The Upper Athabasca Healthy Landscapes Project FRI ND Program Information Session Edmonton, Alberta December 10th, 2009 David Andison
Planning & Monitoring Systems Wood Profile Grizzly Bear
Old growth
Outfitting
Natural Resource Extraction
Birds
Access Water Quality
Aesthetics
Fire Threat
Costs
Starting Point = Natural Disturbance Patterns.
Disturbance Patterns
Landscape Condition
Biological Consequences
Economic and Social Consequences
• Type • Frequency & Periodicity • Size & Shape • Severity • Tendencies • Seral-stage levels • Old forest patch sizes • Edge density • Coarse woody debris • Suspended sediment & O2…
• Fire risk • MPB risk • Water quality • Caribou • Grizzly bear… • Recreation • Oil and Gas Extraction • Clean Water Supply • Fishing • Timber Harvesting • Grazing…
Assumptions: • Landscape health is the ultimate measure of sustainability. • Disturbance patterns are a proxy for landscape health, and can be used as a shared goal of land management. • A landscape not operating within NRV is at risk. • The further a landscape is beyond NRV, the greater the risk. •
We can differentiate a “healthy” from an “unhealthy” landscape via NRV indicators.
Landscape 1 is “Healthier” than Landscape 2
Indicator
Landscape 1
Landscape 2
Frequency Duration Size Shape Type Severity Response to Veg. Response to Topog.
Too Low
NRV
Too High
Too Low
NRV
Green = Measurable Historical Range Red = Beyond Historical Range Black Dots = Current (point, range)
Too High
A wildfire kills 70% of large trees within the riparian zone of a small stream.
Disturbance Pattern
Dead trees fall down and create large woody debris (LWD) in and over the stream.
New LWD in the stream changes water flow direction and velocity, and create new pools.
Structurally and compositionally diverse aquatic ecosystems filter toxins in water.
The changes to water flow direction and velocity causes organic matter and sediment to erode from the banks into the stream.
Convoluted streams with LWD and a variety of sizes of pools act as buffers against flooding.
New LWD over the stream create bridges for small mammal habitat and travel. Fish and invertebrate communities need organics for nutrients, fresh sediment for spawning, pools for habitat, and LWD for shade and hiding cover.
Landscape Condition Responses al & i c o o s ues s l re a ic val a se m The econo
Biological Responses
Example of the Traditional Land Management Process. We want to minimize the risk of both flooding and water shortages.
We want our water to be safe and clean.
We want access to recreational fishing.
Agency A
Agency B
Agency C
Stock lakes and streams with fish. Install damns, build levees, dig reservoirs, add LWD.
ve lati u cum ical, & d . e nd colog acts e t p e in Un cial, ic im so nom eco
Economic, Ecological & Social Issues Decision Filtering Process
Prevent and control all wildfires. Forbid any disturbance in riparian zones.
Management Actions
LWD input limited to the occasional very large tree. Riparian forests become old.
The landscape risk to natural disturbance increases.
Aquatic diversity declines. Loss of young riparian forest habitat type.
Biological benefits of LWD continue to decline.
Landscape Condition Responses
Biological Responses
There are also physical gaps Upland Gentle Forested
Forest Management
Upland Steep Forested Upland Gentle Non-forested
Regulator A & B
Upland Steep Non-Forested Lowland Gentle Forested
Whose responsibility is it to manage the socalled “nonproductive� land base?
DFO, Regulator C
Lowland Gentle Non-Forested
Ducks Unlimited, Peat..
Wetlands
Regulator D
Water Initiation
Immature
Mature
Over-Mature
Example of a Healthy Landscape Management Process. We want to begin to restore riparian zones to more historical landscape structures. Landscape condition & biological responses, and all other social, economic & ecological issues.
A disturbance plan kills 70% of large trees within the riparian zone of a small stream.
Landscape Health Issues Decision Filtering Process Management Actions
Dead trees fall down and create large woody debris (LWD) in and over the stream.
New LWD in the stream changes water flow direction and velocity, and create new pools.
Landscape Condition Responses
Changes to water flow cause organic matter and sediment to erode into the stream.
New LWD over the stream create bridges for small mammals. Aquatic communities need organics for nutrients, fresh sediment for spawning, pools for habitat, and LWD for cover.
Convoluted streams with LWD and a variety of sizes of pools act as buffers against flooding.
Diverse, healthy aquatic ecosystems are more likely to filter toxins in water.
Healthy fish communities are preferred fishing destinations.
Biological Responses
Economic and Social Responses
Management Goal = A Healthier Landscape.
Management Objectives = Direction and distance of blue arrows % Old Forest % Old Riparian For. % Young Forest % Old Non-Forest % Young Riparian Water Sediment Large Old Area Freq Large Woody Debris
Too Low
NRV
Too High
The point is not to get all of the dots in the green zone. The green zone represents natural thresholds, beyond which there are risks.
Management Plan = Disturbance Plan Management Tools = Harvesting, PB’s etc. Prescribed Harvesting
Burning
Roads Well Sites
Disturbance Plan Response to Natural Disturbances
Paving Pipelines
Alberta’s Land Use Framework • Vision: “The peoples of Alberta work together to respect and care for the land as the foundation for our economic, environmental and social well-being.” • One of 3 Desired Outcomes: • “Healthy ecosystems and environment” • “Supported by a land stewardship ethic”. • “A cumulative effects management approach will be used in regional plans….
