Athabasca Heartland

	Issue AB's last stronghold of ecological integrity		Take Action Sign the Petition, Write a Letter, Volunteer, Donate
	Where in Alberta is it? The Northeast corner of Alberta		In-Depth The Athabasca Heartland campaign and special places
	Solution At least 50% protection.

Issue

The Lower Athabasca Region is part of the Athabasca Heartland that contains most of the last true unprotected wilderness in Alberta. It’s home to a amazing diversity of plants and animals such as woodland caribou and wolverine and its old growth forests and peat lands are a global storage area for carbon.  What makes this area so special...

One of the Most Threatened Landscapes in Alberta:
The Athabasca Heartland contains Alberta Oil Sands — the world's largest energy project — as well as logging, mining and conventional oil and gas operations.  A 2009 study by Global Forest Watch Canada identified the area as one of the most threatened landscapes in Alberta.

Where in Alberta is it?

Spanning the northeastern corner of Alberta, the Athabasca Heartland (192,000 km²) contains some of the greatest stretches of intact wilderness in the province.

The Lower Athabasca Region is the first of 7 regions set by Alberta Government to develop a Land Use Plan. 

 

 

 

 

 

Solution

The Government of Alberta has given the green light to creating new protected wilderness areas in the province through their new Lower Athabasca Regional Plan.  The government has given the direction to identify at least 20% of the region for conservation. Government acknowledgment that protected areas are an important part of land use planning  is good news for Alberta’s wilderness. However, CPAWS is advocating at least 50% protection of the Lower Athabasca Region. This is the amount of protection recommended by the Boreal Leadership Council in their Boreal Framework.  We need to establish a strong network of protected areas in order to conserve this valuable wilderness and give species, such as the threatened woodland caribou, a fighting chance for survival.

The Alberta government needs to:   

• Protect at least 50% of the Athabasca Heartland, including 50% of the Lower Athabasca Region, as consistent with boreal protection recommendations of aboriginal and environmental groups, scientists and progressive industry. 
• Institute strict rules for industrial practices on the remaining portions.
• Issue no new industrial leases of land within the Athabasca Heartland until the protected areas are established.
• Protect at least 50% of the Lower Athabasca Region in the new land use plan.

What CPAWS is doing:

• Providing information to the Lower Athabasca Regional Planning process and asking for at least 50% protection of the area.
• Informing Albertans about the Lower Athabasca process and encouraging people to also support at least 50% protection of the area by writing a letter and signing a petition (see below).
• Working with Keepers of the Athabasca to gain community support.
• We have a volunteer action team that is helping to promote our campaign.

Take Action

• Sign the petition.  Support the petition to protect at least 50% of the Lower Athabasca Region. (check back for link by Dec 25, 2009) 
• Send a letter to ask the government for protection of at least 50% of the Lower Athabasca from industrial use.
• Volunteer.  Join the Athabasca Action Team, or take on another volunteer position.
  

• Donate.  CPAWS needs your financial support to continue this vital conservation work.

In-Depth

• Learn more about the background and campaign of the Athabasca Heartland.
• Watch the video about the new door of possibility that has opened for this area.
• Read about the Land-Use Framework