Draft Management Plan for Castle Parks Available for Public Comment

The Government of Alberta today announced the establishment of the boundaries of the expanded Castle Wildland Park and the new Castle Provincial Park.  In addition, the Government issued the draft management plan for the parks for public review and comment until March 20.  The draft management plan can be downloaded here: https://talkaep.alberta.ca/CastleManagementPlan 

There is also a link to an on-line survey for submitting comments and information about other ways to submit your comments on the plan. 

Moving forward to protect southern Alberta’s headwaters

In this Calgary Herald article, Alberta Minister of Environment and Parks, Shannon Phillips, describes the provincial government's planned approach to protecting the headwaters of southern Alberta.  Phillips writes, "...the province is designing a parks management and a tourism strategy for southwest Alberta. That work will involve months of engagement with local communities, Albertans, land users and First Nations. This kind of broad consultation is a necessity in order to get it right."  "A parks management plan for the Castle will involve input from local towns and counties, tourism authorities, land users, environmental organizations and recreational users. It will also ensure First Nations’ access for traditional land use and preservation of constitutional treaty rights."

For the whole article, click here.

Public Input invited on Proposed Protection of the Castle

To achieve enhanced protection of the Castle Special Management Area in southwest Alberta, the Government of Alberta will amend the South Saskatchewan Regional Plan to designate the Castle area under Alberta Parks’ legislation. 

Alberta Parks is inviting the public to provide input - comments, suggestions, concerns - about the proposed amendment.

More information about the proposed amendment, including maps of the proposed protected areas and how to provide public input, is available on line here (http://www.albertaparks.ca/albertaparksca/about-us/public-consultations/archives/enhancing-the-protection-of-the-castle-area.aspx).

Public input is due by October 5th, 2015!

Separate aboriginal consultation will follow the Government of Alberta’s First Nations Consultation Policy on Land Management and Resource Development and associated Guidelines.