08/09 REPORT ANNUAL - rockies.ca · Anthropogenic Change in the Northern Crown of the Continent 12 Calgary Regional Partnership – Regional GIS Project 13 Alberta Land Use and Landscapes

ANNUALREPORT08/09

Table of ContentsBoard of Directors/Staff IFCYear in Review 1The Institute 1Road Watch in the Pass 2Transfer of Development Credits 3Wildlife and Recreation in Southwestern Alberta 4Crown Managers Partnership 5Exploration of Provincial Land and Water Use ENGO Collaboration 6Conservation Mapping for Sage Grouse 7Ecological Goods and Services Program Scan for Alberta NAWMP 8Conservation Planning Support For MD of Ranchland 9Ecological Infrastructure in the Calgary Region 10Highway 3 Transportation Corridor Science and Mitigation Assessment 11Anthropogenic Change in the Northern Crown of the Continent 12Calgary Regional Partnership – Regional GIS Project 13Alberta Land Use and Landscapes Website 14Crowsnest Pass Natural Area Conservation Plan (NACP) 14Web Site Development 15General Partner Support 15Student Support 16Presentations 17Publications and Reports 18Our Partners 19Financials 20

Board of DirectorsMichael Quinn (Chair)Faculty of Environmental Design, University of Calgary and Miistakis Director of Research and Liaison

Marco Musiani (Vice Chair)Faculty of Environmental Design, University of Calgary

Rob Senko (Treasurer)Rob Senko Consulting

Shelley Alexander Department of Geography, University of Calgary

J.A. Rod Blais Geomatics Engineering, University of Calgary

Len Broberg Environmental Studies Program, University of Montana

Bill Dolan,Waterton Lakes National Park

Ian Dyson Alberta Environment

Steve Kennett Pembina Institute for Appropriate Development

Larissa MullerFaculty of Environmental Design, University of Calgary

Robert Parkinson Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

StaffDanah Duke Executive Director

Guy GreenawaySenior Project Manager

Tracy Lee Senior Project Manager

Ken Sanderson GIS Developer

Greg Chernoff Research Associate/Spatial Analyst

Kimberly Good Project Manager

Samantha Managh Research Associate

Year in ReviewThe challenges of ecological conservation and

sustainable land use increase and evolve every year, but so, too, do the opportunities and tools for addressing those challenges. Over time, the work of Miistakis has increased in scope, complexity, and most importantly effectiveness, with 2008/2009 one of our most successful yet. For that, we are thankful for the on-going support of our investing partners, and of those partners and communities with whom we collaborate on numerous research, tool-building, spatial analysis, and conservation planning projects.

As with many groups, organizational stability has been top-of-mind for Miistakis as the world economy deeply affected our sector. We remain vigilant, but satisfied with our resilience thus far. A focus on diversity – learned from healthy ecosystems – has helped us tremendously. Foundations have always been, and will always be, critical to our success, but we have moved from an unhealthy over-reliance on that one revenue sector, to this year receiving only 26% of our revenues from those farsighted partners. A focus on maintaining good people also helps us weather these storms. I am fortunate to work with a tremendous group of people, whose commitment, abilities and complementary skill sets create a high-functioning, resilient team. This year we were fortunate to add Kimberly Good as our new Project Manager, whose skills augment Miistakis’ abilities in sustainable land use, ecological goods and services, and private land conservation, among others.

The past year has also seen a great diversity of projects for Miistakis.

We continued to pursue our very successful long-term projects. Our Road Watch in the Pass project, now in its 5th year, sought to better understand how wildlife and traffic interact, and how to better engage citizens in the research. Our Transfer of Development Credits project,

now in its 4th year, focused on promoting a legislative framework for TDCs, and working with municipalities on the ground. Our Wildlife and Recreation in Southwestern Alberta project, now in its 6th year, focused on data analysis, and related graduate projects. And for a ninth year, Miistakis played a support and project management role for the Crown Managers Partnership.

Equally successful and inventive projects were undertaken in 2008/09 on smaller or shorter-term scales, often with new partners. We had the opportunity to work with several environmental NGO partners on a collaborative land use vision, develop conservation mapping for endangered sage grouse, review EGS programming for Alberta NAWMP, develop a conservation mapping tool for the M.D. of Ranchland, and undertake ecological infrastructure research and create a data sharing structure for the Calgary Regional Partnership. Miistakis worked with several scientists to prioritize wildlife issues around Highway 3, looked at human use change in the Northern Crown for Parks Canada, assisted Forem Consulting with a web-based land use visualization tool, and wrote a Natural Area Conservation Plan for the Nature Conservancy of Canada.

Miistakis also worked with an incredible diversity of partners – 76 distinct partners. We gave a major presentation in the community, on average, every two weeks. And we provided direct assistance to 15 graduate students working on independent projects related to our mandate, several of whom worked on Miistakis projects.

All in all, Miistakis had an exciting, productive, and varied year, and we look forward to working with an equally varied and productive group of partners next year.

The InstituteThe Miistakis Institute is a non-profit charitable

organization that undertakes and supports pure and applied research respecting the ecosystems of the Rocky Mountains and surrounding regions, and assists in the development and implementation of collaborative ecosystem management.

The Institute’s mission is to bridge the gap between science, communities and decision making, supporting a transboundary ecosystem-based approach to sustainable land use management in the Crown of the Continent and surrounding regions.

