/t ^ ^ R u ck for w M W A Publication of the Alberta Conservation Association Buck for Wildlife Newsletter FallAVinter 1997 ISSN# 1203-4266 CANADIAj^ A Reason to Celebrate: 25 years of Buck for Wildlif4!*'''»» In 1998, Albertans have great reason to celebrate the anniversary of a successful habitat conservation program. When it began in 1973, this program represented an innovative concept in conservation: hunters and anglers contributing, through their licence fees, to fish and wildlife habitat enhancement and conservation projects. Twenty^five years later. Buck for Wildlife is still a l eader among Canadian habitat development programs. The credit for the program’s successes goes to the thousands of hunters, anglers and other concerned conservationists who have supported the program with money, enthusiasm, and active involvement. Bvick for changes that will benefit not only Wildlife at their agricultural activities, but wildlife as well. The Landowner a Glance Habitat Program costs $200,000 each year to maintain. The best way to inform people Buck for Wildlife has secured about the strengths of the habitat for Alberta’s endangered Buck for Wildlife program is to let species by building nesting the projects speak for themselves, platforms for Eerruginous hawks and Peregrine falcons. Pences keeping in mind that “people have been built to protect piping power” is crucial in every project. plover nesting areas and Each year. Buck for Wildlife • E ach year, hundreds of acres are Northern leopard frog breeding plants approximately 100,000 burned to improve winter range trees and shrubs in carefully for elk. Burning increases the designed shelterbelts to provide quality and quantity of the food Buck for Wildlife maintains over food, cover and travel lanes for a supply by setting back the 90 properties throughout the variety of wildlife species. To vegetation to its succulent new province for the purpose of plant a shelterbelt sapling costs growth stage. To burn one acre wildlife and fisheries habitat an average of $0.25. can cost $16.00. enhancement and conservation. Many of these properties provide It costs approximately $5.00 to • S o far, 350 landowners have recreational opportunities for build a nest box for chickadees, secured over 49,000 acres of people who enjoy fishing, bluebirds, or wrens. Each year important wildlife habitat on whuanttcihnign,g . hiking, and bird- many Alberta children help build their land. Most of these nest boxes in their communities. landowners made some land use continued on next page • M ore than 250 km of fencing aerators are operating in Alberta nine different Alberta streams. has been constructed to protect because of Buck for Wildlife streambanks and riparian areas funding. • T o minimize the disturbance from grazing and trampling by to habitat by livestock that livestock. One of the best • I t costs about $105 per hour to drink from streams, several examples of a successful stream- rent the equipment needed to innovative livestock watering bank fencing project is the North clear away old growth willow. methods have been developed. Raven River in the foothills of This allows grasses, shrubs, and To build one of these struc- Alberta, southeast of Rocky young trees to grow, providing tures can cost anywhere from Mountain House. Fencing of the food for moose and deer. $1750 to $6000. North Raven’s streambanks began in 1975, and by 1993, 70 • M ore than 100,000 fish, • O ne hundred metres of spruce percent of the streams entire including rainbow trout, tree revetments, used to length had been fenced, cutthroat trout, and brook trout protect eroding streambanks, protecting it from livestock are stocked each year in Buck for costs about $100 for materials damage. As a result, there have Wildlife lakes and ponds. and requires several days of been significant increases in the labour to install. number of trout in the protected • S ometimes beaver dams on areas of the stream. important trout streams can These are just a f ew examples prevent fish from reaching their of Buck for Wildlife projects • A m otorized aerator for a six- spawning areas. The removal of that are happening all around hectare pond costs about $2700. beaver dams can cost $200 per Alberta. Aerators increase oxygen in the kilometre of stream. In any water, thereby reducing the risk given year, approximately 200 For more information on these of fish deaths due to winter km of stream enhancement may projects, please contact oxygen depletion. About 12 be done through dam removal on Margaret Green at 986-6775. Bigelow Reservoir - A S ite Rich With Buck for Wildlife History Bigelow Reservoir truly exempli- vegetation, fencing to protect the late 1970s. Day-use facilities fies what the Buck for Wildlife important native habitat, and are available for nature walking, Program is all about. Established installing various artificial nesting wildlife viewing, and canoeing. in 1973, it is one of the first sites structures for waterfowl and In 1973, an employee of the developed and enhanced as a B uck bluebirds. Alberta Fish and Wildlife Division, for Wildlife property. The large Albert Lees, coordinated the reservoir is bordered by 416 development of this highly hectares of upland habitat. successful project. Albert left the Located in an intensive agricultural Fish and Wildlife Division in the area in west-central Alberta mid 1980s, but in 1995 he again approximately 59 km southwest of became directly