Wildlife Land Use Guidelines
Wildlife Land Use Guidelines
The following Wildlife Land Use Guidelines reflect current recommendations of the Fish and Wildlife Division of Alberta
Sustainable Resource Development (SRD) and are consistent with the direction provided within the Enhanced Approval Process
(EAP).
These wildlife guidelines apply to all land-use activities not covered by the EAP. For direction on wildlife mitigation
for all upstream oil and gas activities, please consult:
Recommended Wildlife Land Use Guidelines
The guidelines have been developed for selected wildlife species, species groups and ecological regions of the province
to assist land managers, land owners and land users in avoiding or minimizing potential adverse impacts to wildlife from
various land use activities.
Fish and Wildlife Division Area staff are available for consultation and discussion on the recommendations within these
guidelines.
Wildlife Guidelines for Alberta Wind Energy Projects
Wildlife Guidelines for Alberta Wind Energy Projects summarizes potential wildlife issues associated with wind energy developments
and provides guidelines for minimizing impacts to wildlife and wildlife habitat during the siting, construction and operation
of wind farms in Alberta.
The guidelines were developed in consultation with industry and have been in use since 2006. These guidelines are designed
to inform wind energy proponents of potential wildlife issues and mitigation.
This document additionally serves to assist SRD Fish and Wildlife staff in advising wind energy developers and providing
consistent responses to wind energy applications submitted to the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) under Rule 007.
Wildlife Key Areas/Sites
The guidelines are primarily targeted to specific wildlife key areas/sites that play an essential role in ensuring the continued
survival of local and regional populations of the identified wildlife species or species group.
The areas where these recommendations apply are indicated by Wildlife Sensitivity Layers that are consistent with the Landscape
Analysis Tool (LAT) and available at:
NOTE:
These guidelines are either provincial or regional in scope and should be applied with judgement that considers the specific
physical and vegetative characteristics of an area/site, as well as the types of existing land uses at and adjacent to the
area/site.
Applying the Guidelines to Private Land Use
Provincial land managers (i.e., Forestry Division and Lands Division of Alberta Sustainable Resource Development) will consider
these guidelines and may incorporate them into land use dispositions on provincial Crown lands.
However, because wildlife are the property of the Crown, irrespective of whether they occur on publicly- or private-owned
land, private land owners and businesses/companies operating on private lands should also be familiar with these guidelines
and make use of them where and as appropriate.
Guideline Review Process
These guidelines are subject to review and refinement on an ongoing basis, and may be updated to reflect changes in knowledge
of mitigation strategies.
Contact
Comments on the substance of these guidelines and requests for further information may be submitted to:
Head of Resource Integration and Planning Section
Fisheries Management Branch, Fish and Wildlife Division
Alberta Sustainable Resource Development
Tel: (780) 427-7581
For SRD Area Office locations, see:
Related Information
Sustainable Resource Development
Please refer to the Habitat Suitability Model Search tool to evaluate habitat values for Sensitive species and Species at
Risk when operating in the Grassland and Parkland natural regions.
Energy Resources Conservation Board
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Updated: Feb 14, 2012