Ghost Forest Land Use Zone

Questions and Answers

CONSULTATION

How was the operational access management plan developed?

  • The operational access management plan was developed based on a host of different public input processes over a two-year period (January 2003 to March 2005).
  • This process included open houses, facilitated stakeholder sessions with key stakeholder groups, two separate Internet-based and written survey opportunities, a random telephone survey, and the provision for written submissions.
  • The Advisory Team, consisting of Sustainable Resource Development, Community Development, Energy, Economic Development, Infrastructure and Transportation, Environment and the MD of Bighorn used this information to develop the plan.
How was the managed trail network developed?
  • The managed trail network was developed based on detailed inventories of existing trails put in place in the 1980s and a thorough review of old industrial roads and seismic lines that had been created in the Ghost-Waiparous area.
  • That inventory of information was then evaluated against a set of criteria developed by the Advisory Team including the key objectives of the plan to ensure public safety, natural resource sustainability, minimize user conflicts and provide a range of recreational opportunities. The evaluation results, in addition to existing resource management information, were utilized to develop a base network of trails.
  • The heavy rains that occurred in 2005 required that the trail inventory be revisited throughout the summer and fall to further evaluate potential damage to trails originally identified as being usable.
  • The department requested additional feedback and information on the trails network from the many different user groups from April to October 2005 through a number of meetings. User groups were provided with information gathering standards and global positioning systems for collecting usable trail data.
  • Trail information from the user groups was used in the determination of the final trails network.

OPERATIONAL ACCESS MANAGEMENT PLAN

Why was an access management plan needed?

  • The need for an access management plan was identified in the Ghost River Sub-Regional Integrated Resource Plan that was prepared in 1988.
  • At that time, the growing demand for recreation in the Ghost-Waiparous area and its potential conflicts with other resource values and stakeholders was identified as a growing problem that needed to be addressed.
  • The dramatic growth of Calgary and surrounding area and increasing recreational use of the Ghost-Waiparous area has resulted in heightened conflict between users, public safety concerns and increased impact on natural resources.
  • Access management was needed in the planning area to protect sensitive terrain, deal with user conflict, public safety and the protection of the watershed, fisheries and wildlife.
  • Recreational users needed to know what access they could utilize as existing access such as seismic lines and winter forestry roads are not always suitable as sustainable recreational trails over the long-term.
What has the government changed to better manage access in the Ghost-Waiparous area?
  • Contrary to some reports, government has not closed the Ghost-Waiparous area.
  • Two fundamental changes have been made to better support the access management plan and its various strategies of education, enforcement, maintenance and monitoring:
    • The establishment of a designated trail system enabled through the creation of a Forest Land Use Zone.
    • The implementation of a trail management strategy in collaboration with stakeholders through the formation of a Stewardship Committee.
  • The creation of a new Forest Land Use Zone will allow government to direct the use of public lands for a variety of recreational activities to certain areas/trails, during certain seasons.
  • Forest Officers and Guardians may now respond to non-compliance issues with a focus on education, but also through warnings and fines authorized under the Forest Recreation Regulation.
  • Motorized recreational use will now be directed to a network of designated trails (specific trails for specific vehicle types) that will be more suitable for long-term use.
Is industry being allowed in this area?
  • Yes. Industrial activities will still be allowed in the Ghost-Waiparous area under existing review and approval processes.
  • It is important to note that industry has always operated under an existing regulatory framework and site-specific conditions as a part of the authority given for them to operate.
  • Failure to comply with these rules and regulations could then be addressed through a variety of enforcement or remediation actions.
  • One of the common themes that government heard through the public input process was that industry and the recreational user should both be operating under some form of regulation to ensure that proper enforcement action could be carried out if needed.
  • Any access proposed by industrial activity will be evaluated for potential future use or possible replacement of existing trails that may be in poor condition, or in areas that were not properly designed for long-term recreational use when the initial access was created.
Environmentalists claim that the plan offers little more than a free-for-all for motorized recreationists while ignoring the natural values of the area. Does the plan address the protection of the water, wildlife and the other natural resources?
  • Yes. The primary intent of the plan is to ensure the sustainability of the area's natural resources while still providing for a wide range of popular recreational activities, both motorized and non-motorized.
  • Many of the decisions relating to the designated trail network were based on concerns for water, wildlife, soil and range resources and much more work will need to be done with the various user groups to make the current identified network sustainable over the long-term.
  • Random camping will also be focused away from watercourses in recognition of the importance of healthy riparian areas and clean water that ultimately makes its way to the residents of the MD of Bighorn, Cochrane and Calgary.

GHOST-WAIPAROUS STEWARDSHIP COMMITTEE

What is the role of this committee?

