BCEC: BIODIVERSITY RECONNAISSANCE IN WEST BRAGG CREEK AREAS SLATED FOR CLEARCUT
Knowing what we stand to lose by knowing what we have now
We’ve seen a lot in the media recently about the proposed 2026 clear-cutting in West Bragg Creek. The focus has quite rightly been on the adverse effects this will have on the community, on visitors, on businesses and on tourism in the area.
As well as the social effects, BCEC is focused on the effects of the clearcutting on biodiversity.
We’re concerned about the loss of genetically successful old growth trees, of habitats for important species of birds, fish and other wildlife in our local ecosystem.
Here’s one example: Ranger Creek, which is within the proposed logging areas, is critical habitat for Bull Trout – a federally listed Species at Risk*. This once abundant species is extirpated in many foothills tributary watersheds due over-fishing and climate change (they need flowing water less than 18C ). They are impacted by land use changes such as broken stream connections and heavy sediment loads which affect their habitat, killing their food and eggs. They rely on small streams including Ranger Creek as part of their spawning runs. Other important native fish in Ranger Creek include the minnow Longnose Dace and Alberta “At Risk” West Slope Cutthroat Trout. Clear cut logging would seriously impact these populations. These species, like other key wildlife such as brown creepers, grizzly bears, fishers, and beavers, are indicators of a healthy foothills ecosystem capable of providing clean water, air, and lots of space for humans to recreate. If they are absent, our foothills ecosystem is collapsing.
In April a committed group including local experts and concerned residents hiked 13 km from the West Bragg Creek parking lot over to the Stations Flats trailhead, completing a preliminary habitat assessment of the lands that West Fraser intends to clearcut. The group were focused on understanding what habitat is currently present there, including precious old growth forest, riparian and wetland habitat. They aimed to identify what bird and wildlife species are currently using the area, and they looked at what bird and wildlife habitat is present for all-season use, for migration and for breeding seasons. Along the route, they plotted GPS location markers of birds, other wildlife and old growth trees.
Noted were – among others – brown creeper, golden-crowned kinglets, ruffed grouse, great grey owl and red-tailed hawk. The group also noted coyote and marten tracks and scat. Among the trees along the trail were large diameter old growth white spruce and pine with characteristic large horizontal limbs and flattened or broken crowns.
Based on the findings of this initial reconnaissance, a sampling strategy is being created for gathering more detailed information during bird breeding season. The data from these studies – as well as from other ongoing and future bird, fish, forest, wildlife and wetlands assessments – will be uploaded to a BCEC ARCGIS mapping database, created by post-graduate students from SAIT.
Even in the unlikely event that the West Fraser clearcut plan does not go ahead as planned, this data will give BCEC an understanding of what potential impacts will accumulate on the ecosystem from tourism, resource extraction and other land uses. It will help us to continue advocating for wildlife in our area, implementing citizen science projects, education and hands on conservation projects. In this way BCEC’s mission to ensure the long-term health of East Kananaskis ecosystems through citizen science is supported.
*There are four categories SARA-listed species:
– endangered: close to becoming extirpated or extinct
– threatened: faces the possibility of becoming endangered if their threats are not addressed
– extirpated: no longer exist in the wild in Canada
– special concern: neither threatened or endangered, but may be elevated to one of these levels due to its circumstances
(definitions taken from CPAWS website)
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