The Shell True North Forest is a 1,820 acre (740 ha) tract of land in northern Alberta’s boreal zone. The privately owned land was previously used for cattle grazing and hay production. Its purchase on behalf of Shell’s oil sands business will conserve area more than twice the size of Vancouver, BC’s Stanley Park.

Shell has a land and reclamation strategy in place to guide environmental performance in our oil sands business. As oil sands reclamation takes decades to complete, conserving land allows us to take action in the short term. Over the next decade Shell plans to accelerate the pace of land reclamation and develop technologies to reduce future land disturbance.

The Athabasca Oil Sands Project (AOSP) has been conserving habitat in the boreal wilderness since 2007 as part of a commitment with the Oil Sands Environment Coalition (OSEC). The AOSP committed to spend $2 million over ten years to help mitigate, and partially offset, land and habitat disturbances resulting from existing mining operations. With the addition of the True North Forest, we have now conserved over 3000 acres of habitat offset land.

Location

The Shell True North Forest is located 70 km north of Grand Prairie, Alberta and lies less than one km south of Moonshine Provincial Park. The park offers a range of recreational activities like camping, fishing and hiking. Nearby Jack Bird Pond provides outstanding nature walking and birdwatching opportunities.The Blueberry Mountain Conservation Site is less than nine kilometres northwest of the property.

Managing Biodiversity

Land conservation plays a key role in managing biodiversity. The Shell True North Forest contains mixed woodlands, grasslands, wetlands and habitat along the Ksituan River which runs through the property.

The mixed habitat of established forest and new re-growth creates an ideal environment for high densities of elk, deer and moose, which in turn support cougars and other predators known to inhabit the area. Among the abundance of birds present in the area, is the barred owl, a Species of Special Concern in Alberta.

Future Land Use

The land was secured through an arrangement with the Alberta Conservation Association. Together both parties will develop a conservation management plan to guide future activity on the property. The plan will identify potential opportunities to enhance wetlands or plant additional trees. As portions of the land were previously used for cattle grazing and hay production, these areas will be allowed to reforest over time, naturally returning to their original boreal forest state.

Low impact recreational activities will also be considered as part of the planning process. With excellent road access, the property offers potential for a diverse selection of activities such as hiking and bird watching.

Responsible management will ensure the Shell True North Forest remains a protected natural haven well into the future.