Welcome to the Manitoba Model Forest - Woodland caribou research initiative

Woodland Caribou Research Initiative

updated: 28 October, 2005

Woodland Caribou - Manitoba Model Forest project # 04 - 2 - 33

For over a decade, the Manitoba Model Forest has been the driving force behind a diverse partnership which is delving into the life of one of Manitoba’s largest, and most elusive, boreal forest creatures. Working under the banner of the Eastern Manitoba Woodland Caribou M Caribou committee

anagement Committee, this diverse partnership of community, industry and stakeholder interests, has brought together the most up-to-date technology, traditional ecological knowledge and scientific data to build The Eastern Manitoba Woodland Caribou Project.
    While the overall goal of the project is to maintain or enhance existing caribou populations on their current ranges, the 2004 project year was most notable for the release of two documents. One, a document entitled “Determining Woodland Caribou Home Range and Habitat Use in Eastern Manitoba “ reports on the methods used to analyze caribou movements, habitat selection and “core areas of use” for woodland caribou in eastern Manitoba. The document also examines the results of the analyses, including individual maps for each caribou and each range/sub-range.
    The document’s significance is due to the level of information relevant to reviewing, assessing and mitigating the impacts of proposed development in and near woodland caribou ranges. It also provides baseline information for establishing caribou management zones for each of the eastern Manitoba woodland caribou groups. This provides a foundation for monitoring changes in caribou distribution and habitat use as well as providing information for assessing possible causes for changes in distribution and/or habitat use.
    The second document released by the Eastern Manitoba Woodland Caribou Managementy Committee focussed on the development of an updated Management Strategy for the Owl Lake Herd.   The document is based on information from ongoing telemetry and CFS work and the data recovered from Owl Lake animals and the results of vegetation surveys.

    Titled, “A Landscape Management Strategy for the Owl Lake Boreal Woodland Caribou Herd, Eastern Manitoba”, the revised strategy provides background on the 1995 Owl Lake Strategy as well as incorporating new information and analyses conducted over the past decade. The updated strategy identifies habitat objectives, sets out rules for maintaining winter habitat supplies, and outlines principles for experimental harvest prescriptions. The latter may be considered for experimental application within the Owl Lake herd’s winter range along with the associated monitoring requirements.
    The discussions surrounding the development of the Owl Lake strategy were instrumental in identifying the need for an expert workshop for caribou practioners. This in turn has lead to the development of a national woodland caribou forum, hosted by the Manitoba Model Forest. The forum is scheduled for early next fiscal year (April 2005).
    Although the Owl Lake Strategy was the primary focus for the 2004/05 work plan, a regional conservation strategy was also initiated. This strategy will be addressing all the woodland caribou groups in eastern Manitoba. Work will be continuing on this strategy in 2005.
    The Eastern Manitoba Woodland Caribou Management Committee has also provided more general inform Humane collaring

ation about its activities to the public at large and several special interest groups, including governments, through a variety of me dia. The committee’s new video, “ Shadows of the Forest: Managing Woodland Caribou” tells the story of Manitoba’s threatened woodland caribou and documents some of the activities the Eastern Manitoba Woodland Caribou Management Committee has undertaken to protect caribou habitat. Over 3500 copies of the Committee’s newsletter, Atik News, were distributed to interested parties and the committee’s activities were also featured in the Manitoba Model Forest Newsletter and website.
The collaborative research effort of the Eastern Manitoba Woodland Caribou Management Committee will be continuing in 2005 for the benefit of woodland caribou and other boreal forest residents. Their ongoing efforts will continue to build upon the past decade of research, and construct a clearer understanding of the Woodland Caribou’s place in the ever changing dynamics of the boreal forest.

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