Pimachiowin Aki

World Heritage Site

Management & Protection

An Ethical Fall Moose Harvest

As the fall moose harvest approaches, Pimachiowin Aki wants to remind community members and all hunters to help Guardians during this busy time. If you see any waste, reckless hunting, or hunters being disrespectful, tell your Guardian. Guardians will, in turn, report concerns to their communities and to provincial staff.

Moose Population

Pimachiowin Aki is communicating with our provincial government partners to renew our working relationship and talk about the moose population and concerns about harvesting.

“We want to be part of the decision-making process. We want to be part of the consultation and plans,” says Pimachiowin Aki Director William Young, Bloodvein River First Nation.

Having conversations and sharing information with government partners will allow us to make the best decisions for the moose, adds Pimachiowin Aki Executive Director Alison Haugh. “How are moose doing in the area? Do we need to close areas or limit the hunt because moose are not doing well? If they are not doing well, is it due to habitat or hunting pressure? These are important answers to have.”

Watch for updates on our work with wildlife and habitat.

Did You Know?

Most of Pimachiowin Aki is caribou habitat, but because of the wildfire cycle, we could see more moose in five to 10 years from now. 

infographic denting 100 years of resources following a wildfire

Photo: Ōtake Hidehiro

Songmeter Project – First Results Are In

Thank you to contributors Councillor Eddie Hudson, Poplar River Lands Guardians Norway Rabliauskas and Brad Bushie, Dr. Jeff Wells, and Elisha Corsiga (writer)

Our Elders and their ancestors have cared for our Traditional Lands for over 6,000 years.

Protecting Pimachiowin Aki, which over 200 bird species rely on for survival, is an important example of how we care for the land,” says Poplar River First Nation Lands Councillor Eddie Hudson.

Since 2016, Poplar River Lands Guardian Norway Rabliauskas has been collaborating with scientists from Audubon’s Boreal Conservation program to better understand how songbird populations are changing in the face of climate change.  

The first results of the ‘Songmeter Project’ are in.

“Songmeters record bird sounds,” says Guardian Brad Bushie, Poplar River Lands Guardians Program. Using knowledge of the land, Poplar River Lands Guardians placed the recording units at four sites across the traditional territory, he explains.

The number of bird species recorded allows us to analyze population changes over time,” adds Dr. Jeff Wells, Vice President for Boreal Conservation at National Audubon Society.

Map of survey sites in Poplar River First Nation and its location within Pimachiowin Aki, courtesy Audubon

  • Guardians placed Songmeters in four survey sites in Poplar River First Nation throughout the spring of 2016
  • 71 bird species were detected
  • At least 18 of the species detected have more than 70% of their breeding range confined to the Boreal Forest biome, meaning their survival relies heavily on healthy landscapes like Pimachiowin Aki 
  • Two species were detected on more than half of all recordings: 
    • White-throated Sparrow 
    • Swainson’s Thrush  
  • Five species were detected on more than 30% of all recordings:
    • Blackburnian Warbler
    • Ovenbird 
    • Song Sparrow 
    • Bald Eagle
    • American Crow
Song Sparrow
Photo: Hidehiro Otake
Bald Eagle
Photo: Lorne Coulson
  • At least 20 species listed as special concern, threatened, or endangered by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) are believed to occur within Pimachiowin Aki. The Songmeter project captured recordings of three of the bird species listed by COSEWIC: 
    • Common Nighthawk
    • Eastern Whip-poor-will
    • Canada Warbler  
Common Nighthawk
Photo: Christian Artuso
Eastern Whip-poor-will
Photo: Christian Artuso
Canada Warbler
Photo: Christian Artuso
  • National Audubon Society’s recent study, Survival by Degrees, found that over two-thirds of North American birds are moderately or highly vulnerable to a global average temperature increase of 3°C by 2080. This includes many species detected at Poplar River First Nation, such as:  
    • Bay-breasted Warbler
    • Cape May Warbler
    • Canada Warbler
    • Blackburnian Warbler

How the collaboration began

“We first talked with the Guardians and community, and asked if they would be interested,” says Jeff.

