sustained population decline than was the case when the first edition of this status document was prepared in 2001."

"Levels of habitat alteration from industrial developments are high on most caribou ranges in the province and projections forecast continued high levels of future industrial activity... Provincial land-use guidelines for industrial activities have not succeeded (as a sole tool) in providing for long-term caribou population and habitat conservation, and guidelines for caribou habitat protection currently are not being applied in all caribou ranges within the province."

One of Jasper National Park's three remaining populations, the Maligne Valley herd, crashes to just four members. The new Management Plan for Jasper National Park does not address this population, despite calls from AWA and other organizations to close the Maligne road to winter use which would offer some protection to the caribou herd.

August 2010 - Ecojustice, on behalf of AWA, Pembina Institute and Sierra Club Prairie Chapter, petition federal Minister of the Environment, Jim Prentice, to adopt emergency measures under the federal Species at Risk Act ( SARA) to protect caribou herds in northeastern Alberta. Their letter calls for a halt to further industrial activity in caribou ranges until a recovery plan and habitat protection measures - mandated by species legislation - are in place.

The letter supports a demand made by local First Nations in July, when the Beaver Lake Cree Nation, Enoch Cree Nation, Chipewyan Prairie Dene First Nation and Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation demanded that the minister provide emergency protection for herds on their traditional lands.

- AWA and other Alberta conservation groups called for an emergency order from the Federal Environment Minister to enforce habitat protection for the endangered woodland caribou herds in the foothills and tar sands.

2009

- Following an avalanche in early 2009 that wiped out all members of the small remaining caribou herd, the draft management plan for Banff National Park recommends investigating reintroduction of caribou into the park.

- AWA and other provincial conservation groups distribute copies of a provincial government recovery plan for Alberta's endangered woodland caribou. The Action Plan for West-Central Alberta Caribou Recovery authorized ongoing logging and oil and gas development in the caribou home ranges north of Hinton and Grande Cache, despite more than two dozen Alberta government and science reports, consultations and recovery plans for caribou released since the late 1970s that show industrial impacts on forests and wildlife as the root cause of caribou decline.

April 2009 - The remaining four members of Banff's caribou herd are all killed in an avalanche. This becomes the first extirpation of a large mammal in a Canadian National Park in more than a century.

Also in April, an Environment Canada report, Scientific Review for the Identification of Critical Habitat for Woodland Caribou, Boreal Population in Canada, is published. The report concludes that half of Canada's boreal caribou herds are in decline and could die off unless their habitat is better protected, and points to logging and energy production as big threats. The Conservative government takes the extraordinary step of distancing itself from the report.

While caribou habitat remains unprotected, another 120 wolves are killed in caribou range between April 2008 and March 2009. Increased numbers of hunting licences are also issued to try to reduce moose numbers in caribou habitat.

2008

2008 - On May 20 th, AWA, along with Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS), Federation of Alberta Naturalists, and the Athabasca Bioregional Society write to Dr. Marco Festa-Bianchet, co-chair of the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada's (COSEWIC) Terrestrial Mammals Species Specialist Subcommittee requesting COSEWIC assess the status of the Little Smoky local population of woodland caribou. In the letter, the groups submit that the Little Smoky herd is both particularly imperiled relative to the wider boreal population of woodland caribou and both geographically and genetically distinct from the boreal population.

2007

The Alberta Forest Products Association (AFPA), an industry group, tells AWA that it no longer supports the recommendations of the Alberta Caribou Committee (ACC), of which it is a member. AWA calls for the removal of the AFPA from the ACC on the grounds that it is not acting in good faith. The AFPA had previously agreed not to clear-cut log in caribou habitat areas, even with the advent of a pine beetle outbreak.

2007 - The federal response to the woodland caribou question - that is, whether or not it must actively protect habitat - as delivered by the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Commission on Environmental Cooperation, is delayed pending the resolution of spotted owl proceedings. The federal government claims that the spotted owl ruling will affect the outcome of legal actions with respect to woodland caribou.

2006

AWA releases another 9 public statements calling on government and industry to honour their commitments to caribou conservation.

The province implements a wolf-culling program without addressing long-term habitat protection issues. This action contradicts caribou management plans dating back 30 years and the opinions expressed by members of the Alberta Caribou Committee, AWA and the public. Applications for energy development, including improved roads, wells and pipelines, continue without resistance from government officials.

National environmental groups send a petition to the Commission on Environmental Cooperation (CEC) claiming that the federal government has failed to protect critical habitat for endangered species with specific reference to woodland caribou in Alberta. The CEC is the environmental watchdog of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and was set in place to ensure that partner nations enforce their own environmental laws (i.e., to minimize trade advantages for countries in violation of domestic environmental laws). CEC rulings are non-binding but politically significant.

By the end of 2006, the provincial government has directed forest companies like Weyerhauser to log forests in critical caribou habitat in order to minimize impacts from recent mountain pine beetle (MPB) attacks. The goal of this strategy is the widespread conversion of older forests, which are susceptible to MPB attack, to plantations of younger trees. The provincial strategy to combat MPB is in direct contradiction to previously established caribou management agreements.

2005

AWA makes more than 7 public announcements, along with other conservation organizations, calling on the government to adhere to its commitment to protect caribou habitat after recent research presented by University of Alberta biologists indicates that provincial land-use guidelines for caribou habitat are being violated by industry.

The province announces the creation of the Alberta Caribou Committee (ACC), which includes the Boreal Caribou Committee (1999), the West Central Caribou Committee (1992), the Provincial Caribou Recovery Team (2001) and other stakeholders. The province says it will further engage First Nations people (who are still exempt from the caribou hunting ban) in caribou management, promote industry best practices for operating on caribou lands, and implement a predator control program. The ACC is expected to produce a management plan by 2007. They announce that the provincial caribou population is 2500 to 4000 individuals.

