UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Canada threatened most often by oil, gas and mining
Physical resource extraction accounts for 31% of threats against natural and cultural sites since 1985
By Samuel Danzon-Chambaud, CBC News
The world’s largest beaver dam in Wood Buffalo National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. (Parks Canada)
Mining and oil and gas extraction account for nearly a third of threats to UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Canada over the last 30 years, according to the international organization.
A total of 75 threats against nine designated natural and cultural sites have been documented by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s State of Conservation database since 1985.
Of those, 23 belong to a category called “physical resource extraction,” which consists of mining and oil and gas operations.
The next most common threat types are management and institutional factors (13), service infrastructure (10), transportation infrastructure (8) and buildings and development (7).
Most of the threats occurred between 2000 and 2013. Wood Buffalo National Park in northern Alberta was the subject of the greatest number those reports, with nine in total, followed by the Historic District of Old Québec and Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks, which each had eight.
Two whooping cranes feed at a pond in Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. The endangered birds stand 5 feet tall and have wingspans up to 8 feet.
Three juvenile whooping cranes skipped their migration to Canada this year, instead spending their summer on the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. A fourth bird is believed to have stayed on San Jose Island.
While the only wild flock of endangered whooping cranes typically nests at Wood Buffalo National Park in Canada and winters on the Texas Coast, this is not the first time birds have played hooky from the 2,500 mile trip, said Whooping Crane Recovery Coordinator Wade Harrell.
“There’s been instances since the ’50s, even, when we’ve had an occasional bird stay the summer,” he said. “It’s hard to say exactly why they stay.”
The three that are on the refuge are believed to be younger birds that have not yet reached the age to breed. That may be part of the reason they decided to forgo the long journey north, where adult pairs have babies.
In the past, birds have stayed because they were recovering from some sort of injury. But there’s no indication that the three have any kind of injury, Harrell said.
One hundred years ago on 16 August 1916, the USA and Great Britain (on behalf of Canada) signed the first Migratory Bird Treaty to recognise the international importance of conserving and protecting migratory birds and their habitats.
Two years later in 1918, Congress passed the Migratory Bird Treaty Act to implement the legislation, which is still known today as one of the most effective conservation laws ever created.
This week, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Refuge Association and numerous partners are working together to celebrate this historic achievement. It is estimated that this groundbreaking wildlife conservation treaty has now saved billions of birds.
Whooping Crane Family from the Aransas/Wood Buffalo wild whooping crane flock . Photo by Klaus Nigge
National wildlife refuges have some of the best migratory bird spectacles in the world. Endangered Whooping Cranes migrate 2,500 miles south from Wood Buffalo NP in Canada to Aransas NWR, Texas, in the fall.
To read the entire article “North America celebrates 100 years of protecting migratory birds” on Birdwatch, click here.
***** FOTWW’s mission is to help preserve and protect the Aransas/Wood Buffalo
population of wild whooping cranes and their habitat. *****
Friends of the Wild Whoopers is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization.
A total of 78 nests were located during the 2016 Whooping Crane nest survey in Wood Buffalo National Park (WBNP) and in crane habitat located outside the Park. The survey is a joint project between Parks Canada and the Canadian Wildlife Service.
The 78 nests detected is the second highest nest count on record. 71 nests where located within WBNP and 7 nests were located outside of the Park. The highest nest count on record is 82 nests located during the 2014 nest survey.
Improved conditions on whooping crane nesting grounds
Nest numbers increased over last year’s count, when 68 nests were detected during the 2015 survey (the low number of nests detected during the 2015 nest survey is believed to have been related to the low water levels/drought in the nesting area). Nest survey results for the period 1966 to 2016 are shown in the graph below.
Nest survey results for the period 1966 to 2016
Over-the-bank flooding
Conditions on the nesting grounds were much wetter in 2016 when compared with the conditions observed during the 2015 survey. Water levels on the Sass River and Klewi River were noticeably high. Over-the-bank flooding was observed along the Sass and Klewi Rivers and replenishing waters into the neighboring ponds and wetlands.
The survey was conducted over four days, May 19, 20, 22 and 23. Poor weather conditions on May 22 prevented flying. The aircraft used during survey was an ASTAR 350 B-2 Helicopter.
Personnel involved in the survey included:
– John Conkin, Wildlife Technician, Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada
– Keith Hartery, Resource Management Technician, WBNP, Parks Canada
– John McKinnon, Ecosystem Geomatics Technician, WBNP, Parks Canada
– Katie McNab, Resource Management Officer, WBNP, Parks Canada
– Howard Vigneault, Helicopter Pilot, Highland Helicopters6.
Observations
Interesting observations during the survey included a total 193 cranes observed over the 4 days. Occasionally the cranes standup and/or walk off the nest mound as we circle above and we get to count the eggs. A total 37 Whooping Crane eggs were observed at 19 of the 78 nests during the survey. 18 nests had two eggs, 1 nest had one egg. (We were unable to determine the number of eggs at the other 59 Nests).
We observed one pair of Whooping Cranes that were “dancing”. One group of 3 whooping cranes was observed. A lone adult Whooping Crane was observed being harassed by 2 “dive-bombing” red-winged black birds. Two black bears were observed in the nesting grounds. And, on the last day of the survey, a raven greeted us just before take-off, posing for a picture while perched on the tail of the Helicopter.
***** FOTWW’s mission is to help preserve and protect the Aransas/Wood Buffalo
population of wild whooping cranes and their habitat. ***** Friends of the Wild Whoopers is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization.
