The Government of Alberta has announced that it will be putting 55 million dollars towards planting five million new trees to recover lost caribou habitats.
Populations in most of Alberta’s 15 caribou ranges are either stable or growing, but long-term recovery is still being effected by legacy seismic lines left empty from trees cleared decades ago.
The provincial government is investing $55.8 million over the next six years to plant five million trees in northern Alberta by 2030. The funding will help create dozens of jobs as well.
“These legacy seismic lines are a challenge to threatened wildlife in our forests and have little to no economic benefit to Albertans,” said Rebecca Schulz, Minster of Environment and Protected Areas for the Government of Alberta. “These investments will help us create habitats over time by replanting trees while creating jobs for hard-working Albertans, benefitting Alberta’s economy and environment.”
More than 4,500 kilometers of seismic lines have already been treated in caribou ranges since 2019.
Woodland caribou are listed as a threatened species in Alberta, with more than $70 million already being invested in restoring lost habitats.
Photo Courtesy of the Government of Alberta
