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Grande Prairie Region Parks Management Plan

Alberta Parks Division is developing a management plan for 10 parks in the Grande Prairie region to guide development and management activities. The plan aims to protect landscapes, support recreational opportunities, provide interpretation and environmental education, and enhance tourism potential.

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Grande Prairie Region Parks Management Plan

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  1. Parks Division • Grande Prairie Region Parks • Management Plan • Preliminary Strategies • March 9, 2009 www.tpr.alberta.ca/parks/consult/GrandePrairie Toll Free: 1-866-427-3582

  2. Parks Division • Why are we preparing this plan? • The Grande Prairie region has one of the highest growth rates in the province, resulting in increased demand for recreational experiences and park use. • In response, Alberta Parks Division is initiating a review of park recreational opportunities and supporting facilities in the Grande Prairie region. • The resulting management plan will guide development and management activities in 10 parks within a one hour drive of the City of Grande Prairie. www.tpr.alberta.ca/parks/consult/GrandePrairie Toll Free: 1-866-427-3582

  3. Parks Division • Which parks are included in the plan? • Saskatoon Island Provincial Park • Saskatoon Mountain Natural Area • Kleskun Hill Natural Area • Young’s Point Provincial Park • Williamson Provincial Park • Simonette River Provincial Recreation Area • Musreau Lake Provincial Recreation Area • O’Brien Provincial Park • Big Mountain Provincial Recreation Area • Demmitt Provincial Recreation Area www.tpr.alberta.ca/parks/consult/GrandePrairie Toll Free: 1-866-427-3582

  4. www.tpr.alberta.ca/parks/consult/GrandePrairie Toll Free: 1-866-427-3582

  5. Parks Division • What is a management plan? • A management plan gives direction to the future management of a park or a group of parks. • The plan ensures that their protection and use is consistent with park legislation, regulations and policies. • Key to the management planning process is building relationships with stakeholders, Aboriginal communities, park visitors and the public at both the local and provincial level, and gathering their ideas on the future management of a park or a group of parks. www.tpr.alberta.ca/parks/consult/GrandePrairie Toll Free: 1-866-427-3582

  6. Parks Division • Process for developing this management plan: • Pre-planning (collecting information, identifying issues, developing management strategies) • Public input on preliminary strategies • Preparation of draft management plan • Public review of draft management plan • Final revisions and approval of draft management plan • Implementation of plan www.tpr.alberta.ca/parks/consult/GrandePrairie Toll Free: 1-866-427-3582

  7. Parks Division • Grande Prairie Region Parks www.tpr.alberta.ca/parks/consult/GrandePrairie Toll Free: 1-866-427-3582

  8. Parks Division • Vision for Grande Prairie Region Parks • Protect the unique landscapes and features in parks in the Grande Prairie region • Support and sustain the variety of recreation opportunities made possible by the diverse park landscapes • Provide enhanced interpretation and environmental education services for the area • Support tourism potential of the Grande Prairie region www.tpr.alberta.ca/parks/consult/GrandePrairie Toll Free: 1-866-427-3582

  9. Parks Division • Opportunities… • The diverse landscapes in the Grande Prairie region make possible a variety of recreation opportunities. • Each individual park does not have the capacity to provide a full range of recreation opportunities, but as a package these 10 parks offer a wide range of both land and water-based recreation opportunities. www.tpr.alberta.ca/parks/consult/GrandePrairie Toll Free: 1-866-427-3582

  10. Parks Division • Management Challenges… • Some parks are over-capacity and others are under-capacity. How do we balance use so that all parks remain sustainable? • What choices need to be made to conserve the land base and continue to offer a wide range of recreation and education opportunities in our parks in the Grande Prairie region? www.tpr.alberta.ca/parks/consult/GrandePrairie Toll Free: 1-866-427-3582

  11. Parks Division • Our preliminary strategy… • Alberta Parks Division has prepared a preliminary strategy for managing these parks as a regional package for providing recreation and education opportunities. • For each of the 10 parks, the following slides: • - describe the park • - state a vision • - identify opportunities and strategies to reach the vision • Your comments about the vision and strategies will help set the management direction for these parks. www.tpr.alberta.ca/parks/consult/GrandePrairie Toll Free: 1-866-427-3582

  12. Saskatoon Island Provincial Park

  13. Parks Division Saskatoon Island Provincial Park • Overview of Saskatoon Island Provincial Park • Protects rare Peace Parkland landscape • Part of Federal Migratory Bird Sanctuary • for waterfowl • Staging and breeding site for trumpeter swans • Abundant saskatoon stands • Provides interpretation and environmental • education • Popular camping and day use spot www.tpr.alberta.ca/parks/consult/GrandePrairie Toll Free: 1-866-427-3582

