Alberta Environment and Parks has recently approved the Evan-Thomas 10-year Vegetation Management Strategy: 2016-2025 (ETVMS).
The Evan-Thomas area of Kananaskis Country is a priority for vegetation management due to the need to protect important recreation and tourism values from wildfire and to maintain a healthy ecosystem. Over the last 80 years, effective wildfire prevention and suppression have nearly eliminated fire from this landscape causing dramatic changes to vegetation, reducing habitat quality, and decreasing biodiversity. These ecological impacts may have far reaching social and economic consequences such as making forests vulnerable to more severe and extensive wildfires or insect outbreaks such as mountain pine beetle. The focus of the strategy is to develop measures to deal with these complex issues.
Download a PDF copy of the strategy: Evan-Thomas 10-year Vegetation Management Strategy: 2016-2025
Stakeholders and Kananaskis Improvement District residents were informed about the strategy and invited to provide input. Meetings were held with interested stakeholders.
Aboriginal consultation was completed following the Government of Alberta’s First Nations Consultation Policy on Land Management and Resource Development (2013) and associated Guidelines (2014).
Jill Sawyer
Communications
Alberta Environment and Parks
403-609-1738
Jill.sawyer@gov.ab.ca
