Scott McNay
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Management of Ungulate Winter Range for Northern CaribouCaribou recovery in north-central BC
Scott McNay
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Habitat useTerrestrial forage lichens
• Bulk of diet is composed of terrestrial forage lichens
• Availability of lichens determines habitat use patterns• Abundance of lichens• Snow depth• Snow hardness
020
40
60
80
0 20
40
0102030405060708090100
Snow depth (cm)% cover (Cladina)
Like
lihoo
d of
use
Scott McNay
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Abundance of terrestrial forage lichensRegional differences
• At least 3 broad regions that differ in:• Competitive stressors • Research• Management
Scott McNay
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The Omineca ContextSoils and canopy cover
• Lichens are most abundant on sites of poor productivity (stress tolerated)• Soil texture (nutrients,
moisture)• Canopy cover (micro-
climate)• Lichens are likely the climax
community on poorest sites• Interception of snow will
allow caribou to crater more efficiently
Mesic - successional Xeric – not successional
Increasing lichensIncreasing moisture
and nutrients
Scott McNay
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Succession of Lichen CommunitiesRehabilitate terrestrial forage lichens
• Recovery planning …• Ecological succession of
plant communities will reduce lichen abundance
• Planned rehabilitation would encourage sustainable supply Polytrichum
Cladonia
Cladina/Stereocaulon
FeathermossPe
rcen
t Co
ver
ofRe
inde
er L
iche
ns
Years From DisturbanceYoung Prime Late Prime Old
Scott McNay
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FormalizationSpatial depiction of range values
• Used a graphical modeling technique to articulate factors and environmental relationships
• Built model in a collaborative workshop setting
Nyberg, J.B., Marcot, B.G., and Sulyma, R. 2006. Using Bayesian belief networksin adaptive management. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 36: 3104-3116.
PREP: Site Prep
REM: Stand Removal
STOK: Stocking
SA: Stand AgeOMD: Organic Matter Disturbance
SEA: Removal Season
PLWR_TLFA: Terrestrial Lichen Forage Abundance
ASP: Aspect
ECO: Ecological Unit
PINE: Stand Percent Pine
SI50: FC1 Site Index
TLHC: Terrestrial Lichen Habitat Capability
SC: Stand Characteristics
FFC: Forest Floor Characteristics
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Formal DesignationUngulate winter range for northern caribou
• Mackenzie 340,029 ha• Fort St. James 50,000 ha• Vanderhoof >50,000 ha
Mackenzie
Fort St. James
Vanderhoof
Scott McNay
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Forecasting Hypothetical FutureOscillating supply of range
Polytrichum
Cladonia
Cladina/Stereocaulon
Moss Woodland
AgeClass
Lichen SuccessionPhase
12345678-8+9
0
Are
a (h
a)
1000
2000
3000
4000
Year 2000
Age Class
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8- 8+ 9
Year 2140
Year 2090
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8- 8+ 9
4000
3000
2000
1000
0
Are
a (h
a)
Year 2060
• Due to past disturbance history, we expect a decline in the supply of pine-lichen woodlands
Scott McNay
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The Omineca ParadigmRehabilitate terrestrial forage lichens
• Based on active management (primarily forestry)
• Stakeholders tended to be more familiar with protection paradigms associated with management of arboreal lichens
• Caribou originally considered as a constraint but now viewed as an opportunity (in some places)
Scott McNay
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ManagementBased on adaptation and continued research
• Silviculture prescriptions• Concept of climax lichen
communities
TreatmentRegime
PredictedCondn for
Lichen
HarvestingMethod
HarvestingSeason
SitePreparation
RegenMethod
1 Best WT Winter None Natural
2 Good CTL Winter None Natural
3 Good CTL Summer None Natural
4 Moderate CTL Summer None Plant
5 Worst CTL Summer DragScarify Natural
6 Good WT Summer None Nat
7 Moderate WT Summer None Plant
8 Worst WT Summer DragScarify Natural
9 Worst WT Summer DragScarify Plant
Scott McNay
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What now?The future ain’t what it used to be
• Down turn in lumber market
• Mountain Pine Beetle• Lack of balance & poor
spatial location• Effect of remnant
stems• Effect of “apparent”
competition from other shrubby vegetation
Scott McNay
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Caribou Response to MPBResults from an “Expert Forum”
• Salvage will increase• Fragmentation• Predation
• Deactivate roads• Loss of canopy will increase
• Vegetative competition• Mitigate with fire / lichen
“seeding”
No Management
• Loss of canopy will decrease• Snow interception
• Recruit forest cover• MPB could increase
• Habitat value for other ungulates
• Further study• Use of predator control
• Movement-impairing debris• Mitigate with fire
Management
Scott McNay
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To burn or not to burn?The Ritchie recommendations
Decision, at least from an ecological perspective, should be based on:
1. Regional differences factors contributing to lichen niches and2. Spatial delineation of lichen sites into climax versus succession
… still much uncertainty expected responsesmethods guiding the use of fire
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Further Informationwww.wildlifeinfometrics.com
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