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Features

Hay-Zama Features

Area:

  • The Hay- Zama Lakes Wildland Park occupies an area of 48,035 ha, or 486 km2. It is located in the far northwestern corner of Alberta, 50 km northeast of Rainbow Lake and 110 km northwest of High Level. Three Dene Tha’ Reserves share part of its boundary: Hay Lake I.R. 209 on the east, Zama I.R. 210 on the west, and Amber River I.R. 211 on the north.

 

Terrain:

  • Lowland wetland complex surrounded by forested uplands, with Zama Ridge to the south providing the most relief in the region. All the lakes are very shallow and transient, resulting in large zones with extensive emergent vegetation and limited zones of deep water.

 

 

Natural Region:

  • Boreal Forest Region
  • Wetland Mixedwood Subregion

 

Watershed:

  • While several rivers and creeks drain into the Park, Hay River is the only stable water channel and the major drainage of the wetland, entering from the west and flowing to the northeast.

 

Biodiversity:

  • The wetland complex comprises marshes, open water, willow swamps, floodplain woodlands, and wet meadows.
  • The region has Ramsar designation for its importance as a waterfowl production/staging and moulting site; it is especially important for ducks and geese.
  • Home to a large numbers of aquatic and semi-aquatic mammals.
  • Provides good habitat for wood bison (one of the few wild populations).
  • Although the Wildland Park is not core woodland caribou habitat, the surrounding area supports caribou populations who occasionally use the Park as a movement corridor.

 

 

Plants:

  • Most of the vegetation is willow-dominated shrubs, herbs, and wetland grasses.
  • The dense cover of sedges and grasses around the water basins provides food, shelter, and nesting habitat for waterfowl.
  • River corridors are typically lined with balsam poplar, often with a dense understory of willow, red-osier dogwood, and chokecherry.
  • The surrounding forests are dominated by spruce, aspen, and balsam poplar.

 

Mammals:

  • Hay-Zama is the only location in Alberta where wood bison (COSEWIC threatened species and red-listed in Alberta) have been reintroduced. As of March 2001, their population had reached 200 and their range had expanded outward from the Hay-Zama area.
  • Moose are the most common mammal.
  • The Wildland Park is used by woodland caribou (COSEWIC threatened species and blue-listed in Alberta) as a movement corridor.
  • A herd of feral horses belonging to the Dene Tha’ winter in the eastern end of the Park, but feral horse die-off is occurring, probably due to equine infectious anemia and liver damage caused by malnutrition.
  • Small mammals include muskrat, beaver, and mink.

 

Birds:

  • The Hay-Zama complex is used by migrating waterfowl from three of the four North American migration routes.
  • As many as 130,000 lesser snow geese, 47,000 Canada geese, and 200,000 ducks have been recorded during fall migration. Fluctuations in water levels seem to determine the degree of
  • waterfowl use in the autumn.
  • Colonial nesting birds include Franklins, herring, Bonapartes, and ring-billed gulls, and common terns.
  • To date, 10 species of raptors have been documented in the area. Bald eagles and great-horned owls nest in the wetlands. Golden eagles pass through during migration.
  • Many varieties of perching birds are also found in the area; including waterfowl, the number of observed bird species is over 100.
  • In an aerial survey in July 2001, Canadian Wildlife Service observed over 10,000 shorebirds using the wetlands.

 

Fish:

  • Northern pike spawning site.

 

Cultural:

 

  • The 2,200-member Dene Tha’ band, who live adjacent to the Park at Chateh, use the complex extensively for traditional hunting, fishing, and trapping; gathering medicinal plants; and teaching their children about the land.

 

Sustainable Activities:

  • Off-highway vehicle use: most is by the Dene Tha’ who live on the adjacent reserves. The Management Plan states that “OHV use will continue as before park establishment, and in a manner that respects the land, and is in keeping with the intent of a wildland park to create as little disturbance as possible.”
  • Random camping and fires are allowed in the Park, although the wetland terrain is generally unsuitable for camping.
  • Hunting, trapping, and fishing are allowed in the Park. All current regulations are in effect, except where treaty exemption applies.
  • Motorized watercraft that are consistent with present-day activities are allowed in the complex.
  • Floatplanes and helicopters are currently used to monitor well sites and to monitor wildlife. After the oil and gas industry has withdrawn from the park, aircraft will presumably only be permitted for research and management purposes or in the case of emergencies.
  • Oil and gas activity is occurring in the Park, with access limitations on leases acquired after January 16, 1996.

 

Access:

  • There is no formal access into the Park. At present, most access into the wetland complex is from Hay River at Habay. An informal road follows the Hay River and the Omega River west from Habay to the Amber River.
  • A government road leading to Zama City cuts through the northeast corner of the Park. The section inside the Park is 2.5 km long and is maintained by oil and gas companies.
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