The province releases the Alberta Woodland Caribou Recovery Plan, authored by 13 representatives of the forestry and petroleum industries, provincial and federal government, academia, and community groups. The plan's two recovery goals are to: 1) achieve self-sustaining woodland caribou herds and maintain the distribution of caribou in Alberta and 2) ensure that long-term habitat requirements are met within Alberta's caribou ranges. The Minister of Sustainable Resource Development, David Coutts, adopts the plan with the notable exception of "the recommendation in Section 7.2 relating to a moratorium on further mineral and timber allocations on specific caribou ranges." These "specific caribou ranges" refer to herds "at immediate risk of extirpation or extinction" and the recommendation itself states: "A moratorium on further mineral and timber resource allocation (or sales) should be put in place until a range plan is completed, evaluated, and implemented. It is anticipated that this process will take a maximum of one year from the date of range team formation."

In their 2005 Annual Performance Monitoring Report, CANFOR announces it will voluntarily defer logging on the Little Smoky Caribou Herd range, which covers one-sixth of their Forest Management Agreement (FMA), for two years starting in the winter of 2005/2006. In the same document, CANFOR and Suncor announce they will commence an integrated landscape management approach, with the overall goal to minimize their environmental footprints in northwestern Alberta. They also agree to start a "caribou habitat restoration/reforestation project."

In winter 2005/06, an intensive annual wolf cull sponsored by the provincial government began in two west central Alberta ranges, Little Smoky and A La Peche.

2004

Weyerhaeuser announces the cessation of logging activities in 82,000 hectares (820 km 2) of forested area in west-central Alberta for the next 5 years based on research they supported. AWA and other environmental groups in the province issue a press release calling on the government to implement a comprehensive, multi-sector approach to caribou management.

Suncor/ConocoPhillips propose the construction of a 101-km-long sour gas pipeline through the home range of the Little Smoky and A La Peche herds. Development to begin in December 2004.

June 2004 - The second portion of the Species at Risk Act ( SARA) was put in to force on June 1 st.

2003

- On June 5 th, the federal government enacted the first portion of the Species at Risk Act ( SARA). Under Schedule 1, both the boreal and southern mountain populations of woodland caribou were included as two of the 68 threatened species (out of 233 total species) listed under this first edition of SARA.

2002

The Alberta Ministry of Sustainable Resource Development (SRD) forms the Alberta Woodland Caribou Recovery Team.

2001

The recommendations made in 1996 by the multi-stakeholder Woodland Caribou Conservation Strategy Development Committee formed in 1993 have yet to be implemented by senior officials in the provincial government. The provincial government publishes Status of the Woodland Caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) in Alberta which states: "On the whole, there have been reductions in some populations and the distribution of caribou in Alberta has contracted, but the number of Woodland Caribou currently in Alberta remains largely unknown."

2000

The Committee on the Status of Endangered Species in Canada (COSEWIC) re-designates the status of caribou as Threatened.

1999

Regional caribou management standing committees merge into the Boreal Caribou Committee. The committee comprises industry and provincial government officials only.

1997

Alberta's Wildlife Act regulations are amended to allow a distinction between Endangered and Threatened categories. Woodland Caribou are placed in the Threatened category.

1996

Caribou are downgraded to the provincial Blue List. Caribou are now defined as species that may be at risk and have undergone irregular declines in population, habitat, or reductions in provincial distribution.

The provincial caribou population is estimated to be 3600 to 6700 individuals.

The multi-stakeholder Woodland Caribou Conservation Strategy Development Committee (WCCSDC) formed in 1993 releases Alberta's Woodland Caribou Conservation Strategy. The goal is "healthy populations in perpetuity throughout Alberta's caribou range". It recommends that "No significant new clearing of coniferous forests beyond existing commitments should be considered until caribou habitat supply analyses are completed." It is not implemented. The 1996 strategy mentions wolf culls only as a last resort.

1995

The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) re-designates the status of caribou to Vulnerable.

1994

An Information Letter ( IL 94-22) put out by the Energy Utilities Board (EUB), the regulatory arm of the oil and gas industry, states "It is anticipated that significant flexibility on the part of both the operator and AEP will be required to ensure that the plans are able to effectively meet the two goals of allowing energy development while adequately protecting woodland caribou...Industrial activity can occur on caribou range provided that the integrity and supply of habitat is maintained to permit its use by caribou."

1993

The Strategy for Conservation of Woodland Caribou in Alberta is drafted by Alberta's Fish and Wildlife Division. It specifically mentions the logging industry as the biggest threat to caribou survival in Alberta. "No approach has been demonstrated to be effective in maintaining caribou populations in association with timber harvest in the long term." The strategy recommendations were not adopted. A multi-stakeholder committee known as the Woodland Caribou Conservation Strategy Development Committee (WCCSDC) is formed to address caribou conservation and develop another strategy.

1991-1992

Regional standing committees comprising industry and government representatives are created to reduce land-use conflicts in caribou management areas. The wildlife sanctuary along Highway 40, first officially recommended in 1986, is designated.

1991

Caribou are put on the provincial Red List of threatened species, defined as species that are at risk and have declined, or are in immediate danger of declining to a nonviable population size.

Alberta Energy releases Operating Guidelines for Industrial Activity in Caribou Range ( IL 91-17 ).

1990

February 1990 - In a letter to the Edmonton Journal on February 11 th, Assistant Deputy Minister of Alberta Forestry, Fish and Wildlife outlines Alberta's policy on wildlife management: "It is recognized that any restoration plan for these ungulate populations must address all the factors which are influencing their viability, including the provision of needed habitat, the control of access and the regulation of hunting."

