|
|
 |
|
People, wolves, elk, and aspen: restoring trophic interactions in the Bow Valley, Banff National Park
Cliff White, Dave Dalman, Heather Dempsey, Mark Hebblewhite and Charles Kay |
| The
1997 BNP management plan required restoration of
predator and prey relationships, and to maintain and
where feasible, restore native vegetation communities to
reflect long-term ecosystem states and processes. Park
managers implemented human use closures around densites
and in some wildlife corridors to enhance wolf
recolonization. Highway fencing in much of BBV reduced
carnivore mortality. In addition, highly habituated elk
from near the town of Banff were relocated out of the
park, or into nearby park areas with high wolf density.
The strong interactions between humans and wildlife
(particularly elk) in a national park environment
required special attention to include stakeholders in
refining management direction for human use, predator
restoration and elk. The Banff “Elk Advisory Committee”
was established in the early 1990s, and met twice
annually. Broad direction for an adaptive elk management
program was developed through this group, and
incorporated in a publicly reviewed environmental
screening. The approved screening required annual
science workshops to review proposed management actions
and make outcome predictions to the elk advisory
committee. This session discusses the adaptive
management process, and ecological and social outcomes
of the restoration program. |
|
Return to
Program
|
| |
