By By Stephanie Dearing May 29, 2010 in Environment Calgary - A coalition of seven conservation groups released a report Friday on how to help the Alberta Grizzly bear population recover. A key player, the government of Alberta, is not doing enough, the report baldly states. "The provincial government is not doing enough to protect one of the most threatened grizzly bear populations in North America. Recent research indicates that the grizzly bear population in Alberta is small and may be declining due to expanding networks of industrial access roads and the high levels of human-caused mortality that accompany them." Called "... the government is not adequately implementing the recovery plan it adopted in 2008. The government’s own status report indicates the recovery area has been significantly reduced in size, and strategies limiting road densities in the recovery plan are not being followed." The report said Grizzly Bears play an important ecological role, being "... a “keystone” species, grizzlies are “ecosystem engineers” that help to regulate prey species (such as elk and deer) and propagate plant species such as blueberry and buffaloberry. They help to maintain plant and forest health by dispersing plant seeds and aerating the soil as they dig for roots, pine nuts and ground squirrels." Nigel Douglas, a conservation specialist with the Alberta Wilderness Association warned "The fact that grizzlies are in trouble tells us that we are doing something drastically wrong. Adopting the measures outlined in this report will help to recover the province’s grizzlies and protect countless other species who share their habitat." The coalition advocates for a four-step recovery plan. The steps include: "1. Limiting annual human-caused mortality to a rate that will allow grizzly bear populations to grow to a size and density that enables long-term persistence... 2. Providing grizzly bear habitat security of between 55 to 68 per cent over an area large enough to maintain a grizzly bear population big enough for long-term persistence. 3. Limiting the density of roads and other routes across the recovery area to avoid unsustainable levels of motorized and non-motorized access. 4. Maintaining demographic connectivity between small population units by preventing the construction of, or mitigating the effects of, roads, highways, railroads and other sources of fragmentation in grizzly bear habitat. Although it is not discussed in this report, successful grizzly bear recovery will require an effective and well-funded public education program." The remedial action is needed, writes the report author, Jeff Gailus, because "Industrial activity and the road networks required to harvest timber and extract oil and gas are expected to increase dramatically in grizzly bear habitat, as are motorized recreation, and urban and agriculture development." And if these steps are not implemented to protect the species, what is the possible outcome? The coalition warns "The outlook for Alberta’s bears under current conditions is a 98.6 per cent risk of population decline by 30 per cent or more over the next 36 years." The Alberta government has not yet responded to the report. The current population of Grizzlies living outside of protected park areas in Alberta is thought to be less than 800 bears. The coalition that sponsored the research and report are: Alberta Wilderness Association, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS), David Suzuki Foundation, Natural Resources Defence Council (NRDC), Sierra Club Canada, Wild Canada Conservation Alliance, Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative. Without mincing any words, the coalition of seven groups released its analysis of the Alberta government's current plan to protect the grizzly bear population in the province, saying in a press release Called A Grizzly Challenge: Ensuring a Future for Alberta’s Threatened Grizzlies , the highly critical report did not spare any punches, sayingThe report said Grizzly Bears play an important ecological role, beingNigel Douglas, a conservation specialist with the Alberta Wilderness Association warnedThe coalition advocates for a four-step recovery plan. The steps include:The remedial action is needed, writes the report author, Jeff Gailus, becauseAnd if these steps are not implemented to protect the species, what is the possible outcome? The coalition warnsThe Alberta government has not yet responded to the report.The current population of Grizzlies living outside of protected park areas in Alberta is thought to be less than 800 bears.The coalition that sponsored the research and report are: Alberta Wilderness Association, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS), David Suzuki Foundation, Natural Resources Defence Council (NRDC), Sierra Club Canada, Wild Canada Conservation Alliance, Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative. More about Grizzly bear, Alberta grizzly bears, Endangered species, Grizzly bear recovery, Alberta wilderness association More news from grizzly bear alberta grizzly bear... endangered species grizzly bear recover... alberta wilderness a... canadian parks wilde... david suzuki foundat... natural resources de... sierra club canada wild canada conserva... yel