  14. Parks Division Saskatoon Island Provincial Park • Vision • Saskatoon Island Provincial Park will be a focal point for environmental education in the region, while continuing to offer a range of recreation opportunities compatible with the Federal Migratory Bird Sanctuary designation and its small but diverse land base. www.tpr.alberta.ca/parks/consult/GrandePrairie Toll Free: 1-866-427-3582

  15. Parks Division Saskatoon Island Provincial Park • Opportunities • The diverse park landscape lends itself to environmental education and interpretation, and is near to city and county schools. Current services can be built on. • The small land base does not allow for expanded camping facilities. Day use, walking and nature viewing opportunities can be expanded. • This focus supports the Federal Migratory Bird Sanctuary designation and the conservation of native Peace River Parkland landscape. www.tpr.alberta.ca/parks/consult/GrandePrairie Toll Free: 1-866-427-3582

  16. Parks Division Saskatoon Island Provincial Park • Strategy • Refocus the park as a regional environmental learning centre. • Build a multi-purpose Park Centre to support environmental education and nature-based recreation, and ensure other facilities also support this focus. • Retain current campground with minor upgrades, maintain/expand day use and trails. • Facilities provide visitors with opportunities to connect with the natural world e.g. natural playground, trails, wildlife viewing www.tpr.alberta.ca/parks/consult/GrandePrairie Toll Free: 1-866-427-3582

  17. Saskatoon Mountain Natural Area

  18. Parks Division Saskatoon Mountain Natural Area • Overview of Saskatoon Mountain Natural Area • Boreal forest in the midst of farmland • Vegetation at site is uncommon in surrounding area • Site of oldest known human occupation in northern AB • Best panoramic view of area • Day use site • Trails used for hiking, horse-back riding, OHV use. www.tpr.alberta.ca/parks/consult/GrandePrairie Toll Free: 1-866-427-3582

  19. Parks Division Saskatoon Mountain Natural Area • Vision • Saskatoon Mountain will be a provincial park that protects boreal forest in the midst of farmland and offers a range of high quality outdoor recreation opportunities such as camping, day use, and hiking. www.tpr.alberta.ca/parks/consult/GrandePrairie Toll Free: 1-866-427-3582

  20. Parks Division Saskatoon Mountain Natural Area • Opportunities • Since 1936 the site has been considered for park status. Is there community support for this now? • Large enough land base to support recreation facilities • Could provide alternate outdoor recreation site to ease pressure on over-capacity parks such as Saskatoon Island • Provincial park status provides a higher level of conservation and onsite management www.tpr.alberta.ca/parks/consult/GrandePrairie Toll Free: 1-866-427-3582

  21. Parks Division Saskatoon Mountain Natural Area • Strategy • Re-designate as a provincial park which provides legislative and policy tools to develop recreation facilities and sustain the land base. • Develop camping, day use, trails, and interpretation facilities to make this a destination. • Add former grazing lease land. • OHV use and hunting will not be permitted in the provincial park. www.tpr.alberta.ca/parks/consult/GrandePrairie Toll Free: 1-866-427-3582

  22. Young’s Point Provincial Park

  23. Parks Division Young’s Point Provincial Park • Overview of Young’s Point Provincial Park • Diverse boreal forest landscape • Natural fishery in Sturgeon Lake • Over 150 species of land and water birds • Offers wide variety of both land and water based recreation opportunities – camping, group camping, day use, boating, fishing, hiking and biking, bird watching, winter sports www.tpr.alberta.ca/parks/consult/GrandePrairie Toll Free: 1-866-427-3582

  24. Parks Division Young’s Point Provincial Park • Vision • Young’s Point Provincial Park will be a key regional destination park that offers an excellent diversity of both land and water-based recreation opportunities. www.tpr.alberta.ca/parks/consult/GrandePrairie Toll Free: 1-866-427-3582

  25. Parks Division Young’s Point Provincial Park • Opportunities • Has a large land base with capacity for facility expansion. • Sturgeon Lake at 43 sq. km is large enough to support power boat use. • The park facilities are under-used, and visitors could be redirected from smaller, busier parks to this park. www.tpr.alberta.ca/parks/consult/GrandePrairie Toll Free: 1-866-427-3582

  26. Parks Division Young’s Point Provincial Park • Strategy • Expand campground as demand increases • Redevelop day use/beach area • Expand boat access and develop docking/marina to support power boating in region • Include Young’s Point in provision of interpretation services to visitors • Add Sturgeon Lake Natural Area to the park www.tpr.alberta.ca/parks/consult/GrandePrairie Toll Free: 1-866-427-3582

