Report recommends habitat levels for migratory birds
Protection of more boreal forest key to preservation
Paul Bickford
Northern News Services
Published Monday, May 19, 2014
NORTHWEST TERRITORIES
An international report is calling for greater protection of the boreal forest to help preserve the birds of the Americas.
The report, titled Boreal Birds Need Half, recommends that at least 50 per cent of the boreal forest remain free of large-scale industrial disturbance, arguing that level of protection is needed to ensure a high probability of maintaining the full spectrum of boreal birds.
It also recommends that industrial activity in unprotected areas be subject to the highest sustainability standards, with an emphasis on maintaining wetlands and waterways.
The roughly six-million-square-kilometre boreal forest spans the continent from Alaska to Newfoundland and Labrador, and more than 300 species of birds rely on it for nesting or migratory stopover.
The call to protect at least 50 per cent of the boreal forest sounds about right to Bob Bromley, MLA for Weledeh, a former bird biologist with the GNWT and an avid bird watcher.
Effective protection requires a very large area because of the low density of birds.
"So that's probably an appropriate scale to think of when talking about protection and conservation in the boreal forest," he said of the 50 per cent proposal
Bromley, a founder of Ecology North, also noted bird habitat in the boreal forest is affected by forest fires and climate change, especially its impact on permafrost.
According to the report, an estimated one billion to three billion nesting birds make the journey north to the boreal forest each spring from wintering grounds throughout the United States and Central and South America. After the breeding season, three billion to five billion birds fly south in the fall.
"The good news is that the boreal forest is still largely intact. The majority of birds that breed in the boreal forest still have large population sizes and are doing well," said Jeff Wells, a senior scientist with the Boreal Songbird Initiative in the United States and a co-author of the report. "But there are some birds - especially those breeding in the southern part of the boreal forest in Canada where there is a bigger industrial footprint - that have seen declines of 50 per cent or more over the last 30 years."
The report cites research showing boreal bird species require habitat conservation in large, interconnected protected areas to maintain healthy populations.
While many populations thrive, some of the best-known boreal songbird species - such as the olive-sided flycatcher, evening grosbeak and Canada warbler - have lost more than two-thirds of their numbers. Among waterfowl, scoter populations have fallen by more than 80 per cent and scaup by more than 50 per cent.
The report notes the NWT is the breeding ground for 150 million to 500 million birds from more than 200 species.
In the NWT, the boreal forest covers 950,000 square kilometres and is 88 per cent intact. The most significant areas for migrating birds are the Ramparts wetlands in the northwest part of the territory and Thaidene Nene on the East Arm of Great Slave Lake.
The report explains the role boreal birds play in pollinating plants, redistributing nutrients and controlling pests, as well as their value to the U.S. and Canadian economies. It also emphasizes the integral role that birds play in aboriginal cultures.
Boreal Birds Need Half was produced by the Boreal Songbird Initiative, Ducks Unlimited and The Pew Charitable Trusts, which are partners in the International Boreal Conservation Campaign.
The report was released to mark International Migratory Bird Day on May 10.
