Castle Parks Management Plan Annotated Draft Table of Contents

Transcription

1 Castle Parks Management Plan Anntated Draft Table f Cntents *Nte: the Management Plan will include the sectins listed belw. Management gals and bjectives will be develped fr each sectin. Italicized text bxes belw demnstrate recmmended management intent fr the Minister s cnsideratin; hwever, if desired, intent can be mdified t better reflect Minister s directin (i.e. whether OHV and/r hunting are permitted in prvincial park). Many sectins have standard wrding that is used in all management plans, and s these sectins were left blank. Glssary f Terms Executive Summary 1.0 Intrductin Purpse and Objectives Management Visin Cnservatin f nature will be the primary, verriding bjective f bth parks. Cmpatible, nature-based recreatin will be permitted and respnsibly managed, prvided it is aligned with the verall cnservatin intent. Priritized management intent fr bth parks: 1. Cnservatin 2. Headwaters prtectin 3. Indigenus rights 4. Grazing 5. Hunting 6. Outdr recreatin/turism The prvincial park wuld prvide facilities and infrastructure t supprt a frntcuntry experience (e.g. aut-accessible campgrunds, staging areas, picnic areas, infrmatin, etc.). The prvincial park wuld be the fcus fr any educatinal r infrmatinal prgrams prvided fr visitrs. The wildland prvincial park wuld prvide fr back-cuntry and wilderness experiences where facilities, including trails, wuld be cmpatible with prtectin f cnservatin values. There wuld be limited built infrastructure, if any, and visitrs, depending n the mde f travel culd experience day length trips t multi-day length trips that require a high level f self-reliance. Guiding Principles Describes planning principles utilized in develpment f management directin, including: Envirnmental leadership: management and peratins demnstrate envirnmental leadership and shwcase best practices in energy and water efficiency, envirnmental design, cnstructin practices and prducts. 1

2 Evidence based decisin-making: decisin-making is infrmed by natural and scial science, evidence and experience, which includes traditinal knwledge. Integrated management: management decisins cnsider the cmbined impacts f envirnmental, ecnmic and scial factrs. Accuntability: milestnes and deliverables are established and Albertans receive timely infrmatin abut prgress in achieving desired utcmes. Cllabratin and citizen engagement: the decisin-making prcess is inclusive and transparent. Thrugh greater cllabratin we create increased value fr visitrs and achieve cmmn gals. Inclusin: we wrk t ensure facilities and prgrams are designed s that everyne s needs are cnsidered. The Planning Prcess Milestnes: Pre-planning (includes develpment f planning strategy and engagement) 3 mnths, March-May Issues identificatin and planning strategies (includes engagement) 4 mnths, June-September Drafting f the plan 4 mnths, Octber-January 2017 Cnsultatin n the draft plan 2 mnths, February-March 2017 Finalizing the plan 1 mnth, April 2017 Public release f apprved plan Public/stakehlder invlvement pints Early engagement f user grups will be key in the planning prcess t ensure their cncerns and issues are cnsidered in the develpment f management ptins. This will include wrkshps t test varius scenaris related t cnservatin and recreatin utcmes. Partnerships in infrmatin gathering will be pursued, fr example with academia, lcal cmmunities, Indigenus Peples, recreatinal users, etc. Alberta s Prvincial Parks System Visin Alberta s parks inspire peple t discver, value, prtect and enjy the natural wrld and the benefits it prvides fr current and future generatins. Desired Outcmes There are three desired utcmes fr the prvincial parks system: Peple friendly cmmunities and recreatinal pprtunities; Healthy ecsystems and envirnment; and Sustainable prsperity supprted by ur land and natural resurces. Natural Regins Framewrk One f the main purpses f the Alberta parks system is t preserve the natural 2

