In 1999, the Foothills Model Forest initiated a co-operative, international, multidisciplinary, grizzly bear research program in west-central Alberta to gather needed regional information to address land use planning decisions. The need for this information was identified as a finding in the regulatory review process for the Cheviot Coal mine. An important outcome of this program is the ongoing development and production of tools and new models that assist with land use planning.

This is an applied research effort, which has a series of key program elements that are directly linked to one another. These elements include grizzly bear ecology, animal health, remote sensing, stress physiology, population and ecological modeling, genetics, and geographic information systems. The research team is composed of scientists from across Canada who work in an integrated and collaborative manner. The program currently has 58 partners that include: mining, forestry, oil and gas, federal and provincial governments, and a number of non-profit environmental organizations. The work this program has undertaken is vital for sound environmental management for resource extraction planning and is key in ensuring that a symbol of Canadian wilderness is conserved for future generations to appreciate and enjoy.