Norway says the project is a good fit for his community. “One of our goals is to develop new research partnerships. Plus, the project builds on the monitoring work we have already been doing.”   

Indigenous Knowledge and Western Science come together

The Songmeter project relies heavily on Guardians, and the process of collaborating starts with listening and respect. 

Listening to Guardians’ advice is crucial in a project like this, where Indigenous Knowledge and Western Science combine to create strong, respectful conservation efforts, says Jeff. “Things always overlay with Indigenous knowledge.” 

Guardians serve as stewards and scientists and are central to a program that pairs data collection with Indigenous ecological knowledge to track changes across the site over time. 

Chad Wilsey, Vice President and Chief Scientist, National Audubon Society, in his blog about his work and experience in Poplar River First Nation

Guardians have a good understanding of the land and decide where to install Songmeters.

“Our Guardians’ hard work and understanding of the land have contributed to the project’s success,” says Councillor Eddie Hudson. “We are proud of the work they do.”

Guardian Norway Rabliauskas installs a Songmeter.

Songmeters last for a long time between battery changes. Recordings are saved onto SD cards for researchers to analyze.

The project continues

This past year, Guardians installed Songmeters in the same four locations as 2016. The 2017-2021 recordings have yet to be formally processed but since the start of the project, the number of species the team has identified has “greatly expanded,” Jeff says.  

Thousands of hours of song

Analyzing bird sounds can be a difficult and time-consuming task.

“What happens with this kind of work is that you can get thousands of hours of recordings, and you can imagine someone sitting down and listening… You can only get through so much,” says Jeff.

The relatively small team picked random samples, listening to four 10-minute recordings from each day collected in 2016.

187.3 hours of recordings were sampled between May 27 and July 1, 2016 

Birds of Poplar River Project – First Results

New technology to speed up the process

Recently, the team implemented BirdNET in their identification process. BirdNET is an artificial intelligence algorithm developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. This bird identification machine can quickly go through recordings to identify specific bird species. 

The team will use BirdNet to help identify the recordings taken in Poplar River First Nation from 2017–2021. 

Looking forward

In the upcoming year, National Audubon Society and Poplar River First Nation Lands Guardians  Luke Mitchell, Brad Bushie and Youth Guardian Aiden Heindmarch will work together to expand the areas where Songmeters are placed. They plan to set up Songmeters in deeper and more remote areas of the forest.

“One place takes a couple of days to get to by boat,” Jeff says. “It’s exciting to see what we might find in these places.”

He hopes that over the years more First Nation communities can use Songmeters when developing their monitoring programs. He also hopes for more collaborative initiatives with communities in Pimachiowin Aki.

“If that’s what communities want to be a part of,” he says, “there are a lot of interesting things to discover.”

What to Do if You Spot Algae This Summer

Water is sacred. It is the source of life and should be respected and protected. Waterways are like the arteries of Mother Earth and flow along, receiving and depositing nourishment for all plants and animals.

Pauingassi Lands Management Plan

Pimachiowin Aki is known for its pristine waters. Rivers, streams, lakes, waterfalls, and rapids flow gracefully through the World Heritage site while sustaining the ecosystem and the Anishinaabe way of life.  

Water is life—a food provider, wildlife habitat, a hydration source, and travel route. Its health is crucial.

Bloodvein River First Nation Guardian Melba Green spotted algae in Pimachiowin Aki in 2021 and wants everyone to help keep an eye out for this potential hazard this summer.

