NEIA Newleef Conference Wayne Tucker Team Lead, Newfoundland and Labrador

October 9, 2014

Lessons Learned from Effects Monitoring and Mitigation – Terrestrial Environments

Agenda

1 effects monitoring and mitigation

2 scope and scale

3 credible methods

4 field applications

5 reporting

Lessons learned through working with monitoring and mitigation programs

Effects Monitoring and Mitigation 1

Effects monitoring and mitigation efforts must be focused on the nature of the project effect • Verifying predicted effects is often required

through the approval process (monitoring)

• Reducing the likelihood of predictable effects is often required through the project approval process (mitigation)

Develop simple key questions for monitoring effect vs baseline conditions Apply mitigation hierarchy to reduce predicted effects: - Avoid - Minimize - Restore on-site - Off-set

Monitoring and Mitigation – Scope and Scale

2 • Regional initiatives can help

• species or landscape recovery teams (e.g. Labrador Woodland Recovery Team)

• industry targeted best management practices (e.g. BC Oil and Gas Commission caribou guidelines)

• Project specific

• spatial and temporal • activity specific (e.g. access restrictions) • on-site best practices

• Temporal scales are critical

• Timing is everything

Should not feel alone to do all of this Appropriate area and timing are critical

Monitoring and Mitigation – Scope and Scale

2 Monitoring and mitigation efforts must be focused at the correct scope and scale the predicted project effect Recent examples

• Changes in mortality risk – direct wildlife mortality due to project

activities

• Changes in movement patterns – movements altered due to

landscape disturbance

• Loss or alteration to Archaeological Resources – adjacent developments

Scope creep is expensive, and makes it difficult to measure or mitigate the predicated effects Work together to define appropriate scope of work, bring it back to predicted effect

Credible Methods • Proven methods in the literature • Experience in various situations • Planned actions with measures of

success • Practical and transferable methods • Flexibility and innovations often

required

3 Spend the time to do the design, it will result in a far more effective and efficient program The urgency to mobilize shouldn’t reduce the credibility of the approach

Field Application • Project execution plans are essential

tools. They assist to identify potential risks and efficiencies. These up front efforts are high value.

• Large scale programs require unique skill sets (not everyone can do everything required)

• Adequate training time for all field leads and assistants is a necessary investment

4

Reporting • It always takes more time that you

think

• Focus on the questions and results, reference back to methods from the design stage

• Multi-year projects can have living interim reports

• Know the audience and intent of reports (technical or public, published or internal)

5 • Reports are

standard contract deliverables

Thank you