The Status of Biodiversity in Alberta’s Oil Sands Region

This report presents data on several indicators of environmental health for the Oil Sands Region (OSR) of Alberta. The ABMI assessed the status of 425 species and found the Biodiversity Intactness Indices for multiple groups across the OSR. They also completed a detailed assessment of the human footprint of the region between 1999-2012. This report describes regional ecological baseline conditions for several components of biodiversity. These findings can be used as a foundation for planning and for evaluating future outcomes of resource management in the OSR.

The total area of human footprint in the OSR increased by 20% between 1999 and 2012 and the Biodiversity Intactness Index across 425 species was, on average, 88%.