“I saw it right behind my house at the water’s edge in the Bloodvein River,” she says. She immediately took a picture. “I mentioned it to someone here and they suggested I take a sample. However, when I went back the algae was no longer there.“

Melba also saw what looked like harmless green weeds further up river and later wondered if this, too, was algae. Richard Farthing-Nichol, Project Manager at Centre for Indigenous Environmental Resources says “while algae is a natural part of the Bloodvein River ecosystem, excessive algae could be a problem and is something to watch out for.” Algal blooms are more common in the south end of the Lake Winnipeg, but can happen anywhere, he says.

Pimachiowin Aki’s waterways (seen here) flow into Lake Winnipeg.  The health of Lake Winnipeg is being threatened by algal blooms.

Algae refers to a wide range of simple plants that can grow in any body of water. You will typically notice algae as small green particles in water. It is normal for a lake to have some algae, but too many nutrients in water can lead to an overgrowth of algae, which then forms algal blooms. Algal blooms are generally unpleasant and can even be toxic depending on the type.

Why algae can be dangerous

Algae is a natural part of the environment.  It can be found in any body of water. Richard explains that algae provide food for small water organisms and supplies much of the oxygen we breathe. But too much algae can be a problem, he cautions.

“Some types of blue-green algae found in algal blooms can be toxic to humans and animals. Also, when algae die, they decompose and use up oxygen that other organisms need to survive. This can impact entire food chains and lead to fish die-offs,” he says.

Melba recalls an encounter with a fisherman in Bloodvein River First Nation two years ago. “He was concerned about fishing in the lake because the water was “sticky.” She has heard this same description from others. “An Elder said that when you pull your hand out of the lake, your hand is sticky. When people pull their fishing nets from the water the sticky stuff is on their nets.”

Photo: Hidehiro Otake

Certain algae hurt the environment and economy by:

  • Producing toxins that can kill or sicken people and animals
  • Creating “dead zones” in water—areas lacking oxygen that become uninhabitable for marine life
  • Raising costs for drinking water as drinkable water becomes more scarce
  • Impacting industries that require clean water

These hazards show why it’s crucial to identify toxic algae if we plan to keep the environment and economy healthy and thriving.

How to spot toxic algae

Not all algae are toxic. The kind to watch out for is blue-green algae or cyanobacteria. The physical appearance of blue-green algae varies, which makes it difficult to identify. Richard explains, “Algal blooms are generally green and often form floating clumps or scums, sometimes making the water look like thick pea soup or paint. They also emit a strong, unpleasant odour. A laboratory analysis is the only way to tell if an algal bloom is toxic. “It is best to exercise caution and treat all algal blooms as if they contain toxins,” Richard warns.

Melba reports that she has been “in and out from the Bloodvein River and has not spotted algae yet this year. If she sees it again, she will “carefully take a sample and give it to the nursing station, which will send it to water sampling experts.”

Algae can be found in wide range of habitats beyond lakes and rivers, including in soil, growing on rocks and snow, and in plants such as lichens.

“When young ones and teenagers see wildlife or something unusual on the water or land, they come and tell me. I plan to learn more about algae and make a presentation to the school so they know what to look for,” says Melba.

Richard explains how algae affects communities, including places like Pimachiowin Aki, where fishing is a livelihood:

“Algal blooms, and especially toxic blue-green algae, can negatively impact communities in many ways. Algal blooms can make beaches unpleasant and unsafe for swimming, clog water intake pipes and fishing nets, and reduce the amount of fish available for harvesting.”

Please act as the eyes and ears of the land and waters, and report all sightings of algae to prevent the problem from growing.