  27. Williamson Provincial Park

  28. Parks Division Williamson Provincial Park • Overview of Williamson Provincial Park • Small land base with campground • on Sturgeon Lake • Day use and beach area • Major boat launch access to Sturgeon Lake www.tpr.alberta.ca/parks/consult/GrandePrairie Toll Free: 1-866-427-3582

  29. Parks Division Williamson Provincial Park • Vision • Williamson Provincial Park is a small park that provides access to Sturgeon Lake and offers camping and day use opportunities. www.tpr.alberta.ca/parks/consult/GrandePrairie Toll Free: 1-866-427-3582

  30. Parks Division Young’s Point Provincial Park • Opportunities • Small land base suitable for camping • Continue to provide day use, beach, boat launch. • Work with Sturgeon Lake First Nation www.tpr.alberta.ca/parks/consult/GrandePrairie Toll Free: 1-866-427-3582

  31. Parks Division Young’s Point Provincial Park • Strategy • Maintain current campground • Possibly develop some of campground into group camp • Improve day use area • Maintain boat access to Sturgeon Lake • Develop initiatives with Sturgeon Lake First Nation www.tpr.alberta.ca/parks/consult/GrandePrairie Toll Free: 1-866-427-3582

  32. Musreau Lake Provincial Recreation Area

  33. Parks Division Musreau Lake Provincial Recreation Area • Overview of Musreau Lake Provincial Recreation Area • A lake and forest setting in lower foothills • Diverse forest is a mix of boreal and foothills vegetation • Site of important archaeological dig • Camping and group camping offered • Increasingly popular spot for day use and water-based recreation www.tpr.alberta.ca/parks/consult/GrandePrairie Toll Free: 1-866-427-3582

  34. Parks Division Musreau Lake Provincial Recreation Area • Vision • Musreau Lake will be a provincial park which provides low-key outdoor recreation opportunities in an outstanding diverse forest setting. www.tpr.alberta.ca/parks/consult/GrandePrairie Toll Free: 1-866-427-3582

  35. Parks Division Musreau Lake Provincial Recreation Area • Opportunities • The setting can offer a more peaceful and rustic outdoor experience in contrast to other parks in the Grande Prairie region. • Musreau Lake has good recreational water quality, but at 5.5 sq km is too small to support regional demands for power boat use. An option is to provide opportunities for small motor or self-propelled boats. www.tpr.alberta.ca/parks/consult/GrandePrairie Toll Free: 1-866-427-3582

  36. Parks Division Musreau Lake Provincial Recreation Area • Strategy • Re-designate as a provincial park to recognize natural values of the site and the range of recreation opportunities offered. • Develop a redesign of facility areas - day use, group use, boat launch area, and parking. Upgrade and potentially expand current campground. www.tpr.alberta.ca/parks/consult/GrandePrairie Toll Free: 1-866-427-3582

  37. O’Brien Provincial Park

  38. Parks Division O’Brien Provincial Park • Overview of O’Brien Provincial Park • A small day use park along the Wapiti River about 10 km from Grande Prairie • Popular site, especially on hot summer days • Visitors picnic and play in the river. www.tpr.alberta.ca/parks/consult/GrandePrairie Toll Free: 1-866-427-3582

  39. Parks Division O’Brien Provincial Park • Vision • O’Brien will be a provincial recreation area providing day use opportunities close to Grande Prairie. www.tpr.alberta.ca/parks/consult/GrandePrairie Toll Free: 1-866-427-3582

  40. Parks Division O’Brien Provincial Park • Opportunities • Periodic floods and size of site constrain amount of facility development • Remains suitable for day use • Designation as a provincial recreation area would better reflect the recreation opportunities on the site. www.tpr.alberta.ca/parks/consult/GrandePrairie Toll Free: 1-866-427-3582

  41. Parks Division O’Brien Provincial Park • Strategy • Maintain as popular day use area • Improve safety and access to river • Possibility of expanding land base to support additional river-oriented recreation • Re-designate as a provincial recreation area. www.tpr.alberta.ca/parks/consult/GrandePrairie Toll Free: 1-866-427-3582

  42. Kleskun Hill Natural Area

  43. Parks Division Kleskun Hill Natural Area • Overview of Kleskun Hill Natural Area • One of few sites that gives a feel for pre-cultivation Peace River Parkland landscape • Vegetation and wildlife common to southern Alberta, but rare this far north • Most northerly badlands landform in Alberta • Microfossil finds on site • Small campsite leased to County of Grande Prairie • Used for picnics, nature viewing, touring historic community buildings moved on site. www.tpr.alberta.ca/parks/consult/GrandePrairie Toll Free: 1-866-427-3582

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