Miistakis accomplishes this mission through applied research and tool development in the following areas:

• Applied Conservation Research and Design• Geospatial Analysis and Mapping• Conservation Planning and Facilitation• Sustainable Land Use and Stewardship Support• Web-based Tool Development

Established in 1995, Miistakis takes a strategic view to project selection and cultivates partnerships where key conservation gaps and issues can be deliberately addressed.

Miistakis implements relevant research initiatives through an affiliation with the University of Calgary and in close partnership with federal, provincial/state and municipal agencies, landowners, First Nations, conservation organizations and industry.

The Miistakis Institute, in our unique role as an applied conservation research institute, bridges academic research with community needs.

Danah Duke, Executive Director

Miistakis Institute 08/09 Annual Report / 1

Road Watch in the Pass

The Crowsnest corridor is a low east west corridor through the Canadian Rocky Mountains

of southwestern Alberta, which supports a two

lane highway, a railway line and five principle

settlements with a population of 6,000 people.

The area has faced increasing development and recreational pressure from large urban centers such as Calgary. With plans to upgrade the current highway to four lanes due to expected increases in traffic volume, information on the movement patterns of wildlife through the region is essential for the development of effective mitigation strategies to facilitate movement and reduce collisions with vehicles.

Road Watch in the Pass is an innovative framework for connecting researchers, citizen volunteers and decision makers through a Community Based Monitoring Project to address wildlife-transportation issues in the Crowsnest Corridor. It enables citizens to use an interactive Web-based mapping tool (please see www.rockies.ca/roadwatch) to enter wildlife observations along Highway 3. Created in 2004, Road Watch was developed to create a data set of where large mammals are crossing Highway 3, highlight the value of data collected by volunteers,

create an environment where citizens can learn and share knowledge about local wildlife and conservation issues, and provide a replicable working model for other community based monitoring projects.

Road Watch has been successful in engaging volunteers (70 users) and generating a large dataset of wildlife observations (currently over 4,000 observations), and Road Watch data has been used in a number of land use planning processes and by local citizens to build support for protecting a wildlife movement corridor across Highway 3. In addition, the Road Watch mapping tool can be easily transported to other groups in need of a community-based monitoring tool. This year Road Watch released a community map highlighting high collision zones for different large mammal species in the region, and developed a citizen systematic driving survey using Otto Driving Companions (a GPS unit and key pad) enabling individuals to enter their sightings along the highway.

Partners:Woodcock Foundation / Alberta Ecotrust FoundationWilburforce Foundation / Mountain Equipment Co-opTransWild Alliance

/ Miistakis Institute 08/09 Annual Report2

Transfer of Development Credits

Municipalities often struggle with finding a balance between development and conservation.

There are landscapes of interest for conservation

purposes (e.g., agriculturally or environmentally),

but few options available that offer a landscape

planning approach that puts development where

it makes most sense, and conserves valued

landscapes at minimal public expense.

Transfer of Development Credits (TDCs), while not the right tool for every situation, help reconcile development and conservation on landscapes where there is development pressure and interest in conservation. As a market-based instrument, TDC’s can help avoid win-lose zoning-only scenarios, providing a fiscal advantage to developing AND to conserving land, while at the same time allowing large groups of land parcels to be conserved.

The Transfer of Development Credits concept has generated a significant amount of discussion in Alberta. In August 2008, the Miistakis Institute in partnership with Red Deer County hosted “Transfer of Development Credits (TDCs) in Alberta: An Information Session and Application

Workshop”. The goal was to raise the level of awareness about the current state of knowledge and activity in Alberta, as well as to showcase several successful American examples. The workshop was well-attended, with over 80 participants representing 12 municipalities, five provincial agencies, four land trust groups, and two planning companies.

The current focus of this on-going Miistakis program is to develop a guide to assist municipalities considering TDC programs, continue supporting applied examples, and working with the Government of Alberta as they develop policy and legislation in support of TDCs.

Partners:Anonymous Donor / Alberta Real Estate FoundationAlberta Land Use Secretariat / Red Deer County


Wildlife and Recreation in Southwestern Alberta

Public land along Alberta’s southeastern slopes is valued by a range of user groups

including industrial and recreational interests.

At the same time, public lands provide ecological

goods and services, including important

wildlife habitat.

The presence of roads and trails that facilitate access on public land has the potential to affect habitat availability and effectiveness for many species of wildlife. This project is examining the complex relationships between wildlife and human use of this landscape.

This on-going research program in the headwaters of the Livingstone and Oldman Rivers is now in its 6th year. Since 2004 the project has used remote cameras that automatically capture images of any person or animal using trails through a 1,200 km2 region of public land. This innovative approach provides the opportunity to non-invasively examine the relationships between wildlife and human use in this landscape.

In 2008 Dave Garrow, a student from the Faculty of Environmental Design completed a graduate degree project related to this research, and another student, Rachelle Haddock is currently completing another. In 2008/09, effort focused on a comprehensive analysis of the data. Results will be published in peer-reviewed scientific journals and will be provided to regional managers and user groups to assist in the development of access management.

Partners:University of Calgary – Faculty of Environmental DesignWoodcock Foundation / Alberta Conservation AssociationSuncor Energy Foundation / TD Friends of the Environment Foundation Wilburforce Foundation


Crown Managers Partnership

The ‘Crown of the Continent’ ecosystem is one

of North America’s most ecologically diverse and

jurisdictionally fragmented ecosystems.

