A draft agreement between B.C., Ottawa, and two Treaty 8 First Nations proposes a series interim moratoriums and changes to resource development practices in critical caribou habitat to help recover three dwindling herds in the South Peace.
Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development provided details of two agreements being developed as part of recovery efforts for the southern mountain caribou in the region.
A partnership agreement between the two governments and the West Moberly and Saulteau First Nations targets the Pine, Narraway and Quintette herds around Chetwynd, Tumbler Ridge, and Mackenzie.
The agreement calls for protected areas and closures for high and low elevation caribou habitat, and measures on recreation management, maternity penning, predator control, and land restoration. The closures are targeted at resource development, and not tourism and backcountry recreation, ministry officials said Thursday.
No existing mining operations will be affected, but forestry and other tenure holders will be impacted.
A new committee is proposed to review ongoing operations and work with industry to develop better land management practices and maintain operations.
A socio-economic study on the impacts of the closures has yet to be completed, and will be done collaboratively, ministry officials said. However, the agreements ensure the federal government won't unilaterally impose closures in the region with an emergency order, officials said.
Southern mountain caribou have been listed as a threatened wildlife species under the federal Species At Risk Act since 2003, two herds in the South Peace of which have already been extirpated.
According to recent counts, there's an estimated 229 animals in five other herds in the South Peace region, with an estimated 74 animals in the Quintette herd, and 26 in the Narraway herd, Those numbers are down from between 150 to 200 animals in the early 2000s.
The province has also drafted an agreement under the federal Species At Risk Act with Ottawa that outlines "broad recovery actions" and gives the province access to federal funding to support recovery efforts.
The agreement sets out herd management planning that will be done collaboratively between governments, First Nations, local governments, and other industry and public stakeholders.
Public town halls on the caribou recovery plan is expected to roll out in April.
The agreements do not set out snowmobile closures. Snowmobilers will be consulted on management practices in early May, the province said.
Forests Minister Doug Donaldson is expected to comment on the two agreements later today.
Both the B.C. and federal Cabinets decide by summer whether to sign the agreements.
The province has committed $47 million over five years for caribou recovery efforts. Canada has committed to funding recovery efforts through a three-year agreement worth around $5 million.
