By The Canadian Press

Government study finds OHV trails threaten planned Alberta park

Jan 4, 2018 | 8:27 AM

A Provincial government study warns that off-highway vehicles threaten the environment in a large park planned for Alberta’s southern Rocky Mountain foothills.

The study, which draws on 150 published papers, comes as the NDP government decides what activities will be allowed in Castle Wildland Provincial Park and Castle Provincial Park.

It says the region has at least 1,700 kilometres of unofficial trails and 1,600 stream crossings.

The region already has at least twice as many trails per square kilometre as other provincial and national parks in Alberta.

The report, released late last month, says there’s strong evidence linking such trails to erosion, stream degradation and grizzly bear deaths.

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The government is deciding what will be allowed in Castle Wildland Provincial Park and Castle Provincial Park, which includes 180 endangered or threatened species.

The NDP have proposed banning motorized recreation in the parks and 57 scientists sent an open letter to Environment Minister Shannon Phillips, urging the province to stand firm.

Gary Clark, president of a local off-highway vehicle users group, says the report is a foregone conclusion and the government is trying to legitimize its decision.

The final parks plans are expected in the spring.