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Athabasca Wild: Last True Wilderness in Alberta
Protect the Lower Athabasca
The Lower Athabasca is a major stronghold of Alberta's last true wilderness and the campaign to protect it has reached a critical point. The Alberta government has recommended 22% of this wilderness be designated a conservation area but not necessarily protected from industrial development. The time to influence the Alberta government is now.
From a Critical Point to Critical Mass
After 10 years, Alberta’s government is finally talking about the creation of new, protected wilderness in the province, starting with parts of the Lower Athabasca. But 22% is not enough and industry is its biggest threat. The Alberta government's regional advisory committee recommends between 20% and 32% protection and CPAWS Northern Alberta is advocating that at least 50% of the region be protected from industry, permanently.
The Big Wild is helping to collect signatures from across the country in an effort to show Alberta's government that at least 50% protection of the Lower Athabasca from the oil sands development is important to Canadians, alike. All it takes is your name on a petition to join the movement and support this wilderness.
Forest Growth and Indigenous Communities
The lower Athabasca region rests in the northeast corner of Alberta, the heart of the province’s boreal forest. Its old growth forests are a refuge for wildlife and endangered species and are home to many indigenous communities. In the heart of this ecosystem lie the oil sands mega-projects. Species like the woodland caribou are on the verge of extinction because the oil sands are taking over their habitat.