Western Boreal Forest Project

Canada’s western boreal forest is a region of national and international interest due to its immense economic and ecological values.  The region’s hydrocarbons, timber, arable land, and minerals are a source of great economic potential, but also carry risks to wildlife and their habitat due to the cumulative effects of dispersed and often overlapping impacts of resource development.  The aim of the project was to start a national dialogue about options for wildlife conservation in this rapidly developing region, with the ultimate goal of creating a comprehensive land-use plan for wildlife conservation and resource extraction in the western boreal forest.  The analysis of the potential cumulative effects of the next 50 years of development in the region is a first step in this process.