1986

Caribou are listed as an Endangered Species under Alberta's Wildlife Act ('Threatened' is not an available classification). Another caribou management plan is drafted by the Fish and Wildlife division of the Alberta government, the Woodland Caribou Provincial Restoration Plan, with 5 main recommendations:

1. control predators (70% reduction in wolf populations);
2. conduct a proper population inventory;
3. reduce human-caused mortality in caribou (due to poaching) by creating a wildlife sanctuary along Highway 40 and the Forestry Trunk Road;
4. maintain and protect habitat;
5. increase public awareness of caribou.

The Federation of Alberta Naturalists withdraws its support for the Woodland Caribou Provincial Restoration Plan over government proposals to cull 70% of wolves near Jasper National Park. None of the recommendations from this report are adopted.

1985

Caribou are designated an Endangered Species by the Policy for the Management of Threatened Wildlife in Alberta, legislated under Alberta's Wildlife Act.

1984

Calgary Herald reports that caribou poaching continues in areas near Grande Cache. The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) recognizes the woodland caribou as a rare species. A provincial report suggests that the west-central Alberta caribou population has dropped to 300 individuals from a high of 1200 to 1800 in 1968. The report cites habitat loss, poaching and predation as the primary causes of the decline. The report also provides detailed timber harvesting and access guidelines for the management of caribou habitat areas.

1983

Regional biologist and provincial caribou coordinator, Michael Bloomfield, resigns after his superiors in government continue to ignore recommendations for caribou protection as wolf culling programs are being discussed (Edmonton Journal, April 4, 1987).

1981

Provincial biologists continue to push decision-makers to ban hunting and, later this same year, the second province-wide ban on caribou hunting commences. Provincial biologists propose that caribou be designated a Threatened Species. Michael Bloomfield, provincial biologist and caribou management coordinator for Alberta, states that to protect caribou "all that is required is the resolve and inter-departmental commitment to solve the problem."

1980

Provincial biologists suggest that the population of caribou has declined by at least 50% in the past 15 years. A Calgary Herald article reports that Fred McDougall, then Deputy Minister of Renewable Resources, says that "it would only be fair" if hunters were given a year warning on a possible hunting ban. This year was the second year in a row that AWA, along with the 25,000-member Alberta Fish and Game Association (AFGA), has called on the government to ban caribou hunting.

A letter to AWA from J.E. Bud Miller, Associate Minister of Public Lands and Wildlife, states: "Our department shares your view that caribou need protection and we are quickly moving in that direction. I can assure you that caribou are now a high priority and will continue to receive our best efforts regardless of our management strategy."

AWA and AFGA lead the charge in calling for the suspension of caribou hunting in Alberta.

1979

Provincial population estimates are close to 3000, indicating a decline from the 1960s. A government biologist is quoted in the Calgary Herald suggesting that the decline of caribou is due to industrial activities. The Edson Leader quotes provincial biologist and caribou management coordinator Michael Bloomfield: "We have no other choice. Continued hunting and unrestricted development in caribou range could result in the disappearance of our resident populations."

1978

Provincial biologists, in conjunction with Alberta Wilderness Association (AWA) and other Alberta conservation groups, establish the Caribou Management Outline for Alberta. Noteworthy recommendations from this work include the following:

funds and resources must be allocated to ensure the protection of woodland caribou;

wolf control must not be considered until a recovery program focusing on the cause of the caribou decline has been enacted;

the government must no longer delay action that would reverse the long-term causes of caribou decline;

a province-wide ban on hunting caribou must be initiated;

a regional access management plan for industry and recreation must be created. In addition, 24 major land-use conflicts are identified but there is no mention of a more comprehensive stakeholder decision-making process. Forty-one caribou are harvested across the province this year.

1973

Province-wide population is estimated at around 5000 individuals.

1970's

The population of caribou begins declining once again, with an estimated size of 600 to 700 animals in the Athabasca Forest Area (AFA; now known as the Willmore Wilderness Park). Oil and gas exploration activities increase substantially in backcountry areas. Backcountry road development facilitates hunting and poaching of caribou.

1968

Approximately 100 animals are harvested; 554 licensed hunters.

1966 - 1967

A railroad is built from Grande Cache to Hinton, bisecting the seasonal migration route of mountain caribou.

According to a provincial status report from the late 1960s, growing interest in caribou hunting from the public should be paralleled by an improved management plan on the part of the Fish and Wildlife Division. Industrial development booms in the area as the population of Grande Cache grows from 500 in 1950 to over 4000 by the end of the 1960s.

1966

Government biologists estimate the size of the Athabasca Forest Area (AFA) herd to be 1200-1600 individuals. Antlered season (adult males and females) is opened, and 76 animals are harvested; 360 licensed hunters. Other estimates of the provincial caribou population are closer to 9000 individuals.

1965

Sixty-three animals are harvested in the Athabasca Forest Area (AFA); 120 licensed hunters.

1961

Noted big-game hunter Jack O'Connor reports that the Smoky River area has an abundant diversity of mixed-game; this includes observations of several hundred caribou in 1943. In 1961 he returns to the area and does not find a single caribou. O'Connor blames easy access to backcountry areas from oil roads, noting that "unless there is a change for the better, the Smoky River caribou herd must certainly be extinct today."

Government biologists estimate there are 800-1000 caribou.

1957

Published manuscripts suggest that habitat destruction, mainly logging, is causing the decline of caribou due to caribou favoring mature forests to those which have been recently logged and are in early seral stages

1956

Government biologists estimate the size of the Athabasca Forest Area (AFA) herd to be 200-300 individuals.

