Tracking Landscape

Change

Foothills Research Institute’s GRIZZLY BEAR PROJECT

GIS Tools and Training Why?: Landscape and habitat models must be dynamic

and predictive so that resource managers can effectively

accommodate the needs of grizzly bears in their

development plans. . What are they?: Scripts integrated with standard GIS

software incorporate new or proposed features such as

roads, cut blocks, and well sites into the base landscape

and automatically calculates how these changes impact

grizzly bear habitat. Results: Planners can now forecast and compare the

effect of different development scenarios on various

aspects of habitat quality for grizzly bears. We also

provide a training program on how to used these products

so users are confident with the application of these tools. GIS tools led by Jerome Cranston (Arctos Ecological Services)

Training Program led by ENFORM

Why?: Given the rapid pace of development within grizzly

bear range in western Alberta, we need to identify and map

landscape changes so that we can better understand how

grizzly bears respond to habitat alterations. How?: New methods have been developed to detect and

record landscape change using both manual and remote-

sensing based techniques. Results: We have completed

mapping an area of 75,000

sq. km of the eastern slopes of

the Rockies, showing annual

changes in landscape structure

and human use features over

an 8-year period. These maps

can be matched to grizzly bear

health and movement data to

investigate the relationship with

human activity. Tracking Landscape Changes is led by Dr. Steven Franklin

(U of Saskatchewan) and Greg McDermid (U of Calgary)

Long Term Goal and Ongoing Work We will have completed RSF, mortality and corridor models and maps for all of the grizzly

bear range in Alberta by 2010. These completed maps will be delivered to all government

and industry partners along with training on how to use these products and our GIS tools

appropriately.

Our goal is to monitor grizzly bear populations using techniques that do not require the capture and handling of live

animals. We plan to estimate population size using DNA-based hair-snag techniques; to monitor grizzly bear health using

scat, and tissue samples obtained from biopsy darts; and to track natural and anthropogenic changes in habitat using

remote sensing tools. With this information we can focus conservation efforts more effectively and provide resource

managers with the knowledge and planning tools to ensure the long-term conservation of grizzlies in Alberta.

The future of grizzly bears will be based on societal

decisions on how we manage our natural resources

Program Partners

284 km new roads

297 ha new mines

128 new well sites

6012 ha cut blocks

THE CHALLENGE OF COEXISTENCE

Foothills Research Institute

Hinton, Alberta, Canada

www.foothillsresearchinstitute.ca

Contact

1999-2001 Change Features

Ainsworth Lumber Co. Ltd.

Alberta Conservation Association

Alberta Fish & Game Association

Anadarko Canada Corporation

.

Anderson Resources Ltd.

AVID Canada

B P Canada Energy Company

BC Oil and Gas Commission

Buchanan Lumber – Tolko OSB

Canada Centre for Remote Sensing

Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP)

Alberta Upstream Petroleum Research Fund

Canadian Natural Resources Ltd.

Canfor Corporation

Center for Wildlife Conservation

ConocoPhillips Canada

Conservation Biology Institute

Daishowa Marubeni International Ltd.

Devon Canada Corp

Anderson Exploration Ltd

Enbridge Inc.

Encana Corporation

Followit

Foothills Research Institute (formerly Foothills Model Forest)

Forest Resources Improvement Association of Alberta (FRIAA)

G&A Petroleum Services

GeoAnalytic Inc.

Government of Alberta

Alberta Advanced Education and Technology (formerly

Innovation and Science)

Alberta Environment

Alberta Sustainable Resource Development (ASRD)

Government of Canada

Canadian Forest Service, Natural Resources Canada

Canadian Wildlife Service

Environment Canada – HSP

Human Resources and Skills Development Canada

Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council

of Canada (NSERC)

Parks Canada

Banff National Park

Jasper National Park

Hinton Fish and Game Association

Hinton Training Centre

Husky Energy Inc.

Komex International Ltd.

Lehigh Inland Cement Ltd

Luscar Ltd

Gregg River Operations

Manning Diversified Forest Products Ltd.

Manning Forestry Research Fund

Millar Western Forest Products Ltd.

Mountain Equipment Co-op

Natural Resources Services

Nexen Inc.

Northrock Resources Ltd.

Peregrine Helicopters

Petro Canada Ltd.

Petroleum Technology Alliance Canada (PTAC)

Peyto Energy Trust

Precision Drilling Corporation

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation - Canada

Shell Canada Ltd

Sherritt International Corporation

Coal Valley Resources Inc

Spray Lake Sawmills Ltd.

Suncor Energy Inc.

Sundance Forest Industries Ltd.

Talisman Energy Inc.

Teck Cominco Limited (formerly Fording Canadian Coal

Trust) Cardinal River Operations

Telemetry Solutions

TransCanada Pipelines Ltd.

University of Alberta

University of Calgary

University of Lethbridge

University of Saskatchewan

Western College of Veterinary Medicine

University of Washington

University of Waterloo

Veritas DGC Inc.

West Fraser Mills Ltd.

Alberta Plywood

Alberta Newsprint

Blue Ridge Lumber Inc

Hinton Pulp

Hinton Wood Products

Slave Lake Pulp

Sundre Forest Products

Weyerhaeuser Company Ltd

Wilfred Laurier University

World Wildlife Fund Canada