3 landscapes, features and prcesses that represent the prvince's envirnmental diversity. In Alberta, the Natural Regins Framewrk describes that envirnmental diversity. The Natural Regins Framewrk is a landscape classificatin hierarchy that identifies landscape types based n natural characteristics including: landfrm, hydrlgy, climate, gelgy, sils, and vegetatin. This sectin will describe the specific natural subregins fr the Castle parks. Rle in the System Statement Is a succinct statement that describes the verall purpse f the site in the larger prvincial parks netwrk. Fr example, the rle in the system statement fr the Castle parks will identify that the primary bjective fr the Castle parks is fr cnservatin, and the value f these parks fr bidiversity cnservatin, headwaters prtectin and eclgical cnnectivity. Site Significance Statement Summarizes the imprtant natural, cultural, and recreatinal values f the parks. The site significance statement helps t succinctly describe the individual site attributes and assciated site management. Park Classificatin, Legislatin and Plicy Integratin with Reginal Planning Initiatives Describes the interface with adjacent Public Land use Znes, the surrunding landbase and municipalities, including any alignment f bjectives such as alignment f educatin and enfrcement effrts with the adjacent Prcupine Hills. Where pssible, trail netwrks wuld be linked between the parks and Public Land use Znes; recreatinal uses that are inapprpriate fr the parks culd be redirected t these Public Land use Znes if cnsidered apprpriate uses fr thse areas. Reginal Cntext Lcatin and Access Site Histry 2.0 Cnservatin and Prtectin Gelgy, Landfrms and Sils Bidiversity Flra and Vegetatin Fauna Species at Risk Prtect critical Westslpe Cutthrat trut habitat which is aligned with the recent federal annuncement regarding the changes t the Species at Risk Act. 3

4 Cultural Heritage Listing f Histrical Resurces in the Parks Current and Histrical Indigenus traditinal land uses Treaty Rights and traditinal land uses Cultural practice sites Climate Change Headwaters and Water Resurces Prtecting the headwaters t sustain suthern Alberta thrugh increased management f surrunding land use. Vegetatin Management General A vegetatin management strategy will be develped, with the primary bjective f cnserving bidiversity. It will address issues such as invasive species, fire and grazing, in mre detail, including permitted lcatins and cnditins fr nging harvesting f Christmas trees and firewd. Invasive Species Fire Grazing Grazing is a permitted use in bth parks, with cnservatin f bidiversity as the primary bjective. AUMs will be mnitred and adjusted if necessary, t meet this primary bjective. Best practices in livestck management will be encuraged, t minimize impacts t water quality, fish habitats, and t prevent the spread f invasive species r manure pllutants. Fr example, by limiting access f livestck t riparian areas. Grazing will be managed in cllabratin with the grazing alltment hlders t ensure prtectin f bidiversity. New grazing in the prvincial park will be subject t a grazing suitability assessment. N new grazing will be permitted in the wildland prvincial park. Adjacent Land Use and Develpment 3.0 Turism and Cmmunity Park Facilities and Infrastructure See bullets n recreatin Turism Services and Facilities Majr Turism facilities such as glf curses r htels wuld be directed t neighburing cmmunities and wuld nt be permitted within the parks. 4

5 Turism services such as guiding r utfitting wuld be permitted in bth the parks, subject t standard EP cnditins. Develpment f a hut-t-hut netwrk fr nn-mtrized recreatinalists may be cnsidered, similar t what is in natinal parks and BC Parks, s lng as primary cnservatin bjective is nt impacted. Cmmunity Engagement 4.0 Learning and Engagement All messaging wuld cnnect t the primary bjective f cnservatin fr the parks. Mre detailed messaging wuld be prvided n the imprtance f headwater prtectin and recreating respnsibly. Cllabratin will be sught with nearby First Natins and cmmunities t partner n messaging, and t participate in each ther s infrmatin, stewardship and utreach prgrams. Interpretive Prgramming Infrmatin Services Envirnmental Educatin and Stewardship Outreach 5.0 Outdr Recreatin and Healthy Living Recreatin The recreatinal experience in bth the prvincial park and wildland wuld be cnsidered rustic. Recreatinal activities in the Wildland will als be wilderness riented, and require self-reliance. Frmalized campgrunds will cntinue in the prvincial park, and may include expansin f capacity and additin f mdern services such as electricity. Randm camping within the prvincial park will be managed via designated randm camping areas which will be predetermined based n lcatin, histrical use and their ability t sustain nging camping. Within the designated area, campers will be able t rganize int grups f units, r nt, and limited services such as a tilet r garbage may be prvided. See attached designs. Randm camping within the wildland will nly ccur in designated backcuntry camping areas. These backcuntry areas may be accessed by mtrized recreatinal users, nnmtrized users, r bth, depending n the trail used t access the site. Trails System Mtrized trails Highway vehicles f any srt (e.g. 4x4s, jeeps) wuld nt be permitted n the designated trail netwrk. OHV use will cntinue in bth the WPP and PP, but the existing trail netwrk in the wuld be assessed and trails (and ther linear disturbances) wuld be reclaimed t a trail threshld that supprts prtectin f bidiversity, species at risk habitat (i.e. grizzly bear and Westslpe Cutthrat trut), headwaters and apprpriate visitr experiences. 5