1950

For unidentified reasons the province re-opens the hunting season, according to a recent government report. An average of 19 animals are harvested per year during subsequent years.

1948 - 1949

Province-wide ban on caribou hunting. Annual provincial government reports note the continued scarcity of caribou in the Athabasca Forest Area (AFA).

1947

Government report suggests that the decline of caribou in the Athabasca Forest Area (AFA) is due to caribou emigration to British Columbia. Guides, hunters, and forest officers report a near total absence of caribou in areas north of Jasper National Park.

1946

Male-only season in the Athabasca Forest Area (AFA); caribou hunting is banned in the rest of Alberta.

1945 - 1946

Two harsh winters are thought to have further decimated caribou populations.

Timber activities in the Athabasca Forest Area (AFA) grow until the area has the highest timber extraction rates of any Forest Reserve in the province by 1945.

1944

Caribou hunting is restricted to north of the Brazeau River.

1937

Provincial report acknowledges the overall decline of wildlife species, including caribou, in areas where logging companies operate.

1934

Government report suggests southern range contraction, with no caribou herd found south of the Hay (or Wildhay) River.

1929

Provincial government recommends minimal protection for this species due to declining numbers through the 1920s. No such protection was implemented. Population estimates are thought be more than 2000 individuals.

1911

Provincial government reports a "stable" population of caribou.

1909 - 1943

Province-wide hunting season, one caribou per hunter, an average of 40 animals are harvested per year.

Pre 1900's

Distribution is thought to be discontinuous over two-thirds of the province throughout the mixed coniferous, boreal forest zone and the mountainous areas north of Banff National Park.

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Caribou - Alberta Wilderness Association

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Forestry, energy, settlement, and other human impacts have fragmented or removed intact older forests and peat wetlands in Alberta caribou ranges, leading to some of the most highly disturbed ranges in Canada. This disturbance stimulates moose, deer, and wolves, resulting in predation rates higher than caribou can tolerate.

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A swoosh of raven wings echo in the crisp air. Beaver claws scratch against the rocks on the shoreline. The ice blockade upriver groans and creaks against the rising waters. It's springtime at the Magpie River.

This stretch of water is known as the Muteshekau-shipu by the Innu, the first peoples whose traditional lands surround it. The river is a vital part of their cultural identity.

"Our grandmothers went down the river; they went down the rapids," Jean-Charles Piétacho, chief of the Innu of Ekuanitshit, says in French in the new film I Am the Magpie River, a documentary from The Nature of Things. "The Magpie is one of the only rivers that is supposed to stay as it is."

In 2021, this river was granted legal personhood to protect its pristine waters. The documentary considers the impact of this decision and how it could ensure the Magpie's mighty waters continue to flow freely for the people and wildlife that depend on them.
Threats to Canada's freshwater rivers
The headwaters of the Magpie River sit between Labrador and Quebec. Ice turns to water, which tumbles down nearly 300 kilometres across the rocky landscape, through sequential white water rapids toward the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

Rivers with the unimpeded breadth and expanse of the Magpie are no longer a common sight in Canada or around the world. According to the documentary, less than a third of the planet's large rivers remain free-flowing from source to sea. Due to their strength, these bodies of water hold the potential for hydro power.

While there has been a small dam on the Magpie since the 1950s, located just before it empties into the St. Lawrence, power companies like Hydro-Québec have long wanted to dam the Magpie further to harness its power. In recent years, the spring melt has seen the river rise by more than 30 metres in places, pushing 950 cubic metres of water per second through certain points.

But using the Magpie for energy production would transform the landscape - requiring hundreds of kilometres of roads, dikes and hydro corridors - and threaten the existence of many organisms that live throughout the far reaches of the river.

"Freshwaters are actually home to the world's greatest amount of biodiversity," says Dalal Hanna, a Canadian freshwater and landscape ecologist, in the film.

And according to the documentary, these freshwater ecosystems are quickly becoming some of the most endangered on the planet, resulting in their animal populations shrinking at a rate twice as fast as those in the sea or on land.

Saving the Magpie
For locals and advocates, the threat to the Magpie is reminiscent of what happened to another Quebec river system.

The Romaine River is similarly entwined in Innu culture and history, running parallel to a highway of portage trails leading up from the St. Lawrence River. In 2009, it was dammed by Hydro-Québec to create four hydroelectric power stations. Intermittent flooding dramatically changes the landscape around the dams, wreaking havoc on animal habitat and disrupting natural corridors that animals use to move through their territory.

Chief Piétacho sits near one of the power stations in the film: on one side is a vast expanse of flooded land, and on the other, an exposed riverbed - its powerful waters reduced to a trickle.

"The Romaine woke us up," Mathieu Bourdon, a tour guide who has led countless rafting trips down the Magpie for Innu youth, says in French in the film. "It was like a bulldozer. We weren't ready to act."

In 2018, Bourdon and Chief Piétacho initiated a strategic alliance that brought together local Indigenous and non-Indigenous governments as well as environmental groups to form the Muteshekau-shipu Alliance. United, they approached Yenny Vega Cárdenas, president of the International Observatory on the Rights of Nature, to take on the case of protecting the Magpie River.

Cárdenas provided the solution of granting the river legal personhood, a move which had been used to protect ecosystems in Ecuador, New Zealand, Spain and Colombia.

"Legal personhood means, in law ... that we cannot destroy [the ecosystem]. That it's not an object to exploit, but a person to protect," Cárdenas says in the documentary. This approach to conservation falls under the legal framework of the rights of nature, which recognizes that natural phenomena, like rivers and forests, have the intrinsic right to exist outside of their relationship to humans.

The preservation of natural systems like the Magpie also protects the human right to water, Cárdenas told the CBC. "If we destroy nature, we are undermining our individual and collective capacity to prosper and live in relationship with our environment ... when we affect the environment, we affect ourselves."

