List of protected areas of Alberta
Alberta Parks | ||
---|---|---|
Type | Number | Area km2 (sq mi) |
Provincial Parks | 76 | 2,214 km2 (855 sq mi) |
Wildland Provincial Parks | 31 | 17,314 km2 (6,685 sq mi) |
Provincial Recreation Areas | 208 | 899 km2 (347 sq mi) |
Wilderness Areas | 3 | 1,010 km2 (390 sq mi) |
Ecological Reserves | 15 | 268 km2 (103 sq mi) |
Natural Areas | 139 | 1,299 km2 (502 sq mi) |
Heritage Rangelands | 2 | 120 km2 (46 sq mi) |
National Parks | 5 | 63,045 km2 (24,342 sq mi) |
Total | 476 | 90,747 km2 (35,038 sq mi) |
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This is a list of protected areas of Alberta. Protected areas are managed by the Government of Canada or the Government of Alberta. The provincial government owns 60% of Alberta's landmass[1] but most of this has not been formally protected. The total protected area throughout Alberta including federal and provincial protected areas is approximately 90,700 km2 (35,000 sq mi).
International recognition
Six of Canada's 14 UNESCO World Heritage Sites are entirely or partially located in Alberta:
- Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks (shared with British Columbia)
- Dinosaur Provincial Park
- Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump
- Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park (shared with Montana, United States)
- Wood Buffalo National Park (shared with Northwest Territories)
- Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park
Alberta also contains the following UNESCO Biosphere Reserves
- Waterton Biosphere Reserve (since 1979)
- Beaver Hills Biosphere Reserve (since 2016)
Federally protected areas
Five National Parks of Canada (Banff, Elk Island, Jasper, Waterton Lakes and Wood Buffalo), managed by Parks Canada are located in the province. Several former national parks (such Buffalo National Park, Wawaskesy National Park, and Nemiskam National Park) formerly existed in Alberta, but were delisted in 1947.
There are several National Historic Sites of Canada in Alberta, but only two are operated by Parks Canada: Rocky Mountain House, which features an indoor interpretation centre and year-round in-person interpretation, and Frog Lake which has only outdoor interpretive panels to mark the site.
Alberta is also home to Suffield National Wildlife Area, a protected area within the military reserve at CFB Suffield.
Provincially protected areas
There are several different departments and agencies that deal with land use in Alberta, however Alberta's provincial parks are managed by Alberta Parks, which since 2022 is part of the Ministry of Forestry, Parks and Tourism[2] whose mandate is to protect the province's natural landscapes in Alberta, as well as the Ministry of Environment and Protected Areas. Seven categories of protection exist, provincial parks being one. These categories are:
- Ecological reserves
- Wilderness areas
- Wildland provincial parks
- Provincial parks
- Natural areas
- Heritage rangelands
- Provincial recreation areas
As of 2016[update], the province of Alberta managed 76 provincial parks, 32 wildland provincial parks, 208 provincial recreation areas, 15 ecological reserves, 3 wilderness areas, 139 natural areas and 2 heritage rangeland.[3] Although these areas are the responsibility of the Alberta government, private companies have been contracted to handle various aspects of the operation of many parks (e.g. maintenance and campground operation).
