Cutting Edge Lectures in Science: Is there room for ecological conservation in the Oil Sands of Alberta?
A presentation by Dr. Stan Boutin (University of
Alberta)
The Oil Sands of Alberta present many environmental
challenges. My talk will focus on how terrestrial ecosystems and
their components can be conserved in this heavily industrialized
landscape. I will begin by outlining the magnitude of current and
proposed human activities in the region and show how our perception
of scale is fundamental to tackling conservation issues. Management
actions can take many forms, from new industrial "best practices"
to broad land-use planning involving conservation areas and
high-intensity industrial activities but the "effectiveness" of
these actions is highly variable.
I will use a case study of woodland caribou, an endangered species,
to illustrate how powerful land-use planning tools can now give
society the information needed to make ecologically informed
decisions about how and if conservation and development targets can
be achieved.
Free, everyone welcome. Seating is limited. No
reservations necessary. The conference is followed by a
reception.