As volunteer groups and Alberta Parks employees tackle an endless tangle of illegal trails constructed through local wildlife corridors, the province is encouraging builders to propose new routes through the Kananaskis Country Trails Committee.
On Tuesday (July 14), the Bow Valley Stewards worked for six hours reclaiming a spur trail off the Highline near Hubman’s Landing, dubbed the Randy Savage. According to Arian Spiteri, district conservation officer, the four-kilometre trail is relatively new and weaves through the wildlife corridor above Stewart Creek Golf Course.
It was reported to the province after it was spotted on the fitness tracking website Strava. Several trees were cut, and snaking corners constructed with rock and dirt, as the trail spurs off the remnants of an overgrown route from Canmore’s mining days.
Spiteri said the Highline Trail is the only provincially-approved trail in the wildlife corridor and the Bow Valley Stewards, who usually spend days removing bear attractants such as shepherdia and cutting brush to improve sightlines on other trails, had to spend several days reclaiming the Randy Savage section in the wildlife corridor.
“We’re working on decommissioning all of the non-designated trails in this area. This is one of many we need to decommission. Travel in this area is restricted to designated trails only – the Highline being the only one. It’s a wildlife corridor. Trail construction is not permitted without going through proper channels,” Spiteri said.
Wildlife corridors were established in 2005 in the Bow Valley by the province, and the Bow Valley Stewards, who are now 130 volunteers strong, have spent a great deal of time rehabilitating the area. However, new illegal trails in wildlife corridors continue to pop up. An estimated 50km of illegal trails have been found above the Peaks of Grassi neighbourhood alone.
On Tuesday, the Stewards posted a sign and much of the trail was covered with brush, restoring the site to a more natural state.
“We’re trying to reclaim the trail so it doesn’t look like a trail anymore. We want to discourage use,” Spiteri said.
Wildlife corridors are meant to prohibit or limit human use, providing wildlife with safe travel through the Bow Valley between Banff National Park and Kananaskis Country. Increased human traffic in the corridors heightens the chances of human-wildlife conflict.
Spiteri praised the work the Stewards have accomplished, as they strive to improve sightlines and safety on trails. This year, they’ve worked on the Legacy Trail, at Camp Chief Hector, in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park and more.
Those who do want to build new trails legally can do so through approval from the Kananaskis Country Trails Committee, said Conservation Officer Andy Rees. The committee provides an avenue for the public to propose new routes, and gain assistance in creating legal trails. The process can be lengthy, but the end result is a legal trail that won’t be destroyed.
“We prefer to work with people than against people,” said Rees. “When we do get trail requests, they can be looked at by committee. The members can determine if they are feasible or not feasible. We want trails that are going to work for wildlife and for users. In the valley, we have corridors and closures in different areas. Trails may not go ahead, but we can consult to find other alternatives.”
Wildlife corridor maps are available online, and also visible at many local trailheads.
Michael Roycroft, head of the trail committee, said the group has approved several user-generated trails, such as Long Road to Ruin at the Canmore Nordic Centre. Razor’s Edge trail is also in the final stages of approval, while work is scheduled to move ahead on an extension of the Highline, and formalizing trails in South Canmore.
“There are a number of factors we need to evaluate. One is wildlife, with ecological concerns, liability, jurisdiction, maintenance concerns and the simple appropriateness of the location,” Roycroft said.
Trails created by Alberta Parks must go through the same process, and Roycroft said provincial approval is the way to create sustainable trails.