List of wilderness areas
Wilderness areas have the strictest level of protection, no development of any kind is permitted, and travel is only permitted by foot.[4]
- Ghost River Wilderness Area
- Siffleur Wilderness Area
- White Goat Wilderness Area
- Willmore Wilderness Park
List of provincial parks
Park | Nearest community | Established | Coordinates | website (ID) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Antelope Hill Provincial Park | Hanna | 2014, 4 December[5] | 51°43′19″N 111°56′13″W / 51.722°N 111.937°W / 51.722; -111.937 (Antelope Hill Provincial Park) | |
Aspen Beach Provincial Park | Bentley | 1932, 21 November | 52°27′28″N 113°58′39″W / 52.45778°N 113.97750°W / 52.45778; -113.97750 (Aspen Beach Provincial Park) | 1 |
Beauvais Lake Provincial Park | Pincher Creek | 1954, 1 February | 49°24′39″N 114°06′33″W / 49.41083°N 114.10917°W / 49.41083; -114.10917 (Beauvais Lake Provincial Park) | 6 |
Big Hill Springs Provincial Park | Cochrane | 1957, 22 November | 51°15′6″N 114°23′18″W / 51.25167°N 114.38833°W / 51.25167; -114.38833 (Big Hill Springs Provincial Park) | 12 |
Big Island Provincial Park | Edmonton | 2023, February | 53°26′26″N 113°38′45″W / 53.44056°N 113.64583°W / 53.44056; -113.64583 (Big Island Provincial Park) | |
Big Knife Provincial Park | Forestburg | 1962, 2 October | 52°29′25″N 112°13′15″W / 52.49028°N 112.22083°W / 52.49028; -112.22083 (Big Knife Provincial Park) | 11 |
Bow Valley Provincial Park | Canmore | 1959, 27 July | 51°04′5″N 115°02′47″W / 51.06806°N 115.04639°W / 51.06806; -115.04639 (Bow Valley Provincial Park) | 293 |
Bragg Creek Provincial Park | Bragg Creek | 1960, 19 January | 50°56′30″N 114°35′14″W / 50.94167°N 114.58722°W / 50.94167; -114.58722 (Bragg Creek Provincial Park) | 324 |
Brown-Lowery Provincial Park | Turner Valley | 1992, 29 October | 50°48′58″N 114°26′4″W / 50.81611°N 114.43444°W / 50.81611; -114.43444 (Brown-Lowery Provincial Park) | 16 |
Calling Lake Provincial Park | Athabasca | 1971, 20 July | 55°10′51″N 113°14′40″W / 55.18083°N 113.24444°W / 55.18083; -113.24444 (Calling Lake Provincial Park) | 248 |
Canmore Nordic Centre Provincial Park | Canmore | 1988 | 51°05′53″N 115°23′23″W / 51.09806°N 115.38972°W / 51.09806; -115.38972 (Canmore Nordic Centre Provincial Park) | 294 |
Carson-Pegasus Provincial Park | Whitecourt | 1982, 19 May | 54°18′16″N 115°38′30″W / 54.30444°N 115.64167°W / 54.30444; -115.64167 (Carson-Pegasus Provincial Park) | 247 |
Castle Provincial Park | Crowsnest Pass | 2017, 17 February[6] | 49°26′38″N 114°07′01″W / 49.444°N 114.117°W / 49.444; -114.117 (Castle Provincial Park) | |
Chain Lakes Provincial Park | Nanton | 1969, 23 December | 50°12′24″N 114°11′47″W / 50.20667°N 114.19639°W / 50.20667; -114.19639 (Chain Lakes Provincial Park) | 19 |
Cold Lake Provincial Park | Cold Lake | 1976, 18 August | 54°27′38″N 110°07′12″W / 54.46056°N 110.12000°W / 54.46056; -110.12000 (Cold Lake Provincial Park) | 22 |
Crimson Lake Provincial Park | Rocky Mountain House | 1955, 22 November | 52°27′0″N 115°2′0″W / 52.45000°N 115.03333°W / 52.45000; -115.03333 (Crimson Lake Provincial Park) | 27 |
Cross Lake Provincial Park | Athabasca | 1955, 22 November | 54°38′17″N 113°48′52″W / 54.63806°N 113.81444°W / 54.63806; -113.81444 (Cross Lake Provincial Park) | 28 |
Crow Lake Provincial Park | Fort McMurray | 55°47′47″N 112°10′54″W / 55.79639°N 112.18167°W / 55.79639; -112.18167 (Crow Lake Provincial Park) | 574 | |
Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park | Medicine Hat | 49°34′31″N 110°00′23″W / 49.57528°N 110.00639°W / 49.57528; -110.00639 (Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park) | 29 | |
Dillberry Lake Provincial Park | Provost | 1957, 8 January | 52°35′47″N 110°04′51″W / 52.59639°N 110.08083°W / 52.59639; -110.08083 (Dillberry Lake Provincial Park) | 38 |
Dinosaur Provincial Park | Brooks | 1955, 27 June | 50°45′44″N 111°31′5″W / 50.76222°N 111.51806°W / 50.76222; -111.51806 (Dinosaur Provincial Park) | 246 |
Dry Island Buffalo Jump Provincial Park | Trochu | 1970, 15 December | 51°56′10″N 112°57′41″W / 51.93611°N 112.96139°W / 51.93611; -112.96139 (Dry Island Buffalo Jump Provincial Park) | 39 |
Dunvegan Provincial Park | Fairview | 1992, 21 May | 55°55′24″N 118°36′2″W / 55.92333°N 118.60056°W / 55.92333; -118.60056 (Dunvegan Provincial Park) | 40 |
Eagle Point Provincial Park | Drayton Valley | 2007, 29 August | 53°14′40″N 114°52′28″W / 53.24444°N 114.87444°W / 53.24444; -114.87444 (Eagle Point Provincial Park) | 589 |
Fish Creek Provincial Park | Calgary | 1975, 10 June | 50°54′11″N 114°00′55″W / 50.90306°N 114.01528°W / 50.90306; -114.01528 (Fish Creek Provincial Park) | 45 |
Garner Lake Provincial Park | Vilna | 1953, 14 July | 54°10′59″N 111°44′22″W / 54.18306°N 111.73944°W / 54.18306; -111.73944 (Garner Lake Provincial Park) | 49 |
Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park | Calgary Cochrane | 2008, 17 April | 51°10′1″N 114°23′34″W / 51.16694°N 114.39278°W / 51.16694; -114.39278 (Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park) | 593 |
Gooseberry Lake Provincial Park | Consort | 1932, 21 November | 52°07′4″N 110°45′6″W / 52.11778°N 110.75167°W / 52.11778; -110.75167 (Gooseberry Lake Provincial Park) | 51 |
Greene Valley Provincial Park | Peace River | 2000, 6 June | 56°11′53″N 117°14′30″W / 56.19806°N 117.24167°W / 56.19806; -117.24167 (Greene Valley Provincial Park) | 147 |
Gregoire Lake Provincial Park | Fort McMurray | 1969, 21 October | 56°28′23″N 111°11′55″W / 56.47306°N 111.19861°W / 56.47306; -111.19861 (Gregoire Lake Provincial Park) | 52 |
Hilliard's Bay Provincial Park | High Prairie | 1978, 24 October | 55°29′57″N 116°01′10″W / 55.49917°N 116.01944°W / 55.49917; -116.01944 (Hilliard's Bay Provincial Park) | 3 |
Jarvis Bay Provincial Park | Sylvan Lake | 1965, 8 July | 52°21′59″N 114°07′56″W / 52.36639°N 114.13222°W / 52.36639; -114.13222 (Jarvis Bay Provincial Park) | 61 |
Kinbrook Island Provincial Park | Brooks | 1951, 14 November | 50°26′52″N 111°54′40″W / 50.44778°N 111.91111°W / 50.44778; -111.91111 (Kinbrook Island Provincial Park) | 65 |
Lakeland Provincial Park | Lac La Biche | 1992, 16 January | 54°47′24″N 111°29′17″W / 54.79000°N 111.48806°W / 54.79000; -111.48806 (Lakeland Provincial Park) | 280 |
Lesser Slave Lake Provincial Park | Slave Lake | 55°25′3″N 114°48′39″W / 55.41750°N 114.81083°W / 55.41750; -114.81083 (Lesser Slave Lake Provincial Park) | 68 | |
Little Bow Provincial Park | Champion | 1954, 20 January | 50°13′10″N 112°57′56″W / 50.21944°N 112.96556°W / 50.21944; -112.96556 (Little Bow Provincial Park) | 69 |
Little Fish Lake Provincial Park | Drumheller | 1957, 8 April | 51°22′18″N 112°11′54″W / 51.37167°N 112.19833°W / 51.37167; -112.19833 (Little Fish Lake Provincial Park) | 71 |
Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park | Edmonton St. Albert | 2005, 19 April | 53°36′22″N 113°40′41″W / 53.60611°N 113.67806°W / 53.60611; -113.67806 (Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park) | 437 |
