Article content continued

The woodland caribou, which inhabits parts of eight provinces and territories from B.C. to Newfoundland, is officially designated as “threatened” under Canada’s endangered species legislation.

“Woodland caribou are in trouble,” the scientists argue. “Once widespread — ranging as far south as the northern United States — forest-dwelling caribou have vanished from half of their historic range in North America, coincident with an expanding, continental front of human settlement and intensive resource exploitation.”

While the panel acknowledged recent positive developments in Ontario, Quebec and elsewhere to preserve boreal forests generally and caribou habitats specifically, the report highlighted concerns that Alberta, B.C. and Saskatchewan are missing major conservation opportunities that would help protect the species.

“In B.C. and Alberta there are serious concerns about the failure to address rapidly declining woodland caribou populations,” said a report summary. “Saskatchewan has taken virtually no action to protect its boreal forests. It is in these places where significant progress is needed.”

Report co-author Jeffrey Wells, a senior adviser to the Pew Environment Group, said there is now “wide agreement” among experts on how to address the problem and that “it is clear that failure to act will place these iconic animals on the road to extinction.”

The report emphasizes the need for large-scale forest preservation rather than locale-to-locale mitigation measures that attempt to uneasily couple forestry and mining activities with conservation goals.