DEH CHO - Preliminary findings from an ongoing research project in the Deh Cho is shedding new light on how marten react to oil and gas exploration. The results of the study may lead to more effective wildlife management programs for the region.

Jesse Tigner, a student in the master's program for wildlife ecology at the University of Alberta, has been conducting the field research in the Deh Cho for the past two years. His research is assessing the potential impacts of oil and gas development on boreal mammals, particularly marten.

A marten sets off one of the motion sensor cameras used during a study on the potential impacts of oil and gas development on boreal mammals in the Deh Cho. - photo courtesy of Jesse Tigner

"They're such an important species for trapping which is such an important part of the Northern economy," Tigner said.

Tigner said he hopes the final results from his research will be put to practical use in the Deh Cho.

"What I'm really interested in ... is using science as a tool to let folks manage the land as they want to manage it," he said.

People can use the scientific research while setting management goals. It lets them know the possible effects of oil and gas development, said Tigner.

Last year, Tigner looked at how marten and other mammals respond to the traditional six-metre or wider seismic lines in various stages of regeneration.

The research compares marten activity in new lines, lines where the vegetation has mostly grown back and lines in the middle stages of regrowth.

Tigner used infrared and motion sensor cameras to gauge animals' responses in remote locations. One camera placed on the forest line was paired with another 400 to 500 metres deeper in the bush. With the pair you can determine the difference between the animals in the two areas, he said.

Tigner used clusters of three pairs of cameras 900 metres apart.

"Using all of these cameras together we can get a really good idea if there's a marten in the area or not," he said.

Pictures taken by the cameras were used to determine marten behaviour.

"We rarely find marten near open wide lines," he said. Once the lines achieve a certain amount of vegetation regrowth, however, martens begin using them again.

Last year's research was conducted in the Liard Valley, towards Jean Marie River and in parts of northern B.C.

This year, Tigner has expanded into a broader area including the Horn River Basin in B.C., the east side of the Deh Cho around Fort Providence and Kakisa and in some locations towards Hay River and the Cameron Hills. The area around Zama City, Alta., is also part of the study.

This year, the study focuses on how mammals respond to the old-style seismic lines that are wide and straight compared to the new-style lines that are narrower or winding. It's a timely question, said Tigner, because companies are putting a lot of effort into using low impact lines. He wants to know if it's worth it.

Preliminary results are showing that marten don't avoid the narrow lines as intensely as the wider lines. Lynx also seem to use the narrow lines more frequently, Tigner said.

The research is also examining the number of martens that are found in areas of different line density. Preliminary results show that the more seismic lines in an area, the lower the marten numbers.

Since starting the season in mid-May, Tigner and his five field assistants have covered their whole research area once. They are now conducting a second pass that will last into October.

Tigner has 167 cameras allowing him to watch between 26 and 27 clusters in an area at any given time. Each camera is left undisturbed for 11 days.

To draw the animals close enough to the camera for it to capture a picture Tigner uses a mix of half a can of both dog food and sardines. The amount is just enough to get the attention of animals in the area while avoiding drawing in mammals from farther away, he said.