6 Mst f the mtrized trail netwrk wuld be in the prvincial park designatin. The OHV experience in the wildland prvincial park wuld be geared tward destinatins (e.g. designated backcuntry mtrized access campgrund, viewpints) within the wildland cnnecting t and accessed frm a brader trail netwrk in the prvincial park and n adjacent land. There may be limited cnnectivity t OHV trails within the wildland park t help supprt the destinatin riented OHV use. OHV use will be n designated OHV trails nly. Seasnal restrictins may be placed n OHV trail use t ensure prtectin f cnservatin values. Nn-Mtrized trails Staging areas wuld be lcated in the prvincial park with supprting infrastructure (i.e. infrmatin, washrms, etc.). Prvincial park wuld supprt a higher density f trail netwrk t supprt nn-mtrized trail uses ffering pprtunities fr shrt day use (frnt-cuntry) t multi-day use that cnnect t the wildland prvincial park. The existing trail netwrk within the wildland prvincial park wuld be assessed and trails (and ther linear disturbances) wuld be reclaimed t a trail threshld that supprts prtectin f bidiversity, species at risk, headwaters and apprpriate visitr experiences. The trail netwrk wuld als be assessed t identify pprtunities fr cmpatible multi-use trails and where user cnflicts can be minimized. Hunting As in all wildlands, hunting will be a permitted use in the Castle WPP where nt prhibited due t public safety cncerns. All access fr hunting wuld be restricted t designated trails nly. As a lngstanding histrical activity, hunting will als cntinue t be a permitted activity in the Castle PP. Hwever it will be managed with public safety as primary bjective and precluded frm areas in the prvincial park where public safety is a cncern. This includes public radways, facility znes and ccupied buildings. Firearms discharge permit wuld be required t hunt within bth parks. Where necessary, cllabrate with Fish and Wildlife Plicy Branch regarding seasns and licence allcatins fr WMU 400. Access Public Safety Similar t Kananaskis, public safety services wuld be prvided in the Castle parks, such as search and rescue. Enfrcement will be critical t ensure user safety and help change user habits t manage use and minimize envirnmental impacts. 6.0 Park Zning Framewrk 7.0 Research, Mnitring and Adaptive Management 6

7 The Castle parks can serve as benchmarks t cmpare changes in bidiversity utside f the parks caused by climate change and management techniques Priritized science and research questins Mnitring and reprting needs 8.0 Implementatin and Review References Maps Appendices Permitted Uses Table: Permitted Use Prvincial Park Wildland Prvincial Park Mtrized Recreatinal Use Yes, n trails designated fr that use Yes, n trails designated fr that use OHV Staging areas (r n adjacent public lands) Muntain Biking Yes, n designated trails nly Yes, n designated trails nly Equestrian Use Yes, in designated areas Yes, in designated areas Hiking Yes Yes Climbing/Caving Yes Yes Water Based Recreatin Yes Yes Aut Access Camping Yes, in designated areas N Randm Camping Yes, in designated camping areas Yes, in designated camping areas Hunting Yes, where nt precluded fr Yes public safety reasns Grazing Yes, existing Yes, existing New, subject t a grazing suitability assessment Turism Develpment Yes, turism infrastructure and facilities Yes, turism prducts 7

8 Designated Un-Serviced Camping Areas Draft Design 8