involved in the Red Deer, its diversity in habitat Bigelow Reservoir project — this types attracts a wide range of time as the Buck for Wildlife wildlife species to the property. Volunteer Steward. Albert deserves acknowledgement for his During the mid 1970s, over 8000 dedication to the Buck for Wildlife trees and shrubs were planted into program over the past 25 years, multi-row, irregular- shaped especially because his involvement plantings totalling approximately made the Bigelow Reservoir site 10 km of shelterbelts. Other such a successful Buck for Wildlife wildlife habitat development Bigelow Reservoir is a valuable site techniques implemented at this for both consumptive and non- property. time included planting dense consumptive users. It p rovides For more information on this nesting cover, construction and waterfowl and big game hunting project, please call Grant Nieman seeding of waterfowl nesting opportunities, and it has been an at 340-7683. islands, transplanting emergent annual pheasant release site since Interview with Dn Terry Nerciosen In October, 1997, our editor, Ncitcilie Cook, held the opportvinity to interview the ACA's Meineiging Director, Dr. Terry Nereidsen. NC: Whdt have your ried the ball despite the fact tive policies and procedures, priorities been in yovir that many uncertanties had to and a new accounting system first few months cis be faced. are being developed to ensure Meineiging Director of that projects are efficiently this new orgoinizeition, Another equally important carried out and to ensure that the Alberts priority was and remains, get- expenditures can be accounted Conservation ting to k now the staff of the for in detail. We are responsi- Association? AC A a nd NRS, the other ble and accountable for expen- partner organizations and the ditures related to many pro- TN : T he first priority was members of the ACA, in order jects and we need to ensure getting a h andle on current to maintain the obviously good funds are spent where they are programs and projects to working relationships that meant to be, and that we have existed in the past. I remain within approved ensure that this year’s projects would proceed as smoothly as want to strengthen those into budgets. We have made great possible. The Alberta the future because partner- progress here and are looking Conservation Association forward to developing the ships will be extremely impor- hit the ground running, with tant to the ACA and the budget for 1998-99. responsibility to complete sev- resources we serve. 1 a m eral hundred individual pro- committed to making them Flelping develop a common jects that had been approved work. This takes time and we vision and a set of overall pri- under the Fish and Wildlife are not very far down that orities for t he ACA of the road but we will continue to future is p robably the highest Trust Fund. I’m pleased to say that the program has proceed' work at it. priority in both the short term ed very smoothly so far, and and the long term. That will that is a strong endorsement Making sure the ACA is oper- determine the overall organi- of the staff, the Board, and ated in a n efficient, business- zational structure, the primary our partners, who obviously like manner is very important. focus of our conservation put their heads down and car- In support of that, administra- activities, the way we do continued on other side Buck for W continued from front levies on licences. We will business and the ways in which act quickly on issues and pri- we interact and cooperate with orities with a minimum of need to help provide opportu- other agencies, organizations, bureaucracy, and we will strive nities and encouragement for and individuals. This is an to streamline our operations to that base of support to grow. ongoing process that involves be responsive while maintain- We will also look to new rev- the Board and staff and will enue sources and must provide ing quality control and hopefully have substantial accountability. Clearly a major mechanisms through which input from our partners and strength is the history and greater numbers of people who other stakeholders. experience with conservation do not hunt and fish can par- programs carried over from ticipate in o ur programs and NC: Whc;it are the Fish and Wildlife Trust Fund. support them financially. We can build on a strong ACA's strengths? foundation and make it better. NC: What is yovir vision for the future of TN : A m ajor strength lies in NC: What do you think the membership, who have a the programs that long history of commitment to the greatest cha\- began with the Fish resource management in lenges will be for the and Wildlife Trvist ACA? Fund and are now Alberta. Our strength also lies in our mandate, which overseen by tbe ACA? includes wildife, fisheries, TN : Our greatest challenge will be to make extremely game and non-game species, TN : M y vision for the future species at risk, and habitats or efficient use of program funds is an Alberta where people systems upon which all those so that maximum benefits understand and support good accrue to the resources most species groups depend. As a stewardship of natural in need. This will have to be resources, where integrity of private, not-for-profit organi- done in the face of massive zation, we can respond to systems is maintained, and needs and opportunities which changes in land-use practices where government, business focus first and foremost