Summary UWRs u-9-004

No mainline roads  only low impact secondary

Limited impacts to forest cover 

Mid to low elevation winter range.

Roads to be built to lowest standards on existing disturbance.

Limit impact to forest cover

Minimize human use and access. Minimize disturbance and displacement of caribou especially in later winter.

Minimize habitat loss, alteration or degradation. Prevent fragmentation and retain large leave areas.

Minimize impacts to terrestrial and arboreal lichen (pine leading forest on sunny aspects).

Maintain forest cover for caribou mobility, thermal cover, connectivity and screening.

Minimize disturbance in late winter period. Critical activity to be completed Nov01-Jan30

Limit predator mobility and attractants.

Avoid:

a.         Peatland complexes

b.         Fens and black spruce bogs

c.         Complex water bodies

d.         Mature black spruce stands (lichen)

e.         Lichen bearing stands 

Planning Measures:

 No construction of mainline roads (permanent, all weather roads).

Access should be limited to low-impact roads where practicable (such as winter access)

Use existing disturbance.

Prevent habitat loss, alteration and degradation

Operators should coordinate access with others

Limit impacts to forest cover 

Maintain a network of connected forest to facilitate caribou movement

Activity should be clustered and sequential.   

Minimize fragmentation and new linear disturbances 

Avoid peatland complexes, fens and black spruce bogs, complex water bodies, lichen bearing stands and mature pine leading forest. 

Operational Measures: 

Minimize disturbance in winter period. Activity to be completed (Nov01-Jan30).  Complete activity as soon as practicable.  

Minimize predator mobility and attractants

Use screening to manage for line of sight (vegetation, dog legs and topography)

Block access with snow berms when  inactive

Minimize impacts to lichen:

use snow cover and frozen ground to improve lichen survival and regeneration

retain trees for dispersal of lichen

avoid impacts to surficial hydrology

Mitigate linear disturbances:

Control access to limit human/predator use

Promptly deactivate access upon completion of activity

Expedite the regeneration of lichen-bearing coniferous stands