Protecting and preserving Alberta’s outdoors
Trails played an important role in Alberta’s history and identity as early transport and trading routes. Today, these pathways offer Albertans and visitors the opportunity to experience the routes of the past while enjoying the province’s spectacular natural beauty.
If passed, the Trails Act will modernize the trails framework and will allow for more trails and adjacent areas to be conserved and enjoyed by Albertans. These updated tools to manage trails and protect our public land will help the government respond to a recent surge in trail use.
“Alberta’s government is absolutely committed to protecting and preserving our public spaces for all Albertans. Trails are such an important part of Alberta’s history and identity, helping us lead healthy lives and providing huge economic benefits through travel and tourism, and they are more popular than ever before. We are fulfilling our platform commitment for a Trails Act that helps advance our conservation agenda and supports quality outdoor recreation for generations to come,” said Jason Nixon, Minister of Environment and Parks.
Alberta has 13,000 kilometres of designated and managed trails and hundreds of thousands of kilometres of unintended trails. Alberta’s current legislation for trails on public land has not been updated since 1979 and trail use has changed significantly since then. For example, motorized equipment such as off-highway vehicles (OHVs) are used more often than ever, which can put a heavy strain on Alberta’s trails. If passed, this legislation will provide clearer direction on when and where OHVs can be used.
Alberta currently has trails that vary in quality and how they are managed. This can cause environmental and public safety concerns such as poor water crossings that are harmful to fish and too many recreation activities on the same trail.
Indigenous Peoples have an important historical and cultural connection to the land and its rich natural heritage. Alberta respects and supports the continued availability of Crown lands for the purpose of exercising First Nations’ treaty rights, Métis harvesting and First Nations and Métis traditional uses. This legislation can help locate and manage trails in a sustainable way that is sensitive and responsive to nearby communities and the ways in which they use the land.
“The Alberta Snowmobile Association (ASA) is pleased and excited to see the introduction of the Trails Act, which will see the establishment of ‘Provincial Trails’, protecting the hard work, labour and investments of Alberta’s volunteer trail community. We share the vision with Minister Nixon in recognizing the value and benefits of a provincial snowmobile trail network. Since 1971 our volunteers have built and maintained, at their own cost, a trail network of around 6,500 kilometres for the benefit of all Albertans. Time and time again we have seen the destruction and loss of trails to industrial encroachment and to damage from wrong uses of the trails. This new status as a ‘Provincial Trail’ will see the snowmobile trail network protected and will allow it to grow to become a world-class recreational and tourism product for Alberta.” - Chris Brookes, executive director, Alberta Snowmobile Association
Volunteers and partners play an important role in maintaining Alberta’s recreation trails on public land. The Trails Act would strengthen trail partnerships with volunteer organizations to help maintain and improve Alberta’s trail system.
L-R: Garett Schmidt, Chris Brookes, Linda Strong-Watson, and Minister Nixon.
