Ed Struzik, Journal Staff Writer
Edmonton, Thursday, February 25, 1999
Many say there is more economic value to this region if it is saved from industry's footprint. But a forest firm insists plenty has already been set aside, and any more saved would be too much.
Outfitters, guides and environmentalists describe it as a big step backwards.
But the head of the local committee which was asked to consider nearly 4,000 sp. km. of foothills and mountains in the Nordegg area for inclusion in Alberta's Special Places program, defends the decision to set aside less than on square kilometre of Douglas Fir trees in the Abraham Lake area.
"People love this country dearly, no question about it," says Russell King, the cow-calf rancher and municipal councillor who headed the committee.
"But in terms of Special Places, there was really nothing special about this country that is not already adequately protected in the Rocky Mountain ecosystem."
Scientists and environmentalists believe otherwise.
They say that the Bighorn is the largest of the five remaining biological hotspots in the Rocky Mountain ecosystem that is not protected, and home to a rich diversity of animals like the grizzly, Bighorn sheep, mountain goat, elf, moose, and other animals.
Its tourism potential, they add, is enormous, at least equal to the forestry and agriculture potential of the region.
"If you look at the government's own studies on the economic value of protected areas in Alberta, Bighorn country could contribute as much as $77.7 million of economic activity annually and around 1,756 person-years of employment," says Sam Gunsh, a director of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society.
"There are at least 20 ecotourism outfitters, operators and guides who have already established thriving businesses in the area."
Many of those outfitters and guides have joined environmentalists in calling on the province to turn Bighorn Country into the kind of recreational heartland that Kananaskis became in the 1980s.
The proposed Bighorn country includes lands extending from the Sheep River watershed and the Red Deer River in the south to the Brazeau River in the north.
It is bordered by Jasper and Banff national parks in the west and the forestry trunk road in the east.
The idea is not altogether new. Back in 1981, the province put forward the idea of David Thompson Country, which was to be the northern equivalent of kananaskis.
But then in 1986, they settled on the idea of creating the 3,200 sq. km. Bighorn Wildland Recreation Area.
Although it appears on Alberta's road maps, the Bighorn has not yet been established under Alberta's protected areas legislation.
Local rancher and outfitter Lane Moore says he never really appreciated the ramifications of this until he discovered that virtually all of the trees in area he takes tourists into will be cut down in the near future.
Liquidating Forests
"The Alberta Forest Service is liquidating the forests that sustain the tourism industry in This country," says Lane who has lived in the Rocky Mountain House area for a half-century.
"It's like a flesh-eating disease. The wildlife is being driven further and further up into the mountains by all of the activity."
Lowell Summers is a retired military officer who moved to the Nordegg area recently to set up a small lodge, wilderness survival courses and cabins.
If resource development continues as planned, he doubts anyone will stop to take advantage of what he hopes to offer.
"I was in the military for 32 years and spent the last 11 in Edmonton," he says. "But it wasn't until we mover out here that we realized how important an issue this is. The government's got to protect some of this country before it's all gone."
Dave Jensen, owner of the Rocky Mountain House-base Ram River Outdoorsman says there would be little cost to the government in creating Bighorn Country because the roads and tourism facilities are already there. He can't see why north central Alberta can't enjoy the same opportunities that Kananaskis has provided to the people of southern Alberta.
But Sunpine Forest Products LTD. says it would be the victim if the government granted the coalition it wishes.
Company spokesperson Tom Daniels says at least 1,000 jobs are at stake if a significant portion of the 433,000 hectares of trees the company has access to is taken back.
Daniels can't see what the coalition is complaining about.
He says there is plenty of opportunities to expand tourism in the Bighorn country, the Siffleur and Whitegoat wilderness and Banff National Park.
"The question we ask is how much is enough," he says.
"How much land do you need? I think that many of these people have to rethink their business strategies. They could look at these other areas, and ask that everything be protected from logging. It seems they want to protect everything."
Peter Lee, the Alberta. director of the World Wildlife Fund, suggests that people should take note of the fact that Special Places has had its biggest setbacks in Environment Minister Ty Lund's riding and in the Livingstone Macleod country of southern Alberta. which is represented by MLA Dave Coutts, the chairperson of the provincial coordinating committee for Special Places.
"To date, the recommendations mad by the local committee for Bighorn country, which is Ty Lund's riding, has been a big step backwards," he says.
"And both the Castle and Whaleback proposals in southern Alberta. have fallen flat. I think these failures sends out a strong political message about what the government thinks about Special Places for Alberta."
In the meantime, the coalition is hopeful they will get a meeting with Premier Ralph Klein to discuss the idea of promoting Bighorn Country.
Klein recently met with environmentalists to consider the fate of 10 Special Places including Bighorn.
He has yet to get back to them.