What: An Alberta government program to set aside ecologically significant areas of the province.

Where: All areas of Alberta in six natural regions: Canadian Shield, boreal forest, Rocky mountains, foothills, parkland and grassland.

When: Officially launched in 1995, to be completed by the end of 2000.

Who: Proposals made by a provincial co-ordinating committee and local committees. Sites are approved by Environment Minister Ty Lund.

Actions to date: 46 sites designated as Special Places; covering 5,250 square kilometres in total (about half the size of Jasper National Park); average size of each site, 114 square kilometres (about one seventh the size of Edmonton).

Example: Whitehorse Wildland Park announced August 1998: 174 square kilometres next to Jasper National Park near Hinton. Unique features: harlequin duck nesting habitat, elk range, rare plant communities, corridors for wildlife such as grizzly bears.