Encompassing the shared Rocky Mountain region of Montana, British Columbia and Alberta, this 72,000 square kilometre ecological complex spreads across two nations, and across numerous working and protected landscapes.

Since 2001, government representatives from over twenty land and resource management agencies in the Crown have gathered to explore ecosystem-based ways of collaborating on shared issues in the transboundary Crown of the Continent, with a vision of an ecologically healthy Crown of the Continent ecosystem.

Since the inception of the Crown Managers Partnership (CMP), the Miistakis Institute has played a vital support role, functioning as the CMP Secretariat, and managing projects for the Partnership. In 2008/2009,

Miistakis continued to manage and coordinate the day-to-day activities of the CMP, and additionally:

• Coordinated the 2009 Crown Managers Forum,

• Oversaw the re-development of the CMP web site and logo,

• Developed an ecologically-based boundary for the Crown of the Continent,

• Managed the CMP Ecological Health project, bringing together experts to define themes and identify metrics to measure ecological health in the Crown,

• Conducted a study to gain a better understanding of the anthropogenic change in the northern Crown of the Continent (north of the Canada-U.S. border), and

• Continued to develop a metadata framework for coordinating information across the Crown.

Partners:Crown Managers Partnership (CMP) AgenciesNational Park Service Centennial FundWaterton Lakes National Park / Alberta EnvironmentB.C. Ministry of Environment / Glacier National ParkAlberta Sustainable Resource Development / Flathead Basin CommissionFlathead Biological Station / Flathead National ForestMontana Department of Natural Resources and ConservationUniversity of Calgary / University of Montana


Exploration of Provincial Land and Water Use ENGO Collaboration

Several Alberta-based ENGOs have been

working to raise awareness among Albertans

of provincial land-use issues, and working with

government to identify and implement the necessary

changes in legislation, policy and practice.

Separately, or in bilateral initiatives, ENGOs and their partners have been working to create land- and water-use-focused education programs, policy analyses, citizen-action campaigns, and other related projects.

In 2007, Miistakis undertook a project to test the feasibility of a province-wide collaborative initiative that would raise awareness of issues of cumulative impact on the province’s landscapes, and the Alberta Land-use Framework. Following from that work, in 2008, Miistakis was asked to conduct additional exploratory work to investigate the creation of a more formal collaborative. Working with the Environmental Law Centre and Water Matters, this included reviewing coalition examples and models from other parts of Canada, convening a network of groups interested in being involved in this initiative, and determining the potential for a formal coalition.

On November 18th and 19th, 2008, representatives of fifteen environmental non-government organizations came together to discuss the nature of collaboration, and the potential for increased collaborative work around the newly-released Alberta Land-use Framework. The result was an increased and shared understanding about the models of collaboration that would or would not be effective, increased knowledge within the community about strategic collaboration, and a recognition that a formal coalition of the scale initially considered was not yet appropriate, but that several smaller-scale collaborations could operate – and were operating – very effectively in achieving the desired goals.

Partners:Anonymous Donor / Alberta Ecotrust FoundationThe Calgary Foundation / Alberta Real Estate FoundationDovetail Consulting / Environmental Law CentreWater Matters / Tides Foundation Canada / Action for AgricultureAlberta Environmental Network / Alberta Stewardship NetworkCanadian Parks and Wilderness Society – Northern Alberta ChapterCanadian Parks and Wilderness Society – Southern Alberta ChapterDave Poulton / Defenders of Wildlife Canada / Ducks Unlimited CanadaFederation of Alberta Naturalists / John KolkPembina Institute / Sierra Club of Canada – Prairie Chapter


Conservation Mapping for Sage Grouse

The Miistakis Institute is supporting efforts to

conserve and restore populations of greater sage

grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) throughout

the Northern Sagebrush Steppe ecoregion, by

providing analytical and technical support to

provincial, national and international initiatives.

Throughout 2008 Miistakis worked with a group of academics and conservation experts from multiple government agencies towards the identification of critical sage grouse habitat throughout the northern sagebrush steppe. Challenges have included harmonizing descriptive spatial data across jurisdicitonal boundaries and reconciling differing opinions on the definition of critical habitat.

Miistakis continues to play a vital role in this process; next steps towards sage grouse recovery involve collaborating with stakeholders to prescribe land use guidelines and other strategies to bolster the species’ viability.

Partners:Agriculture Canada/Prairie Farm Rehabilitation AdministrationAlberta Conservation Association / Alberta EnergyAlberta Sustainable Resource DevelopmentCanadian Association of Petroleum ProducersEnvirnoment Canada/Canadian Wildlife ServiceFaculty of Environmental Design, University of CalgaryNorthern Sagebrush Steppe InitiativeParks Canada/Grasslands National Park / Saskatchewan EnvironmentUniversity of Alberta / University of Montana


Ecological Goods and Services Program Scan for Alberta NAWMP

Ecological Goods and Services (EGS) are

the economic and social benefits humans derive,

directly and indirectly, from the natural environment

or Natural Capital, such as clean air, healthy soil,

biodiversity, and water quality and quantity.

The Alberta partners of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP) sought to better understand the influence that 20 years of their conservation programming has had on Alberta’s ecological goods and services, and to outline possible future approaches to ecological goods and services conservation and enhancement.