Long Lake Provincial Park | Boyle | 1957, 25 March | 54°25′32″N 112°45′26″W / 54.42556°N 112.75722°W / 54.42556; -112.75722 (Long Lake Provincial Park) | 72 |
Midland Provincial Park | Drumheller | 1979, 5 June | 51°28′41″N 112°47′13″W / 51.47806°N 112.78694°W / 51.47806; -112.78694 (Midland Provincial Park) | 78 |
Miquelon Lake Provincial Park | Hay Lakes | 1958, 20 May | 53°14′51″N 112°53′15″W / 53.24750°N 112.88750°W / 53.24750; -112.88750 (Miquelon Lake Provincial Park) | 81 |
Moonshine Lake Provincial Park | Rycroft | 1959, 21 April | 55°55′31″N 119°13′51″W / 55.92528°N 119.23083°W / 55.92528; -119.23083 (Moonshine Lake Provincial Park) | 82 |
Moose Lake Provincial Park | Bonnyville | 1967, 19 April | 54°15′50″N 110°55′55″W / 54.26389°N 110.93194°W / 54.26389; -110.93194 (Moose Lake Provincial Park) | 83 |
Notikewin Provincial Park | Manning | 1979, 20 November | 57°17′19″N 117°09′3″W / 57.28861°N 117.15083°W / 57.28861; -117.15083 (Notikewin Provincial Park) | 87 |
Obed Lake Provincial Park | Edson | 53°33′19″N 117°07′44″W / 53.55528°N 117.12889°W / 53.55528; -117.12889 (Obed Lake Provincial Park) | 203 | |
O'Brien Provincial Park | Grande Prairie | 1954, 29 June | 55°03′49″N 118°49′28″W / 55.06361°N 118.82444°W / 55.06361; -118.82444 (O'Brien Provincial Park) | 88 |
Park Lake Provincial Park | Lethbridge | 1932, 21 November | 49°48′14″N 112°55′30″W / 49.80389°N 112.92500°W / 49.80389; -112.92500 (Park Lake Provincial Park) | 143 |
Pembina River Provincial Park | Entwistle | 1953, 21 September | 53°36′18″N 114°59′57″W / 53.60500°N 114.99917°W / 53.60500; -114.99917 (Pembina River Provincial Park) | 92 |
Peter Lougheed Provincial Park | Kananaskis | 1977, 7 October | 50°41′0″N 115°13′35″W / 50.68333°N 115.22639°W / 50.68333; -115.22639 (Peter Lougheed Provincial Park) | 307 |
Pierre Grey's Lakes Provincial Park | Grande Cache | 53°54′23″N 118°35′18″W / 53.90639°N 118.58833°W / 53.90639; -118.58833 (Pierre Grey's Lakes Provincial Park) | 209 | |
Pigeon Lake Provincial Park | Wetaskiwin | 1967, 26 May | 53°01′35″N 114°08′4″W / 53.02639°N 114.13444°W / 53.02639; -114.13444 (Pigeon Lake Provincial Park) | 98 |
Police Outpost Provincial Park | Cardston | 1970, 21 April | 49°00′22″N 113°27′32″W / 49.00611°N 113.45889°W / 49.00611; -113.45889 (Police Outpost Provincial Park) | 108 |
Queen Elizabeth Provincial Park | Grimshaw | 1956, 1 March | 56°13′43″N 117°41′22″W / 56.22861°N 117.68944°W / 56.22861; -117.68944 (Queen Elizabeth Provincial Park) | 110 |
Ram Falls Provincial Park | Nordegg | 52°05′21″N 115°50′11″W / 52.08917°N 115.83639°W / 52.08917; -115.83639 (Ram Falls Provincial Park) | 213 | |
Red Lodge Provincial Park | Bowden | 1951, 7 May | 51°56′38″N 114°16′11″W / 51.94389°N 114.26972°W / 51.94389; -114.26972 (Red Lodge Provincial Park) | 114 |
Rochon Sands Provincial Park | Stettler | 1957, 8 January | 52°27′51″N 112°53′27″W / 52.46417°N 112.89083°W / 52.46417; -112.89083 (Rochon Sands Provincial Park) | 116 |
Rock Lake Provincial Park | Hinton | 53°28′2″N 118°15′10″W / 53.46722°N 118.25278°W / 53.46722; -118.25278 (Rock Lake Provincial Park) | 215 | |
Saskatoon Island Provincial Park | Wembley | 1932, 21 November | 55°12′20″N 119°05′6″W / 55.20556°N 119.08500°W / 55.20556; -119.08500 (Saskatoon Island Provincial Park) | 118 |
