Alberta has recently recommended a guideline for protection of selected wildlife species and habitat within grassland and parkland natural regions of Alberta. The guidelines are designed to help land users avoid or minimize potential adverse effects on wildlife and wildlife resources of Alberta. In order to retain healthy, functioning ecosystems in Alberta, it is important to manage the timing and location of resources extraction and human developments in ways to minimize lasting effects on vegetation, soils and surface/subsurface waters. The Fish & Wildlife Division of Alberta Sustainable Resource Development has developed the guidelines below to identify general set back distances and timing restrictions that apply to various land use/surface disturbance activities, including resource exploration development within the Parkland and Grassland natural regions of Alberta.

Sustainable Resource Development - Fish & Wildlife Division Recommended Guideline for Protection Of Selected Wildlife Species And Habitat Within Grassland And Parkland Natural Regions Of Alberta

1 - Species were classified by their status in Alberta (bold if they were classified as “at risk”, italics if they were classified as “may be at risk”, and plain if they were classified as “sensitive”; Sage Thrasher has an undetermined status in Alberta at present but has been coded as “at risk” because it is classified as at risk in British Columbia)

2 - For species that are classified as “at risk”, setback distances apply to all known wildlife key areas/sites. For species classified as “may be at risk” or “sensitive”, setback distances apply to all wildlife key areas/sites that have been used during the last ten years. However, for a wildlife key area/site to be removed from the list, adequate monitoring must be conducted to ensure that that area/site truly has not been used during the last ten years.

Fish & Wildlife Division recommends that there be no industrial activity within 100 m of water bodies (wetlands, ponds, creeks, rivers, lakes, including dry water bodies), or within 100 m of the crest of any coulee associated with riparian areas or unique geographical features like hummocky moraines, because all of these areas receive extensive wildlife use.