Wildlife Habitat Enhancement Program

LL0019

Project

Wildlife Habitat Enhancement Program

Timeline

2001-2016

Scope of Work

This project implemented a linear deactivation and reforestation program across legacy disturbance features such as seismic lines, abandoned lease roads, and active dispositions within the Cold Lake caribou range. Treatments included mechanical site preparation, mounding, ripping, tree and shrub planting, spreading woody debris, and targeted tree felling to reduce line-of-sight and restrict predator and human access. Restoration efforts were supported by monitoring programs led in part by graduate research at the University of Alberta, which examined wolf use of treated features. A Caribou Protection Plan was developed to minimize disturbance to caribou and other wildlife during operational activities in the Primrose project area. A 10-year wildlife monitoring program was completed to evaluate the influence of core disturbances such as roads, pipelines, and plant sites on a range of mammal and bird species. Finally, annual reporting on the successes and failures of reforestation efforts provided feedback to refine restoration practices and guide future management decisions.

Conclusions

Results show that linear deactivation treatments effectively reduced human access and improved seedling establishment, with survival rates exceeding expectations in prepared plots. However, ATV use damaged some planted seedlings, indicating a need for stronger site protection measures. Wildlife monitoring found that Above Ground Pipelines (AGPs) did not act as complete barriers but altered species abundance patterns, with some species avoiding AGP corridors. Caribou were consistently detected in the project area, with higher abundances in regions further from major disturbances, highlighting the importance of ongoing protection measures. Bird and mammal communities showed variable responses to disturbance, with some species more resilient than others depending on habitat type and distance from core infrastructure. Overall, the project advanced caribou habitat recovery while demonstrating that adaptive management and long-term monitoring are essential to balancing energy development with wildlife conservation.

Project Type

Joint Industry Project

Project Year(s)

2001-2016

Project Manager

Pathways IT Service Desk

Company Lead

CNRL

Project Participants

CNRL

Boreal Horticultural Services

Golder Associates

Judy Butt Horticultural

Basin Environmental

Themes

Wildlife

Tags

above ground pipeline access management adaptive management agp crossing structures American kestrel barn swallow bat bat boxes bay-breasted warbler bear biodiversity conservation blackpoll warbler boreal owl brown creeper bufflehead Canada lynx cape may warbler caribou caribou protection plan CLAWR cold lake caribou range common goldeneye common yellowthroat coyote disturbance features energy development impacts fisher game trails grey wolf habitat disturbance house sparrow lease roads least flycatcher legacy disturbance linear deactivation marsh wren marten mechanical site preparation moose mounding mule deer nelson&apos nest boxes northern waterthrush pipeline rights of way predator movement primrose east expansion project primrose project area red squirrel reforestation reforestation success remote camera monitoring ripping s sparrow seedling survival seismic lines snowshoe hare songbird monitoring tree felling vegetation regeneration warbling vireo weasel western tanager white-tailed deer wildlife monitoring winter track surveys wolf lake project wolf travel woody debris spreading

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