What to do if you spot algae this summer

In Manitoba

Report algal blooms to the province at the following website: https://forms.gov.mb.ca/algal_report/index.html

In Pimachiowin Aki

The protocol for reporting toxic algae in Pimachiowin Aki is the same as the protocol for reporting pollution, littering, accidents, forest fires, and other threats to the land:

  1. Take a photo or video
  2. Write down details (such as where you are located and what you see, including the algae’s size, shape and colour)
  3. Call the nearest administrative office:
Bloodvein River First Nation204.395.2148
Little Grand Rapids First Nation204.397.2264
Pauingassi First Nation204.397.2371
Poplar River First Nation204.224.2267
Manitoba Department of Agriculture and Resource Developmenttoll-free 1.800.282.8069
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestrytoll-free 1.877.847.7667

Inform as many people as possible
Tell everyone you know about the dangers of harmful algal blooms. There’s no such thing as too much help for a problem like this. Spread the word for the health of Pimachiowin Aki’s waters and the protection of the Anishinaabe way of life.

Q&A with Richard

1. What causes algae?
Algae, like all plants, need sunlight and nutrients, primarily phosphorous and nitrogen, to grow. Phosphorous and nitrogen are found naturally in the environment, but humans also use phosphorous in fertilizers that we apply to our gardens and farmland. Phosphorous is also found in wastewater. When too much phosphorous gets into the water by, for example, fertilizer running off farmland into nearby streams, algae can grow rapidly and create algal blooms. Algal blooms are most likely to occur in hot weather with little or no wind. 

2. Is it safe to go into the water and swim if I spot algae?
You should avoid swimming in water with algal blooms.

3. Does boiling water remove toxins from algae-contaminated water?
No, the toxins cannot be destroyed by boiling the water.

4. Is it safe to eat fish or wildlife if the water in my community is affected?
It should generally be safe, but you should take some precautions. Because algal toxins can accumulate in fish, you should avoid eating the internal organs, like the liver and kidneys, of fish caught in water experiencing an algal bloom. You should also pay close attention to the condition of the fish—if it appears unhealthy, do not eat it.

5. Pimachiowin Aki is part of the largest stretch of intact boreal forest on earth. How does the boreal forest purify water?
Nature is extremely good at looking after itself if given the opportunity. The roots of trees and other plants can absorb excess nutrients and other toxins from water and soil, which helps purify the water. Some aquatic plants like cattails are particularly good at removing nutrients such as phosphorous from the water. This is one of the many reasons that healthy wetlands are so important. The boreal forest is full of wetlands that are helping purify the air, water, and fight climate change, not to mention providing food and medicines for people and habitat for other creatures.

6. What actions can I take in my everyday life to be part of the solution?
Reducing the amount of phosphorous that you use is the best thing you can do in your everyday life to be part of the solution. You can do that by not fertilizing your yard (or by using phosphorous-free fertilizer), using cleaning products (such as dish soap and detergent) that are phosphorous-free, and not disposing of pharmaceuticals, food, or chemicals down the drain.

For a list of actions you can take to protect water and ensure we have fresh water for generations to come, visit: https://www.lakefriendly.ca/.

Community-Based Monitoring Project in Poplar River First Nation

By Ray Rabliauskas | Photos: Jesse Belle

This past summer our Lands Guardian Program started a Community-Based Monitoring Project. We are collecting data using drones to monitor Lake Winnipeg algal blooms and shoreline erosion as well as testing water quality in the Poplar River that may affect fishing harvests and access to fishing grounds within Poplar River Traditional Territory.

Poplar River First Nation is moving towards becoming self-reliant with monitoring lands and waters by combining both scientific methods with what is already known—Elders’ Traditional Knowledge. We understand the importance of having the best information available so we can make good decisions in regards to our lands. Poplar River First Nation also understands the importance of having our own people with skills and equipment to do this work ourselves.

The Monitoring Program will provide learning opportunities for youth from our Elders and scientists so they can continue and expand the scope of this work for years to come.

(left to right) Brad Bushie with Dennis Bittern and Norway Rabliauskas of the Poplar River First Nation Lands Guardian program.

We have hired Brad Bushie as part of our Community Based Monitoring Project.

