South Saskatchewan subregional planning

Overview

Subregional or issue specific plans are enabled through the Alberta Land Stewardship Act (ALSA), and can manage for different pressures and outcomes. Examples of existing subregional or issue specific plans include:

• Land management plans
  • land footprint management plans
  • habitat and species specific plans, for example: Caribou
  • issue related plans, for example: integrated road plan

Subregional plans:

• refine the direction provided by regional plans, subregional or issue specific plans
• translate regional desired outcomes into local management objectives and strategies
• guide operational decision-making
• address location-specific issues, concerns or opportunities in detail
• provide management direction for land and resource managers and users

Examples of what subregional or issue specific plans will consider include:

• adjacent land uses
• Indigenous traditional land uses
• species recovery plans, such as the Alberta Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan
• other initiatives such as partner-led Watershed Planning and Advisory Councils

Subregional or issue specific planning builds on the innovative and collaborative work that stakeholders are already doing and works collaboratively with:

• Indigenous communities
• municipalities
• landowners
• stakeholders
• the public

Other Management plans

Management plans, not considered subregional or issue specific under ALSA, are enabled through home legislation under the authority of a single ministry, for example: Public Lands Act, and manage for specific pressures, issues or outcomes. Examples of existing management plans include:

• Water management plans, for example: lake, river, watershed plans
• Recreation management plans

Land management plans

Livingstone-Porcupine Hills Land Footprint Management Plan (LFMP)

The Livingstone-Porcupine Hills LFMP is a subregional plan, which provides direction for the long-term cumulative effects of the human footprint on public lands. It focuses on impacts on biodiversity and watersheds in the Livingstone and Porcupine Hills public land use zones.

The plan was developed by Alberta Environment and Protected Areas and other Government of Alberta agencies with input from:

• stakeholders
• public
• subject matter experts
• First Nations

Objectives

The LFMP maintains the objectives and strategies of the South Saskatchewan Regional Plan including the responsible development of:

• natural resources
• tourism
• recreational activities

Implementation

The LFMP was released in May 2018. First Nations and stewardship groups’ participation is a key component of the LFMP’s implementation strategy. Implementation is now underway with the development of:

• restoration objectives and priorities
• assessment methods for determining spatial human footprint
• a performance management strategy (monitoring, evaluation and reporting)
• business processes for the co-ordination of approvals

For more information, see: Livingstone-Porcupine Hills Land Footprint Management Plan.

Recreation Management Plan

The Livingstone-Porcupine Hills Recreation Management Plan (RMP) is a Minister approved management plan that provides direction to improve and diversify recreation in the area, with a focus on increasing the sustainability of the trails, camping and other recreation opportunities. The plan also commits that Alberta Environment and Protected Areas works closely with Indigenous communities, municipalities, recreational users and other stakeholders to provide a wide variety of well managed recreation and nature based tourism experiences that meet the needs of the many land users in the area.

• Livingstone-Porcupine Hills Recreation Management Plan

Objectives

The RMP maintains the objectives of the South Saskatchewan Regional Plan, specifically supporting development of:

• recreational activities
• tourism
• improved integration of recreational land uses with other land users

Implementation

The RMP was released in May 2018. An advisory group to support plan implementation was established in 2019 and will support Alberta Environment and Protected Areas in the long term development, maintenance, monitoring and evaluation of the recreation opportunities in the Livingstone and Porcupine Hills. Priority for implementation includes:

• enhancement of fish habitat and installation of new watercourse crossings
• improvements to the designated trails and areas for motorized use
• increased education and awareness around recreation literacy and the regulations within the new Public Land Use Zones

Related information

• Public Land Use Zones
• C5 Forest Management Plan
• South Saskatchewan Regional Plan

Water management plans

Bow River Phosphorus Management Plan

The Bow River Phosphorus Management Plan (PMP) is a strategic plan. It addresses phosphorus sources in the middle reach of the Bow River between the Bearspaw and Bassano Dams.

• Bow River Phosphorus Management Plan