Progress report on steps taken to protect critical habitat for boreal caribou

[rf2]

Here's a link to a progress report related to woodland caribou published by the federal government:

https://www.canada.ca/en/environment...d-caribou.html

There's a section on actions that Ontario has taken. This might be of interest to some - every once in a while a thread comes up where people talk about caribou.

[SK33T3R]

Here's the Ontario effort below. Sounds like everything is being done from behind a desk.
they're worried about Future of Caribou in the Lake Superior Coast Range.
What's the excuse for the Michopicoten Island caribou disaster from last year. No mention at all.
800 + animals allowed to perish over a 3 yr time frame. Valuable animals that could have been seed stock in other areas of the province. A single pack of wolves.
I guess they think the wolves on the mainland only eat mice and rabbits.
Shame on our MNR!
It all reads good but lacks any real hands-on action. Lip music and the hope that if they just legislate the areas protected - passing paper laws - that it will all return to normal. The MNR has a lot of fiddle practice.

I hope Santa gives them all a lump of coal (even that is more then they deserve)

2.5. Ontario

Since April 2018, the following steps have been taken, which, in various ways, support and are of relevance to the recovery and protection of boreal caribou critical habitat in Ontario:
•The Province continues the review and assessment of a number of large-scale development proposals through Ontario’s Endangered Species Act, 2007 (ESA) and Range Management Policy in Support of Woodland Caribou Conservation and Recovery. These efforts involve consideration of caribou range condition based on current data, detailed assessment of potential adverse effects on caribou and their habitat, and identification of avoidance, mitigation, and conditions for authorization
•With respect to the Coastal range, the Province has been working since 2016 to develop a management approach for the Lake Superior Coast Range and Discontinuous Distribution. In spring 2018, input was received through posting of the discussion paper titled “Seeking Advice on the Future of Caribou in the Lake Superior Coast Range,” and engagement sessions were held with Indigenous communities to obtain community input. The input received, in addition to input from Indigenous and stakeholder sessions planned for early 2019, will inform the development of draft management approach. Consultation on the draft management approach is anticipated in spring 2019
•In the Far North planning area, the Province continues to work with 10 First Nation communities to plan for a 195,494 square kilometer area. When completed, each community based land use plan will include at least one Dedicated Protected Area. Establishment of Dedicated Protected Areas will result in enhanced protection of significant areas of the Far North from human disturbance
•The 2014 Forest Management Guide for Boreal Landscapes includes new requirements to manage for natural levels of caribou habitat, develop a caribou habitat plan (i.e. Dynamic Caribou Habitat Schedule), and directs that planning be undertaken in the context of the caribou range as opposed to the forest management unit. Since April 2018, the Guide was applied to the development of eight Forest Management Plans (overlapping with eight boreal caribou ranges), and an additional five Forest Management Plans (overlapping four ranges) will apply to the Guide over the next six months
•Ontario Parks continue to implement caribou considerations into management and operations including the development of fire response plans, reviews of work permits, approvals for research permits, and the development of educational materials. The finalization of the Slate Islands Provincial Park Management Plan is anticipated by March 2019
•Boreal caribou habitat maps have been updated using additional observation data including continued boreal caribou habitat mapping work to delineate nursery and winter use areas. In addition, new science-based mapping technology has been developed to enable accurate mapping of seasonal range habitat. The Province continues to improve their caribou screening tool, which tracks both anthropogenic and natural disturbance. Boreal caribou habitat maps and the caribou screening tool help to inform resource management decisions and support the review of development proposals. The Province is planning to undertake additional population monitoring in selected caribou ranges during the winter of 2019
•In Ontario’s Far North planning area, work is ongoing to develop population dynamics models for caribou, to facilitate regional cumulative effects assessment. These models will assist in the identification of boreal caribou critical habitat in the Far North and will help to inform future planning and resource development decisions in this region

Canada and Ontario are pursuing discussions towards the negotiation of a draft conservation agreement under Section 11 of SARA for boreal caribou, to inform measures necessary support the conservation of the species and the protection of its critical habitat.

[gbk]

Can not help but to agree with You SK33T3R.
Since the Michipicoten "political disaster"everything is relative to me ,as far as caribou are concerned.
If they really want to protect and enhance-where are the true measures? Like protecting caribou over and above anything else(like protecting wolves on Michipicoten) prohibiting hunting to all....actions,only actions ,not talks will protect and will hopefully bring back the caribou.
For our children and grandchildren....
Now i only hope the new MNRF under Rob Ford will treat these issues hopefully with more "hands on"and "real life"approach.

[SK33T3R]

Over the last 30 years there has been a mental slide within our MNR. It appears as though too many screenings of "Bambi" and the "Fox and the Hound" have been played. I would say "La La Land" best describes what's going on NOW!
There have been so many WRONG decisions, over and over, I don't think I will see it set straight during my lifetime.
Michopicoten Island was a perfect example of how the caribou can rebound. Our MNR blames habitat loss, overharvesting, overhunting, roads, logging , etc etc etc.
The caribou on Michopicoten flourished in short order. It proves to all and
anyone with a half a brain that predators and predator numbers can and do have an affect on a prey population.

The MNR, behind the desk, La La Land caribou plan is like peeing into the wind! Unless some changes to our wolf population occur then the caribou will always be endangered.
Oh Yea I forgot, they're already doing that by eradicating the moose population in 21A and 21B to starve out the wolves quietly.
And hoping the new predator less garden of Eden will allow a caribou recovery. LA La La.
MNR hows that plan going so far?
Net result - more protection for wolves and we don't have any moose or caribou NOW!