Bragg Creek open house discusses forest management for Kananaskis Country
Sustainable Resource Development hosted an open house in Bragg Creek on June 12, 2007 to provide information on forest management challenges and actions in Kananaskis Country.
The event provided displays, take-away materials and the opportunity for one-on-one interaction with SRD specialists in several forest management disciplines, including mountain pine beetle, FireSmart, forest management planning, forest regeneration, forest hydrology, forest ecology and wildlife.
The open house, held from noon to 9 p.m., attracted 86 adult participants plus 20-25 children. Sustainable Resource Development Minister Ted Morton also attended the event and talked with the public and staff about the information that was provided and how it was received.
The open house noted that the aging forests of Kananaskis Country face increased risk of infestation by mountain pine beetle, as well as threats of catastrophic wildfire. Presentations outlined how forest management planning for the region is helping to meet those challenges while ensuring protection of other forest values – including watershed integrity, biodiversity, fish and wildlife habitat and recreation opportunities.
Information provided to the public included identification of the geographic areas most at risk to mountain pine beetle attacks, an outline of the community-based approach to be taken to plan FireSmart safety measures for Kananaskis Country and the measures in place to ensure continued sustainable forest management practices in the region.
Participants provided valuable feedback on the information presented at the open house and on the development of a Land-use Framework for Alberta.
Kananaskis Country is governed by an Integrated Resource Plan that includes provision for timber harvesting and other uses. About 60 per cent of the region is designated as parks and protected areas and a portion of the remainder is available for commercial forest management. Timber harvesting and reforestation occur on about 900 hectares of forest each year, or less than one per cent of the land base.
