The protection of the Castle region of Alberta took a very important step forward on Jan. 20 when the provincial government of Premier Rachel Notley established boundaries for two provincial parks.
An expanded Castle Wildland Provincial Park and brand new Castle Provincial Park were given official boundaries with the announcement by the premier and Minister of the Environment Shannon Phillips in Pincher Creek.
The two protected areas now cover 103,000 hectares of biologically diverse landscape and the headwaters of the Oldman River, and were welcomed by Canmore-based conservation group Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative.
“The Castle is a key part of the Yellowstone to Yukon region,” said program director for Y2Y Stephen Legault. “It’s one of the linchpins in the whole Y2Y system. Today’s announcement will start Alberta toward a new mandate for protecting places that help protect nature, diversify our economy and create jobs that support our province and our environment.”
The region is home to over 200 rare or at risk species, and is a headwaters for those downstream in the Oldman watershed. Katie Morrison, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) conservation director for Southern Alberta, said the establishment of both parks is a “real gift to Albertans.
“The Castle is a major source of water for southern Alberta and is home to grizzly bears, bull trout and rare plants,” Morrison said. “It’s a great place to connect with nature through quiet recreation. The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society congratulates and thanks the government for creating this amazing new park.”
The Castle Wildland Provincial Park with an expanded area is considered for only low impact recreational activities – no off highway vehicles are permitted. But in the Castle Provincial Park, the use of OHVs is still a matter of discussion for its draft management plan.
As part of the announcement, officials said off-highway vehicle recreation would be transitioned out of the new boundary for the wildland park. Existing trails within either park will be assessed for ecological risks to the area and non-designated trails rehabilitated afterwards.
“The wildland park limits recreation activities to low impact to better safeguard the headwaters and the ecosystem,” the premier said. “These two Castle parks will prove to be a significant benefit to Southern Alberta.”
Notley said the draft management plan created for the region has been released for public consultation through a 60-day period and officials expect to develop a tourism strategy as well.
Go to www.albertaparks.ca for more information on the two provincial parks and the draft management plan.