Sheep River Provincial Park | Turner Valley | 50°38′49″N 114°38′43″W / 50.64694°N 114.64528°W / 50.64694; -114.64528 (Sheep River Provincial Park) | 330 | |
Sir Winston Churchill Provincial Park | Lac La Biche | 1952, 29 September | 54°49′45″N 111°57′45″W / 54.82917°N 111.96250°W / 54.82917; -111.96250 (Sir Winston Churchill Provincial Park) | 120 |
Spray Valley Provincial Park | Kananaskis | 2000, 1 December | 50°50′14″N 115°14′48″W / 50.83722°N 115.24667°W / 50.83722; -115.24667 (Spray Valley Provincial Park) | 308 |
Strathcona Science Provincial Park | Edmonton Sherwood Park | 1979, 12 December | 53°33′39″N 113°23′2″W / 53.56083°N 113.38389°W / 53.56083; -113.38389 (Strathcona Science Provincial Park) | 123 |
Sundance Provincial Park | Edson | 1999, 28 April | 53°38′29″N 116°52′47″W / 53.64139°N 116.87972°W / 53.64139; -116.87972 (Sundance Provincial Park) | 142 |
Sylvan Lake Provincial Park | Sylvan Lake | 1980, 16 January | 52°20′43″N 114°10′11″W / 52.34528°N 114.16972°W / 52.34528; -114.16972 (Sylvan Lake Provincial Park) | 125 |
Thunder Lake Provincial Park | Barrhead | 1958, 28 January | 54°07′59″N 114°43′57″W / 54.13306°N 114.73250°W / 54.13306; -114.73250 (Thunder Lake Provincial Park) | 137 |
Tillebrook Provincial Park | Tilley | 1965, 20 July | 50°32′16″N 111°48′30″W / 50.53778°N 111.80833°W / 50.53778; -111.80833 (Tillebrook Provincial Park) | 138 |
Two Lakes Provincial Park | Grande Prairie | 54°22′22″N 119°45′31″W / 54.37278°N 119.75861°W / 54.37278; -119.75861 (Two Lakes Provincial Park) | 222 | |
Vermilion Provincial Park | Vermilion | 1953, 29 May | 53°21′53″N 110°52′55″W / 53.36472°N 110.88194°W / 53.36472; -110.88194 (Vermilion Provincial Park) | 152 |
Wabamun Lake Provincial Park | Wabamun | 53°33′58″N 114°27′16″W / 53.56611°N 114.45444°W / 53.56611; -114.45444 (Wabamun Lake Provincial Park) | 154 | |
Whitney Lakes Provincial Park | Elk Point | 1982, 23 June | 53°49′48″N 110°29′48″W / 53.83000°N 110.49667°W / 53.83000; -110.49667 (Whitney Lakes Provincial Park) | 158 |
William A. Switzer Provincial Park | Hinton | 1958, 22 December | 53°32′34″N 117°48′20″W / 53.54278°N 117.80556°W / 53.54278; -117.80556 (William A. Switzer Provincial Park) | 159 |
Williamson Provincial Park | Valleyview | 1960, 7 November | 55°04′52″N 117°33′26″W / 55.08111°N 117.55722°W / 55.08111; -117.55722 (Williamson Provincial Park) | 165 |
Willow Creek Provincial Park | Stavely | 1957, 10 December | 50°06′54″N 113°46′14″W / 50.11500°N 113.77056°W / 50.11500; -113.77056 (Willow Creek Provincial Park) | 167 |
Winagami Lake Provincial Park | Donnelly | 1956, 13 November | 55°37′45″N 116°40′41″W / 55.62917°N 116.67806°W / 55.62917; -116.67806 (Winagami Lake Provincial Park) | 169 |
Woolford Provincial Park | Cardston | 49°10′33″N 113°11′20″W / 49.17583°N 113.18889°W / 49.17583; -113.18889 (Woolford Provincial Park) | 173 | |
Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park | Coutts | 1957, 8 January | 49°04′49″N 111°38′21″W / 49.08028°N 111.63917°W / 49.08028; -111.63917 (Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park) | 177 |
Wyndham-Carseland Provincial Park | Strathmore | 1979, 2 May | 50°49′47″N 113°26′59″W / 50.82972°N 113.44972°W / 50.82972; -113.44972 (Wyndham-Carseland Provincial Park) | 178 |
Young's Point Provincial Park | Valleyview | 1971, 3 August | 55°07′3″N 117°33′29″W / 55.11750°N 117.55806°W / 55.11750; -117.55806 (Young's Point Provincial Park) | 180 |
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