Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute

Biodiversity, a shortened term for biological diversity, is the variety and abundance of species from micro-organisms to moose - and the natural communities, ecosystems, and landscapes in which they occur.

Nature and biodiversity provide life-sustaining services: clean water to drink, clean air to breathe, soil for agriculture, plants for medicines and much more. Biodiversity is also an indicator of how well land and water systems are functioning. Resource management policy and practices need to consider biodiversity for the support of a healthy economy, society and environment.

In 1997 Al-Pac joined with government, research institutions, academia and industry to initiate the development of a comprehensive Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Program (ABMP). The intent of the program was to measure and report on changes in biodiversity, habitats and other environmental disturbances, either natural or man-made.

ABMP was developed in three phases: conceptual design, prototype proof-of-concept and operational implementation. The conceptual design phase was completed in 2002 and a 4-year prototype phase was subsequently initiated in 2003. Ending in 2006, the purpose of the prototype phase was to turn a good monitoring design into a cost-effective, relevant, and proven program.

The ABMP achieved this purpose when, in 2007, the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute (ABMI) came to fruition. The ABMI is building on demonstrated successes to ensure continued excellence in the field of biodiversity monitoring.

The institute serves as an early-warning mechanism in the event undesired change is occurring that requires adaptive management or improvements to management practices.

Al-Pac’s participation in the ABMI is one way the effects of the company’s operations on biodiversity are measured. Analysis of ABMI data allows us to determine if responses by natural indicators (fish, wildlife, water quality) are within the range of variability that exists in nature.

Al-Pac's goal is to support the ABMI and maintain biodiversity on the forest management area through the implementation of an ecosystem-based management approach.

To date, a network of 1,656 permanent monitoring sites have been established in a province-wide grid pattern with 20 km spacing. There are 142 sites located in the Al-Pac Forest Management Agreement area, 65 of which were surveyed between 2003 and 2008. Data was reported in the The Status of Biodiversity in Alberta-Pacific Forest Industries' Forest Management Agreement area: Preliminary Assessment. The report focused on the status of old forest birds, winter-active mammals, non-native weeds and species at risk. ABMI will broaden its assessment of biodiversity in the Al-Pac FMA area to include status and trends reporting for lichens, mosses, soil and wetland invertebrates.

Detailed protocols can be found by visiting the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute website.

Other Monitoring Programs
Al-Pac leads, participates in, or utilizes a variety of other monitoring programs to achieve its Detailed Forest Management Plan (DFMP) objective to "implement biodiversity, forest renewal, and forest monitoring systems to evaluate changes in landscape pattern, forest growth and yield, habitat structure and species diversity." These additional programs are outlined in our forest management plan.

Reports
The Status of Biodiversity in Alberta-Pacific Forest Industries' Forest Management Agreement area

The Alberta-Pacific FMA Forest Management Plan

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