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Creating a Bighorn Country for all Albertans

Nov 23, 2018 | 2:51 PM

EDMONTON, AB – Alberta is consulting on a proposal for Bighorn Country that would conserve natural landscapes while boosting economic development, tourism and recreation.

Located between Banff and Jasper national parks, Bighorn Country includes the headwaters of the North Saskatchewan River that provide clean drinking water to more than one-million Albertans. Its rugged terrain, scenic vistas and array of rare plants and wildlife make it a popular recreation and tourism destination.

In the spirit of Kananaskis Country, the province is proposing a mix of parks and public lands that would preserve natural landscapes while supporting a wide range of world-class tourism and recreation opportunities. 

“Forty years ago, Premier Peter Lougheed created Kananaskis Country due to increased pressures on the eastern slopes,” said Premier Rachel Notley in a press-release.  “Now, Kananaskis provides amazing experiences and opportunities, showing that investments in Alberta today mean our children and grandchildren will have wild spaces to enjoy in the future. We are asking all Albertans to help us create a place for everyone.”

To ensure the right balance of Indigenous, economic, environmental and social values and goals, all interested parties can provide input on the future of the Bighorn Country through an online survey available from Nov. 23, 2018 to Jan. 31, 2019.

“This mix of parks, recreation areas and public land-use zones has the potential to be the greatest tourism development opportunity the area has ever seen,” said Shannon Phillips, Minister of Environment and Parks in the same press-release. “We know how much Albertans value nature and time spent outdoors. This proposal will create new jobs, enhance mountain recreation and preserve the wilds of the Bighorn back-country for generations to come.”

New land designations in Bighorn Country would better protect headwaters and biodiversity, support continued traditional land-use by Indigenous Peoples, and provide high-quality outdoor recreation and nature-based tourism opportunities.

The proposal supports all current recreation activities (such as camping, hunting, hiking, fishing, climbing, mountain biking, horseback riding and off-highway vehicle use) that have been enjoyed by local user groups for years, and would ensure these activities continue for generations to come.