Mountain Goats favour steep, rocky and rugged areas for escape terrain, and generally do not forage more than 400 metres from it. They spend winters in timbered areas on steep, south- and west-facing slopes or on wind-blown ridges where forage is exposed. Summer maternity groups move to alpine ridges and basins above this winter range.

For populations to remain viable, they need undisturbed birthing and rearing areas, undisturbed forage areas near escape terrain, and thermal and security cover. Management focuses on winter/kidding ranges (see map).

A wildlife management area will be designated in the Itcha Ilgachuz Range (see map) to ensure sustainable management of local goat herds while providing continued opportunities for resource development and commercial use.

General issues across the Sub Region will be addressed below, followed by management plans specific to individual populations.

Issues:

  • Reduction in the quality, abundance and distribution of essential habitat (e.g., forage, escape terrain, thermal and security cover).
  • Disturbance and mortality due to industrial, tourism and recreational activities in winter/kidding ranges.

Goals:

  • Viable and healthy mountain goat populations restored to, and maintained at, historical numbers

Mountain Goat Prescriptive

ObjectivesManagement Direction/StrategiesMeasures of Success/TargetsIntent
1. Maintain mountain goat winter and kidding ranges shown on the Mountain Goat map1.1 Designate the winter and kidding range shown on the Mountain Goat map as “ungulate winter range” under the Forest and Range Practices ActManagement objectives for mountain goat are not expected to have an impact on the timber harvesting land base so no planning allowance has been allocated
1.2 Consider available First Nations’ knowledge of winter and kidding ranges in the designation
2. Manage resource development and use activities within significant and winter/kidding range (see map) to provide forage, escape terrain, and thermal and security cover2.1 Ensure that not more than 33% of the forested habitat within a 200 m buffer of escape terrain within winter/kidding range is in early seral ( less than 40 years) over one rotation and at least 50% basal area of mature and old stems are retained at all timesEscape terrain is defined as areas with greater than or equal to 80% slope
2.2 Clearcuts within winter and kidding ranges should not exceed 4 ha
3. Manage resource development and use activities within winter/kidding range by reducing or eliminating disturbance and displacement of mountain goats3.1 Avoid ground based, cable and helicopter logging activities within 500 metres of identified winter and kidding habitats from December 1 to June 30 unless prescribed for protection of other resource values (e.g. sensitive soils)Disturbance or displacement is minimized within occupied winter/kidding ranges
3.2 Avoid regular and repeated industrial helicopter flights within a 2-km line-of-site buffer around goats within identified and suspected goat winter and kidding range from December 1 to June 30
3.3 Avoid regular and repeated industrial helicopter flights within a 2 km line-of-site buffer around observed summer maternity groups from June 1 to September 15
3.4 Where practical, all flights should fly as far away from identified and suspected goat winter/kidding and kidding ranges from December 1 to June 30
3.5 Provincial agencies issuing tenures on Crown land should make winter/kidding habitat mapping and summer maternity range information available to clients and user groups
3.6 Avoid blasting within 500 metres of identified winter and kidding habitats from December 1 to June 30
4. Restrict disturbance or displacement of goats from recreational and tourism related human disturbance including both air and ground based mechanized forms of recreational access (e.g., cat skiing machines, snowmobiles, helicopter and fixed wing aircraft) within currently identified and suspected winter and kidding ranges (see Mountain Goat map). In no circumstances is use of current permanent helipads and common air transit routes near settlement areas 4.1 Avoid regular and repeated flights within a 2-km line-of-site buffer around goats within identified winter/kidding range from December 1 to June 30Disturbance or displacement to summer maternity groups is minimized; regular and repeated aircraft flights within a 2 kilometre line-ofsite buffer around observed groups are avoided between June 1 and September 15
4.2 Avoid regular and repeated flights within a 2-km line-of-site buffer around observed summer maternity groups from June 1 to September 15
4.3 Where practical, all flights should fly as far away as possible from identified and suspected goat winter and kidding range from December 1 to June 30
4.4 Discourage recreational and tourism activities in winter and kidding habitats that disturb or displace goats during their season of use (December 1 – June 30)
4.5 Provincial agencies issuing tenures on Crown land should make winter and kidding habitat mapping and summer maternity range information available to clients and user groups
5. Manage resource development and use activities within identified winter/kidding ranges by minimizing impacts of road access and road densities5.1 Use the seasonal access maps to identify any access management direction for public and industrial useRoad densities within occupied winder/kidding ranges are minimized
5.2 Wherever possible, avoid road construction within winter and kidding habitats
5.3 Where road construction is necessary, vehicular access (2 and 4-wheel drive road vehicles) should be blocked as soon as possible after industrial activities, including planting, are completed. If required, the roads could be reopened during periods of silviculture activity
6. Continue to gather knowledge and information of mountain goat habitat, winter and kidding ranges, health and populations, including First Nations’ knowledge6.1 Continue inventory work to improve the accuracy of current and historical population numbers and to identify habitat areas, particularly specific locations and seasons of useImproved information about mountain goat habitat and populations
6.2 Explore opportunities to involve First Nations in wildlife studies and assessments, including traditional use studies
6.3 Assist First Nations in undertaking traditional use studies that might identify their traditional use of mountain goats