Special Places 2000 is a great opportunity to complete a network of protected areas for the province that will provide benefits to society today and for generations to come. It also provides industry with a clear vision of where the limits are so that it can get on with business.
There is an emerging consensus among conservation biologists that an integrated system of large nature reserves, embedded in a landscape managed for ecologically sustainable use, is required to conserve biodiversity. Special Places 2000 was envisioned as the process to establish such a system of reserves in Alberta; it has veered from this vision during implementation, however.
The current process is focused on simply representing a range of land types, without regard to requirements for ecological integrity. An absolute cap has been placed on the amount of land to be protected, regardless of need, and a decision has been made to maintain all industrial commitments, without attempts at mitigation. The result is that the sites being considered for establishment are too small to contribute meaningfully to the conservation of the province's biodiversity.
For example, in the Foothills Natural Region the intent is to protect
only two percent of the region (leaving 98 percent open to industrial development)
and this two percent would be divided among a dozen sites. Furthermore,
because of pressure from the oil and gas sector and some forestry companies
the protected areas are being forced into sites that are unsuitable for
industrial use, rather than sites best suited for maintaining biodiversity.
Rationale for Large Protected Areas
Large size is critical for maintaining ecological processes, a key prerequisite for conserving biological diversity. Large-scale processes such as fire cannot be accommodated in small protected areas, and consequently these areas take on a zoo-like quality. In a zoo, only continual artificial support keeps the animals alive, as natural self-sustaining processes are not present. Smaller protected areas are also much more susceptible to the influence of industrial impacts in the surrounding landscape.
In addition to conserving biodiversity, large sites in which natural
ecosystem processes are maintained are also important as "benchmark" areas.
Benchmark areas provide natural laboratories for studying ecological processes
and reference sites for assessing the effects of resource extraction on
the industrial land base. Benchmark areas have been identified as an essential
component of the Alberta Forest
Conservation Strategy.
Large protected areas also play a role in the protection of endangered
species with large area requirements. For example, Ontario recently established
Wabikimi Provincial Park, encompassing over 9,000 square kilometres, primarily
for caribou conservation. Large protected areas also have high wilderness
value, which is important to many Albertans.
Minimum Size for Ecological Integrity
There is a direct relationship between size and the ability of an area to maintain ecological integrity. In general, the larger the area, the greater its ability to withstand disturbance, incorporate natural ecological processes, and be self-regulating.
Two criteria are most important for determining the minimum size of a protected area for maintaining ecological integrity. The first is the smallest area able to maintain natural disturbance patterns. Natural disturbances are vital for ecosystem renewal. In northern Alberta, where fire is the dominant disturbance, this implies a reserve size of several thousand square kilometres. For example, the Mariana Lakes fire in 1995 burned over 1,300 square kilometres, and many larger fires have burned in the past.
The second criterion is based on area requirements for the largest carnivore,
largest herbivore and other species in the region that require large areas.
There are now techniques to determine the area required to sustain minimum
viable populations of these species for a minimum period. For species in
northern Alberta, such as caribou and grizzly, this would again imply a
reserve size of several thousand square kilometres.
Site Selection Process
To achieve the goals of Special Places 2000, the concept of ecological integrity must be incorporated in the site selection. First, the site with the greatest potential to represent each Natural Subregion and maintain ecological integrity should be identified. Any unique themes or features missed in the large area could be added in a series of smaller sites. Because some subregions are small and others are for the most part privately owned, it will not be possible to establish large sites in all subregions, but attempts should be made to do so wherever possible.
Subregions with the highest potential for establishing large reserves
are: Foothills, Central Mixedwood, Boreal Highlands and Boreal Subarctic.
Sites of 5,000 square kilometres each, established in each of the four
subregions, would represent three percent of the province. Since the combined
area of these four subregions equals 44 percent of the province, the suggested
three percent cannot be considered excessive.
The Issues Won't Go Away
These issues are solidly grounded in science and also have a high public
profile-they won't disappear if we refuse to deal with them. We must integrate
concepts such as ecological integrity and the requirements of the Forest
Conservation Strategy in the Special Places process, making the tough decisions
now instead of putting them off for yet another day.
Dr. Schneider is a wildlife population ecologist currently studying the effects of industrial use on wildlife species in northern Alberta. He is Director of Conservation for the Edmonton chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society.