“My name is Brad Bushie. I am from Poplar River and I am 24 years old. I have been working on and off for several years with our Lands Guardian Program. I have been hired full time to work with our drone to monitor the effects of climate change. I have received my certification as a Drone Pilot with a limited licence. This means I can operate our drone in uncontrolled airspace. I have almost completed training and studying to receive my Advanced Drone Pilot Licence, which will allow me to fly the drone anywhere in Canada. I love this work. It’s good to work with our Elders and the drone is a very cool instrument; it’s like a live video game.”

Brad Bushie, Poplar River First Nation

(left to right) Tom Sutton of North/South Consultants trains Brad Bushie to use the drone.

We are happy to share and highlight the work of our very competent Lands Guardians’ Team. As a community, we are very proud of these young people and the work they do.

Poplar River First Nation Lands Program

The following report summarizes the main field activities conducted and data collected during year two of the project:

Poplar River First Nation CBM-Year 2-Report_02Download

New Eye in the Sky

Birds have always been an eye in the sky above Pimachiowin Aki. Now, thanks to drones provided by environmental consulting and research firm ECOSTEM, Pimachiowin Aki Corp. has an eye up there too. 

We are working with ECOSTEM to map land and water habitats in Pimachiowin Aki as well as tangible cultural features found mainly along major rivers in the area. At 29,000 square kilometers, Pimachiowin Aki is simply too large to ‘see’ from the ground. Each drone, and its pilot are giving us a close-up look at areas we want to know more about. 

“The project will enhance our understanding of Pimachiowin Aki and provide a baseline for monitoring,” says Pimachiowin Aki’s Executive Director. “Our monitoring program is part of how we fulfill our responsibilities as a UNESCO World Heritage site,” she adds.

Working with ECOSTEM will also allow us to bring all data we have ever collected into one place—a digital map of Pimachiowin Aki. People will be able to search the map for answers to questions like: Where do lake sturgeon spawn? What areas have been affected by wildfire? Where are the best places to find blueberries?

Drones are used to help map wildfire history, ecosystem health, and effects of climate change.

What exactly are we mapping?

Habitat Mapping  Cultural Feature Mapping
Land habitats such as forests and grasslands, wildlife habitats such as caribou calving areas Archaeological sites such as places where stone was collected to make tools
Water habitats such as rivers, wild rice, and wildlife habitat such as lake sturgeon spawning areasHarvesting sites such as hunting and fishing areas, traplines, and berry and medicine plant gathering areas
Parts that form each habitat such as plants, soil and rockCultural sites such as cabins, campsites and petroforms

Collecting Data from Soil to Sky

  • ECOSTEM collects vegetation, soil, and environmental data from plots
  • Aerial photo captured by a drone

Mapping is like taking inventory—in this case, identifying the location, number and kinds of habitats and cultural features in Pimachiowin Aki. ECOSTEM is taking inventory by going out on the land and water to collect samples and take photos and notes. The drones are capturing photos and video.

ECOSTEM Senior Ecologist Dr. James Ehnes says that the ECOSTEM drones collected “about 9,000 photos and 37 minutes of video” of Pimachiowin Aki this fall. “We had planned to capture considerably more photos and video but were unable to do so due to Covid restrictions, wildfire-related travel bans, loss of logistical support in communities that were evacuated, and extremely low water levels on rivers.”  

Once we have our complete ‘inventory,’ Pimachiowin Aki can track changes over time. This is where monitoring comes in.

Monitoring is like giving Pimachiowin Aki a regular checkup—we will compare new information with our original inventory to keep watch on Pimachiowin Aki’s natural and cultural health. This will help us make sense of any changes and predict and prepare for any threats.

Flying the drone from an island in Bloodvein River.

Project Q&A

We gained insights on the project through an interview with Dr. James Ehnes of ECOSTEM:

Your work with Pimachiowin Aki began in 2011 when you completed an ecosystem analysis to show how the area met UNESCO World Heritage criteria for outstanding universal value. What is different about the work  you are doing today?

