BANFF, ALBERTA, July 13, 2005 -- The Honourable Stéphane Dion, Minister of the Environment and the Minister responsible for Parks Canada, today announced a partnership with four leading North American conservation-based foundations and science agencies to support the research and monitoring of man-made wildlife crossings on the Trans-Canada Highway in Banff National Park of Canada.
Parks Canada, along with the Western Transportation Institute (Montana State University Bozeman), the Henry P. Kendall Foundation, the Wilburforce Foundation, and the Woodcock Foundation, will contribute a total of more than $700,000 over three years to support the research and monitoring. A key goal of the project is to assess the contribution that man-made wildlife crossings make to the health and mobility of wildlife populations. The Humane Society of the United States has also made a contribution towards the project.
"Through this international science and management partnership, Parks Canada is actively addressing one of the most important known impacts to ecological integrity within national parks," said Minister Dion. "This research will support Parks Canada's work to ensure safe transit on the highways that travel through national parks while minimizing their ecological impacts. I would like to thank our partners for helping make this possible."
The Trans-Canada Highway in Banff National Park has the highest volume of through-traffic of any North American national park system highway, which results in critical habitat for wildlife being cut off. Parks Canada has minimized the ecological impacts of the highway through an innovative approach to highway construction that utilizes wildlife fencing in combination with 24 crossing structures (overpasses and underpasses) to facilitate safe wildlife movement and provide increased driver safety.
As part of the new research and monitoring project, researchers will develop and evaluate a simple, noninvasive method of collecting DNA at selected locations to identify and quantify the animals using these wildlife crossings. In addition, effectiveness monitoring will be undertaken at all 24 wildlife crossings, including the new structures to be built as part of the recently announced Trans-Canada Highway twinning work. The results of the study will provide measurable data on the effectiveness of these structures in maintaining or restoring wildlife populations. This project is a critical example of effectiveness monitoring aiding in management decisions.
"We hope the results of this research will significantly advance our understanding of wildlife crossings as tools to aid wildlife conservation," said Dr. Tony Clevenger, primary researcher for the project with the Western Transportation Institute. "We are pleased to partner with Parks Canada and hope to be able to share their experience and expertise with other montaine regions worldwide."
"Our foundations, in partnership with Parks Canada, are very proud to support research on the effectiveness of highway crossing structures in Banff National Park," said Jeremy Guth, trustee with the Woodcock Foundation, on behalf of the Wilburforce Foundation and the Henry P. Kendall Foundation. "In Parks Canada, with its mandate to preserve the ecological integrity of national parks in conjunction with visitor use and enjoyment, we have found the ideal partner to support this vital initiative to preserve wildlife connectivity."
The results of this research will have direct relevance for future phases of Trans-Canada Highway twinning and could also be applied to enhance wildlife connectivity in other montaine regions worldwide. In addition, its findings will provide valuable information to other national parks through highways and make a valuable contribution to recommendations in national park management plans.
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Information:
Brigitte Caron
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of the Environment
(819) 997-1441
Michelle Macullo
Executive Services and Media Relations
Lake Louise, Yoho and Kootenay Field Unit
Parks Canada
(403) 522-1277
Dr. Tony Clevenger
Principle Researcher
Western Transportation Institute
(403) 760-1371
Cynthia Kerr and Alexandra Christy
Media Contacts
Woodcock Foundation
(212) 812-4315
