Ecosystems Branch

Wildlife Guidelines for Backcountry Tourism/Commercial Recreation

Activity > Motorized > Alpine/Tundra and Forest > Winter

The following results, desired behaviours, indicators, and limits apply in addition to any relevant policies or regulations; for example, area-based closures and existing statutes.

Concerns are ranked according to the potential risk to wildlife and their habitats, where “potential” is defined as the probability that the activity will result in either the alteration or destruction of habitat, or the temporary or permanent abandonment of habitat, in the absence of guidelines or statutes.

Motorized vehicles intended or used for travel on snow include (but are not limited to) snowmobiles, snowcats, and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs).

Guidelines are summarized by:

Results - What the guidelines are attempting to achieve.
Desired Behaviours - Actions by users that are most likely to achieve the specified results.
Indicators - What should be measured to determine if the specified results are being achieved.
Limits - Acceptable bounds related to the measured indicator.

Results and Desired Behaviours are identified for low-risk issues.

Results, Desired Behaviours, Indicators, and Limits are identified for high-risk issues.

NOTE: These guidelines have been produced as a means of ensuring that environmental values and tourism recreational activities can co-exist on the landscape. Tourism operators may find these guidelines useful and may choose to adopt them. However, if a licensee chooses to use a different strategy, and it is accepted, the licensee must undertake an effectiveness monitoring program. The Tenure Management Plan must reflect a commitment to the monitoring program, and opportunities to partner with government may be explored.

Safety remains the first priority under all circumstances.

1. Degradation of Soil, Air and Water Quality

Concern: Air pollution

Results	Desired Behaviours
Minimize air pollution.	Use low-emission engines (e.g., 4-stroke or efficient 2-stroke). Keep engines well tuned. Avoid idling.

Concern: Water pollution

Results	Desired Behaviours
Avoid water pollution.	Pack out all garbage. Use existing facilities for human waste, pack it out, or bury it in holes 10 to 15 cm deep located at least 100 m from water sources (use group latrines at least 30 cm deep for parties of more than 4 persons).

Concern: Fuel spills

Results	Desired Behaviours
Avoid fuel spills.	Observe all refuelling regulations. Carry fuel-spill kits for refuelling at remote caches. Cache fuel at least 10 m from the high-water mark of water courses.

2. Integrity of Vegetation Communities

Concern: Soil Compaction

Results	Desired Behaviours
Protect vegetative cover and root systems.	Use existing roads and trails in low snow conditions.

Concern: Damage to sensitive sites (Are these in my operating area?)

Results	Desired Behaviours	Indicators	Limits
Protect habitats of endangered wildlife species and ecosystems. Protect sensitive ecosystems (grasslands, alpine/tundra, and moist-soil ecosystems such as riparian areas and wetlands). Protect nesting/calving sites.	Learn to identify endangered species and ecosystems within the operating area. Operate in a manner that is consistent with government’s approved approach to recovery planning for species at risk. Use existing roads and wide trails. Obey all signs and area closures. Do not break or trample vegetation in riparian areas. Avoid known nesting/calving sites (seasonal closures might be necessary). Do not damage wildlife trees.	Damage to sensitive sites. Damage to vegetated alpine/tundra and grasslands beyond existing trail network.	No vegetation damage in sensitive sites or vegetated alpine/tundra and grasslands beyond existing trails caused by motorized vehicles.

3. Direct Disturbance of Wildlife

Concerns: Physiological and behavioural disruption, displacement from preferred habitats; direct mortality, habituation/sensitization

Results	Desired Behaviours	Indicators	Limits
Minimize physiological and behavioural disruption. Minimize changes in habitat use.	Record wildlife encounters, actions taken, and responses of animals. Remain on established trails or in areas of high visibility where no wildlife are present. Obey all signs and area closures. Do not harass wildlife. Do not feed wildlife. Do not handle wildlife. Do not allow dogs to be at large and harass wildlife. Pack out all garbage. Turn off engine, remain on machine, and yield to wildlife on trails and roads. Focus activities in areas where wildlife are least likely to be disturbed (seasonal closures might be necessary). Stay at distances sufficient to prevent changes to the behaviour of animals (at least 500 m in open areas is the default for large mammals).	Proportion of encounters resulting in an alarm response. Population abundance and distribution trends of wildlife species.	No increase in rate of alarm responses over time caused by motorized activities. No harassment caused by motorized activities. No abandonment of habitats caused by motorized activities.

4. Integrity of Fisheries Resources

Concern: Damage to fish populations and habitat

Results	Desired Behaviours
Protect fish populations and habitat.	Do not move live fish or other aquatic life. Do not harm spawning or rearing habitats by crossing or otherwise disturbing open water areas. Obey all fisheries regulations. Follow desired behaviours related to water quality.

5. Special Management

Concern:Grizzly Bear and Wolverine dens (Are these in my operating area?)

Results	Desired Behaviours
Protect den sites.	Remain at distances sufficient to avoid disturbing Grizzly Bears and Wolverines in known den sites (at least 500 m is the default).

Concern: Ungulate winter range (Are these in my operating area?)

Results	Desired Behaviours	Indicators	Limits
Minimize physiological or behavioural disruption of ungulates on winter ranges. Continued occupation of ungulate winter ranges.	Remain on established roads and trails. In deep snow areas, where snow-plowing creates linear “traps” for Moose, provide lateral escape routes at relatively frequent intervals. Obey all signs and area closures. Do not harass wildlife. Do not feed wildlife. Do not allow dogs to be at large and harass wildlife. Minimize activity in and near identified ungulate winter ranges (seasonal closures might be necessary). Stay at distances sufficient to prevent changes to the behaviour of animals (at least 500 m in open areas is the default).	Continued occupancy of ungulate winter ranges.	No harassment caused by motorized activities. No abandonment of ungulate winter ranges caused by motorized activities.

Concern: Mountain Caribou (Are these in my operating area?)

Results	Desired Behaviours	Indicators	Limits
Minimize physiological or behavioural disruption of Mountain Caribou. Continued occupation of existing range by Mountain Caribou. Ensure that motorized activities are not a barrier to Mountain Caribou population recovery.	Record wildlife encounters, actions taken, and responses of animals. Remain on established roads and trails. Obey all signs and area closures. Do not harass wildlife. Do not feed wildlife. Do not allow dogs to be at large and harass wildlife. Minimize activity in and near identified high-use areas (seasonal closures might be necessary). Stay at distances sufficient to prevent changes to the behaviour of animals (at least 500 m in open areas is the default for large mammals). Follow recommendations of Recovery Implementation Groups for Mountain Caribou.	Encounter frequency. Proportion of encounters resulting in an alarm response. Population abundance and distribution trends of subpopulations.	No increase in rate of alarm responses over time caused by motorized activities. No harassment caused by motorized activities. No abandonment of current range caused by motorized activities.