A federal report published by Parks Canada indicates Jasper鈥檚 alpine ecosystem is in 鈥減oor鈥� but stable condition, raising concerns about the park鈥檚 endangered caribou population.
The national report analyzed the condition of eight different ecosystems including forests, freshwater lakes, wetlands and coastal areas within all of Canada鈥檚 national parks.
In Jasper, the park鈥檚 freshwater ecosystem improved over the past five years and appears to be in 鈥済ood鈥� shape, while the state of the park鈥檚 forests over the same period remains 鈥渇air鈥� and unchanged. The report did not analyze the parks鈥� wetlands, grasslands or glaciers.
According to Parks Canada, each ecosystem is evaluated using a series of five measures.
鈥淥ur national parks are part of larger ecosystems that are vulnerable to the changes happening to our environment, such as fragmentation, declining biodiversity and climate change, that in turn influence the state of park ecosystems,鈥� wrote Steve Young, a communications officer with Parks Canada.
鈥淐aribou and whitebark pine, both species-at-risk in Canada, are measures Jasper National Park uses to report on the condition of the alpine ecosystem (or tundra) indicator. While the condition of whitebark pine is fair, the caribou population is in poor condition, leaving the park鈥檚 state of alpine indicator poor, but stable.鈥�
According to Young, Parks Canada also collects data on three additional measures, including alpine extent, alpine birds, and glaciers to evaluate the condition of the alpine.
The agency said it intends to collect enough data on these three additional measures in the next state of the park report, which will provide a more comprehensive assessment about the park鈥檚 alpine.
Alison Ronson, executive director for the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS), said she was pleased to see the report, but noted it鈥檚 the first report published on the state of Canada鈥檚 national parks since 2011. Under legislation Parks Canada is supposed to release a report every two years.
鈥淭his is a good first step back towards transparency and accountability of Parks Canada in achieving its first mandate鈥搕o protect and manage our parks for ecological integrity,鈥� wrote Ronson.
鈥淯nfortunately, the state of parks reports for individual parks are no longer available, so it is difficult to speak to changes in the ecosystem of individual parks such as Jasper.鈥�
In light of the report, she said CPAWS is particularly concerned about the impact faltering ecosystems have on sensitive species, such as grizzly bears and the park鈥檚 dwindling caribou herds.
鈥淥ur hope is that the park will make decisions based on conservation principles in order to ensure that habitat for sensitive species such as caribou and grizzly bear move from 鈥渇air鈥� to 鈥済ood鈥� in the near future,鈥� wrote Ronson.
Jill Seaton, chair of the Jasper Environmental Association, said she was alarmed about the state of the park鈥檚 alpine.
鈥淛asper is the only park that has poor alpine conditions,鈥� said Seaton, adding she too is concerned about what this means for the park鈥檚 caribou.
The 58-page report, State of Canada鈥檚 Natural and Cultural Heritage Places, was tabled in the House of Commons in mid-December.
Besides rating ecosystems in Canada鈥檚 national parks, it also included a broader look at species at risk, asset management, cultural and historical resources as well as visitation.
The report found that 29 of the 41聽national parks and reserves had聽at least one ecosystem rated as 鈥渇air鈥� or 鈥減oor.鈥� Twelve of the parks or reserves had all of the areas rated as 鈥済ood.鈥� Overall, the ratings are an improvement from 2011.
鈥淥ver 90 per cent of national park ecosystems being measured are either stable or improving and there are more ecosystems improving than are declining,鈥� wrote Young.
Paul Clarke
[email protected]