The ‘feeling’ has changed from conducting an academic exercise to having the   opportunity to serve Pimachiowin Aki, its partner communities and local people. The work that we are now doing is focused on providing data, information, maps and other things that will support the continuation of Ji-ganawendamang Gidakiiminaan.

Pimachiowin Aki Guardians are the eyes and ears of Pimachiowin Aki. How does this project enhance their work?

Guardians can only cover a small area each year. The project immensely expands the area where information is obtained and can prioritize areas that we should go to get more information.

How are Pimachiowin Aki Guardians and Elders involved?  

Land use information from Guardians and Elders is extremely important  for cultural and natural features mapping, such as where are the best places to go to find certain plants and animals, where are notable culture features and sites located (e.g., petroforms, meeting areas, hunting areas, wild rice plantings,   controlled burns, spiritually significant areas). We hope that the information that is passed on will contribute to maintaining the memories of the people and communities.

One of two drones that ECOSTEM is using to collect photos and video in Pimachiowin Aki.

What will data you collect tell us about  Pimachiowin Aki now and over time?

Most fundamentally, it will tell us what vegetation, wetlands, landforms, waterways, etc. occur within Pimachiowin Aki at a much higher level of accuracy and detail than is available now. It will also:

  • Show a local person new places where they could to go to find things that   they want to gather or hunt  
  • Identify important habitats for species of high interest such as caribou, moose, and sturgeon
  • Aid in making reliable predictions about species that are important to local people or conservation
  • Contribute to safeguarding and recovering species of conservation concern within Pimachiowin Aki. Examples: data may result in expanded woodland caribou research and opportunities to research lake sturgeon
  • Detect and monitor the spread of invasive species
  • Show people how their traplines have been affected by wildfire
  • Identify areas that were burned more severely than usually happens—vegetation recovery may be limited, and it could be evidence that important, adverse climate change effects are happening in Pimachiowin Aki
  • Help us study how Pimachiowin Aki is responding to climate change
  • Show us areas that store the most carbon, areas that are most susceptible to releasing   greenhouse gases as the climate warms, and the best places to do climate research
  • Inform us if climate change is making fire effects worse, which has future consequences for what will be found on the land and in the water
  • Contribute to fulfilling UNESCO World Heritage monitoring requirements

How exactly do you collect information for the maps?

We collect information in two ways. We get information for the entire site from satellite imagery and information that has been created by others (e.g., elevations). We go out on the land and water in Pimachiowin Aki and take photos and notes. Sometimes we do this from planes and other times while boating or walking. While on the land, we collect plot samples and use drones to collect photos and video.

Flying the drone where the east side road meets Bloodvein River.

What is plot sampling and how is it done?

We collect habitat data in plots, sometimes with a community member and   sometimes on our own. For our work so far, this has been a 40 by 40 metre square plot. Within this plot, staff collect plant, vegetation, soils and environmental data. A botanist collects plant and vegetation data by walking through the plot and recording what they see. A soil specialist collects soil data by first digging a narrow hole about 50 cm deep, then using an auger to go down to about 100 cm and pull up material that is examined and used to describe soil conditions.

We try to leave no trace that we were there. When we’re done, we fill the hole and replace the surface ‘divot’ that was carefully removed before digging the hole.

Why has the drone collected more photos than videos?

We focused on photos because we expected that they would be more useful for creating the habitat map for the entire site. An advantage of photos is that they can be ‘stitched’ together to create an image that shows a much larger area. The stitched image from the drone is more magnified than Google Earth. We may lean more towards video when documenting cultural features along waterways or habitats for species that are especially important to local people.

How does  monitoring a habitat make it possible to reliably monitor a species?

A species’ habitat is the most important thing that determines how many individuals of that species can exist within Pimachiowin Aki, and where they are likely to be found.

Using moose as an example, areas that have burned in the past five to 15 years tend to provide considerably more moose food per hectare than other areas. If the proportion of Pimachiowin Aki area that has burned in the   past five to 15 years goes up, the number of moose can also increase.

