Castle area logging halted by Alberta government

With logging activity set to resume in the Castle Wilderness Area insouthwest Alberta for the first time in several years, the province's NDP government acted on one of its campaign promises and announced a complete stop to all commercial forestry activity.

• Alberta NDP facing pressure to halt Spray Lakes Sawmills logging project

Feels good to change the government, doesn't it.- Environment Minister Shannon Phillips

The provincial government is also putting a stop to all new oil, gas and mining activity in the area.

"It was a platform commitment," said Environment Minister Shannon Phillips at the announcement inBlairmore.

"We take that as our guide. We take those commitments that we made toAlbertansvery seriously."

Phillips says the NDP has wanted to protect the area for many years while it was an opposition party.

"Feels good to change the government doesn't it," she said to a loud cheer from those attending the announcement.

Castle logging halted by Alberta government

9 years ago

Duration 1:01

The governing NDP says it's made good on an election promise to protect the Castle Wilderness area in southwest Alberta.

Spray Lakes Sawmills exploring options

Logging company Spray Lakes Sawmills is disappointed by the decision.

In the coming months,Spray Lakeswas set to cut down about 99,000 cubic metres of logs in Castle, which the government said is the equivalent of the wood usedto construct 1,900 single family detached homeswith roughly1,700 square foot of space.

"We believe that what we're doing in terms of our operations.... We can do those and still protect the environment at the same time, and yet provide jobs and opportunities," said EdKulcsar, woodlands manager for Spray LakeSawmills.

He says the company is looking over its options during the 30-day consultation.

"Our hope is that we'll be working with the government," saidKulcsar.

Phillips described Spray Lakes as a responsible company that will continue to be a good partner forthe government. As for whether the province will compensate the mill for ending the contract, Phillips saysthat at this time that's not necessary.

"I've been around this issue for a long time," said Phillips. "I took this issue to heart with respect to standing up for economic development in southwest Alberta, making sure we get it right with sustainability and also with respect to our water supply."

But the opposition Wildrose Party says today's decision chips away the rights of property and business owners.

The province saysthere will be "a prohibition on surface rights access for any new petroleum and natural gas leases."In addition there will be"no new tenure will be sold for extracting metallic, mineral, coal or surface resources."

Existing leases and tenures will be respected, as well as existing grazing permits.

"With the NDP ending new natural resources industries in the Castle [area, the]Wildrosecan only hope the development of the tourism industry can offset the economic impact of these decisions," saidLivingstone-Macleod MLA Pat Stier, who has the Castle area within his riding, in a release.

Conservationists rejoice

The area,near Pincher Creek, will be protected with two designationsan expanded "wildland provincial park"and a new provincial park.

The new protectionscome after adispute lasting yearsover whether the area should be logged or not.

"It's something so many of us have worked so hard on for so long," said Gordon Peterson, an area resident and member of with the Castle Crown Wilderness Association.

A wildland park offers additional protections when compared to a provincial park, and are "specifically established to preserve and protect natural heritage and provide opportunities for backcountry recreation," according to Alberta Parks.

The area covers nearly 104,000environmentally diverse hectares and is a major wildlife corridor for many animals, include grizzlies.

"It's good news for all of Alberta.It's good news for the wildlife that live in that area," said Sean Nichols with the Alberta Wilderness Association. "It's good news for biodiversity across the province.It's good news for everyone who usesthe Old Man and South Saskatchewan River."

It is also culturally significant to First Nations, and is part of what is known as the Crown of the Continentwhere Alberta, B.C. and Montana meet.