  • Establishment of the Stewardship Committee recognizes that successful management of public land use ultimately depends on the support and actions of those who use it.
  • The Ghost-Waiparous Stewardship Committee will be expected to work with government, stakeholders and the public in the implementation of a designated trails system and trail management strategy to meet the suite of desired outcomes of the plan.
  • The Stewardship Committee will work with government to help resolve access-related issues in the Ghost-Waiparous area, particularly as it relates to desired trail standards, the ability for various user groups to share trails, and ways to further engage users as it relates to stewardship education messaging, maintenance, monitoring and repair of the current trail network.
  • The group will also work with government to develop a process that would allow interested groups to bring possible trails forward for inclusion into the trail network that, if approved, would immediately be adopted for long-term maintenance by the proponent.
  • Initially, the department will lead the Stewardship Committee. Once established, the Stewardship Committee, in partnership with the department, will develop a Terms of Reference document that will provide flexibility in how they will function and how they will meet the desired outcomes of the Ghost-Waiparous Operational Access Management Plan.
Who will be on the committee and how will the members be chosen?
  • The Stewardship Committee will be put in place within 90 days of the final announcement of the access plan and accompanying trail network.
  • The department will work with the various stakeholder groups who have participated in the development of the Ghost Operational Access Management Plan (eg. motorized and non-motorized groups, non-government environmental groups, existing disposition holders, industry, local governments) and they will be asked to work together as sectors to identify a single voice that can bring their interests to the table in an effective, collaborative manner.
  • Supporting membership may include representation from the Ministries of Community Development and Infrastructure and Transportation, the Federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans and other subject matter experts.
  • The department will work with the various sectors over the next few months to assist them in this process.
  • The department envisions that the Stewardship Committee will help "champion" successful implementation of the Ghost-Waiparous Operational Access Management Plan.

MONITORING AND ENFORCEMENT

Does the department have the staff to enforce these regulations?

  • Seasonal and permanent staff will be working with all stakeholders and users to educate them on the elements of the "Respect the Land" Program so that they can appreciate that they have an important role to play in shaping the future of the Ghost-Waiparous area.
  • In addition to permanent Forest Officers and Fish and Wildlife staff, the department has completed training and will be deploying Guardians to patrol the area throughout the high-use season.
  • The department also routinely works with other law enforcement agencies, such as the RCMP, to ensure that public safety objectives are met.
  • The department recognizes, however, that enforcement is only one part of the effective implementation of the operational access management plan.
How will you ensure that this works? What if recreationists ignore the regulations?
  • Staff will be monitoring the success of both education and enforcement activities in the Ghost-Waiparous area on an ongoing basis.
  • This information will be used to further refine the trail network and regulations and will be used as background material for the Ghost-Waiparous Stewardship Committee as they work with government on providing advice on future directions.
  • The access plan provides opportunities for all users to demonstrate their commitment to live within the parameters and objectives set in the plan.
  • The Stewardship Committee, as representatives of and in conjunction with users groups, will play a critical role in providing users of the consequences of ignoring the management strategy of designated trails, random camping use and regulations put in place for the area.
  • Some consequences of ignoring regulations and management efforts may include increased enforcement efforts, increased fines, increased restrictions on trail usage, and potentially removal of trail designations.
How will the area be monitored to ensure the regulations are being followed?
  • Staff will be routinely patrolling the Ghost-Waiparous area to monitor compliance and to also provide information to recreational users on the "Respect the Land" programs and wise use of the backcountry to ensure its sustainability for future generations of Albertans.
  • On peak periods like the May and September long-weekends, additional resources will be brought in through collaborative enforcement efforts with other departments and the RCMP.

RANDOM CAMPING

How does the plan address random camping?

  • The plan recognizes that random camping is a permitted activity in the area. The plan also recognizes that without better management of this particular activity that it will make it difficult to minimize impacts to public safety and environmental sustainability.
  • Changes to the Forest Recreation Regulation, as a response to enable the plan's strategies, include random camping staying 1 kilometre away from existing Provincial Recreation Areas.
  • The department will be working with the Stewardship Committee and users over the summer and fall to further refine approaches to random camping that will protect both the riparian area as well as the watercourse and also better protect the important range resource found throughout the Ghost-Waiparous area.

OHV USE

OHV users wanted more access than was provided in the final plan. Why are you limiting their access?