In 2021, the Innu Council of Ekuanitshit and the regional municipal council of Minganie passed sister resolutions, granting the Magpie River the landmark right of legal personhood - a title which bestowed nine rights upon the Magpie River:

The right to live, to exist and to flow.

The right to the respect for its natural cycles.

The right to evolve naturally, to be protected and preserved.

The right to maintain its natural biodiversity.

The right to perform its essential functions within its ecosystem.

The right to maintain its integrity.

The right to be free from pollution.

The right to regenerate and be restored.

The right to sue.

Navigating the legal system
Although the title of legal personhood is a unique way of approaching conservation, it can draw questions about how the Magpie will manage the intricacies of the legal system - especially since it can now theoretically sue and be sued.

In the case of damage, due to flooding for instance, Cárdenas explains that the Magpie would likely not be found liable. "The river doesn't commit intentional damage, therefore it cannot be sued," she said, pointing out that those who build in known flood zones are also aware of the risks.

According to the sister resolutions, "guardians" will be appointed by the Innu council of Ekuanitshit and the regional municipal council of Minganie to advocate for the river and represent it in court. The guardians will also have to consult both councils when performing their duties to protect the Magpie.

The guardianship model is based on the idea that the representatives of the natural system must look after its best interests, Cárdenas said. "Like parents to a child, they must look out for the best interests of the child."

It remains to be seen how the courts will interpret the laws of legal personhood, but advocates are hopeful that this new approach to conservation will help protect ecosystems across the country and around the world.

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This pristine Canadian river has legal personhood, a new approach to conserving nature | CBC Documentaries

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New documentary examines how a Quebec river became a person under the law and how that protects it from harm

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Even in the face of ongoing cultural appropriation and erasure, wendigo stories are but one reflection of the survivance, wisdom, and brilliance of Native peoples.

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More Than Monsters: The Deeper Significance of Wendigo Stories

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The wendigo stories of Algonquian peoples offer a window into the endurance of cultural resources used to transmit significant moral values, and underscore the power of Native people using these stories to engage in social critique.

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Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a fatal neurological disease that affects members of the deer family and threatens the fragile caribou population in Alberta.

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Chronic Wasting Disease & Caribou Conservation - Métis Nation of Alberta

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A strong Métis Nation embracing Métis rights.

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Straight from the caribou’s (Rangifer tarandus) mouth: detailed observations of tame caribou reveal new insights into summer–autumn diets

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Last year, the South Selkirk mountain caribou herd – which roams the area near Nelson and just across the border into Idaho – had 11 members. The herd, like many other southern mountain caribou herds, has been in decline for decades and is listed as threatened under the federal Species at Risk Act.

Earlier this month, government biologists confirmed our worst fears: there are just 3 caribou left in the South Selkirk herd. All 3 caribou are female, and with these untenable numbers, the herd has been declared functionally extinct.

How could this happen? It happened because our governments refused to act.

For years, governments have been warned that a crucial part of protecting caribou herds is protecting critical habitat. And for years, the BC and federal governments have neglected to meet conservation targets. Instead, government has allowed new industrial developments in southern mountain and boreal caribou ranges, fragmenting their habitat even further.

It’s too late for the South Selkirk caribou herd. But there’s still time to save other caribou herds in BC.

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One Caribou Herd Gone: How Many More Will Follow? - CPAWS British Columbia

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Last year, the South Selkirk mountain caribou herd – which roams the area near Nelson and just across the border into Idaho – had 11 members. The herd, like many [Learn more]

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Citizen Naturalist Data including Caribou sightings in BC

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The reindeer (Rangifer tarandus), also known as caribou in North America, is a species of deer with circumpolar distribution, native to arctic, subarctic, tundra, boreal, and mountainous regions of northern Europe, Siberia, and North America. This includes both sedentary and migratory populations. Rangifer herd size varies greatly in different geographic regions. The Taimyr herd of migrating tundra reindeer (R.t. sibiricus) in Russia is the largest wild reindeer (Source: Wikipedia, ″, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reindeer, CC BY-SA 3.0 . Photo: (c) Bering Land Bridge National Preserve, some rights reserved (CC BY))

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Indigenous-led Caribou Stewardship Program

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Caribou Patrol |Caribou Stewardship Program | Grande Cache

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Caribou Patrol is an Indigenous-led stewardship program that promotes caribou conservation within AWN’s traditional territory.

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2014 Recover Strategy for reference... This is the Doc that will be updated 2024/25

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Fall supplemental feeding increases population growth rate of an endangered caribou herd

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Most woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) populations are declining primarily because of unsustainable predation resulting from habitat-mediated apparent competition. Wolf (Canis lupus) reduction is an effective recovery option because it addresses the direct effect of predation. We considered the possibility that the indirect effects of predation might also affect caribou population dynamics by adversely affecting summer foraging behaviour. If spring and/or summer nutrition was inadequate, then supplemental feeding in fall might compensate for that limitation and contribute to population growth. Improved nutrition and therefore body condition going into winter could increase adult survival and lead to improved reproductive success the next spring. To test that hypothesis, we fed high-quality food pellets to free-ranging caribou in the Kennedy Siding caribou herd each fall for six years, starting in 2014, to see if population growth rate increased. Beginning in winter 2015–16, the Province of British Columbia began a concurrent annual program to promote caribou population increase by attempting to remove most wolves within the Kennedy Siding and the adjacent caribou herds’ ranges. To evaluate the impact of feeding, we compared lambdas before and after feeding began, and to the population trend in the adjacent Quintette herd over the subsequent four years. Supplemental feeding appeared to have an incremental effect on population growth. Population growth of the Kennedy Siding herd was higher in the year after feeding began (λ = 1.06) compared to previous years (λ = 0.91) and to the untreated Quintette herd (λ = 0.95). Average annual growth rate of the Kennedy Siding herd over the subsequent four years, where both feeding and wolf reduction occurred concurrently, was higher than in the Quintette herd where the only management action in those years was wolf reduction (λ = 1.16 vs. λ = 1.08). The higher growth rate of the Kennedy Siding herd was due to higher female survival (96.2%/yr vs. 88.9%/yr). Many caribou were in relatively poor condition in the fall. Consumption of supplemental food probably improved their nutritional status which ultimately led to population growth. Further feeding experiments on other caribou herds using an adaptive management approach would verify the effect of feeding as a population recovery tool. Our results support the recommendation that multiple management actions should be implemented to improve recovery prospects for caribou.

