Project Description
Boreal Caribou Range Planning – Planning and Decision Support
Boreal caribou are listed as threatened under the federal Species at Risk Act. Under the national Recovery Strategy, each jurisdiction in Canada is expected to maintain or achieve self-sustaining status for each of its populations in order to maintain the current distribution of boreal caribou in Canada. The Government of the Northwest Territories developed a boreal caribou range planning framework to guide development of five regional range plans that will manage levels of human-caused disturbance throughout the boreal caribou range. The sheer size of the range in NWT means that the implications for resource and economic development could be significant, and the dominant role of fire in overall habitat disturbance creates real challenges for range planning.
Compass worked with GWNT, Indigenous governments and organizations, and stakeholder organizations across the NWT to develop an approach to range planning that achieves a balance among competing land interests, works within the existing co-management context, and fulfills commitments under both the territorial and federal Recovery Strategies. Compass facilitated two Working Group processes, with participation from Indigenous governments, co-management boards, federal agencies, and NGOs, to improve the draft version of the Framework. Through several rounds of input and engagement, a range of options was developed and evaluated according to a structured decision making framework, leading to consensus within GNWT and wide support within the two multi-party Working Groups.
We are continuing to provide support to begin the development of the first two regional range plans through similar Working Group processes, which will bring together western science and Indigenous Knowledge to collaboratively plan for the management of caribou habitat in the NWT.
Related Projects: The North, Cumulative Effects, Forests and Lands, Species at Risk, Stakeholder Facilitation, Structured Decision Making, Fish and Wildlife