The Alberta NAWMP Partnership (ANP) commissioned the Miistakis Institute to examine their programs while considering EGS. Associated with the habitat that ANP programs conserve, a variety of EGS are also maintained or enhanced. ANP protects habitat through financial incentives (e.g., land or conservation easement acquisition), land manager education and some regulation-based programming. There is an opportunity for ANP to use its experience and successes to influence a provincial approach to EGS maintenance or enhancement, and for ANP to adopt other approaches such as recognition programs and market based instruments.

Partners:Alberta NAWMP Partnership


Conservation Planning Support for MD of Ranchland

Miistakis continues to work with the staff and

Council of the Municipal District of Ranchland

(No.66) in southwestern Alberta in support of

conservation planning for the largely ranch-

dominated, sparsely populated municipality in

southwestern Alberta.

The goals of this work are to assist the MD in creating a long-term conservation vision and strategy based on the community’s conservation values and priorities. Miistakis’ role has been to provide municipal decision-makers with the tools necessary to incorporate this vision into a broader planning and development context.

After an initial data-scoping phase which identified useful sources of spatial data, Miistakis undertook a second phase which focused on putting the available data in the hands of the local government, and on building the internal capacity to interpret and map this data on the landscape. Miistakis has worked with MD staff to construct a pre-loaded mapping application that allows for the viewing, overlaying, and production of maps from data describing the constructed and natural landscape. This tool provides

the municipality with better spatial information, allowing them to evaluate proposals for new development more critically. Through use of this mapping tool the MD will also gain awareness of critical gaps in the existing spatial data, and can identify ways to address these gaps from within the local knowledge base.

Miistakis is working with MD of Ranchland to undertake a third phase of the project, commencing in 2009. This final phase of the project would involve an assessment of local conservation values, and a spatial translation of these values into a single spatial layer, which decision-makers could then use to evaluate proposals, to identify areas suitable for development, and to inform future changes to land use planning policies in the MD of Ranchland.

Partners:Municipal District of Ranchland No.66Alberta Municipal Affairs / Lorne Fitch


Ecological Infrastructure, Resilience and Governance in the Calgary Region

The purpose of this work is to provide a fresh perspective on public policy for the Calgary

Region; a perspective rooted in the interface

between social and ecological systems of a

rapidly urbanizing region.

Just as we require built forms of infrastructure (e.g., transportation and energy grids), so too do we need ecological infrastructure (e.g., water in the landscape and wildlife habitat). Moreover, we need governance arrangements that understand and maintain the relationships between them. Long term sustainability is predicated on our ability to create and maintain resilient social-ecological systems that are adaptable in the face of surprise and change. We need new ways of thinking that fully consider the risks associated with our land use decisions.

The goals of the multi-year project are to develop and implement an innovative and integrated methodology that incorporates landscape/urban ecology and ecological infrastructure into strategic policy planning for regional development. The objectives are to: 1) identify critical

ecological infrastructure related to landscape hydrology, 2) conduct a resilience assessment for the Calgary region, 3) explore and quantify critical elements of regional landscape connectivity, and 4) develop ecological performance criteria and preferred spatial development patterns related to landscape heterogeneity and connectivity and ecological infrastructure capacity. The work is being conducted in an integrated research and practice partnership with the Faculty of Environmental Design, University of Calgary and the Calgary Regional Partnership (CRP) to help guide policy, planning and management of the region. Capacity building within the partnership and through the education and training of young professionals is an essential component of the project.

Partners:Calgary Regional PartnershipFaculty of Environmental Design, University of Calgary


Highway 3 Transportation Corridor Science and Mitigation Assessment Project

The southern Canadian Rocky Mountains are a key connection between the Crown of the

Continent Ecosystem (centered about Waterton-

Glacier International Peace Park) and the Banff,

Jasper, Kootenay, and Yoho mountain parks

complex to the north.

Maintaining landscape connectivity is crucial for the wellbeing of the many native wildlife species that currently thrive in the region. One area that has been identified as a major challenge to maintaining connectivity is the Highway 3 transportation corridor, a major pinch point for wildlife movement at the northern edge of the Crown of the Continent ecosystem.

The Highway 3 Transportation Corridor Science and Mitigation Assessment Project was developed to use the science associated with wildlife movement along the Highway 3 transportation corridor to prioritize movement or collision hotspots, and to suggest a suite of mitigation options appropriate for reducing wildlife vehicle collisions and maintaining wildlife movement.

The project steering committee consists of representatives from the Miistakis Institute, Western Transportation Institute and Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative. In addition a number of key scientists make up the project team: Dr. Tony Clevenger, Dr. Clayton Apps, Dr. Michael Quinn, Mr. Dale Paton and Mr. Trevor Kinley.

A synthesis of hotspots for carnivore and ungulates has been completed, and site-specific mitigation areas have been identified and hotspots visited on a field trip. A final report is being prepared and will be available on the Miistakis web site.

Partners:Western Transportation InstituteYellowstone to Yukon Conservation InitiativeGalvin Family Fund / Wilburforce FoundationCalgary Foundation / Kayak Foundation / Anonymous Donor


Anthropogenic Change in the Northern Crown of the Continent

The Northern Crown of the Continent Ecosystem (NCCE) has experienced an increase

in human use pressures in recent years, putting

tremendous stress on the landscape and their

associated ecological functions. Populations of

wide ranging carnivores are a shared resource

across the Crown of the Continent ecosystem.

