Forest Management Guidelines for the Conservation of Woodland Caribou: A Landscape Approach

Organization
Resource Type
Authors
Gerald Racey
Allan Harris
Lee Gerrish
Ted Armstrong
John McNicol
Jim Baker
Resource Date:
2023
Page Length
80

Summary

This document provides direction for landscape planning at regional and local levels in forestdwelling woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) range. The objective is to ensure a suitable and sustainable landscape containing year-round caribou habitat, and to achieve this primarily through forest management and land use planning. Conservation of forest-dwelling woodland caribou means maintaining caribou range occupancy within a managed forest landscape. This document consists of a brief account of woodland caribou biology, direction for regional land use planning, special considerations for applying the Forest Management Guidelines for the Emulation of Fire Patterns in caribou range, management recommendations for site-specific habitat values and instructions for completing spatial and aspatial habitat supply analysis. Direction in this document will be followed where woodland caribou habitat management is recognized as a priority, either through designation of caribou as a featured species or through designated zoning recommended through regional land use planning. It is to be applied in concert with the Forest Management Guidelines for the Emulation of Fire Patterns. Ecological variation across the northern Ontario landscape requires a flexible approach to forest management. The recommendations in this document must be interpreted to fit local situations based on local knowledge and the professional judgment of experienced practitioners. These guidelines focus on the northwestern Ontario situation and make specific reference to experience, knowledge and understanding of the northwestern Ontario landscape.