Site Guidelines for all ski areas are subject to strategic environmental assessments to ensure that heritage resources are protected and ecological integrity is maintained or restored while allowing ski areas to develop and evolve in ways that contribute to memorable national park visitor experiences.
A strategic environmental assessment was conducted as part of the development of the draft Lake Louise Site Guidelines with a focus on key potential impacts to native vegetation, aquatic ecosystems, and the Whitehorn wildlife corridor, as well as the needs of sensitive wildlife, including grizzly bear, wolverine, mountain goat, westslope cutthroat and bull trout, and mountain caribou, as well as sensitive plants including whitebark pine.
While there are environmental impacts associated with expanded ski area development and use, the strategic assessment process led to key improvements to the maintenance and restoration of ecological integrity through the following measures:
- Protection for the long-term security of lands long considered to be ecologically valuable by Parks Canada, including Purple and Wolverine bowls;
- A net gain to the wilderness areas of Banff National Park of approximately 669 hectares;
- Relocation of summer use reducing impacts to high quality mid-mountain grizzly habitat; and
- Physical improvements to the effectiveness of the Whitehorn corridor, including relocation of the Fish Creek road and wildlife underpass along the Whitehorn road.
The mitigations identified in the strategic environmental assessment and the conditions of the Site Guidelines work together to maintain the role of native vegetation, support fire management objectives, facilitate wildlife movement, provide secure wildlife habitat, and protect aquatic ecosystems.
Many aspects of the Site Guidelines are anticipated to enhance visitor experience while also including consideration for adverse impacts to viewscape, sensory impact, and wilderness character experience of other visitors. The strategic environmental assessment found that ski area development is not likely to trigger the need for regional infrastructure growth.
Long-Range plan proposals brought forward in the future, that meet the conditions and parameters of the Site Guidelines and respond to the mitigation requirements of the strategic assessment, may be reasonably expected to achieve desired ecological, visitor experience and infrastructure outcomes.
As confirmed in the 2013 report from the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development, Parks Canada is fulfilling its key responsibilities for maintaining or restoring ecological integrity in Canada’s national parks and has developed a solid framework of policies, directives, and guidelines for fulfilling its key responsibilities for maintaining or restoring ecological integrity. The draft Site Guidelines represent a significant step towards ensuring ongoing protection of Banff National Park, while sustaining its unique appeal as a national park destination within a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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For more information: www.parkscanada.gc.ca/lakelouise2015
