Caribou Closures

March 17, 2026 By: Daphnee Cairns

            For this exercise, I looked at recent reporting on winter recreation closures in northeastern British Columbia aimed at protecting threatened caribou populations.  When I first heard about these closures, which prohibit snowmobiles from entering large areas, I did not understand how limiting access would directly benefit caribou.  However, after reading more, I learned that packed snow trails created by snowmobiles can make it easier for predators like wolves to access caribou habitat, increasing the risk to them.  Additionally, snowmobiles and people in general may force the caribou to move to less ideal habitat, where they will have more difficulty surviving and reproducing.  Understanding the rationale helped me be more supportive of this policy, even though I know snowmobilers are upset that many high-quality recreational areas are now closed to them.  While I know some snowmobilers have been disappointed with this policy and some have been caught and charged for circumventing the closures, I think the closures strike a balance between legitimate conservation and recreational needs.

            Reflecting on how often environmental movements have relied on civil disobedience to raise awareness, I feel like they can raise awareness, but I don’t think they bring about meaningful change.  For example, protests against the Trans Mountain pipeline drew national attention and involved significant civil disobedience, including blockages and arrests.  Despite this, the project was ultimately completed after being taken over by the federal government.  This suggests that while civil disobedience can highlight an issue, it does not always lead to the outcome activists hope for, especially when powerful economic or political interests are involved.  In my view, more effective approaches often involve working through policy, education, and collaboration with governments and communities.  As someone living in a northern community and raising children, I think it is important to focus on long-term stewardship and helping future generations understand why these decisions are made, rather than relying solely on confrontation to drive change.