As such, the human footprint and associated

activities do, and will continue to, have a direct

impact on this shared resource.

The Miistakis Institute was asked to review the changes in levels of anthropogenic activity in the northern portion of the Crown of the Continent Ecosystem (NCCE) since 1993. The goal of the report was to show changes on the NCCE landscape since a benchmark Natural Resources Conservation Board ruling, to provide land managers in the area with a baseline assessment of change since 1993.

To accomplish this, a two pronged approach was developed:

• a broad-scale, multi-temporal image classification was conducted to document landscape change over time; and

• a series of anthropogenic metrics, traffic volume and road density, were developed to evaluate changes in specific human use patterns in the NCCE.

The impacts of an increasing traffic volume, road density and resource extraction within the region may be leading to further habitat fragmentation, possible increases in impediments to carnivore movement and decreases in the size of roadless areas essential for secure carnivore habitat within the NCCE. The information gathered during this process will enable Waterton Lakes National Park and the Crown Managers Partnership (CMP) to better respond to commercial and industrial developments in the NCCE.

Partners:Waterton Lakes National Park / Crown Managers Partnership


Calgary Regional Partnership – Regional GIS Project

The Miistakis Institute was engaged in 2007

by the Calgary Regional Partnership (CRP) – a

group of 18 municipal governments and one

first nation – to manage the development and

implementation of a Regional GIS (RGIS) Initiative

for the Partnership. Miistakis’ has been working

to provide the Partnership with the necessary

tools and technical capacity to share spatial data

among its members, allowing staff in member

organizations to fulfill the CRP’s mandate of

“thinking regionally, acting locally”.

In December 2008, the Partnership launched its Regional Spatial Data Framework, a distributed data model created by Miistakis that allows the CRP to catalogue, query, and exchange data efficiently, while maintaining local data ownership and control. This Framework will be a valuable asset to other CRP initiatives that rely on the assembly of spatial data at a regional scale, including regional transportation planning and the Calgary Metropolitan Plan.

Other accomplishments in 2008 included the development of a regional metadata standard and a web-based metadata editing/creation tool, increased technical capacity for several CRP members, and a high level of interjurisdictional cooperation and collaboration towards the establishment of GIS best practices within the region. Future Miistakis involvement in this project will include the establishment of regional data quality and content standards, improved integration of RGIS with other CRP initiatives, and the phasing out of our management role as the project becomes more member-owned and self-sustaining.

Partners:Alberta Municipal Affairs / Calgary Regional Partnership


Alberta Land Use and Landscapes Website

Crowsnest Pass Natural Area Conservation Plan (NACP)

The extraordinary rates of population growth in Alberta are

accompanied by strain on municipal infrastructure, conversion of

agricultural land and natural areas, uncertain water supply and quality,

wetland loss, loss of open spaces and wildlife habitat, and increasing

negative interactions between humans and wildlife.Rural and urban municipalities alike need the capacity to cope with these

challenges, but currently, there is little in the way of a comprehensive effort to build a broad understanding of the land use challenges that impact quality of life in Alberta. Miistakis worked with Forem Consulting, assisting them in creating an accessible website where decision makers and citizens can have easy access to community-specific information about growth, infrastructure and community development, its impacts on quality of life, and perspectives on how to improve the social, economic and environmental sustainability of our communities.

The Alberta Historical Land Use and Landscape Library is a non-profit online educational data website where stakeholders can locate, view, graph, and view references for a broad suite of data metrics pertaining to landuses and landscapes in the Province of Alberta. The primary goal is to allow users to observe and discuss provincial trends in land uses and landscapes. The completed web site can be viewed at www.foremtech.com/aref.

The Miistakis Institute worked with The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) on a Natural Area Conservation Plan (NACP) for the

Crowsnest Pass to identify key targets, stresses and actions necessary

to conserve the biodiversity within the natural area. This conservation

planning approach is one component of NCC’s National Framework to

ensure NCC achieves the greatest conservation impact.NCC has developed a NACP template as a standard national framework to guide

information and documentation of an NACP. The template consists of a number of key tasks to assist practitioners in developing a set of key targets, threats and conservation actions to ensure a high level of conservation impact is achieved. Miistakis assisted NCC with defining biodiversity targets and threats and coordinated the input from an NCC established science committee for the Crowsnest Pass.

Partners:Alberta Real Estate FoundationForem Consulting Ltd. / ALCES Group

Partners:Nature Conservancy of Canada – Alberta Office


General Partner Support

Over the past year, the Miistakis Institute provided mapping, technical

and other support to universities, government agencies, and non-profit

organizations whose work complements our general mandate.Support has taken many forms, from production of hard-copy and digital maps, to

provision of GIS data, to sharing our acquired knowledge and expertise. Examples include:• Providing GIS data to the National Geographic Society for the production of a

Crown of the Continent Geotourism Map;

• Assisting Sky Island Alliance, American Wildlands, Southern Rockies Ecosystem Project, Maine Audubon Society and Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance in the development of community-based mapping programs through sharing knowledge and/or Miistakis-developed source code for mapping applications; and

• Providing mapping assistance to the Province of Alberta, Crown Managers Partnership, Southern Alberta Land Trust Society, EVDS student projects, and others.