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@a.does.art22 on Instagram: "💥🌷🎨🪩🌺🌿
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#drawingartist #animationvideo #sketchbooktour #prismacolor #illustrationaday #explorepage #aesthetic #artwork #design #stopmotionanimation"

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31K likes, 51 comments - a.does.art22 on November 17, 2024: "💥🌷🎨🪩🌺🌿
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#drawingartist #animationvideo #sketchbooktour #prismacolor #illustrationaday #explorepage #aesthetic #artwork #design #stopmotionanimation". 

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Linescapes on Instagram: "Comment challenge for the free registration link to our 5-Day Creative Drawing Challenge ✏️✨

I’ll DM you the link to the free course and a workbook that you can download and use to improve your creative thinking through fun drawing exercises 😇

Enjoy creating!

#Linescapea"

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4,429 likes, 650 comments - linescapes.drawing on November 20, 2024: "Comment challenge for the free registration link to our 5-Day Creative Drawing Challenge ✏️✨

I’ll DM you the link to the free course and a workbook that you can download and use to improve your creative thinking through fun drawing exercises 😇

Enjoy creating!

#Linescapea". 

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One piece I am working on that relates to broader context, concepts, and frameworks ... In part this is to help me map out and better understand how these complex systems operate and where alignment happens.

I initially developed this piece while meditating on the scope of control, influence, and concern in relation to the recovery strategy document as an important tool and resource. I may still make refinements or adjustments to this piece as I continue to learn more from those working on education and advocacy...

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Kennedy Siding Supplementary Caribou Feeding Station (LIVE)🎥

https://wildlifescience.ca/livestream-of-supplemental-feeding-of-kennedy-siding-caribou/

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This hazy sort of effect somewhat resembles the look of trees breathing …

A process called evapotranspiration

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DDVC5gIvwB4/?igsh=MXFkZXRtcjh3bzlsag==

And the water memory

ᓵᐳᒋᐘᐣ // sâpociwan // It flows through

ᓰᐱᐚᐳᐩ // sîpiwâpoy // River Water

ᓵᐱᒋᐘᐣ // sâpiciwan // A strong current

From a philosophical perspective, our interpretations of water can reveal our sense of identity, our sense of place, & our meaning and purpose in the world.

I am a Métis with roots in the West, where my family lived with Métis kin and in community with many diverse First Nations. My father was born on Peace River not far from where my Grandmother was born near Fort Vermilion, Alberta – Treaty 8 – MNA Region 6 – Named for the vermilion-coloured clays lining the river banks, and the impassible vermillion chutes upstream from Peace River. This area was inhabited by Dunneza, Dene, and then Cree long before the arrival of European traders and settlers. Fort Vermillion, Fort Chipewyan, and Red River are just a few of the areas my family has called home.

I grew up on the Waterford Ponds – part of the Grand River Watershed – The traditional home of The Six Nations,

and currently live next door to the Rideau River – MNO Region 6 – The traditional unceded territory of many aboriginal nations including the Algonquin, the Anishinaabe, the Mississaugas, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples – The customary keepers and defenders of the Ottawa River Watershed and its tributaries including the Rideau River. Originally named by the Algonquins as Pasapkedjiwanong, “the river that runs between the rocks.”

Through my Cree ancestors a life source and through my Métis ancestors additionally a boundary to push back from - and the birth place of the Red River resistance.

Even in Ontario proximity to water has always contributed to my sense of identity. My happiest days have been spent being lifted; elevated by waves – and my lowest days held by the water; in stillness but with a hope of renewal.

What natural elements of the environment impact your sense of identity?

What factors contribute to your sense of ‘place’ or ‘placelessness’?

How does connection with the water make you feel?

A sense of place can be a powerful tool when it comes to environmental stewardship. Understanding people's values for coastal and freshwater areas is critical for identifying concerns and motivating people to protect water resources.

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Want to see how I am visualizing what I’m learning about Southern Mountain Caribou Recovery Strategy Amendment so far through Environment and Climate Change Canada?

This work in progress and practice in visual communication is my weird brain’s interpretation of some of the dynamic and nuanced collaborations and conversations happening in real-time from nearby Peace Region // Peace River // unchaga //sâkitawâhk to Peace Tower // adàwe

Doing my best to follow along with this important work and honour all parties that are addressing caribou recovery together!

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Southern Mountain Caribou Recovery Strategy Amendment - Environment and Climate Change Canada

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In the spirit of reciprocity, I offer this artwork created during this process to any beadwork artists in connection, who may be interested in carrying thoughts and ideas in relation into their work/practice. Thank you for continuing to share your stories, to speak truths, to honour the sacred, to honour each other, and continue the work.

ᑭᓇᓈᐢᑯᒥᑎᐣ // Kinanâskomitin // Thank you, I appreciate you

👉 The Dropbox download link can be found on this page

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Lately:

I am learning about developing creative rituals that are centred in trust, grounding, and honouring everyone in the room.

