Alberta Prairie Conservation Action Plan
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The Prairie Conservation Action Plan (PCAP) focuses on conserving the biological diversity of Alberta’s native prairie ecosystems. PCAP recognizes the past and present role of ranching in preserving the prairie ecosystem. It also recognizes the heritage value of the prairie, along with its cultural and economic contributions. Through an approach of consensus and co-operation, the program encourages the incorporation of conservation ethics as part of all activities and management decisions on the prairies, particularly with community initiatives. PCAP is implemented through the Prairie Conservation Forum (PCF), which is a multi-stakeholder group that meets periodically to discuss and monitor initiatives for prairie conservation.
The World Wildlife Fund and Canada’s three Prairie provinces released the first five-year Prairie Conservation Action Plan in 1988.
Initiatives
Several important prairie conservation initiatives have been put in place over the past several years. These include the following:- development of a local land use plan for almost 50 sections of native aspen parkland on public land located south of the Rumsey Ecological Reserve
- completion of a Range Management brochure that explains the principles of grazing land management on public lands
- a reserve on the eastern side of Lake Newell established by the Eastern Irrigation District, this reserve contains native grasslands and shoreline environment with diverse species and habitats
- a strategy to conserve and manage the riparian cottonwood forests in southern Alberta
- inventories of the environmentally significant areas within most rural municipalities of the Prairie and Parkland regions
Future Goals
The Prairie Conservation Action Plan has been extended to the year 2000. Alberta is continuing to emphasize partnership efforts, establishing links with other conservation initiatives and building co-operative initiatives at the community level. The focus of PCAP also includes the following:
- acquiring more complete information about the prairie ecosystem
- ensuring that all three levels of government have policies in place that favour prairie conservation
- adopting land use practices and protective strategies that support the ecosystem for the entire land, not just selected sites
- helping people to gain a better understanding and appreciation of the prairie ecosystem, as well as its values and importance
For updated information
Contact any of the offices below:
Alberta Sustainable Resource Development
Rangeland Management Branch
9920 - 108 Street NW
Edmonton, Alberta T5K 2M4
Telephone: (780) 427 3595
Alberta Environmental Protection
Corporate Management Service
3rd Floor, YPM Place
530 - 8 Street S
Lethbridge, Alberta T1J 2J8
Telephone: (403) 382 4306
