UNDERSTANDING OUR IMPACT ON GRIZZLY BEAR MOVEMENT

Grizzly bears, wolves, elk and many other animals have long roamed the vast landscapes now known as the Bow Valley in Alberta. However, in the past few decades, the Bow Valley has experienced enormous changes with more people, more houses, more roads, and other developments.

As an umbrella species, grizzly bears need a lot of space — space that meets the needs of many other species as well. That’s why understanding what they need to move, mate and eat is a big focus of Y2Y’s conservation work.

How did grizzly bears navigate the landscape before Canmore and Banff expanded? What are they doing to make their way around human activity now? What could this possibly look like in decades from now if this growth continues?

On July 7, Y2Y and ALCES Land-Use invite you to an online presentation of their new report on Cumulative Effects modeling done in the Bow Valley, which helps answer these questions and more.

The Bow Valley is one of the four most important east-west connectors in the entire 3,400-kilometer-long (2,100 mile) length of the Yellowstone to Yukon region, and one of two such valleys in Alberta.

Expected growth in development and recreation in the Bow Valley would considerably increase the risk of conflict between people and grizzly bears in the future. The good news? Carefully planned development and well managed recreation could significantly reduce how much that risk increases.

Whether you are someone who follows Y2Y’s work, a resident of the Bow Valley, someone who loves visiting and recreating in this wonderful area, or all of the above, we look forward to sharing what we have learned with you.

Join us Thursday, July 7 from 12 to 1 p.m. MST. Please feel free to share the invite with others, as well!

Photo: A grizzly bear standing on railway tracks looking towards the camera (Shutterstock)