Establish NRV and CRV Baselines INDICATORS (e.g.)
Below
NRV
Above
Frequency Duration
Disturbance Attributes
Size Shape Type Severity
These are all management controls; the “Levers”.
Response to Veg. Response to Topog.
% Old Forest % Old Riparian For.
Landscape Condition Responses
% Young Forest % Old Non-Forest % Young Riparian Water Sediment Large Old Area Freq
These are primary management effects; “Desired Future Forest / Water / Land”, etc
Large Woody Debris
MPB Threat Wildfire Threat
Biological & Other Responses
Grizzly Bear Habitat Bull Trout Habitat Caribou Habitat Wood Supply Access Rec. Fishing
These are the key management outputs; “Fine Filter Values”.
Identify Objectives Using NRV as Guides INDICATOR
Below
NRV
Above
Frequency Duration
Disturbance Attributes
Size Shape Type Severity Response to Veg. Response to Topog.
% Old Forest % Old Riparian For.
Landscape Condition Responses
% Young Forest % Old Non-Forest % Young Riparian Water Sediment Large Old Area Freq
Green arrows represent direction and distance we wish to shift an LCR indicator.
Large Woody Debris MPB Threat Wildfire Threat
Biological Responses Other Responses
Grizzly Bear Habitat Bull Trout Habitat Caribou Habitat Wood Supply
Blue arrows represent direction and distance we wish to shift a BR indicator.
Access Rec. Fishing
Preferred Range
Now Identify The Likely “Levers” to Pull INDICATOR
Below
NRV
Above
Frequency Duration
Disturbance Attributes
Size Shape Type Severity Response to Veg. Response to Topog.
Red arrows represent direction and distance we need to shift a DA indicators to achieve desired LCRs and BRs.
% Old Forest % Old Riparian For.
Landscape Condition Responses
% Young Forest % Old Non-Forest % Young Riparian Water Sediment Large Old Area Freq
Green arrows represent direction and distance we wish to shift an LCR indicator.
Large Woody Debris
MPB Threat Wildfire Threat
Biological Responses
Grizzly Bear Habitat Bull Trout Habitat Caribou Habitat
Other Responses
Wood Supply Access Rec. Fishing
Blue arrows represent direction and distance we wish to shift a BR indicator.
Design Disturbance Scenarios - Together High severity, large size, simple shapes, high duration, low response to vegetation and topography
All severity, all sizes, all shapes, low duration, low response to vegetation and topography.
Area D
Area B
Area A
Area C
Moderate to high severity, moderate size, low shape, moderate duration, & high response to vegetation and topography.
Moderate severity, large size, complex shape, low duration, low response to vegetation and topography.
Use Planning Indicators to Compare Scenarios INDICATOR
Below
NRV
Above
Frequency Duration Size
Disturbance Attributes
Shape Type Severity
Disturbance Indicators: “Did you do what you said you would?”
Response to Veg. Response to Topog.
% Old Forest % Old Riparian For.
Landscape Condition Responses
% Young Forest % Old Non-Forest % Young Riparian Water Sediment
Condition Indicators: “Did you create the predicted conditions?”
Large Old Area Freq Large Woody Debris
MPB Threat Wildfire Threat
Biological Responses
Grizzly Bear Habitat Bull Trout Habitat Caribou Habitat
Other Responses
Wood Supply Access Rec. Fishing
Response Indicators: “Did you create the predicted responses?”
Predicted (from Models) INDICATOR Frequency Duration Size Shape Type Severity Response to Veg. Response to Topog.
% Old Forest % Old Riparian For. % Young Forest % Old Non-Forest % Young Riparian Water Sediment Large Old Area Freq Large Woody Debris
MPB Threat Wildfire Threat Grizzly Bear Habitat Bull Trout Habitat Caribou Habitat Wood Supply Access Rec. Fishing
Below
NRV
Above
Actual (from Monitoring) Vs.
Below
NRV
Above
YES NO YES YES YES NO YES YES YES NO YES NO YES YES NO NO YES NO NO YES NO NO YES YES
Adaptive monitoring becomes a logical outcome of a HL plan.
The Upper Athabasca HL Project Upper Athabasca LUF Landscape
Core Study Area Analysis Window
The UA HL Project Partnership • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Hinton Wood Products Alberta Newsprint Co. Jasper National Park Alberta SRD – Forest Mgmt. Alberta SRS – Land Use Planning group Foothills Forest Products Weyerhaeuser Company Talisman Energy Alberta Environment Sundre Forest Products Foothills Land Mgmt Forum Alberta Energy Coal Valley Shell Alberta SRD – Forest Protection Alberta Tourism Parks and Recreation Alberta SRD – Oil Sands Branch Miller Western Forest Products Foothills Research Institute So far….
The Process (highlights): 1. There are no rules – everything is on the table. 2. All (hopefully) management partners will design the planning scenarios as a team. 3. The final product(s) will be completed in time for input into the UA land use planning exercise.
Why Participate? • NRV indicators, ranges, and current conditions for everyone involved (i.e.the same language) for strategic plans. • National Parks are not part of the provincial land use plans. • Input into this project equates to input into the Regional Land Use plan. • As an alternative planning process, we may just come up with some new solutions consistent with current needs.