Individual parks are established to achieve one or a combination of environmental, social and economic benefits.
The park system is structured to reflect the province's environmental diversity so that people for generations will be able to see, learn about and enjoy Alberta in its natural state.
Systems planning offers a practical way of looking at the entire parks network in a wider context.
A key tool in systems planning is gap analysis. We conduct a province-wide gap analysis to:
Conservation gap analysis is based on a scientific framework that uses a coarse filter/fine filter approach. Recreation gaps are identified based on:
Current and future parks are evaluated and measured against both objectives - conservation and recreation. All parks, regardless of classification, support some level or intensity of compatible recreation opportunities. Not all parks, however, contribute to park conservation targets.
