Biodiversity

At Canadian Natural, we focus on reducing disturbance to wildlife and effects on wildlife movement. We strive to protect the habitats where we operate to maintain the regional characteristics and biodiversity of each ecosystem. We reduce impact on wildlife through a variety of practices including controlled site access, minimized vegetation and soil removal, wildlife crossing structures above-ground pipelines and effective reclamation.

Biodiversity monitoring is an important component of effective conservation strategies during project development, and final reclamation and restoration work after our projects come to an end. At Horizon, we began biodiversity monitoring before project approval. Regular inspections and remote cameras ensure wildlife activity is monitored and wildlife is deterred from approaching our tailings pond. Understanding how our presence affects wildlife species is important so we can take steps to minimize the impact we have on their activities.

We invest in a number of initiatives that support environmental monitoring and research, including aquatics monitoring programs, vegetation cooperatives, and other projects identified by our stakeholders. We are sponsors of the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute (ABMI) and the MULTISAR habitat management program in Southern Alberta. Since 2010 we have followed ABMI biodiversity protocols to incorporate our data in a regional information database. To learn more about ABMI’s work click here.

Canadian Natural continues to work with industry and the Governments of Alberta and British Columbia to develop strategy and plans for caribou recovery. Industry initiatives include integrated access planning at relevant operating sites to reduce future footprints, research on accelerated reclamation techniques and innovative population enhancement measures. The Ecological Monitoring Committee (a cooperative venture including industry as well as federal and provincial governments) has established a program to assess effects of industrial development on caribou, which is conducted by researchers from across Canada with experience in caribou and landscape level monitoring. We also fund caribou research and mitigation measures.