No decision yet on proposed backcountry closures
Parks Canada has not yet made a final decision on whether to close areas of the park to protect woodland caribou from predators like wolves.
The proposed areas of closure, which would be in effect from Nov. 1 to March 1, are the Tonquin Valley, the Brazeau area and the northern boundary of the park. Caribou are identified as “threatened” under Canada’s Species at Risk Act (SARA).
Parks previously stated that a decision on the closures would be reached in May, but the agency is still taking time to conduct a thorough analysis, said Alisson Ogle, public relations and communications for Jasper National Park.
Parks spoke with a total of about 200 people in workshops in Jasper and Edmonton and received 400 emails from across Canada during the review period. Parks also met with stakeholders, which included town council, the Chamber of Commerce, Tourism Jasper, and other businesses.
The “what we heard” document, which includes input from the workshops and email comments is available at .
Dog park update
The off-leash area on Sleepy Hollow Road is expected to be open to dogs and their owners on schedule.
“I said the end of June and I’m confident in that,” said Doug Rodwell, acting director of environmental services.
The fencing, donated by Kinder Morgan, is already piling up at the Environmental Services building, and as soon as there is enough to finish the job, it will be erected.
The new off-leash area will be comparable in size to the old site, which is now being used for the construction of the new joint high school.
Prescribed fire snuffed
The prescribed fire at Vine Creek has been postponed again.
The 725-hectare burn has been on Parks Canada’s agenda for six years, but the perfect burning conditions haven’t yet aligned in order for the fire management team to ignite the slopes of Mount Greenock.
The team did manage to burn about 100 hectares of fireguard in the area, though, and it hopes conditions will be better in the fall, so the entire burn can be carried out.
Once completed, the Vine Creek burn will provide a strategic firebreak for wildfires burning eastward, it will reduce the available habitat for mountain pine beetle and it will help restore both Douglas fir and whitebark pine in the area.
Annual book sale
The Jasper Municipal Library is holding its annual used book sale Saturday, June 8.
Load up your arms with titles from your summer reading list between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.
The library is also looking for volunteers to help set-up and take down the sale. To lend a hand, call 852-3652.
