The BEACONs mandate is national in scope, but regional case studies have been identified as an important tool for refining concepts and incorporating geographic variation in biophysical attributes and management objectives. This project afforded BEACONs the opportunity to apply concepts for the identification of ecological benchmarks for Saskatchewan.

In partnership with Saskatchewan Environment, we assessed the adequacy of designated protected lands in Saskatchewan to serve as ecological benchmarks for forestry practices. In the context of ecologically sustainable forest management (i.e., maintenance of functioning ecosystems while permitting the appropriate development of forest resources), benchmarks serve as reference sites or controls for understanding both the natural dynamics of ecosystems, as well as their response to resource development activities.

The study area for this project was broadly delineated by the commercial forest zone of Saskatchewan and adjacent areas of Manitoba and Alberta, intersected with the boreal plains and boreal shield ecozones.

Fig 1. Study area for the Saskatchewan RAN study

The details of this study are captured in the report:

Canadian BEACONs Project. 2008. Evaluation of Saskatchewan designated protected lands as ecological benchmarks for forest management.University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB. 127pp.

Download Saskatchewan Report