Using sturgeon as an example, this species has very specialized conditions   for spawning. By mapping spawning conditions, we can identify areas   that should not be disturbed by human activities. We can also use the mapping to identify locations that are good candidates for restoring suitable  sturgeon spawning conditions.

See our infographic to learn more about how forest fires affect moose

Learn how to identify and protect lake sturgeon

  • Drone captured data
  • Bing satellite image

How close do the drones get to wildlife and people?

Manitoba wildlife regulations prohibit harassing wildlife, so we maintain the distance needed to avoid that, which varies with species and individuals. If we saw behaviours indicating an animal was being disturbed, we would quickly move further away. Our drones are very quiet and with the cameras we use, we don’t need to get close to an animal to see it in high detail.

We don’t intentionally get close enough to identify a person unless they have provided their consent. 

What excites you most about the project?

I’m very excited by the amount of detail that can be obtained with a drone. We can create 3D images of an area, which will be very impressive for things  such as depicting cultural or natural features on waterways.

When will the map be complete and where can I find it?

The map should be complete in 2023, following another field season in 2022.  ECOSTEM holds the data and information for the map in trust for the Pimachiowin Aki communities.  Because the map and derived products contain confidential information that belongs to the communities, they may only be used with the express and prior permission of the communities.

Photos: ECOSTEM

Species of Conservation Concern: Boreal Woodland Caribou

Across Canada, industrial activity and wildfires are changing forests and habitat for boreal woodland caribou. Pimachiowin Aki’s large stretch of intact boreal forest offers a rare haven for this majestic species—four groups of boreal woodland caribou live in the protected area, including one of Manitoba’s largest groups.

Boreal woodland caribou have been on the threatened species list in Manitoba since 2002. They were listed as a threatened species across Canada in 2003. 

How Pimachiowin Aki meets the needs of boreal woodland caribou

Caribou Biologist Dennis Brannen, Wildlife, Fisheries and Resource Enforcement Branch of Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development, explains that boreal woodland caribou thrive in Pimachiowin Aki, in part, because the vast landscape allows them to avoid predators. Boreal woodland caribou inhabit Pimachiowin Aki’s remote islands, peat bogs, and mature forest, which are typically not desirable for predators like wolves and species wolves prey upon, such as moose.

“Caribou exist in older mature forested areas where there is limited food types. Wolves have less reason to go into those areas because there’s less to feed them,” explains Dennis. Caribou are able to travel more easily in Pimachiowin Aki’s deep, persistent snow and wet peat bogs compared to wolves, he adds.

Pimachiowin Aki provides boreal woodland caribou with their preferred winter foods—lichens that grow on trees and the ground, typically found in spruce, pine and tamarack forests. 

The human–predator domino effect, explained

Predators are not the root threat to Canada’s populations of boreal woodland caribou. “The general decline that we are seeing essentially comes back to human-caused landscape change,” says Dennis. Pimachiowin Aki has limited roadways and is protected from commercial mining, logging and peat extraction. In contrast, human activity across the country “has pushed the [caribou] population to the edges and restricted them to broken up patches of forests,” says Dennis.

Pimachiowin Aki is free from the adverse effects of industrial development.

When forest is broken into segments, it creates multiple issues for boreal woodland caribou. Dennis explains the domino effect.

“When forests are disturbed through human activity or natural causes like wildfire, regrowth is initially dominated by leafy shrubs, herbs and grasses—that new generation of vegetation is a surplus of food that leads to more primary prey species for wolves, such as moose.” Wolves follow and ultimately prey upon caribou, too.

Developments such as roads and trails also pose a threat. Dennis describes these linear features as “highways for predators.” They allow wolves to get into areas that were once less accessible, pick up speed, and prey on boreal woodland caribou.

Industrial development creates open areas in the forest, making boreal woodland caribou more vulnerable to predation.

