Skip to main content

People

Tracy McKay

Organization
fRI Research
Category
Research Staff
Job Title
Wildlife Biologist

About

Tracy grew up on the prairies in Edmonton, AB, but she has always been drawn to the mountains, and moved to Jasper in 1998. After a brief career as a medical lab tech, she followed her love of biology and completed a BSc in Environmental Science at the University of Northern B.C. and an MSc in Environmental Management from Royal Roads University. Her thesis research focused on caribou behavioural response to hikers in Jasper National Park. Since completing her master’s in 2007, Tracy has worked for Parks Canada and for the fRI Grizzly Bear Program, before starting with the fRI Caribou Program in 2016. Tracy believes strongly in conservation, and she can be found outside in her natural habitat whenever she gets the chance.

Program & Project Involvement

Caribou Program
Program

Caribou Program

The fRI Research Caribou Program carries out applied research, in partnership with industry and the Government of Alberta, to help maintain caribou herds in Alberta into the future.

Grizzly Bears and Pipelines: Response to Unique Linear Features
Project

Grizzly Bears and Pipelines: Response to Unique Linear Features

This project will assist the oil and gas industry and land managers to better understanding the response of grizzly bears to pipelines.

Yellowhead (BMA 3) Grizzly Bear Population Inventory
Project

Yellowhead (BMA 3) Grizzly Bear Population Inventory

This project uses DNA from hair snags to create a population inventory of grizzly bears in BMA 3 and Jasper National Park.

Assessing disease prevalence and caribou health in west-central and north-western Alberta
Project

Assessing disease prevalence and caribou health in west-central and north-western Alberta

Collecting baseline health data for Alberta caribou herds.

Caribou Conservation through Better Cutblock Design
Project

Caribou Conservation through Better Cutblock Design

Beginning in 2018, this project will investigate how cutblock design can be less favourable for deer, moose, and elk.

Moose Response to Disturbance in West-central Alberta
Project

Moose Response to Disturbance in West-central Alberta

This project examines how moose respond to different re-vegetation trajectories on seismic lines after disturbance and different silvicultural treatments used by forestry. A re-vegetation prescription or silvicultural treatment that moose avoid may be less of a problem for caribou.

Advancing Harvest System and Silvicultural Practices for Improved Woodland Caribou and Fibre Outcomes
Project

Advancing Harvest System and Silvicultural Practices for Improved Woodland Caribou and Fibre Outcomes

This 3-year study will evaluate the potential of new forest management practices to benefit both woodland caribou and growth and yield.

Response of Wildlife to Restored Wellsites
Project

Response of Wildlife to Restored Wellsites

Many wellsites have been certified as reclaimed, but their condition varies. This project will assess wildlife use of wellsites to understand how restoration treatments contribute to important species like moose, bears, and deer.

Load More