Research for the Southern East Slopes Conservation Strategy reports was completed by the Miistakis Institute of the Rockies, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – Southern Alberta, Southern Alberta Land Trust Society and the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative. The Collaborative as a whole participated in the review of each of the conservation target reports, and provided input and recommendations for selection of the study area, vision, conservation targets, goals, and priority objectives.
Science
Using the best available science and data, the Collaborative identified and evaluated the health and viability of four conservation targets which underpin the ecological integrity of the Southern Eastern Slopes.
The four conservation targets are:
- Foothills grasslands
- Lodgepole pine and white spruce forests
- Riparian systems
- Wide-ranging mammals (with a focus on grizzly bears and elk as indicator species)
A number of threats to the ongoing health of the conservation targets were identified and rated. Several of the threats were rated as “high” for all or more than one of the targets including:
- Linear disturbance – rated as “high” for three targets and “medium” for wide-ranging mammals.
- Motorized recreational activity – was rated as “high” for wide-ranging mammals.
- Commercial logging – rated as “high” for riparian systems and lodgepole pine and white spruce forests.
- Rural residential development – rated as “high” for foothills grasslands, riparian systems and wide-ranging mammals.
- Terrestrial invasive species – rated as “high” for foothills grasslands and “medium” for riparian systems.
Due to these and other threats the four targets have seen either a significant reduction in their historic extent or a significant reduction in their health, or a combination of both.
Through the Collaborative’s analysis, all four conservation targets were rated as ‘fair’: defined as outside the acceptable range of variation, and requiring human intervention.
Southern East Slopes Conservation Strategy – Full Report
The Southern East Slopes Conservation Strategy full report provides a complete overview of the project including key findings for each conservation targets and priority goals and objectives for collaborative conservation work along the southern East Slopes.
Southern East Slopes Conservation Strategy – Foothills Grasslands Report
Grasslands provide many environmental, economic and social benefits to Albertans. Grasslands are an important ecosystem that is adapted to a specific climate and provides habitat for a wide variety of wildlife and plant life that are well-adapted to live there. From an ecosystem goods and services perspective, grasslands provide water cycling and regulation, pollination, habitat, climate regulation, food, and spiritual and cultural value, to name a few. Grasslands are also very important agriculturally, supporting livestock production.
Foothills grasslands in Alberta are under stress from loss of grasslands due to agriculture crop production, industrial development and urban and rural infrastructure. In this report we explore the value of maintaining and improving the important foothills grassland community as it supports ecosystem resilience, biodiversity and the economy along the Southern East Slopes.
Southern East Slopes Conservation Strategy – Riparian Systems Report
Riparian areas are critical from both an ecological and economic perspective: they sustain us, our landscapes, our lifestyles and our businesses. The importance and significance of riparian areas is far larger than their size suggests, as they produce and safeguard forage, shelter, fish, wildlife and water. They are part of a healthy, functioning landscape, and are an integral part of watersheds. Riparian systems face a number of threats, both from direct impacts in the riparian area and from landscape changes. This report assesses the health and viability of Riparian Systems in the Southern Eastern Slopes and key areas of action required.
Southern East Slopes Conservation Strategy – Pine and Spruce Forests Report
The lodgepole pine and white spruce forests species play an important role in terms of sustaining downstream water supply and storage, providing flood mitigation protection and wildlife habitat, and supporting both recreational and forestry opportunities. These forest communities were chosen because they are the most prevalent in the study region, and are the main species targeted for timber harvest, considered one of the largest impacts on the Southern Eastern Slopes. Further, lodgepole pine is predicted to be very sensitive to climate change in Alberta. It is expected that lodgepole pine and white spruce forests represent land use and climate change trends in other coniferous forests stands in the Southern Eastern Slopes. This report assesses the viability of lodgepole pine and white spruce forests on the Southern Eastern Slopes.
Southern East Slopes Conservation Strategy – Wide-Ranging Mammals Report
Wide-ranging mammals are often considered umbrella species, since protecting enough habitat for these animals also results in the protection of a diversity of smaller animals and plants. Competing land uses in the Southern East Slopes contribute to habitat loss and fragmentation of the landscape, reducing wildlife access to secure habitat and impeding wildlife ability to move around the landscape to access food, mates and shelter. The wide-ranging mammals target was chosen to represent the connectivity of the Southern Eastern Slopes, using grizzly bear and elk as indicator species.