Alberta's Caribou Recovery Plans Derailed by Oil and Gas Interests

The long-awaited plans to protect Alberta's caribou ranges have been met with criticism from experts, who claim that the proposals prioritize oil and gas production over the recovery of the threatened woodland caribou.

According to the Caribou Mountains, Red Earth and Berland sub-regional plans, doubling oil and gas production is the first approach outlined in the plans, which will 'enable growth of the energy industry.'

However, scientists, conservationists, and legal experts argue that the plans lack the modelling, recovery goals, and science-backed approaches necessary to achieve caribou recovery.

The proposed plans divide the regions into two zones: the 'go-zone' where existing development requirements apply, and the 'nature-first' zone which prohibits new activities that would create surface disturbance.

But experts say that even these proposals are insufficient, as they do not provide enough detail on how to achieve a minimum of 65% undisturbed habitat for caribou recovery, as specified by federal guidelines.

The plans will be reviewed every 10 years, but critics argue that this is too slow and that more immediate action is needed to protect the caribou population.