Other organizations Miistakis has supported in the past year include: Waterton Lakes National Park, Municipal District of Foothills, Sierra Club of Canada, Nature Conservancy of Canada, Glacier National Park, Federation of Alberta Naturalists, University of Montana and Municipal District of Rocky View.

Web Site Development

The Miistakis Institute continued to assist partners with their

web development needs. In the past year, Miistakis helped several

organizations and conferences set up new, or overhaul existing, websites. These include:• Castle Crown Wilderness Coalition (http://www.ccwc.ab.ca)

• Alberta Land Trust Alliance Website (http://www.landtrusts-alberta.ca/)

• Canadian Parks for Tomorrow (http://www.parks4tomorrow.ucalgary.ca/)

With the assistance of the creative artwork, by Clay Graphic Design, Miistakis provides technical advice and expertise in a wide variety of web technologies.

In 2009 Miistakis will be revamping our own website with a completely new design.

Partners:Clay Graphic Design / Castle Crown Wilderness CoalitionAlberta Land Trust Alliance / Canadian Parks for Tomorrow Conference


Student Support

Mapping, spatial analysis, and land use/conservation planning are increasingly essential components of graduate studies and academic

research in a broad range of disciplines. The Miistakis Institute continues to play an important role in the university community

by providing assistance, support, and advice to students, and by lending our expertise in various fields. Miistakis also provides a web-based metadata framework that allows, staff, students and other partners to search for relevant data holdings. The following is a list of students supported by Miistakis, including their affiliated Universities and Departments:

• Olive Bailey (University of Calgary, Environmental Design)

• Candace Banack (University of Calgary, Environmental Design)

• Dave Garrow (University of Calgary, Environmental Design)

• Rachelle Haddock (University of Calgary, Environmental Design)

• Andrew Jakes (University of Calgary, Environmental Design)

• Sarah Jordaan (University of Calgary, Environmental Design)

• Tyler Muhly (University of Calgary, Environmental Design)

• Kimo Rogala (University of Calgary, Environmental Design)

• Chris Selvig (University of Calgary, Environmental Design)

• Janna So (Mariano-Groza) (University of Calgary, Environmental Design)

• Michael Suitor (University of Calgary, Environmental Design)

• Jane Walsh (University of Calgary, Environmental Design)

• Jennifer Miles (University of Calgary, Environmental Design)

• Steve Lines (University of Calgary, Interdisciplinary Graduate Program)

• Erik Parker (University of Calgary, Geology)


Presentations

Reconciling Conservation and Development – Transfer of Development Credits Programs. Guy Greenaway and Kimberly Good. Community Planning Association of Alberta – Planning Regionally-Planning Reasonably 2008 Annual Conference, Red Deer, AB. April 7, 2008.

Presence-Absence: an Exhibit of Livingstone Study Images. Rachelle Haddock and Michael Quinn. Crowsnest Pass Public Art Gallery, Frank, AB. May 2008.

Reconciling Conservation and Development – Transfer of Development Credits Programs. Guy Greenaway and Kimberly Good. Red Deer County Council Workshop. Red Deer County, AB. April 29, 2008.

Reconciling Conservation and Development – Transfer of Development Credits Programs. Kimberly Good. Cross Conservation Area, Priddis Millarvillle Residents Association and Foothills Land Trust Educational Series, Calgary AB, April 30, 2008.

Reconciling Conservation and Development – Transfer of Development Credits Programs. Guy Greenaway. Municipality of Crowsnest Pass Council Meeting, Crowsnest Pass, AB. May 13, 2008.

Wildlife connectivity. Michael Quinn. CBC Eye Opener Interview with Jim Brown, Calgary, AB. May 22, 2008.

Considering connectivity: Maintaining critical landscape connections for the Ann and Sandy Cross Conservation Area. Michael Quinn, Chris Selvig and J. Schmidt. Conservation Matters Series, Cross Conservation Area, Calgary, AB. May 22, 2008.

Engaging citizens in wildlife monitoring along Highway 3. Rob Schaufele. Wildlife and Transportation Workshop. Crowsnest Pass, AB. May 28, 2008.

Translating science into management: recreational off-highway vehicle access management for the Livingstone Porcupine Hills, Alberta, Canada. Rachelle Haddock, Michael Quinn and Danah Duke. International Symposium for Society and Resource Management 2008, Burlington, VT. June 2008.

Fiscal Implications of Land Use: A “Cost of Community Services” Study for Red Deer County. Guy Greenaway. Community Services Committee, Municipal District of Rocky View MD Offices, Calgary, AB. June 17, 2008.

Wildlife Movement Across Highway 3: A Citizens Approach. Tracy Lee, Danah Duke and Michael Quinn. Strategies to Reduce Animal-Vehicle Collisions in Alberta. Calgary, AB. June 26, 2008.

Considering connectivity: Maintaining critical landscape connections for the Ann and Sandy Cross Conservation Area. Michael Quinn. Conservation Matters Series, presented to the M.D. of Foothills Council, High River, AB. July 10, 2008

Key findings from sage grouse habitat mapping and cumulative effects modeling. Greg Chernoff. Northern Sagebrush Steppe Sage Grouse Technical Workshop. Calgary, AB. July 17, 2008.

Road Watch in the Pass – Lessons Learned from a Community-based Monitoring Project. Danah Duke and Tracy Lee. Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park Annual Science Day. Waterton Park, Alberta. July 22, 2008.

