Project Field Supervisor
Contract – 1997 to 1999

BACKGROUND

Between 1970 and 1988 traffic volumes on both the Trans Canada Highway (TCH) and the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) more than doubled, from 5,060 vehicles/day to over 11,234 vehicles/day and from 14 trains/day to over 30/day1. Ungulate road and railway kills numbered 1,469 (760 elk, 52%) and 494 (432 elk, 87%) respectively1.

During the periods 1983-87 and 1995-97, a 27 km segment (TCH phase I & II) and an 18 km segment (TCH phase IIIA) of the TCH within Banff National Park (BNP) were twinned and ungulate exclusion fenced. Fencing reduced ungulate collisions on the twinned highway segments by over 95%. Road kill rates remained high along the western un-twinned highway sections while numbers of elk within and around Banff increased1.

During the period 1990-96 concerns grew over increasing elk numbers in and around the town of Banff, corresponding increases in elk/human conflict and declining elk numbers in the western Bow Valley. These concerns prompted Banff National Park to initiate the Banff Bow Valley Elk Ecology Project.