I am learning about creating opportunities for deeper connection, and more effective communication. I am noticing the positive effect of soft start-up, clarifying questions, and active listening.

I am thinking about how intentional facilitators (like my teacher Sam) can often help build spaces with immense capacity for positive impact and healing... How they can support indigenous resilience and joy.

I am considering the importance of creating time to pause and reflect when processing information, allowing more space for discernment and meaningful contribution.

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“Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.”

- Maya Angelou

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Here I am listening in to the session as it is being facilitated, sketching out some ideas in relation to the discussions that are taking place in real time.

Being so new to this type of environment and facilitation process, I am doing my best to understand the interconnectedness of distinct complex systems as well as the frameworks, context, and desired impact of this specific project.

I am noticing some relevant themes repeating from my last drawing, so I digitize and pull a similar framework in for reference.. and it works well to bring this kind of 'mind map' into balance, in consideration of the natural world and the systems that sustain us...

I make this move as participants discuss "what is truly permanent" talking through 'class lables' created for land use that maybe don't necessarily align with the perceived realities of the Anthropocene.

I think about and 13 moons waxing, and waning...

I think about the outstretched roots of a 300 million year old forest - today maybe home to pine, birch, aspen, maple, oak...

I think about the term "older forest stand" and how I appreciate the spirit of advocacy behind it's creation... I recognize that it is important to help push for stronger environmental protections. and also how wish that it could encapsulate even more...

I think about Indigenous languages, pedagogies, and cultural resurgence...

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It is suggested that the practice of neurographic drawing increases the brain's synaptic activity, neuronal connections and 'regenerative' processes

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"There is no perfection in Magic or Medicine"

– Erika Doehring

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Creative Advice // Thoughts on Perfection

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Creative Advice // Thoughts on Perfection

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if you are going to be creative you need to be in a state of play… if you’re trying not to make mistakes… it holds you back from exploring new ideas

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in preparation for the CIER Southern Mountain Caribou Recovery Strategy Session with Environment and Climate Change Canada

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in preparation for the CIER Southern Mountain Caribou Recovery Strategy Session with Environment and Climate Change Canada

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in preparation for the CIER Southern Mountain Caribou Recovery Strategy Session with Environment and Climate Change Canada

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in preparation for the CIER Southern Mountain Caribou Recovery Strategy Session with Environment and Climate Change Canada

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Preparation for My First CIER Practice Session 

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Preparation for My First CIER Practice Session 

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As I prepare for my first Practice session with CIER I am thinking about some icons, drawings, and template styles I may be able to utilize in advance...

I am also thinking about how I may be able to incorporate my ongoing beadwork practice by creating a beaded caribou track with caribou tufting. This colour-dyed caribou hair was gifted to me by my cree-métis beadwork teacher Marissa, during one of our first sessions together. and I have been holding on to it for a special project... and this one really feels in alignment... as I continue to learn more about the biophysical attributes of critical caribou habitat.

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Recap and links from Workshop 4, Saturday Nov 15th

-We explored a neurographic drawing exercise

- We had the opportunity to connect with two talented. Graphic Recorders currently working in the field – Katie Laronde and Erika Doehring

- The Talk: My Year of Saying YES to Everything – Shonda Rhimes. We listened to the audio once, with 20 minutes to prep, and an additional 15 minutes to refine / polish our work after the recording ended.

Reflections

Noticed:

Throughout this exercise, I can begin to see the value that prep work can bring and more specifically utilizing creative template styles. But I can also see the importance of flexibility and the need to sometimes pivot in the moment. I did struggle a bot with pacing, and spacing... (more related thoughts in additional notes)

Enjoyed:

I especially enjoyed the kind of reflective natural imagery that came into mind while working on this piece..

connections to "the hum" and rushed busyness – pictured through the bee, storm clouds, lightning...

VS

connections to presence, play, love, magic, and Joy – pictured through sunrays and blue skies, a playful mama crow on a blooming dogwood branch

and the kind of human duality that is mapped out in the skies... possibly acknowledging dynamic and nuanced ideas of shared rythms and states with nature...

and even tapping into vague narratives from dominant cultures as well as more closed cultural stories, and more personal narratives as well ... titans, or Icarus with wings... or the busy bee in this case vs a free bird sometimes symbolizing indigenous kinship connections on the flip side in contrast.

My dad has told us stories about the talking crow that he used to visit near his two-room school house nearby Six Nations... and I think about the personality and qualities of these animals that I have observed... curious crows that seem to display joy and playfulness, that embody presence and a free spirit, while also relating back to that idea of kinship connections.

I noticed that some others in class had some similar references with the sun and sky, as well as some more interesting explorations with lettering.

Want to try next time:

Next time I would like to get a little more exploratory and creative with lettering when possible. I am still thinking about how to better integrate what I am learning in this specific area moving forward...

Additional Notes

I’m feeling grateful for:

space to lean into creativity and continue to learn in good company...

Something I’m thinking about more generally this week has been..

How can I deal with information overload during complex discussions in a good way..

and thinking about how I could incorporate different types of creative practice to help ease anxiety and grown my capability in relation to this.. in anticipation of these moments and while directly in those moments..

and being kind to myself as i do this..

I think one thing that will be helpful is getting into a more regular practice, and experimenting with more template styles..

But also… I feel like sometimes I just take more time to process things.. I have a bit of a weird brain… and that’s okay..

it's nice to have space to step away, reflect and return to threads of thought… I don’t know if that is always a part of this process at large, but for me that feels more in alignment.

maybe there will be opportunities for collaborations that are more extended in time... IDK but that really appeals to me..

