Pierre River Mine Project

TERRESTRIAL AENV SIRS 44 – 78
References
Question No. 78
Section 13.1
Accordingly, if Mike Russell’s RSF model were to be implemented in this
assessment, it is very unlikely that the model would result in a change to the
environmental consequence for the effect of the project on barred owl habitat.
First, proximity to disturbance would likely have little effect on model output
(Russell 2010, pers. comm.). Second, avoidance of disturbed areas in the model
is likely a reflection of the landscape in which the model was developed. Data for
model development was collected in an agricultural landscape with large open
fields (Russell 2008). Barred owls were likely avoiding open fields because such
areas have relatively high densities of great horned owls, which are predators of
barred owls (Russell 2008). In contrast, industrial disturbances created by the
project are unlikely to result in productive foraging habitat for great horned owls.
Therefore, barred owls may avoid edges created by industrial disturbance less
than they avoid edges created by agricultural or forestry activity.
Russell, M.S. 2008. Habitat selection of barred owls (Strix varia) across multiple
spatial scales in a boreal agricultural landscape in north-central Alberta.
M.Sc. Thesis. University of Alberta, Edmonton.
Personal Communication. Russell, M. 2010. Telephone communication with
Brock Simons (Golder Associates Ltd.). January 13, 2010.
Personal Communication. Russell, M. 2009. Email communication with Brock
Simons (Golder Associates Ltd.). November 2, 2009.
Request Volume 2, SIR 486-490, Page 23-188.
Shell states that formal validation of HSI models through additional data
collection is unnecessary to adequately characterize the impacts of the project.
Models are simply tools and without data to support an HSI for species where
habitat use knowledge is limited, confidence in the impacts predictions are
necessarily suspect.
78a How does Shell support its impact predictions for indicators where the HSI is
unvalidated and there are insufficient data to assess whether the model is
predicting appropriately?
Response 78a Data for black bear, beaver and yellow rail are not available. Therefore, the
habitat suitability index (HSI) models for these species could not be validated
with empirical data. However, as rational, explicit expressions of the well
understood habitat associations for these species, these expert-based HSI models
have been conceptually validated and are therefore useful assessment tools.
Validation of habitat suitability models with empirical data may be performed
13-74 Shell Canada Limited April 2010
CR029