Management

The protected areas of the South Ghost – Bow Valley Wildland and Don Getty Wildland – are managed by the Tourism, Parks and Recreation ministry of the Alberta government. These areas do not yet have Management Plans to guide and explain their management.  The non-protected areas are managed by Sustainable Resource Development (SRD).

Though most of the area is zoned under the Ghost River Sub-Regional Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) as “prime protection” or “critical wildlife,” a variety of uses is allowed, including oil and gas development, motorized recreation, some tourism development and cattle grazing.

FLUZ map: JPG | PDF		IRP map:  JPG | PDF

A twenty-year Forest Management Agreement (FMA), signed in 2001, gives exclusive forestry rights to Spray Lake Sawmills. Although the FMA agreement states that the primary use of the forest management area is “to establish, grow, harvest and remove timber,” AWA believes strongly that the use of the area for recreation, and a source of clean water, should be more important uses.

Access in the South Ghost is currently managed under the Ghost Waiparous Access Management Plan (GAMP) released in 2006. GAMP is designed to provide opportunities for recreational use while maintaining the area’s natural resources. In the plan, emphasis is placed on the managing of recreational OHV use and random camping in the area.

The plan includes a map and detailed descriptions of the types of trails and their uses. Motorized recreational activities are managed using a network 600 kilometers in length of designated trails.

Other aspects of the plan include:

• The ability of Forest Officers to close trails in response to environment and safety concerns.
• Increased partnership and stewardship roles for community, stakeholder and industry groups.
• Increased focus on education and enforcement to raise awareness about appropriate trail use.

The Ghost Stewardship Monitoring Group (GSMG) is a diverse group of stakeholders who deliberate and recommend how best to implement the objectives set out by GAMP.

Summary of Key Directives impacting management of South Ghost area:

Public Lands Act 47(1)

A person who occupies public land and

• (a) is not the holder of a disposition authorising the person to do so, is deemed to be a trespasser and any improvements created by the person are the property of the Crown.
  

Public Lands Act 54(1)

No person shall cause, permit or suffer:

• (d) the doing of any act that may injuriously affect watershed capacity,
• (e) the disturbance of any public land in any manner that results or, in the opinion of the Minister, is likely to result in injury to the bed or shore of any river, stream, watercourse, lake or other body of water or land in the vicinity of that public land,
• (f) the creation of any condition on public land which, in the opinion of the Minister, is likely to result in soil erosion.
  

Forests Act 10

Except as may be authorized by the Minister, no person shall

• (a) cut, damage or destroy, or
• (b) cause to be cut, damaged or destroyed any forest growth on forest land.
  

Ghost River Sub-Regional Integrated Resource Plan (1988)

• To allow for the development and use of the full range of available resources while
• minimizing adverse environmental impacts on watershed and renewable resources.
• Indiscriminate use has the potential to cause additional impact on the terrain, vegetation, wildlife and water quality.
• To provide a range of opportunities for summer and winter recreational off-highway vehicle use.
• To minimize conflicts between recreational off-highway vehicle users and other users.
• To minimize environmental impacts thorough the management of recreational off-highway vehicle use.
• Alberta Environment and the Alberta Sustainable Resource Development will monitor water yield and quality in the planning area to ensure the maintenance of a high-quality water resource.
• The frequency of stream crossings will be minimized to lessen point sources of sedimentation.
• Reclamation projects will be initiated and completed based on provincial reclamation
• policies, approval of an access management plan and availability of funds where the responsibility rests with the provincial government.
• To maintain and/or increase the quality and quantity of aquatic habitat conducive to maintaining high water quality and supporting fish populations at optimum densities.
• To protect spawning, overwintering and rearing areas, and migratory routes crucial to the survival of specific fish populations.
• An access management plan will be prepared for the entire planning area to determine an access network suitable for summer and winter recreational off-highway vehicle use. In the development and approval of the access management plan, public education and regulatory strategies under the Forests Act will be considered as implementation mechanisms as required. The access management plan will be developed on a co-operative basis and will be subject to involvement and review by interested government resource management agencies, local authorities, the general public and public interest groups. More specific guidelines are given, as necessary, on a RMA basis.
• Snowmobile use will be considered and permitted on selected routes in Zone 1 when approved through the access management plan. Snowmobile use will be permitted only under certain circumstances in Critical Wildlife (Zone 2) areas providing critical ungulate winter range.
• Existing trails and roads will be examined to determine and provide an access network suitable for recreational off-highway vehicle use through the development of an access management plan. In the development and approval of the access management plan, public education and regulatory strategies under the Forests Act will be considered as implementation mechanisms where required to manage motorized recreational access.
• Motorized recreational vehicle access in the Devil’s Gap area near Banff National Park will be addressed through the access management plan.
• Alberta’s Commitment to Sustainable Resource Management
• Alberta’s air, land and water shall be protected and maintained for the health and enjoyment of Albertans,
• In addition to forest and water plans, there will be plans which provide specific direction and resolve resource conflicts or issues (e.g., integrated resource plans, park plans).
  

A Policy for Resource Management of the Eastern Slopes (1984)

• The highest priority in the overall management of the Eastern Slopes is placed on watershed management. Recreation and tourism benefits from the private and public sectors are also extremely important.
• The natural resources of the Eastern Slopes will be developed, managed and protected in a manner consistent with principles of conservation and environmental protection.
• The uniqueness of the Eastern Slopes, due to its aesthetic qualities and combination of environments, will be maintained.
• The recreation resources of the mountains and foothills will be maintained while increasing opportunities for Albertans to enjoy this unique region.
• To increase the number of kilometres of long-distance trails in the region for hiking, skiing, horse-riding and OHV use.
• The prime protection zone contains high-elevation forests and steep rocky slopes of the major mountain ranges. The intent of the prime protection zone is to preserve environmentally sensitive terrain and valuable ecological and aesthetic resources. Off-highway vehicle activity is not permitted within this zone, however approved snowmobile trails may cross this zone.
  

Draft Detailed Forest Management Plan for Spray Lake Sawmills Forest Management Agreement (2006)

• the primary use of the forest management area is “to establish, grow, harvest and remove timber.”
  

Alberta Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan (2008)

• “Human use of access (specifically, motorized vehicle routes) is one of the primary threats to grizzly bear persistence.”
  
• “In simple terms, regulating human use of access (specifically motorized vehicle routes) in grizzly bear range reduces the risk of human-caused mortality.”
  
• Measures of success include: “Open route densities at or below 0.6 km/km2 in high quality grizzly bear habitat designated as Grizzly Bear Priority Areas… and open route densities at or below 1.2 km/km2 in all remaining grizzly bear range.”
        (Source: Ghost-Waiparous Access Management Plan Terms of Reference)