Cascade Environmental Resource Group Ltd. assessed potential impacts of the proposed project to animal movement in an Environmental Overview Report which was published November 2, 2022. Earlier on March 25, 2022, Cascade examined studies carried out by Dr. Clayton Lamb as well as Procter et. al (2015). Both studied grizzly bear movement patterns. The Procter et al. (2015) report was based on an analysis of a large area which showed that Galloway Lands have moderate movement potential limited to the southeast corner, near the ski hill, while most of the site has low movement corridor potential. The Lamb study suggested that grizzly bears commonly use the Galloway Lands as a movement corridor. However, Dr. Lamb’s study was based on an analysis of a small area which showed an isolated high quality habitat patch in May-July surrounded by low quality habitat. Analysis of small area highlights a few bears moving through an area but this does not make it a movement corridor.
In terms of the importance of the Galloway Lands for winter range for deer, elk and moose, Cascade noted that the presence of a potential winter range on the site should not be a constraint to the development. In addition, the proposal has the set aside 232 acres of the parcel that would itself be conducive to use as winter range.
A review of cumulative effects was conducted. It involved a review of all available materials published on the subject. The conclusions were contained firstly in Cascades memo of March 2022 and later in the November 2022 report. A further summary was published on April 21, 2023, which contained a summary of the cumulative effect of the proposal.