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Threats to Wildlife
Failed government land-use policies, which promote
multi-use over environmental protection, have caused the
deterioration of the Castles ecosystem. There are
currently four major threats to the Castle Wilderness.
Petroleum Activities
 | Since 1957 over 50 wells have been drilled in the Castle
Wilderness. With these wells came an associated maze of
pipelines, process facilities and roads.
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| Shell Canada has led the way in development in the Castle
Wilderness. While Shell has branded itself as a
"green" company their continuing action in the Castle
Wilderness does not live up to their own standards. |
Typical Gas Development in Castle Wilderness
Photo Taken By Gordon Peterson
Logging
| It is estimated 15 percent of the Castle Wilderness has been
clear-cut.
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| Since 1930 it is estimated 50 percent of the old growth forest
cover has been lost, leaving approximately 10 percent of the Castle
Wilderness covered in old growth forest. Sustainable forest
practices recommend 25 percent of old growth forest be in tact at
one time. |
Typical Results of Logging in Castle Wilderness
Photo Taken By Gordon Peterson
ORV ( Off Road Vehicles )
| A majority of the problems afflicting the Castle
Wilderness are due to the 700 kilometers of roads and the associated
ORV use that comes with it. These problems include wildlife
harassment, soil erosion, water pollution.
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| Since 1992 random camping in the Castle Wilderness
has been on the increase due to an increase is ORV traffic and
increased fees at designated campgrounds. Random camping can
lead to weed introduction, stream pollution, wildlife displacement
and improperly disposed garbage. Bear conflicts are much more
common where garbage is found, these conflicts usually result in the
loss of the bear either through relocation or outright killing of
the bear.
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| In 1996 the Alberta government set up the Castle
Access Management Plan to "regulate" the ORV usage in the
Castle Wilderness. Since this "plan" was implemented
24 of 26 valleys now see ORV usage. A recent study of 22 sites
in the Castle showed 16 were damaged by ORV's, while 9 were heavily
damaged. |
Castle Ski Hill Expansion
| The Castle Ski Hill Expansion was initially proposed
in 1993. The Alberta Government did not approve this
development proposal, because the NRCB made the establishment of a
Wildland Protected Area a binding condition to this approval of the
project. Instead, the Alberta government handed the authority
over the ski hill lands to the M.D. of Pincher Creek, which allowed
the piecemeal development of the ski resort and residential
housing. Recently, the M.D. of Pincher Creek approved an Area
Structure Plan submitted by the developer, Castle Mountain Resort,
which will expand the resort to a size very similar to the 1993
proposal.
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| Several local conservation groups led by the Castle - Crown Wilderness Coalition, and including the Sierra Club Canada
Chinook Group, requested the Minister of the Environment immediately
order an Environmental Impact Assessment into the new
expansion. Minister Lorne Taylor rejected this request. |
The major cumulative effect of the above
developments has been the opening of the area to roads. These
roads are initially associated with either Oil & Gas Exploration
or logging but remain in use due to heavy off road vehicle (ORV)
traffic. Today there are over 700 km of roads in the Castle
Wilderness, equivalent to driving from Edmonton to Fort McMurray.
Damaged Eco-System
Since 1950 the landscape of the Castle Wilderness
has been dramatically changed due to natural gas development,
intensive logging, resort development, and the expanded road
system. Some of the more disturbing changes include:
| Due to logging the Castle Wilderness has lost approximately 50 percent of its old growth forest. |
| Construction of over 700 kilometers of roads, these are currently open to ORV traffic. |
| Elk habitat effectiveness reduced by 50 percent. |
| Regional grizzly bear population decline approaching 80 percent. |
| Regional wolf and fisher populations near local extinction. |
| Native bull and cutthroat trout populations decimated. |
| Loss of up to 20 percent of mountain goat distribution. Mountain goats no longer inhabit the Castle Wilderness Front Ranges. |
Sunset Over the Castle Wilderness
Picture
Taken By Murray Anderson
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