Non-motorized Recreation (Winter): Alpine/Tundra, Forest and Grasslands

Introduction

  • 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 (on a scale of days or longer) or permanent abandonment of habitat, in the absence of guidelines or statutes.
  • “Non-motorized activities” are defined as skiing, snowshoeing, or other non-motorized methods of traveling on snow in the backcountry.
  • 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 choose to adopt them. However, if a licensee chooses to use a different strategy, and it is accepted by government, 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: 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 deep snow at least 100 m from water sources.

2. Integrity of Vegetation Communities

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 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.
  • Obey all signs and area closures.
  • Avoid known nesting/calving sites (seasonal closures might be necessary).
  • Do not damage wildlife trees.
  • No vegetation damage in sensitive sites or vegetated alpine/tundra and grasslands beyond existing trails caused by non-motorized activities.

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 resulting from activities.
  • Record wildlife encounters, actions taken and responses of animals.
  • Remain on established trails where they exist.
  • 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.
  • Yield to wildlife on trails and roads.
  • Focus activities in areas and at times of the year when wildlife are least likely to be disturbed (seasonal closures might be necessary).
  • Remain still or retreat when animals are encountered and react to your presence.
  • Stay at distances sufficient to prevent changes to the behaviour of animals (at least 100 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 non-motorized activities.
  • No harassment caused by non-motorized activities.
  • No abandonment of habitats caused by non-motorized activities.

4. Integrity of Fisheries Resources

Concern: Damage to fish populations and habitats

Results

Desired Behaviours
  • Protect fish populations and habitats.

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 100 m is the default (seasonal closures might be necessary).

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

Results

Desired Behaviours

Indicators

Limits
  • Remain on established trails where they exist.
  • 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 100 m in open areas is the default).

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

Results

Desired Behaviours

Indicators

Limits
  • Record encounters with caribou, and actions taken, and responses of animals.
  • Remain on established 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 100 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 non-motorized activities.
  • No harassment caused by non-motorized activities.
  • No abandonment of current range caused by non-motorized activities.