By Charlene Tebbutt

New management plan for Prince Albert National Park

Jul 1, 2018 | 8:12 AM

A new management plan has been finalized for the Prince Albert National Park detailing its priorities over the next decade.

The new 10-year plan was recently tabled in Ottawa and will help guide the management of the park according to five key priorities; engaging Indigenous people in park management, tourism, park ecosystems, communications and management of the Waskesiu townsite. The plan is a requirement under the Canada National Parks Act and is reviewed and updated every 10 years.

Among the priorities, the park’s plan notes a need to improve the state of its grasslands and sustain the bison herd inside the park. The plan notes the park’s current population is between 320 and 430 adult bison.

According to the park, 13 Indigenous groups have ties to the park, the majority of which are signatories under Treaty 6.

The Prince Albert National Park was established in 1927 and spans more than 3,800 kilometres. According to the management plan, the park features a variety of wildlife and has more than 230 recorded species of birds, along with commercial and retail stores and 570 private cabins. Census data recorded in 2011 put the population at 66, although that number balloons each summer as visitors, campers and shoppers flock to the park.

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Parks Canada says the management plan was developed in consultation with Indigenous people, stakeholders and the public. This year, national parks across the country are featuring free admission for youth aged 17 and under.

Approximately 224,000 people visited the Prince Albert National Park in 2017, Parks Canada said in a release.

Charlene.tebbutt@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @CharleneTebbutt