Waterfowl conservation planning : Science needs and approaches / Stuart M. Slattery, Julienne L. Morissette, Glenn G. Mack, and Eric W. Butterworth.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 34-37).

The western boreal forest (WBF) is the
second most important duck breeding area in
North America. Once thought to be relatively pristine,
WBF habitat is undergoing rapid change due
to industrial activity (e.g., commercial forestry, oil
and gas exploration/extraction, agricultural expansion)
and climate change. Our understanding
of waterfowl in the WBF is limited and thus the
effects of these human-caused habitat alterations
on waterfowl populations are largely unknown. A
better understanding of the spatial scale, permanency,
and intensity of habitat change at which
carrying capacity becomes reduced will help differentiate
between real and perceived threats,
which is critical for further focusing conservation.
Maintaining the ability of boreal landscapes
to sustain waterfowl populations in perpetuity,
however, will require interdisciplinary collaboration.
Ultimately, conservation activities will take
place within a complex ecological and socioeconomic
landscape, which will require a strong
commitment from all stakeholders, including
industry, First Nations, governments, academics,
and NGOs, to achieving conservation of boreal
landscapes that encompass wetlands and other
waterfowl habitat. In this paper, we review the
status and population trends of duck populations
in the WBF, review threats to carrying capacity,
and provide an initial conceptual framework for
science-based conservation of WBF ducks.