Practice into this week

- Signing up for additional CIER practice workshops

- Continued practice of GR skills with available podcasts, talks, etc

- Building digital illustration skills and learning the ins and outs of the 'procreate' drawing app

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Practice w/ Landscape Ontario 2025 Plant Symposium Series 1 + 2

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Practice w/ Landscape Ontario 2025 Plant Symposium Series 1 + 2

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Today I’m sharing a recent exercise in Graphic Recording // Sketch Noting brought you by @landscapeontario ‘s Recent three-part video series leading up to the 2025 Symposium… “Returning to our Roots: Native Plants in our Landscapes”
This professional panel offers shared insights and success stories, highlighting the importance of fostering a more sustainable and informed horticultural community. Embrace the “right plant, right place” philosophy… and learn about the importance of ecological referencing.

Reflections

Noticed:
This series is a great intersection of interests for me as someone who is passionate about supporting native biodiversity, completed a horticultural training course at Algonquin last year with the GROW program, and previously worked in economic development. Needed to summarize threads of thought from information to fit my limited canvas. listened to content on repeat as I planned + worked on details… this really feels like the most natural and comfortable approach for me.

Enjoyed:
Exploring this sort of colour coded approach… the flow and unity it created throughout the piece. Was thrilled to lean in and feature detailed illustrations of the specific plants mentioned during the talk by each speaker, many of which were linked to personal success stories… That felt really rooted in place and purpose.

Will try next time:
Drawing the likeness of people does NOT come as naturally to me as plants… I did my best.. the quick//rough portraits were the one thing giving me pause about sharing this piece publicly… but also gives the piece something special too… so I continue to show up in a kind of vulnerable way here… please be kind. 💕 Will invest some time growing my skills there or finding some kind of more efficient work around.. ie working digitally would allow me to work with an underlay for a better proportional guide while drawing faces.

*Note: represents only 2 of the 3 videos so far…

Details

Closeup Images

https://www.instagram.com/p/DBxBx6WRhIQ/?img_index=1

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Recap from Workshop 1, Saturday Sept 28th

A quick little visual takeaway from my first #graphicrecording training session with Sam and Cat from Drawing Change

Today we did some fun drawing exercises, created icons and warmed up with lines, shapes, and colour in large scale.

What is Graphic Recording?

Graphic recording, also known as sketch noting, live scribing, visual note-taking and graphic facilitation, is the ​process of capturing and representing information visually in real-time. A graphic recorder listens, synthesizes, ​and captures key points on the page. They combine words, pictures, and other visual elements to visually ​summarise what they hear.

Graphic recording can be a powerful platform for enhancing engagement, gathering group sentiment, promoting ​creative thinking, and facilitating inclusive and effective communication in various contexts.

Reflections

I’m just getting started in the learning process and looking forward to expanding my creative practice as I continue my training and also seek out opportunities to contribute creatively in community spaces.

One of my continuous goals as a creative has been to be a helper that intentionally boosts inclusive community engagement - helping to build capacity and to support the many ways that all of us neuro-diverse and culturally-diverse humans receive, perceive, and interact with many different ideas and information as it’s shared.

In future, I would love to be supporting existing teams that are working on education and advocacy in relation to good land stewardship, conservation efforts, and more specifically species at risk. 🌿

Practice into this Week

-Seeking out intentional joy-filled spaces

-Holding space for understanding and creative expression

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Recap and links from Workshop 3, Saturday Oct 26th

- We did a recap of what we've learned so far, a drawing warmup, and then our first official live graphic recording session

- The talk: a radio interview with Robin Wall Kimmerer (a Potawatomi botanist, author of Braiding Sweetgrass) called Why is the World So Beautiful? We listened to the talk two times, and we only played 15 minutes of it each time. This really helps with anxiety knowing you'll hear it twice.

Reflections

Noticed:

During this exercise I did struggle a bit with time management, even with the extended playback, I should have allocated more time to plan and refine my lettering. I also think my approach may have turned out a little different than expected. I chose to focus more on a few specific take aways, and illustrate natural connections and natural cycles in a way that made sense to me. I felt most comfortable drawing what I know best, impressions from the natural world.

Enjoyed:

I’m glad that the details that I chose to spend the most time exploring did feel in alignment with what DR Kimmerer was expressing throughout the talk. I felt like I was able to visualize her thoughts about the systems that sustain us, and literally root into imagery that conveys how we live in relation and experience connection. I was surprised how quickly the visuals came to mind and encouraged by the positive feedback that I received from my instructors and classmates. Some sentiments expressed were that it was very well balanced, evoked feeling, and included realistic details that were very appropriate for this session.

Will try next time:

I would like to explore variations of lettering and containers so that my skill set may be a little more rounded out.  As Sam mentioned in class - When we are able to step back, and wholistic visuals fall together, naturally it can lead to some really great moments of connection, however this won’t always be the reality of every session.

I’m feeling grateful to have to opportunity to expand into this space as I continue to practice, challenge myself and integrate teachings from Sam

Practice into this week

- Signing up for upcoming CIER practice workshops

-Practice GR skills with available podcasts, talks, etc

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Recap and links from Workshop 2, Saturday Oct 12th

- lettering
- colour
- ideas on how to structure the page
- grouping information together with containers
- our first practice session :)

Reflections

Week 2 in training - a quick exercise in lettering... Thinking about colour, lines, icons, containers, bullets, clusters, emotion, connectors, banners, titles, subtitles, text, backgrounds, clarity, readability, and expressiveness as I plan my first sketch noting practice rounds…

Practice into this week

Practice drawing icons. Aim for 20. If you are stuck look in the workshop resource book and copy/customize any of the icons there. Or, visit Noun Project and google the word you want, and see what ideas other people have created