on the throughout the province, and citizens work together for needs of the resources, of which will constantly add to conservation so that future which we are stewards. We the list of species, populations, generations can value, enjoy, can also forge partnerships or habitats which need protec- and use our natural resources. and working relationships with tion or management. At the We start with a b ase provided many conservation groups, same time, we face a challenge by conservation activities and we have the ability to in what has been a d eclining undertaken in the past, and raise and allocate funds in base of traditional support: the we will take the best of those number of Albertans who ways that government and develop new initiatives departments would find hunt and therefore support appropriate to the challenges difficult or impossible. We can the ACA through special of the future. Project Purple in pulling purple loosestrife out of infested wetlands. On August 13, Purple loosestrife is a h armful, 1997, a number of volunteers headed down to Telford Lake in introduced wetland perennial that invades our native wetland Leduc to hand-dig and bag this areas. It g erminates and grows noxious weed. Since the infesta- very fast to form dense hrushlike tion level at Telford Lake was low, stands that choke out and volunteers and staff could use this eliminate native plant species. method to help control the spread There are no birds, mammals, or of purple loosestrife. Dennis Lee, who is the Project Purple fish that depend on purple looses- Loosestrife coordinator, provided trife. When purple loosestrife invades, wildlife that once help by identifying plants, distrib- depended on the native plants are uting shovels, and offering refresh- forced to move to new areas, and ments. A s pecial “thank you” to the Leduc members of the Alberta wildlife species that cannot move into new areas are lost. What Fish and Game Association and the Leduc Water Resources Service remains is a ecological desert, devoid of native plants and staff-members who came out with wildlife. their rubber boots on to make this pull a success. The most important part of For more information on this “Project Purple Loosestrife,” a project in specific Alherta areas, project, please contact Margaret are the volunteers who lend a h and Green at 986-6775. Coi4nties on Boord with Wildlife Conservation The counties of Athabasca and - to complete wildlife habitat Loss and degradation of wildlife Sturgeon have agreed with the enhancement and develop- habitat continues. Through Alberta Conservation Association ment projects on lands education and by working together, and Natural Resources Service on within the county. The the Alberta Conservation county-based wildlife habitat main focus will be on Association, the counties, conservation programs. This private lands. landowners, and Natural Resources summer a “ Letter of Service can initiate numerous Understanding” was signed by - to work in cooperation with conservation projects. These representatives from each of the the Agriculture Service projects may include habitat cooperating counties. Natural Board and when opportuni- retention agreements, fencing Resources Service, and the Alberta ties arise, to integrate sensitive shoreline areas, and Conservation Association. The wildlife habitat conservation involving youth groups in building letter outlines the conservation with soil and water conserva- bird boxes and planting trees and programs and the roles of the tion projects. shrubs. These projects also cooperating partners — a h andshake encourage people to think about on paper, so to speak. The objec- Together, the partners will identify wise stewardship of the land! tives of t hese county-based areas of sensitive and valued These projects are made possible programs are: habitat within each county. These by ACA funding through the Buck areas will be targeted for habitat for Wildlife program. - to promote wildlife habitat retention and enhancement conservation through projects. As the majority of land For more information on this education and public in these counties is p rivately project, please contact Jan Young involvement in habitat owned, working with landowners at 645-6313. conservation projects. will be an important part of the program. ;V-A.‘ N ew View for Assessing Fish cmd Wildlife Hobitot most shorelines, and pushing with the right foot will obstructions such as make the parachute turn right. steep banks and treed Maximum speed is about 50 km/h, areas, would make and the parachute is virtually stall- videotaping from shore resistant. too difficult and time- consuming. Attempts to Initial trials in a B uckeye videotape just off-shore Industries, Inc. “Dream Machine from a b oat often 503” powered parachute showed it proved difficult due to to be a very stable, manoeuvrable heavy submergent machine that was inexpensive to vegetation blocking run. It could provide an excellent access to shore, or high tool to accomplish the fisheries vegetation such as managers’ goals, especially when cattails and bulrushes configured with floats. Initial blocking the view of the trials were done with a f ixed-gear shoreline. The logical machine, but with the float config- place to go uration, participants could hang at was up! a chosen height over the water with little fear should an Videotape taken from a unexpected landing be required. helicopter specially outfitted for aerial