Ecological Monitoring Committee for the Lower Athabasca: Program Development and Implementation

1. Ecological Monitoring Committee for the Lower Athabasca:Program Development and Implementation Presentation to the Alberta Environmental Monitoring Panel, May 6, 2011

2. Program Purpose Deliver a coordinated, rationalized regional biodiversity and wildlife monitoring program that is effective, efficient and credible Improved monitoring of wildlife and biodiversity Information on the status and trends of species, the effects of human activities, and the success of mitigation efforts Better information available for environmental management in the Lower Athabasca region

3. Background • Industry requirements for biodiversity and wildlife monitoring in approvals under Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act (EPEA) • Not designed for regional picture • Not standardized • ABMI operates a provincial biodiversity monitoring program • Additions to ABMI could address region-specific priorities • Agreement in 2009 to seek improvements to current system through a coordinated approach

4. Desired Improvements

5. Program Development • 2010 Industry-Government Joint Working Group to address • Monitoring system design • Governance • Funding and 2011 Program outline • Recommendations issued August 2010 • Fall 2010 – GoA, Oilsands Developers Group and ABMI build agree to build new monitoring program

6. Governance • Rationalize EPEA approval requirements • meet public interest expectations • effective regional monitoring • Ecological Monitoring Committee for Lower Athabasca (EMCLA) includes: • Government – federal and provincial • Oil sands industry • Scientific support and coordination -- ABMI

7. Work Plan Process Objectives defined Annual activities and deliverables established Long term planning Scientifically defensible Monitoring Program Subject matter science experts project team project advisors Peer review Participants – governments and academia

8. Project Participants Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute Alberta Innovates Technology Futures University of Alberta Royal Alberta Museum Bird Studies Canada Devonian Botanical Garden Alberta Conservation Association Environment Canada Beaverhill Bird Observatory Boreal Avian Monitoring Project Strix Ecological Consulting Alberta Tourism, Parks, and Recreation Alberta Sustainable Resource Development Al-Pac Forest Industries

9. Annual Reporting EMCLA annual report Summary of the year’s work Achievements Variances from the work plan Highlights of ongoing and completed projects ABMI annual update commissioned by EMCLA Summary of work in Lower Athabasca Region Workplan for the coming year and three-year vision: Details on the timing of projects Scope of work Study design

10. Transparency Data and reports publicly available through ABMI Peer reviewed Scientifically credible analysis Addresses issues raised through regulatory processes of project reviews and approvals

11. 2011 Program • Design and implementation of monitoring programs • Planning • Execution • Reporting • Three programs in development • Rare Plants • Select Animal Species • Effects of Linear Development on Caribou

12. Rare Plants Design and implement an informative and appropriate rare plant monitoring program Credible information on the abundance and distribution of plant species that are rare or of conservation concern Information on threats to individual species and habitats

13. Select Animal Species An effective, long-term animal monitoring program to address gaps in ABMI monitoring Provides data to address specific research and management questions • Feasibility assessments for Yellow Rails, owls, and amphibians selected as the priority for 2011

14. Effects of Linear Development on Caribou Assessing the influence of aboveground pipelines and associated linear features on movement Determine whether mitigations are effectively improving caribou conservation

15. Learning Process Address regional monitoring needs relevant to industry, government, public concerns Use a broad definition of user Resource and environmental managers – industry and government Decision makers Interested and affected parties Adaptable but with firm base Expect change. Ensure design can detect change and adapt as appropriate Protect monitoring core when adapting Leverage existing systems to create value ABMI Industry monitoring

16. Recommendations to AEMP Biodiversity Monitoring • Incorporate program elements from EMCLA • Maintain Leverage of ABMI and industry programs • Address regional issues • Assess cumulative effects