Parks Canada鈥檚 decision on backcountry closures, released last week, strikes a fine balance between caribou conservation and winter recreation.
The agency announced July 26 that the Brazeau and A La Peche caribou ranges are the only two areas of Jasper National Park to have delayed winter recreational access. The delays will come into effect this winter and both areas will open March 1.
The Brazeau range encompasses the area between Bubbling Springs and Beauty Creek Hostel on Highway 93 West. The A La Peche range is the north boundary area of the park.
The winter closures are an attempt to protect woodland caribou from wolves, who have been shown to use compact ski trails to access caribou where they would otherwise be safe from predation.
The proposal to close areas for caribou conservation, even before it was approved, was applauded by the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) in its 2013 State of Canada鈥檚 Parks report released last month.
鈥淲oodland caribou are at critically low numbers in Jasper National Park, so delaying the opening of certain trails is an effort to help recover caribou within the park, and we are supportive of that,鈥� said Anne-Marie Syslak, executive director of the southern Alberta chapter of CPAWS.
Woodland caribou are listed as a threatened species under the Species at Risk Act. There are 50 in the Tonquin herd, 15 in the Brazeau and six in the Maligne and about 125 in the A La Peche.
鈥淸Our decision] captures the conservation gains that we needed and at the same time maintains our leadership role as a premier winter destination,鈥� said Greg Fenton, superintendent of JNP.
Parks received push back from backcountry users and businesses last winter, when it first proposed the closures. As a result of that feedback and months of public consultation, Parks has removed the Poboktan/Maligne Pass area from the list of closures. It could be included in the future, but that will depend on the results of the Maligne Valley Implementation Strategy that Parks is currently compiling.
Also a result of public feedback, Parks won鈥檛 be extending the Tonquin Valley closure, as was proposed. Rather, the Tonquin will open Feb. 15, as it has done for the last five years.
The original area closure will be expanded, though, to include the Astoria River, Portal Creek and Meadow Creek drainages. That鈥檚 in addition to the Cavell Road and Astoria Trail area that has been closed previously.
Another result of the consultation process is the addition of new recreational opportunities in two areas: Decoigne and Pyramid Lake. This winter, Parks expects to already have new track set and compacted trails at Decoigne. That will be Phase 1 of a multi-phase project to increase the winter opportunities in areas of the park that aren鈥檛 critical caribou habitat.
鈥淲e have been criticized lots in the past, that we had predetermined decisions and have engagement processes, but don鈥檛 really listen, but I think this an example of an engagement process where we were indeed actively listening and we were respondent and we made changes,鈥� said Fenton, noting that the decision will result in gains for both caribou and recreationalists.
鈥淚 think our park can be really proud of these decisions,鈥� said Loni Klettl, an avid backcountry user, who was consulted during the decision-making process. 鈥淲e did a good job and everybody worked so hard鈥攏ot only the public, but Parks, too.
鈥淔or all the stress that we went through, everybody pulled up their socks ... and now we can move forward with caribou conservation and winter in Jasper.鈥�
Klettl, who鈥檚 a founding member of the Jasper Trail Alliance, said the proposed closures Parks presented last winter were just 鈥渂lobs鈥� on a map that didn鈥檛 take into consideration the terrain. But after consultations with backcountry users, the agency adjusted the boundaries to allow for recreation in areas that aren鈥檛 utilized by caribou. That includes ice climbing areas like Sunwapta Canyon, Beauty Creek and Tangle Ridge.
Those discussions also resulted in an inventory of prime backcountry terrain that Parks and the Trail Alliance will promote as winter comes closer.
鈥淯ntil this decision, we couldn鈥檛 really promote what we have,鈥� said Klettl. 鈥淣ow we can promote it and increase use and get people out there, while giving caribou the space they need.鈥�
Nicole Veerman
[email protected]
