About the Castle Wilderness
The Castle Wilderness is an area of outstanding natural features and remarkable scenic vistas. It includes about 1,000 square kilometres of mountains, valleys, rivers, lakes, waterfalls, forests, and grasslands.
About the region
The Front Range Canyons on the east side of the area represent a type of open mountain landscape unique in Canada. The funneling of southwesterly, gale-force Chinook winds down these narrow canyons results in a remarkable set of ecological conditions. Sparse and stunted tree cover, grassland at elevations which normally support forest, and a remarkable diversity of native plants are the result.
The South and West Castle Valleys of the Castle Wilderness receive unusually high precipitation and play a key role in watershed protection. Many small streams drain the areas, their flows regulated by forest cover and the storage capacities of spongy old-growth soils and numerous alpine and subalpine wetlands, including 33 high elevation lakes.
The Castle Wilderness is home to an exceptionally large number of species. Apart from Waterton Lakes National Park, the biodiversity of the Castle Wilderness is the highest in Alberta. Half of Alberta's vascular plant species can be found in the Castle Wilderness, including more than 120 rare species, three times as many as in Banff National Park. The area also provides essential habitat for rare and endangered wildlife - from grizzly bears, wolverines, cougars and wolves to long toed salamanders and nesting goshawks - as well as critical summer and winter range for elk, moose, mule and white-tailed deer, bighorn sheep, and mountain goats.
The Castle Wilderness is a vital connecting link between the populations of large carnivores in Waterton and Glacier National Parks and those further north. This connection allows for dispersal movements and genetic exchange between these remnant populations. Biologists predict that without this connecting corridor of intact habitat, the Waterton-Glacier populations of grizzly bears and some other large carnivores are in significant danger of extinction.
Protection History
The Castle Wilderness was designated a "Special Place" in Alberta's most recent protected areas process. It is the only such place, out of 81, that has not yet been legislated as any type of park under the parks legislation.
But it is regarded as a long-standing park commitment. Part of it has been retained under Crown Reservation by the government from 1974 onwards for the purposed of establishing a park.
SW Alberta needs additional parkland for recreation, and for wildlife and biodiversity. The Castle Wilderness is the most biodiverse area in the province. And, the Castle watershed is a premier headwater source of water. It receives more precipitation than anywhere else in Alberta and produces exceptional run-off given the size of the area. Water experts say that for its watershed qualities alone, the area needs protection.
The Premier has instructed the Minister, as a priority task, to ensure there are enough parks to meet the demands of the growing population. AB Parks & Protected Areas is developing a strategic plan that includes more protected areas.