The ease and safety of the craft are reflected in the pilot training taping proved that it would be difficult and requirements. After a h alf-day of unsafe to fly low enough ground school and two hours of Fisheries staff from the Alberta the water taon d o b tsaliownl y t h ee n oduesgihr e do ver yfloyui n gc a nw i tbhe aa cceerrttiiffiieedd ipnilsottr u cftoorr , s olo Conservation Association and perspective and content. The flights. After an additional 25 Natural Resources Service in the cost of using this equipment hours of flight time, you can be Northeast Boreal Region are was also prohibitive. certified to fly a p assenger. An assessing habitat using a p owered additional shoreline videotaping parachute as a slow, low-flying Enter the powered parachute, a trial is scheduled for the fall of platform for videotaping shoreline one or two -person tricycle 1997. If all works out as hoped, areas. Shoreline videos of fish- contraption with a motor-driven next year you may happen to see a bearing lakes will provide fisheries propeller suspended under a crazy-looking machine fly by, low managers with a visual baseline parachute. The parachute and slowly, over a l akeshore or a from which future habitat changes functions as a wing: apply more similar habitat area. Instead of can be determined and assessed. power and you climb; reduce being recreational flyers, those These tapes will also provide a power and you descend. Steering operating the machine might be visual record of potential habitat is done by the pilot, who sits in practising the newest method of protection, enhancement, and the front seat and pushes on foot assessing and documenting development opportunities. bars that are connected by cable Alberta’s fish and wildlife habitat. and pulleys to the support lines on When fisheries managers first each side of the parachute. For more information on this considered videotaping shorelines, Pushing with the left foot will project, please contact Blake Mills they decided that the length of bring about a l eft turn, and at 645-6313. i 9 9lr Cciribow Movmtdins Fisheries Inventory In S eptember of 1997, Alberta backpack electrofishing, seine the Northwest Boreal Arctic Conservation Association and hauls, gill netting, and angling. Grayling Stock Assessment Natural Resources Service Arctic grayling were found to be Program. Data will be added to Fisheries Management Division the Northwest Boreal Fisheries staff had the special opportunity to database where it will be used collect baseline fisheries inventory when assessing future land-use information in the Caribou issues in the Caribou Mountains. Mountains, located 120 kilometres This data will also be used by north of Fort Vermilion. This sub' fisheries managers as a b aseline arctic eco'region, with its for determining the status of permafrost, peat bogs, pothole this unique fishery. lakes, and high fire frequency, make this area of the province and Special thanks to Alberta Land and its fisheries unique. Prior to this Forest Service for the provision of initiative, very little was known transportation in the form of about the status of the fish popula- the most abundant fish species helicopters, and for the first-rate tions in this area. observed, with northern pike, accommodations at Margaret Lake Fire Staging Camp. burbot, longnose sucker, lake chub, Standardized data collection and slimy sculpin also present. techniques were used at sixty Aging structures, lengths, weights, For more information on this representative stream and lake sites maturity information, and tissue project, please contact Stuart within the Ponton, Whitesands, samples for DNA analysis were Nadeau at 624-7117 or Dave Yates, Wentzel, Caribou, and collected from all Arctic grayling Walty at 624-6248. Lawrence river drainages. sampled. This information is Sampling techniques included currently being analysed as part of ^fflentificdtion of Spciwmno Hobitcit on Lesser Slove Loke Walleye is one of the most Conservation Association to sought-after fish species in determine if walleye populations in Alberta, and Lesser Slave Lake in Lesser Slave Lake were using the northwestern Alberta provides Swan River, Driftpile Creek and/or some of the best walleye angling in lakeshore areas for spawning this province. Pressure on this purposes. This project focused on fishery has risen dramatically in identifying critical spawning areas recent years due to increased within each tributary or shoreline angling, tourism, and fishing area. Identification of walleye tournaments. spawning areas is important for the implementation of protection strate- Prior to 1995, lake spawning by gies that will help increase and walleye had only been documented sustain the population. at Shaw’s Point on the northwest end of the lake. The majority of Walleye presence and relative the walleye in Lesser Slave Lake indicated the potential for signifi- abundance at the study locations concentrate in the South Heart cant walleye spawning to occur. was determined by electrofishing in River system for spawning. The utilization of shoreline and early May. Sample sites were Preliminary studies in 1996 by other tributaries for spawning will revisited in late May and early June, Alberta Environmental Protection, help ensure a stable walleye and eggs were collected from the Natural Resources Service on three population in Lesser Slave Lake. bottom substrates to confirm and tributaries (Swan River, Driftpile