Road Watch in the Pass: A Citizens Approach to monitoring wildlife. Danah Duke, Tracy Lee and Michael Quinn. Waterton and Glacier Science and History Days. Waterton Lakes National Park, AB. July 2008.

Reconciling Conservation and Development – Transfer of Development Credits Programs. Guy Greenaway. Transfer of Development Credits in Alberta: An Information Session and Application Workshop, Red Deer, AB. August 13, 2008.

Distributed Data Models and Public Participatory GIS, with real-world Miistakis examples. Greg Chernoff and Tracy Lee. GEOG 457, Faculty of Geography, University of Calgary. September 18, 2008.

Distributed Data Models and Public Participatory GIS, with real-world Miistakis examples. Greg Chernoff and Tracy Lee. GEOG 607, Faculty of Geography, University of Calgary. September 30, 2008.

Managing for Ecological Health…at a Regional Scale. Danah Duke. Crown Managers Partnership Ecological Health Workshop. Fernie, B.C. October 7, 2008.

Alberta NAWMP: Ecological Goods and Services Program Scan and Recommendations. Kimberly Good. Alberta North American Waterfowl Management Plan Board of Directors meeting, Camrose, AB. October 15, 2008.

A Potential Conservation Mapping Project and Conservation Values Mapping in MD Ranchland. Greg Chernoff. Invited presentation to Council of MD Ranchland (No.66). Chain Lakes, AB. October 15, 2008.

Methodological Considerations for Using Remote Cameras to Monitor the Ecological Effects of Trails Users: Lessons from Research in Western Canada. Danah Duke and Michael Quinn. The Fourth International Conference on Monitoring and Management of Visitor Flows in Recreational and Protected Areas – Management for Protection and Sustainable Development. Montecatini, Italy. October 18, 2008.

Use of “Transfer of Development Credits” (TDCs) for Sustainable Planning – A Tool for Bridging Policy and Practice. Guy Greenaway. Canadian School of Public Service, Canmore, AB. November 17, 2008

Reconciling Conservation and Development – Transfer of Development Credits Programs. Guy Greenaway and Kimberly Good. Municipal District of Pincher Creek Council Meeting, Pincher Creek, AB. January 6, 2009.

Cost of Community Services Studies for Alberta. Guy Greenaway. EVDS 683.64, Faculty of Environmental Design, University of Calgary. February 23, 2009.

Transfer of Development Credits and Land Trusts. Kimberly Good. Alberta Land Trust Alliance Conference, Nisku, AB, March 13, 2009

Reconciling Conservation and Development – Transfer of Development Credits Programs. Guy Greenaway. EVDS 683.64, Faculty of Environmental Design, University of Calgary. March 23, 2009.


Publications and Reports

Journal ArticlesThornton, C. and M. Quinn. 2009. “Coexisting with cougars:

Public perceptions, attitudes and awareness of cougars on the urban-rural fringe of Calgary, Alberta”. Human-Wildlife Conflicts 3(2):253-267

Dunne, B.M. and M.S. Quinn. 2008. “Effectiveness of above-ground pipeline crossing structures for moose (Alces alces) and other large mammals”. Biological Conservation 142:332-343

Quinn, MS. and S. Sanders. 2008. “Cost of community services study as a planning tool: A Canadian pilot study in Red Deer County, Alberta”. Plan Canada 48(3):43-46

Project PublicationsAment. R, T. Clevenger, N. Darlow, and T. Lee, 2008. “At

the Crossroads: Highway 3 Transportation Corridor Workshop Summary” Workshop hosted by Yellowstone to Yukon, Wildlife Conservation Society, Montana State University – Western Transportation Institute and Miistakis Institute. Miistakis Institute, Calgary, AB.

Greenaway G., K. Good, and A. Cartmell. 2008 “Transfer of Development Credits (TDCs) in Alberta An Information Session and Application Workshop” Workshop hosted by Red Deer County and the Miistakis Institute August 13-14, 2008. Miistakis Institute, Calgary, AB.

Commissioned ReportsGreenaway, G. 2008. “Proposed Framework for a Provincial

Land and Water Use Campaign.” Miistakis Institute, Calgary, AB.

Greenaway, G. 2008. “A Review of American State Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) Legislation and the Applicability to Alberta.” Prepared for Alberta Environment. Miistakis Institute, Calgary, AB.

Good, K., 2009. “Alberta Ecological Goods and Services Programs Scan and Recommendations for Alberta NAWMP.” Prepared for Alberta North American Waterfowl Management Plan Management Committee. Miistakis Institute, Calgary, AB.

Chernoff, G., B. Stelfox, and G. Greenaway, 2008. “ALCES®-based Habitat Simulation Modeling for Greater Sage-Grouse in Southeastern Alberta.” Prepared for the Greater Sage Grouse Recovery Action Group. Miistakis Institute, Calgary, AB.

Chernoff, G., 2008. “Trans-Boundary Mapping of Sage Grouse Nesting Habitat in Alberta and Saskatchewan.” Prepared for Parks Canada Agency. Miistakis Institute, Calgary, AB.


Our Partners

The work of the Miistakis Institute is made

possible by financial and in-kind support from

a variety of partners.

