Alberta announces tree planting will be part of caribou protection plan
EDMONTON — The Alberta government says it’s moving ahead with the oil and gas industry to restore habitat for dwindling caribou herds.
The province announced Saturday that work is beginning that will eventually see trees planted along thousands of kilometres of land that were cleared for seismic lines in the Little Smoky and A La Peche caribou rangelands.
The work starts with compiling a restoration guide, as well as setting up a pilot project along 70 kilometres of seismic lines in the spring.
A $200,000 contract will be issued to source and grow the trees for the pilot project, and $800,000 will be earmarked for an operational plan to restore 3,900 kilometres of lines.