Lesson 6: Wildlife Conservation

Located 50 km northeast of Athabasca, Alberta-Pacific Forest Industries Inc. (Al-Pac) is one of the most modern pulp mills in the world. Al-Pac's forest management area overlaps important woodland caribou habitat, which are now listed as threatened under the Alberta Wildlife Act.

Research has determined that the woodland caribou have become threatened due to both natural and human actions. For example, roads, seismic lines, and pipelines have fragmented caribou habitat and increased access for both humans and predators such as wolves.

Al-Pac has supported caribou research and management activities since 1991; they are  applying Geographical Information System technology in their efforts to protect Woodland Caribou. The Alberta Caribou Committee monitors caribou herds by means of radio collars. Al-Pac, in turn, incorporates this information into its Geographical Information System. Applying such technology allows Al-Pac to plan road construction and tree harvesting so that caribou habitat can be avoided wherever possible.