Miistakis Institute received valuable core funding from:Henry P. Kendall FoundationWoodcock Foundation

And is granted in-kind office space and resources from:University of Calgary – Faculty of Environmental Design

As a partnership-based organization, our work is made possible through the efforts of our investing and collaborating partners, including:Action for AgricultureAgriculture Canada/Prairie Farm Rehabilitation AdministrationAlberta Conservation AssociationAlberta Ecotrust FoundationAlberta EnergyAlberta EnvironmentAlberta Environmental NetworkAlberta Land Trust AllianceAlberta Land Use SecretariatAlberta Municipal AffairsAlberta NAWMP PartnershipAlberta Real Estate FoundationAlberta Stewardship NetworkAlberta Sustainable Resource DevelopmentALCES Group

American WildlandsAnonymous DonorB.C. Ministry of EnvironmentCalgary Regional PartnershipCanadian Association of Petroleum ProducersCanadian Parks and Wilderness Society – Northern Alberta ChapterCanadian Parks and Wilderness Society – Southern Alberta ChapterCanadian Parks for Tomorrow ConferenceCastle Crown Wilderness CoalitionClay Graphic DesignCrown Managers PartnershipDave PoultonDefenders of Wildlife CanadaDovetail ConsultingDucks Unlimited CanadaEnvirnoment Canada/Canadian Wildlife ServiceEnvironmental Law CentreFederation of Alberta NaturalistsFlathead Basin CommissionFlathead Biological StationFlathead National ForestForem Consulting Ltd.Galvin Family FundGlacier National ParkJackson Hole Conservation AllianceJohn KolkKayak FoundationLorne FitchMaine Audubon SocietyMontana Department of Natural Resources Conservation

Mountain Equipment Co-opMunicipal District of FoothillsMunicipal District of RanchlandMunicipal District of Rocky ViewNational Geographic SocietyNational Park Service Centennial FundNature Conservancy of CanadaNorthern Sagebrush Steppe InitiativeParks Canada – Grasslands National ParkParks Canada – Waterton Lakes National ParkPembina Institute for Appropriate DevelopmentRed Deer CountySaskatchewan EnvironmentSierra Club of CanadaSky Island AllianceSouthern Alberta Land Trust SocietySouthern Rockies Ecosystem ProjectSuncor Energy FoundationTD Friends of the Environment FoundationThe Calgary FoundationTides Foundation CanadaTransWild AllianceUniversity of AlbertaUniversity of Calgary – Department of GeologyUniversity of Calgary – Interdisciplinary Graduate ProgramUniversity of MontanaWater MattersWestern Transportation InstituteWilburforce FoundationWoodcock FoundationYellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative


Financials Full audited statements are available by contacting the Miistakis Institute

Statement of Operations for the year ended March 31, 2009

2009 2008

REVENUE Services $ 310,799 $ 445,520 Foundation and other grants 218,143 195,940 Government grants 103,611 54,145 Interest and other income 633 5,069

633,186 700,674

EXPENSES Salaries and wages 374,466 330,361 Subcontractors 117,327 183,098 Travel expense 33,567 37,444 Employee benefits 31,172 – Workship expenses 24,258 87,086 Professional fees 19,051 9,415 Advertising and promotion 12,750 2,916 Amortization of tangible assets 11,679 17,158 Supplies 11,064 18,436 Insurance 9,815 9,141 Internet and web domain 2,665 2,773 Telephone 2,646 4,264 Interest and bank charges 844 992 Software 510 3,403 Training – 8,211

651,814 714,698

DEFICIENCY OF REVENUE OVER EXPENSES $ (18,628) $ (14,024)

Desi

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sign

Statement of Financial Position as at March 31, 2009

2009 2008

ASSETSCurrent Cash $ 397,792 $ 181,618 Accounts and notes receivable 140,955 194,263 Prepaid expenses 1,478 2,425 Goods and services tax recoverable – 720

540,225 379,026PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT (NOTE 3) 34,488 39,921

$ 574,713 $ 418,947

LIABILITIESCurrent Accounts payable and accrued liabilities $ 38,990 $ 37,068 Goods and services tax payable 5,109 –

44,099 37,068

Deferred contributions Related to operations (NOTE 4) 431,846 259,919 Related to property and equipment (NOTE 5) 26,742 31,306

458,588 291,225

502,687 328,293

NET ASSETSInvestment in property and equipment 7,746 8,615Internally restricted 60,000 60,000Unrestricted 4,280 22,039

72,026 90,654

$ 574,713 $ 418,947


By choosing 100% postconsumer recycled fibre instead of virgin fibre for this printed material the following environmental savings have been realised: 3.2 trees preserved for the future

4 kilograms waterborne waste not created

5,063 litres wastewater flow saved

67 kilograms solid waste not generated

132 kilograms net greenhouse gases prevented

2.4 gigajoules energy not consumed

Savings derived from choosing a paper manufactured with emission-free wind-generated electricity: 68 kilograms air emissions not generated

Displaces this amount of fossil fuel: 10.2 cubic metres natural gas unused

The amount of wind-generated electricity is equivalent to not driving 264 kilometres, which is the same as planting 10 trees.

MIISTAKIS INSTITUTEwww.rockies.ca

c/o Faculty of Environmental Design2500 University Drive NWCalgary, AB T2N 1N4

P 403 220-8968F 403 210-3859E [email protected]

Documents

08/09 REPORT ANNUAL - rockies.ca · Anthropogenic Change in the Northern Crown of the Continent 12 Calgary Regional Partnership – Regional GIS Project 13 Alberta Land Use and Landscapes