Introduction

Kananaskis Country is one of the better known areas of the South Eastern Slopes of the province due to the recreation opportunities that exists there, flowing from the designation of approximately 60% of the area as protected or recreation areas. Kananaskis has tremendous wilderness value and provides essential habitat for several large mammals cougar, grizzly bear and numerous ungulates.

Encompassing the vast majority of the City of Calgary’s watershed, the value of Kananaskis as a clean provider of water is of essential importance to the cities population and economy. Kananaskis forms a part of what is referred to as the South Eastern Slopes and abuts the Porcupine-Livingstone range to the South and the Ghost/Waiperous area to the north.

With the abundance of lakes and rivers in the area, the most frequently used translation for Kananaskis is “meeting of the waters”.

Vision

• Designate Evan-Thomas as Provincial Park
• Develop more sustainable, small-scale ecotourism economy for Foothills "gateway" communities
• Halt all industrial developments in the Kananaskis until a scientifically-based ecosystem management plan has been developed
• Complete a comprehensive cumulative effects assessment (CEA) of all commercial and industrial developments in the Kananaskis
• Halt timber sales while Alberta prepares Regional Sustainable Development Plan for K-Country

  

Status

Kananaskis Country is a conglomeration of protected areas, partially protected areas, recreation areas (including off-roading) and areas of industrial resource extraction.

• Only 53% of Kananaskis Country is protected, using a variety of different protected area designations:
• 1 Ecological Reserve
• 5 Provincial Parks
• 4 Wildland Provincial Parks
• 47+ Provincial Recreation Areas
• 47% of Kananaskis Country is not protected.
• In 2001, management of this unprotected area was transferred to Spray Lakes Sawmills Ltd, through a renewable 20 year Forest Management Agreement (FMA).