2015-2016 Annual Report Defending Wild Alberta through Awareness and Action for 51 years 2 ALBERTA WILDERNESS ASSOCIATION ANNUAL REPORT 2015 - 2016 Buffalo Lake Alberta - Dan Olson Alberta Wilderness Association Provincial Office – Hillhurst Cottage School 455 – 12 St NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1Y9 Phone 403.283.2025 • Fax 403.270.2743 Email: [email protected] Web server: AlbertaWilderness.ca Contributions to the Annual Report are provided by AWA board and staff members. COVER PHOTO – VIEW FROM POCATERRA RIDGE – ANDREA JOHANCSIK 3 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS WILDERNESS FOR TOMORROW ................................................................................................................... 8 WHO WE ARE ................................................................................................................................................ 9 BOARD OF DIRECTORS ................................................................................................................................ 10 STAFF ........................................................................................................................................................... 10 MISSION, VISION, VALUES, OBJECTIVES ..................................................................................................... 11 Vision ...................................................................................................................................................... 11 Values ..................................................................................................................................................... 11 Objectives ............................................................................................................................................... 12 WILDERNESS STEWARDSHIP AND OUTREACH ............................................................................................ 13 Conservation .......................................................................................................................................... 13 WILD SPACES – AWA AREAS AND ISSUES OF CONCERN ............................................................................. 14 Wild Alberta Map ................................................................................................................................... 15 AREAS OF CONCERN ................................................................................................................................... 16 Boreal Region ......................................................................................................................................... 16 Primrose-Lakeland ............................................................................................................................ 16 McClelland Lake ................................................................................................................................ 16 Hay-Zama .......................................................................................................................................... 17 Peace River ........................................................................................................................................ 17 Chinchaga .......................................................................................................................................... 18 Bistcho ............................................................................................................................................... 19 Caribou Mountains ............................................................................................................................ 19 Rocky Mountain Region ......................................................................................................................... 21 Willmore Wilderness Park ................................................................................................................. 21 Kakwa ................................................................................................................................................ 22 Little Smoky ....................................................................................................................................... 23 Bighorn Wildland ............................................................................................................................... 23 Southern Eastern Slopes Region ............................................................................................................ 25 South Ghost – Ghost-Waiparous ....................................................................................................... 25 Kananaskis Country ........................................................................................................................... 27 Castle Wildland ................................................................................................................................. 28 Livingstone-Porcupine ....................................................................................................................... 29 Waterton Parkland ............................................................................................................................ 30 Parkland Region ..................................................................................................................................... 30 Rumsey .............................................................................................................................................. 30 Wainwright Dunes ............................................................................................................................. 30 Antelope Hills Provincial Park ........................................................................................................... 30 Grasslands Region .................................................................................................................................. 30 Middle Sand Hills ............................................................................................................................... 31 Suffield National Wildlife Area ..................................................................................................... 31 Milk River-Sage Creek ....................................................................................................................... 32 Cypress Hills.................................................................................................................................. 32 Pakowki Lake ................................................................................................................................ 33 Milk River Ridge................................................................................................................................. 33 Milk River Management Committee ............................................................................................ 33 Prairie Conservation Forum ......................................................................................................... 34 5 Prairie Endangered Species Conference ...................................................................................... 34 Foothills Restoration Forum ......................................................................................................... 34 ISSUES ......................................................................................................................................................... 35 Water ..................................................................................................................................................... 35 Forests .................................................................................................................................................... 35 Fish and Forests Initiative ............................................................................................................. 37 Eastern Slopes for Tomorrow Campaign ...................................................................................... 37 FSC Canada .................................................................................................................................... 38 Energy .................................................................................................................................................... 39 Grizzly Bears ........................................................................................................................................... 40 Caribou ................................................................................................................................................... 41 Greater Sage-grouse .............................................................................................................................. 42 Black Bears ............................................................................................................................................. 43 Wolves .................................................................................................................................................... 43 Game Farming ........................................................................................................................................ 43 Feral Horses ..........................................................................................................................................