Wood bison by Rick Price

The Government of Alberta has released three new draft sub-regional plans for Caribou Mountains(opens in new tab), Red Earth(opens in new tab) and Berland(opens in new tab), covering landscapes that are already heavily disturbed and are important to threatened woodland caribou populations.

Nature Alberta, together with the Alberta Wilderness Association and CPAWS Northern Alberta, is concerned that these plans continue to prioritize industrial development while providing insufficient protection for the remaining habitat that caribou need to survive and recover. The Red Earth and Caribou Mountains (draft) plans also raise concerns about the recovery of wood bison, another species at risk. Read our joint statement here(opens in new tab).

These are not intact landscapes with abundant habitat remaining. Much of the habitat within these caribou ranges has already been disturbed, making the remaining mature forests, wetlands and other suitable biophysical habitat critically important to caribou survival and recovery. Industrial development and forestry can further fragment and degrade this habitat, while restoring suitable habitat can take decades. Protecting and maintaining what remains must therefore be central to any credible recovery strategy.

Nature Alberta believes sub-regional plans should establish clear, measurable and enforceable outcomes for species at risk and provide meaningful protection for the biophysical habitat they depend on. Restoration is important, but it cannot replace the protection of the remaining functional habitat needed by caribou and bison today.

Albertans are invited to review the three draft plans and provide feedback through the Government of Alberta’s public engagement process. Engagement on the Caribou Mountains and Red Earth plans is open until October 26, 2026, while engagement on the Berland plan is open until November 12, 2026.

AB Gov engagement portals:

Caribou Mountains SRP https://www.alberta.ca/caribou-mountains-sub-regional-plan-engagement
(opens in new tab)
Red Earth SRP https://www.alberta.ca/red-earth-sub-regional-plan-engagement(opens in new tab)
Berland SRP https://www.alberta.ca/berland-sub-regional-plan-engagement(opens in new tab)

Nature Alberta encourages Albertans to review the plans, consider their potential impacts on caribou, bison and their habitat, and participate in the public engagement process through the Government of Alberta’s engagement portal.

The post Alberta’s New Sub-regional Plans Must Put Caribou and Bison Recovery First first appeared on Nature Alberta.

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