  • Unrestricted OHV use was identified as a potential problem as far back as 1988 when the areas Integrated Resource Plan was completed.
  • Since that time, Calgary and surrounding areas population has grown dramatically as have the type and number of motorized OHVs.
  • While OHVs provide an excellent way to access the backcountry, they also have the potential to do significant damage to stream crossings, meadows, and old industrial roads and seismic lines that were not designed for repeated motorized use.
OHV users claim the managed trail network map in the plan designates trails of only approximately 10 kilometres for four-wheel drive use. What is the amount identified in the plan?
  • In the current designated trail network, there are 52 kilometres of identified 4x4 (truck) access.
  • There are also 223 kilometres of industrial roads that are available for 4x4 access for registered on-highway vehicles.
  • The designated trail network is the staring point for the creation of an adaptive trail management method … that addresses the environment, public safety and user needs.

MANAGED TRAIL NETWORK

What is the amount of trails identified for recreational users?

  • At the present time, 627 kilometres of trail have been identified for recreational use, up from the original 180 kilometres of snowmobile trail formally identified in the late 1980s.
Is there an opportunity to add further trails in the future?
  • Yes. The designated trail network is the staring point for the creation of an adaptive trail management strategy that addresses the environment, public safety and user needs.
  • The Stewardship Committee will work with government to help resolve access related issues, particularly as it relates to desired trail standards, the ability for various user groups to share trails, and ways to further engage users as it relates to stewardship education messaging, as well as, maintenance, monitoring and repair of the current identified trail network and random camping use.
  • The committee will also work with government develop a process for interested groups to bring forward possible trails that, if approved, could immediately be adopted into the trail network, with the proponent becoming responsible for long-term maintenance.
What criteria did SRD use to establish the trail network?
  • The following criteria were used in developing the managed trail network.
Environmental Considerations
  • Watershed Values
  • Fisheries Values
  • Wildlife Values
  • Range/forage Values
  • Soil and landform (e.g. rutting and erosion potential/damage)
  • Historical/cultural Values
  • Aesthetic Values
  • Recreational Values (broad spectrum including motorized and non-motorized)
  • Safety of approaches to and from roads.
  • Public Safety
  • Minimize user conflicts (users; industrial/commercial/recreational users/general public / motorized / non-motorized).
  • Access to trails and orientation of trails. Specific trail data collected; current trail use patterns, rutting events, braiding events, erosion, drainage, water crossings, existing infrastructure (fences, gates, cattle guards), soil

MAINTENANCE

Who is going to carry out maintenance on the trails in the area?

  • Government will be working with the Stewardship Committee and related clubs and organizations on the identification of common trail standards for the Ghost-Waiparous area.
  • These standards will then be used to prepare a long-term maintenance and repair plan that is based on partnerships between government and the recreational users.
  • Repair and maintenance will be closely linked to the priorities identified in the Operational Access Management Plan and monitoring protocol to measure the success of the plan and its implementation.
What does the Forest Recreation Regulation cover?
  • The Forest Recreation Regulation governs the recreational use of Forest Land Use Zones, Forest Recreation Areas, and Forest Recreation Trails.
What is the Ghost-Waiparous Area designated in the Forest Recreation Regulation?
  • Through the recent Order in Council, the Ghost Waiparous Area was declared a Forest Land Use Zone called the Ghost Forest Land Use Zone and is now effective. Therefore only those provisions within the Forest Recreation Regulation governing Forest Land Use Zones apply.
What is a Forest Land Use Zone?
  • A Forest Land Use Zone (FLUZ) is an area of land to which legislative controls are applied under the authority of the Forests Act. A FLUZ is created specifically for that land base and the conditions that exist within it. Each FLUZ can vary greatly on what recreational uses are and are not permitted.
How can I find out more about the specific recreational access requirements in the Ghost Forest Land Use Zone?
  • Information is available at kiosks at specified locations within the Ghost FLUZ, trail information is posted on signs throughout the zone, recreational access information is available in brochures and on the Sustainable Resource Development website at www.srd.gov.ab.ca.
  • All trails are closed unless marked open, and if there is any uncertainty, assume the trail is closed and check with your local Forest Officer to determine that specific trail's access requirements.
  • For any other information on the Ghost FLUZ, the public may also contact any Forest Officer or Guardian within the department of Sustainable Resource Development.
What if recreationists ignore the regulations?
  • Under the Forest Recreation Regulation it is an offence to violate the orders of a Forest Officer, or instructions posted on signs and notices. Law enforcement officers may issue tickets to violators or if the violation is serious take the violator to court for a maximum fine of $1000.
  • Recreational users are encouraged to become familiar with the new trails network and abide by all posted notices and signs.
  • Aside from the Forest Recreation Regulation, there are other applicable laws that apply and the public is still required to comply with all other relevant legislation. Law enforcement officers designated as special constables will be enforcing these other requirements.