Albertans Speak up for Protection of the Castle

March 4, 2017

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• Castle
• News Release

On Saturday March 4 in Calgary, a group of authors, scientists, hunters, anglers, local residents and conservationists came together to speak up for the overwhelming majority of Albertans who recognize the need to fully protect the Castle.

Kevin Van Tighem, Biologist, Author and former Banff National Park Superintendent:
“My career was spent in some of Canada’s most famous and treasured parks.  I worked as a biologist, a land ecologist, later as a manager and finally as a park Superintendent. What I learned in that time is that calling a place a park doesn’t make it one; it has to be managed as one.  If it’s a park, it has to be a park.  That means no land uses that are inherently damaging.  On land managed for wise use, it might be possible to try and mitigate the unavoidable damage caused by motorized recreation enough to allow for some vehicle use.  But not on land managed for protection. If Alberta wants honestly to boast about the new Castle parks as being truly world class, there is simply no place there for off-highway motorized recreation.”

Dave Mayhood, Aquatic Ecologist:
“Protecting the Castle parks from OHV use is not an exercise in balancing competing interests. It’s about responsibly managing critically important lands. Alberta’s Rocky Mountains and foothills catch, store, release and distribute the water that allows us to live in southern Alberta, producing about 60-80% of the water in our river mainstems. It is this very same area, our Eastern Slopes, that has the highest concentration of roads and trails in western North America for an area of its size. Land disturbances increase water drainage, and cause excessive erosion and stream sedimentation. In one study, we found that OHV-trail derived sediment loading could be causing 40-60% mortality of eggs and larvae in native westslope cutthroat trout, a threatened and federally protected species. If you “protect” an area, but allow access to motorized vehicles, you have protected nothing. Motorized vehicles are what protected areas need to be protected from.”

Cutthroat Trout. Photo by S. Perry

Lesley Peterson, Alberta Provincial Biologist with Trout Unlimited Canada:
“The Castle is an extremely important area for some of Alberta’s highly valued native trout species including Westslope Cutthroat Trout and Bull Trout. Although these species have persisted in this landscape for thousands of years, a few short decades of landscape abuse has resulted in their dramatic decline. But there is hope. Protection of the Castle area, including the rivers and streams that support these populations is an important step towards necessary and urgent recovery efforts that will allow current and future generations of Albertans and Canadians to continue to connect with and catch these wild, native species in their native range, right here in Alberta.”

Joanna Skrajny, Conservation Specialist with Alberta Wilderness Association:
“Approximately 90% of Alberta’s provincial public land is open to motorized recreation even though only 2-6% of the population uses OHVs for fun. Because OHVs cover so much ground and are heavy and noisy, they cause damage to sensitive land, they scare away wildlife and they displace other users such as hikers, fishermen and birdwatchers. With 90% available to OHV users it leaves less than 10% to sustain our wildlife, water, and the public that prefers to visit intact, healthy wilderness. Attempts to designate, educate and enforce OHVs on this landscape over the past 30 years have failed miserably. The multitude of at risk species in the Castle, including whitebark pine and federally protected westslope cutthroat trout point to the fact we have favoured use over protection. Protected areas are vital to our health and our wealth and they actually need real protection.  Tipping the scales back towards balance for nature and having places where everyone can enjoy is long overdue. OHV users are welcome in the Castle – they just need to use their own two feet.”

Protect the Castle. (R. Pisko)

Gord Petersen, local resident and member of the Castle-Crown Wilderness Coalition:
“Twenty five years ago, my wife and I chose to move to the Pincher Creek area, in large part because of the proximity of wildlands and wildlife. Unfortunately, industrial development, logging, and off-highway vehicles have damaged the Castle to the point that now we seldom go there. Many of our neighbours and friends have also abandoned the Castle. I’m delighted that this government has made the hard decisions and established the Castle Parks so the healing can begin. Some time, and a little TLC, will restore large parts of the Castle to a wilderness state. I’m excited by the chance to reconnect with the Castle and, in due time, to experience the Castle wilderness as it has existed for centuries.”

Katie Morrison, Conservation Director with the Southern Alberta chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS):
“Numerous studies and polls have shown that Albertans overwhelmingly support protected areas.  For example, a recent study indicates that 88% of Albertans want more wilderness protected. More specifically 86% of Albertans prefer quiet and low-impact recreation over motorized recreation and in communities downstream of the Castle, between 82 and 94 % of people prioritize headwaters protection over recreational opportunities.”

Neil Keown, Member of Alberta Backcountry Hunters and Anglers:
“The Alberta membership of the Backcountry Hunting and Anglers (BHA) commends the Alberta government for putting conservation principles and responsible land use first, while providing the highest quality hunting and angling opportunities in the province. As traditional hunters and anglers, we consider ourselves as stewards of the land, and have witnessed how increased pressures from motorized equipment have had detrimental effects on the proposed park areas.  We support reductions in the overall footprint of motorized recreation, coupled with careful trail planning and enforcement to keep OHVs out of sensitive wildlife habitats, riparian areas and wilderness-quality hunting areas.”

Sharon MacDonald, Ghost Valley community member:
“Throughout the past two decades, we have seen the Ghost become increasingly lawless and unsafe for families to visit. Concerns for personal safety have become prevalent throughout the Eastern Slopes.  Public lands offer different experiences and opportunities from parks and protected areas and we need both. Nonetheless, there is a need to make all public lands safe for all of us to be able to enjoy and experience more traditional forms of recreation including fishing, hiking, foraging, bird watching, ice climbing, equestrian use, and tenting. If properly managed, all of these areas can provide unparalleled richness to the community and support robust economic diversification.”