Wolves are not caribou’s only predators. Other species will prey on them “when an opportunity presents itself,” says Dennis. “Across the boreal forest, black bears will prey on boreal woodland caribou calves. Out west in the Rocky Mountains, cougars prey on caribou, especially younger caribou,” he adds.   

The climate change-predator domino effect, explained 

Boreal woodland caribou travel well in wetlands. “When you bring climate change into the scenario, those wetlands become dryer,” says Dennis. In dryer times, wolves can get into those areas more efficiently. “This has implications for predation on caribou as well.”

Caribou birth rates

Another factor contributing to Canada’s declining boreal woodland caribou populations is that caribou don’t have as many young as other wildlife.

“Moose, elk and deer often have twins,” says Dennis, noting that this is rare in the caribou world. “Caribou will only have one offspring per year, so you end up in a situation where more [caribou] are being removed than added to the population in many cases.”

Ghosts of the forest—Caribou sightings in Pimachiowin Aki

Pimachiowin Aki Guardian Dennis Keeper reports seeing few caribou in Little Grand Rapids First Nation. “Fifteen to 20 years ago, we used to see hundreds and hundreds of them while traveling winter roads.” That is no longer the case. “I saw 14 of them two springs ago—a group of females. You don’t even see tracks now.”

Dennis Brannen suspects that caribou have started to avoid busier areas, like the winter roads. “Caribou are known as shadows or ghosts of the forest. They’re a secretive animal, so they don’t always show themselves when they’re around that landscape. They just shy away from where people are.”

Living with wildfire in Pimachiowin Aki

“Caribou have learned to live with fire [in Pimachiowin Aki] through time,” says Dennis Brannen. Fire is an opportunity for land to renew itself and create new and future habitats. “It’s only when we start increasing the amount of human disturbance on the landscape in combination with fire that we start seeing negative impacts on caribou populations,” he says.   

But climate change could change that, warns Dennis. “With climate change, we potentially see an impact with the size of fires and frequency and intensity of those fires on landscapes. So, there are likely to be negative impacts to available habitat and population through time.”

Pimachiowin Aki is the largest protected area in the North American boreal shield. At more than 29,000 sq. km, it provides boreal woodland caribou with room to withstand the impact of fire-related habitat loss.

The future of boreal woodland caribou

Across Canada, people are combining western and Indigenous ways of knowing to protect boreal woodland caribou and their habitat.

“Our desire is to do a better job as we move forward to bring Indigenous knowledge into caribou conservation here in Manitoba,” Dennis shares.

Manitoba’s boreal woodland caribou recovery strategy sets out goals that align with Canada’s recovery strategy. A key goal is to manage and protect boreal woodland caribou habitat to sustain populations across the land. However, results will not happen quickly.

It’s a long-term process and we have to keep that in mind,” says Dennis. “We can’t just say, okay, we’re protecting undisturbed landscape and expect caribou to start doing well tomorrow. We need to look at opportunities and ways in which we can move disturbed habitat back into a state that is suitable for boreal woodland caribou use in the future.”

Research from across Canada indicates that when a habitat is disturbed by industry, for example, it takes roughly 60 years for that habitat to become useful to caribou again.

“We are constantly reviewing developments and proposals, and looking at how they may or may not impact caribou directly,” says Dennis.

There is hope for boreal woodland caribou. Last year, it was reported that the George River population (Labrador and Quebec) increased for the first time in 25 years. That area banned hunting of caribou in 2013. However, woodland caribou are not protected across the country. Their survival is tightly woven into the long-term health of boreal ecosystems, such as those of Pimachiowin Aki.

Anishinaabeg continue to provide wildlife, including threatened species like boreal woodland caribou, with healthy habitat. Here caribou will continue to feed in both winter and summer months and find safe spaces to calve and raise their young.

Fast Facts > Boreal Woodland Caribou

Photos: Hidehiro Otake, Doug Gilmore