Working in Woodland Caribou Range

Northern Saskatchewan is host to a wide range of natural resource-based industries that provide economic benefits to northern communities and to the province. Industries operating in woodland caribou range have an important role to play in the success of the caribou range plan strategies. Considering caribou and caribou habitat in the planning and execution of industrial projects and activities, including appropriate mitigation, is a component of all industrial activities on Crown Resource Land that are authorized by the Ministry of Environment. The ministry engages with a variety of stakeholders to gather input into standards, policies and guidelines that provide direction for industry proponents to align their plans and activities with the woodland caribou range plans.

Forestry

Forest Management Planning

• The Forest Management Planning Standard includes a requirement for forest management agreement holders to develop a woodland caribou management strategy that aligns with the woodland caribou range plan corresponding to the licence area.
• The Standard also emphasizes Natural Forest Patterns, with the goal of moving the landscape closer to the Natural Range of Variation of opening sizes. Licensees are required to plan and present harvest events at the FMP level.

Forest Operating Plans

• The Forest Operating Plan Standard requires harvest event planning, with the aim to aggregate harvest disturbance, minimize road networks and create harvest events that more closely approximate natural disturbance patterns. It also requires that maps submitted with the plan include the Caribou Habitat Management Areas.
• Standard operating plan approval conditions have been established for forestry activities in the Boreal Plain (SK2) Caribou Conservation Unit.

Crown Resource Land Authorizations

Mineral Exploration

• Mitigation Measures and Guidelines for Mineral Exploration Programs in the Boreal Plain (SK2) Caribou Conservation Unit
• These mitigation measures and guidelines are being phased in over 18 months, until May 31, 2027, to promote industry awareness before they are finalized and fully implemented.
• The mitigation measures and guidelines provide mineral exploration proponents operating in SK2 with standard mitigation approaches to avoid and minimize potential project impacts on woodland caribou and caribou habitat.
• The standard mitigation measures will be referenced in project authorizations. Alternatively, proponents may develop a non-standard results-based approach to meet the objectives for caribou and their habitat, which will be reviewed as part of the normal review of a project proposal.
  • Woodland Caribou Mitigation Plan Template for Mineral Exploration Projects in the Boreal Plain (SK2) Caribou Conservation Unit
• Feedback or questions can be sent to woodlandcaribouproject@gov.sk.ca.

Seismic Exploration

• Mitigation Measures and Guidelines for Seismic Exploration in the Boreal Plain (SK2) Caribou Conservation Unit
• These mitigation measures and guidelines provide seismic exploration proponents operating in SK2 with standard mitigation approaches to avoid and minimize potential project impacts on woodland caribou and caribou habitat.
• The standard mitigation measures will be referenced in project authorizations. Alternatively, proponents may develop a non-standard results-based approach to meet the objectives for caribou and their habitat, which will be reviewed as part of the normal review of a project proposal.
  • Woodland Caribou Mitigation Plan Template for Seismic Exploration Projects in the Boreal Plain (SK2) Caribou Conservation Unit

Applicants for Crown Resource Land dispositions for other activities may be expected to prepare mitigation plans or outline planned mitigation actions to demonstrate how possible impacts to caribou and caribou habitat resulting from proposed activities may be avoided or minimized. Additional guidance may be developed in the future.

Habitat Offsets

Habitat offsets are identified in the range plans for woodland caribou in Saskatchewan as a management strategy to reduce landscape disturbance. Offsets are a form of compensatory mitigation intended to reduce the habitat impacts of new disturbance by restoring, creating or improving habitat in other areas. Requirements for habitat offsets will be set out in ministerial determinations or approvals under The Environmental Assessment Act or other approvals issued by the ministry.