In the spring of 1997, a p roject was quantify spawning activity. River, and Strawberry Creek) initiated by the Alberta continued on next page continued from previous page Of the tributaries investigated, the The information collected in this lower section of Strawberry Creek project will provide a b asis for How does one know if the eggs proved to be the most utilized by protecting and maintaining crucial collected are walleye eggs? There hsapbaiwtnati,n g are many species of fish that spawn especially in in the spring. Northern pike, relation to yellow perch, longnose sucker, and white sucker are all spring spawners. Fortunately, each fish psohtoernetliianle devel- species has unique physical and opment. Lesser Slave Lake has biological characteristics. A n ew method of differentiating walleye rienccerievaesdi ng eggs from eggs of other species (particularly suckers) was performed using DNA analysis. pcroemsmseurrcei aflo r development of Identifying fish species by DNA spawning walleye. Walleye also its shoreline in response to a analysis of the eggs was successful. utilized windswept shoreline areas growing tourism industry in the DNA testing is becoming more with clean gravel substrates. area. easily available as technology Locations that contained high advances, and it is another tool numbers of walleye eggs included For more information on this that fisheries managers can use Faust Bay, Spruce Point Park, and project, please contact Trevor to improve or sustain fish the shoreline near the town of Thera at 624'6441 or Brian Lucko populations. at 624-6485. Joussard. Randy and Reg observed 32 white- tailed deer, 35 pheasants, 15 Hungarian partridge, 70 red- Since 1950, a q uarter- section of contains a 2 0-acre cornfield. The winged blackbirds, and 50 common land near Rolling Hills, Alberta corn is p lanted each year to redpolls. They also saw numerous has been set aside as a natural supplement the natural food deer and pheasant tracks in the habitat area for birds and other sources for wildlife in the area. corn crop field and the cattail wildlife. Originally purchased by areas, some coyote and possible Dr. J. C . Sproule, a C algary mink tracks, and some winter medical doctor, the land has been dens of various animals. tended and protected for the last 47 years, first by members of the The number of animals located in Sproule Foundation, an organiza- this area is encouraging to wildlife tion formed in memory of Dr. managers, as is the variety. Sproule to continue this habitat Furthermore, it is especially protection work, and then by Fish encouraging to see red-winged and Wildlife staff and volunteers. blackbirds, which do not usually (Fish and Wildlife purchased the over-winter in Alberta. Obviously, land in 1985.) Ducks Unlimited Early in 1997, wildlife technicians the corn planted as a f ood source has also participated in wetland Randy Lee (Lethbridge) and Reg enticed them to stay for the winter. development on the property to Russell (Brooks) inspected the enhance waterfowl habitat and This project’s many stakeholders property to assess use of the corn and partners are pleased to see nesting areas. crop and to identify wildlife species how the property has become an oasis for wildlife in the midst of an using the property during winter. The area, which is surrounded by agricultural region. agricultural land, is full of long They inspected the corn crop and cattail areas on foot to observe grasses, small bushes and some For more information on this trees that were planted as a without disrupting the animals and project, please contact Randy Lee shelterbelt. As well, the property to find tracks of species not seen. at 382-4361. The Eastern Slopes Grizzly Beor Project The Eastern Slopes Grizzly Bear On the ground, researchers have be a complete barrier to their project began in 1994 with an been using state'oTthe'art remote movement. To date no adult effective outreach program and sensing to map grizzly bear habitat, grizzly bears are known to have significant but informal links to and field inspection to see how crossed the highway since the grizzly bear management and radio 'marked grizzlies use different study began. Eemale grizzlies do planning in Alberta, British landscape units. Dr. Stephen regularly cross the Kananaskis Columbia and Banff, Yoho, and Herrero and five graduate students Highway, which is two lanes wide Kootenay National Parks. Since at the University of Calgary are and has lesser traffic volumes. 1994, researchers have captured trying to understand the bears’ and radio 'marked 51 different relationship to various landscape Mortality is the main factor grizzly bears in the upper Bow features such as vegetation. limiting grizzly bear populations. River watershed (an area This species has one of approximately 11,400 the lowest reproductive square km in size). Most rates amongst large of these bears are within mammals in North Banff National Park and America. An adult Kananaskis Country. The female will only produce, bears are monitored from on average, 0.5 to 0.7 the air and on the ground cubs per year for about wherever they go in an 10 years. Thus far 10 of area of about 22,000 the study’s radio'marked square km. grizzlies have died, and one has been removed A r esearch area this large from the ecosystem. If is necessary because of the researchers also include large home range sizes of data on non'radio' the radio 'marked adult marked grizzly