Land Management & Biodiversity

The boreal forest is a circumpolar ecosystem that covers much of Canada, Alaska, Scandinavia and Russia. Canada’s boreal forest is one of the world’s largest remaining intact old growth forests. It spans from Newfoundland and Labrador to the Yukon’s western border with Alaska, representing a tract of land over 1,000 kilometres wide that covers almost 60 percent of Canada’s land mass. The forest is a complex and important ecosystem that is rich with a variety of plant and animal species, including caribou, bears, moose, wolves and migratory birds.

In addition to its contribution to biodiversity, Canada’s boreal forest is home to Aboriginal peoples who have used the land for thousands of years to maintain a traditional lifestyle and economy, engaging in hunting and fishing to provide sustenance for their communities. The forest contains many areas of historical, economic and cultural significance for these peoples.

Hundreds of cities and towns in the forest’s territory derive about a quarter of their economic activity from the forest. Industries like forestry, hard rock mining, peat mining, conventional oil and gas development, oil sands development and tourism are important economic drivers in these areas.

In addition to other industrial activity in the area, there are many active oil sands producers in the region, including ConocoPhillips Canada. Multiple demands on the land base are created by the number of projects under development. Oil sands projects are serviced by access roads and pipelines while growing urban and rural populations are generating the need for housing, transportation corridors, recreational areas and many other forms of land use, all of which put additional strains on the area.

Specifically, ConocoPhillips Canada’s stakeholders express concern about our possible contribution to:

• Growth of oil sands projects and overall land footprint.
• Insufficient coordinated planning between individual producers and other industries.
• Fragmentation of the boreal forest due to roads, seismic lines, pipelines, power lines, etc.
• Disturbance of wildlife habitat, which can lead to declining wildlife populations and biodiversity issues.
• Human health effects from risk of contamination to foods.
• Disturbance of traditional trapping and hunting grounds for Aboriginal peoples.

Land management is a complex issue that transcends any one company, industry or community. While companies adjust their own operating and development practices, there is a broader regional context to consider. It requires many different stakeholders working together to shape policy development, share best practices and plan together to minimize our collective impact.

ConocoPhillips Canada has been an active participant in advocating for coordinated land management for over a decade and will continue our ongoing engagement in a multi-pronged approach including:

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Management
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• Canada-wide
• Western Canada Gas
• Arctic

 

• Actively participating in multi-stakeholder groups dedicated to regional land planning.
• Coordinating our planning with other producers and industries where practical to minimize our impacts.
• Piloting and adopting new technology that minimizes our footprint.
• Funding and participating in research and biodiversity monitoring programs.
• Working with Aboriginal peoples to avoid sensitive or culturally significant areas.