Action Alert: Bull trout habitat at risk as DFO grants West Fraser permits for the Upper Highwood

October 27, 2025

Fort Fish Barrier blocking access to timber harvesting along Highwood river, Put up by the Defenders of the Eastern Slopes and Land Lovers Photo © Colin Smith

The controversial logging plan in the Upper Highwood of Kananaskis may no longer remain on hold.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) issued permits under the Species at Risk Act (SARA), approving destruction of Bull trout by allowing the construction of 14 temporary bridges by West Fraser Cochrane in the Upper Highwood River watershed. One of the bridges will be the re-constructed Highwood Bridge. In 2023, West Fraser illegally constructed the first iteration of the bridge over the Highwood River, a waterway that is designated as critical habitat for Alberta’s official fish, the threatened Bull trout.

Additional crossings will be constructed across Loomis Creek, some as little as 75 metres away from known Bull trout spawning locations within the creek. Sedimentation from construction so close to known spawning locations is a major concern for Bull trout, as it can smother incubating eggs and cause gravel beds to be unsuitable for spawning.

Separately submitted logging plans are still pending for Loomis Creek.

A recent eco-hydrology study initiated by CPAWS Southern Alberta identified that Bull trout spawning locations were actively present within Loomis Creek. A detailed assessment of the Upper Highwood-Loomis Creek can be found here.

The initial Highwood Bridge was constructed without a SARA permit, allowing for the destruction of critical habitat. It also failed to meet Alberta Forestry & Parks regulations, and was later removed in the fall of 2024 during DFO’s investigation.

Recently, DFO concluded that it would not be fining West Fraser Cochrane for the illegal construction of the Highwood Bridge after a two-year investigation into the matter. This clearly shows the prioritization of profit over protection of species at risk. Cameron Hunter of the Alberta Wilderness Association (AWA) states, “When penalties are ignored, the message is clear: resource extraction still comes before species protection.” Which begs the question brought up by former and long-time Fish and Wildlife Biologist Lorne Fitch: Is there adequate regulatory oversight in forest management to govern logging in watersheds containing species at risk?

Now the permit has been issued even though the bridges lack the legal requirements for permitting under the SARA, which prohibits the destruction of critical habitat unless permitting is provided under specific circumstances. This enables West Fraser Cochrane to begin logging the Upper Highwood come 2025/2026, as detailed in their recently released Annual Operating Plan.

AWA believes that these forests are worth so much more to us as intact trees than they are as logged timber. Not only are these watersheds home to threatened Bull trout, which are listed under the SARA, they are part of Alberta’s headwaters, and as the South Saskatchewan Regional Plan states, “Watershed management and headwaters protection is the priority. Forests will be managed with this as the highest priority.”

If you wish to help protect our headwaters, you can voice your concern by emailing West Fraser at COS-Info@westfraser.com. The Defenders of the Eastern Slopes and Land Lovers have provided an easy-to-use email template that can be used to send this email!
If you would like more information or to be part of on-the-ground action alongside The Defenders of the Eastern Slopes, you can contact them at info@saveourslopes.ca.
You can also send donations to help Land Lovers and The Defenders of the Eastern Slopes with on the ground action here