Nature Alberta
Recommended Conservation Approach for the Lower Athabasca Regional Plan
The regional land use planning process is the best chance this generation has to re‐balance land uses in Alberta’s Lower Athabasca region to ensure boreal forest ecological values are sustained. The Regional Advisory Council can create a wonderful legacy by recommending conservation areas for half this region. It is also crucial that, outside these protected areas, intensive oil sands in situ and mining operations are kept to the Cumulative Environmental Management Association (CEMA) recommended active lease areas of no more than 15% of the landscape at any time, and that other land uses such as forestry and motorized access are carefully managed to sustain ecological values.
Introduction
As part of Alberta’s Lower Athabasca region planning process, the
following environmental nongovernment organizations (ENGOs) are making
this submission to the Lower Athabasca Regional Advisory Council and
the Government of Alberta based on our review of the Terms of Reference
for the regional plan and regarding land conservation outcomes we
believe are necessary to achieve a balance
of environmental, economic and social objectives in the region:
- Alberta Wilderness Association
- Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, Northern Alberta
- Federation of Alberta Naturalists
The Canadian boreal forest, of which the Lower Athabasca planning
region (LAR) is a part, is one of the most important intact ecosystems
left in the world due to its species biodiversity, freshwater
ecological services, and carbon storage. As the Terms of Reference for
Developing the Lower Athabasca Regional Plan note, the science‐based
Canadian Boreal Forest Conservation Framework has set a goal to protect
at
least 50% of Canada’s boreal region in a network of large
interconnected protected areas. An equally important Framework goal is
to support world‐leading ecosystem‐based resource management and
stewardship practices across the remaining landscape. We are encouraged
by the explicit recognition in the TOR of the important role that
protected areas play in sustainable land management. It is equally
important that the amount and location of conservation areas is guided by science and desired conservation outcomes.
Other jurisdictions have recently made major progress towards these
goals. The Government of Canada is greatly expanding Northwest
Territories protected areas. The Government of Québec has committed to
protect half of the 70% of Quebec territory north of the 49th parallel,
with the other half developed sustainably. The Government of Ontario
has committed to an interconnected network of protected
areas for at
least half of the northern 42% of its territory. In northeastern
Alberta there are still areas of excellent, globally‐significant intact
ecosystems. Through the Land Use Framework conservation strategy, the
Government of Alberta has a tremendous opportunity to achieve this 50%
goal in the Lower Athabasca.
Please click here for detailed Recommended Conservation Approach in PDF.