bears, male grizzlies. Because there has been a t otal of these grizzlies move over 16 known mortalities and such large geographic five removals from the areas, they enter many different study area since 1994. (A removal, security cover, and people’s deveh management and tenure jurisdic' opments such as highways, towns, sometimes called a “ translocation,” tions. A m ale grizzly bear may and forestry operations. The aim means that the animal is taken out spend part of its time in Banff of the project is to understand how of a certain area and does not National Park, some time in these activities influence grizzly come back.) Problem wildlife kills, Kananaskis Country, some time in bears. Researchers will then be treaty Indian kills, and illegal kills the foothills near oil and gas and able to make recommendations have been the three most common cattle leases, and some time in that will maintain grizzly bear causes of mortalities. Indian Reserve lands. The populations while defining areas steering committee of the Eastern and activities where development Project cooperators are beginning Slopes Grizzly Bear Project brings would not conflict with grizzly bear to develop management and policy together representatives from the persistence. Dr. Herrero and his recommendations that they hope various areas that our radio ' colleagues have focused their will maintain the grizzly bear marked grizzly bears visit. Primary research on understanding the population in the Eastern Slopes supporters, who contribute about particular needs of adult female region and will also allow for $350,000 per year, have included grizzly bears, since they are the carefully planned development. Parks Canada, Alberta’s oil and gas reproductive engine of the popula' This project has received support industry, the Wildlife Management . tion. They have found that some from the Wildlife Management Enhancement Program, the recre' development features have signifi' Enhancement Program since 1994. ation development industry, the cant negative impacts on females. Alberta government, and the The four'lane TranS'Canada ' D r. Stephen Herrero University of Calgary. highway, for example, appears to National Library of Canada Bibliothdi e n ationale du Canada 3 3286 51149 0886 "Unsvmg" Projects Buck FOR The Alberta In t he realm of natural Conservation resource conservation Association and management, the most valuable work is Mail: R O . Box ' 4.0:0S2 7 ' ■ often done quietly, Baker Centre Postal Outlet without due recognition Edmonton, Alberta or appreciation. In the T5J4M9 Delivery: age of instant gratifica- tion, it is often the 4th floor, 9920 - 1 08 Street projects with the loudest ETd5mKon2tMo4n , Alberta “bang” that get attention \ and are thought to do the Telephone: (403) 427-5192 most good. This may not Fax: (403) 422-6441 necessarily be the case, Board of Directors: because in reality it is Mr. Glen Semenchuk, Chair often the undertakings Mr. Andy Von Busse, Vice Chair with lower profiles that Mr. Defyl Empson, Director Mr. Dave Gursky, Director count the most in the Mr. Sven-Erik Jansson, Director long run. The Alberta Mr. Edward Lakusta, Director Conservation Association Mr. Don Pike, Secretary/Treasurer Mr. Dave Powell, Director conducts a wide variety of Dr. Brad Stelfox, Director * projects across the province, some of which Managing Director: Dr. Terry Neraasen have a f airly high profile. northern pike management Others do not, and they deserve The Buck for Wildlife Newsletter is questions, and will highlight areas special mention here because of where more information is needed. published in an effort to inform and educate the public about Alberta the role they play in improving the Conservation Association fisheries and wildlife habitat enhancement projects. management of Alberta’s fish and Because the results of “behind the wildlife populations. A p ortion of the cost of each hunting scenes” studies which gather vital and fishing licence is p ut into enhance- information are often not immedi- ment projects, and this newsletter is One such project, underway in the designed to let you know what your ately apparent to most Albertans, money is doing. Northeast Boreal Region, is the it is important to emphasize the Northern Pike Stock Classification fact that such work is crucial to the Natalie C o o k , e d i t o r -v and Management Options project, management of wildlife and fish. Buck for Wildlife Newsletter - which will be instrumental in Alberta Conservation Research projects are rarely flashy. ensuring that this popular species Unlike projects that involve 2nd floor, 9920 - 108 Street 1 will continue to be a p art of physical habitat manipulation, such ,ETAd[s5msKo on c2tioMan4,t i. o Anl b3 er, . ta " ^‘ « Alberta’s angling scene. This as aerating lakes, fencing stream- project will be the foundation for banks, or damming watercourses to important work in the future. create wetlands, they do not lend From her computer terminal. Dee themselves well to promotion. Ryerson is diligently working on These projects often go unnoticed, the time-consuming task of but their importance and their gathering, compiling, and contribution to fish and wildlife organizing much of the existing management in this province far data on northern pike from across exceeds their profile. the province. The database she is Alberta Conservation creating will enable biologists to - D avid Park Association generate answers to important