Newfoundland's Wilderness Reserves: A playground for caribou, not you

Newfoundland's Wilderness Reserves: A playground for caribou

A Woodland Caribou browsing in the Avalon Wilderness Reserve
Photograph credit: David Tilley

 

    What do you get when you set aside thousands of square kilometres of wilderness area in hopes that the local caribou herd will call it home?  You get the Avalon and Bay du Nord Wilderness Reserves located on the island of Newfoundland.

    So what exactly is a Wilderness Reserve anyway and why can't I park my RV there?

    Wilderness areas are large areas of protected land managed for wildlife conservation.  Unlike National Parks, wilderness areas do not typically have facilities and access to recreational activities.  They are maintained in their natural condition with limited anthropogenic influences. Many wilderness reserves are designed for the benefit of large animals which require large home ranges, uninfluenced by humans.  Wilderness reserves can also be used for scientific research and traditional cultural activities, as long as it minimizes its impact on the landscape (Dudley, 2008).  On the island of Newfoundland, there are two wilderness reserves: Avalon Wilderness Reserve and Bay du Nord Wilderness Reserve.

    The Avalon Wilderness Reserve, located on the Avalon Peninsula just a short drive from St. John's, is home to the woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou). Caribou have been in Newfoundland since the end of the last ice age, roughly 8000 years ago.  However, over the last two hundred years the population of caribou in Newfoundland have been on a roller-coaster ride.  One hundred years ago, populations decreased to just a few animals. A select number of animals were moved from the Northern Peninsula to the Avalon Peninsula in the 1960's.  Their population exploded from just a few animals to around 6000 by the 1990's.  However, due to a Scandinavian brain worm, populations dropped significantly since then and now present population estimates are as little as one tenth of what they were just two decades ago.

    Newfoundland's other Wilderness Reserve is the Bay du Nord Wilderness Reserve.  It also is home to a woodland caribou herd, however this herd is much larger with an estimated population of 15,000 animals.  Similarly to the Avalon Wilderness Reserve, this area has no roads and is one of the few remaining pristine areas in Newfoundland.  In both reserves, light recreational activities such as hiking, fishing and controlled hunting occur.

    So, that's why you can't park your RV there.

Sources:


Dudley, N.  (2008). Guidelines for Applying Protected Area Management Categories. Gland, Switzerland: IUCN. x + 86pp.


Tilley, D. (2006). A Guide to our Wilderness and Ecological Reserve. Department of Environment and Conservation, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. Advance online publication. Retrieved from http://www.env.gov.nl.ca/env/publications/parks/reserves_web.pdf

Terra Nova: Land of the Moose and Fir

Land of the Moose and Fir

Terra Nova

Photo Credit: www.greatcanadianparks.com

Terra Nova National Park, located in central Newfoundland, was created as part of Park’s Canada’s plan to protect a representative sample of all the different ecoregions in Canada.  Terra Nova, founded in 1957, is 400 square kilometers of forest, coastline, marine habitat, and barrens, set aside by the government of Canada to be protected as a representation of the boreal ecoregion for all time and for all Canadians; but it may not be representative for much longer.  The park is changing and if something isn’t done quickly than it may be lost forever.

One of the main culprits involved is the non-native moose species (Alces alces).The moose was introduced to the island of Newfoundland in 1878 an 1904.  Six Moose were intentionally brought to the island as a food source for Newfoundlanders.  One of the Moose’ favourite foods are the balsam fir (Abies balsamea) and when the moose arrived the island was an all you can eat buffet.  When the Newfoundland Wolf was hunted to extinction in 1932 it removed the only predator that the moose had on the island.   With what seemed as a limitless food supply and no predators to keep the population in check, moose populations exploded and present population estimates are 120,000 – 150,000 individuals. With such extensive numbers much of the understory balsam fir are being eradicated prior to reaching maturity.


*Update:

      A healthy balsam fir population is an integral part of the boreal forest ecosystem.  If Terra Nova’s moose population continues to over graze balsam fir the park will cease to be a representation of boreal forests and therefore will no longer be fulfilling its duty to the citizens of Newfoundland and Canada.   Something needs to be done.


    In 2011, Parks Canada held a moose hunt in Gros Morne and Terra Nova National Parks.  400 licenses were given out to Newfoundlanders to hunt moose in the two parks.  Of those 400 licenses only 20 of them were in Terra Nova and of those 20 licenses only ten moose where shot. This first hunt was an trial by Terra Nova staff to assess the feasibility of a large-scale hunt.  Park staff plan to increase the number of licenses in upcoming years and will base the success of the hunt on its effect on the regeneration of balsam fir. This is a step in the right direction and will hopefully conserve this special place for future generations.   


    As far we know, this is the first time that a moose cull has occurred in a Canadian National Park.  However, in Ontario's Presqu'ile Provincial Park a similar problem of over browsing has occurred from hyper-abundant while-tailed deer population.  Sharpshooters have been brought into the park to reduce populations in the hopes of reducing the population to a level where the landscape can maintain a natural carrying capacity (OMNR, 2011).

Related Reading and Reference:


McLaren, B.E., Roberts, B.A., Djan-Chekar, N., and Lewis, K.P. (2004).  Effects
of overabundant moose on the Newfoundland landscape.  Alces 40:45-59


OMNR. (2011). Presqu’ile Mainland Resource Management Implementation Plan. Queen’s
Printer for Ontario. 33 pp. + Appendices.