Landscape restoration Restoring public land that has been disturbed is a key part of the draft plan. When public land is used but not restored, it limits how that land can be used in the future. Since we can’t create new land, restoration makes sure more of the existing land is available for future choices.
This draft plan sets rules to guide how quickly and how much restoration happens, with a focus on:
Setting timelines for some activities to be restored Supporting caribou recovery by improving disturbed areas Learn more about landscape restoration in the factsheet
How supportive are you of managing landscape restoration in this way?
- None - Not supportive at all A little supportive Neutral Mostly supportive Fully supportive
How would these change to landscape restoration affect you?
The energy industry This plan is designed to help Alberta reach its goal of doubling oil and gas production. It manages growth in the energy industry with restoring land to support caribou recovery and Indigenous traditional land uses.
The plan allows for future energy projects and provides flexibility for all types of energy development, including oil sands, petroleum and natural gas tenure (PNG), carbon capture and storage, and other emerging resources. The industry will still follow the rules in existing regulations and policies.
Learn more about the energy industry in the factsheet .
How supportive are you of managing energy development in this way?
- None - Not supportive at all A little supportive Neutral Mostly supportive Fully supportive
How would these changes in energy development affect you?
Forestry industry Forestry in this region is managed to support other important values, such as caribou recovery, conserving forest species, and Indigenous traditional land uses.
Business‑as‑usual harvesting spreads logging across many small areas, which can fragment the landscape. Aggregated harvesting groups logging into larger areas. When these areas are reforested, they can grow back into larger, more intact habitat patches that support wildlife and other land uses. This draft plan uses both approaches depending on the area. It avoids cutting trees where caribou are currently living and consolidates harvesting elsewhere to create healthier landscapes in the future.
The draft plan allows for future energy projects and provides flexibility for all types of energy development, including oil sands, petroleum and natural gas tenure (PNG), carbon capture and storage, and other emerging resources. The industry will still follow the rules in existing regulations and policies.
Learn more about the forestry industry in the fact sheet .
How supportive are you of managing forestry in caribou range in this way?
- None - Not supportive at all A little supportive Neutral Mostly supportive Fully supportive
How would these changes to forestry management affect you?
Access management The South Athabasca sub‑region has about 9,000 km of roads, most built for resource development. This scattered road network fragments the landscape in the sub-region, makes it harder for wildlife to move, and increases risks such as wild animal-vehicle collisions.
The draft plan’s access management approach manages industry needs and environmental goals by:
Allowing higher road density in areas with more industrial activity Excluding temporary roads from the requirements Not applying rules to roads inside in situ project areas Gradually removing roads that are no longer needed to improve landscape intactness. Learn more about access management in the factsheet .
How supportive are you of managing road access this way?
- None - Not supportive at all A little supportive Neutral Mostly supportive Fully supportive
How would these changes to managing road access affect you?
Recreation and tourism The South Athabasca sub‑region offers many recreational activities such as fishing, hunting, bird watching, hiking, camping, and off‑highway vehicle use. Responsible tourism growth can boost the economy, create jobs, and improve recreation opportunities for local people and all Albertans.
The draft plan identifies recreation management areas where recreation and tourism will be prioritized. Infrastructure and activities in these areas will be designed to improve user experience while protecting sensitive environments. Some areas will also be planned and managed cooperatively to support Indigenous priority uses.
Learn more about recreation and tourism in the fact sheet .
How supportive are you of managing recreation and tourism in this way?
- None - Not supportive at all A little supportive Neutral Mostly supportive Fully supportive
How would these changes to recreation and tourism management affect you?
Conservation areas Parts of the Cold Lake Air Weapons Range remain relatively undisturbed, with little overlap with current or future energy activity. Recognizing these areas for conservation can help with caribou recovery and biodiversity protection and support Indigenous traditional land uses.
The draft plan proposes two new protected areas: Sand River and Tower Road. Both areas are next to existing protected lands and will strengthen long‑term landscape connectivity and intactness. As with most of the Cold Lake Air Weapons Range, there is no public access to these two areas.
Learn more about conservation areas in the fact sheet .
How supportive are you of establishing new conservation areas in the Cold Lake Air Weapons Range?
- None - Not supportive at all A little supportive Neutral Mostly supportive Fully supportive
How would establishing conservation areas in the Cold Lake Air Weapons Range affect you?
Implementation of Lower Athabasca Regional Plan commitments The Lower Athabasca Regional Plan established the Gipsy Gordon Wildland Park Conservation Area. In 2025, most of this area became the Gipsy Gordon Wildland Provincial Park. A small part of this conservation area could not be included in the wildland provincial park without blocking needed access to resources across the river.
The draft plan suggests turning the remaining land into the Clearwater River Conservation Area. This would be a Public Land Use Zone with a focus on conservation, which would allow access to resources across the river.
A Public Land Use Zone (PLUZ) manages recreational activity while considering other land uses, such as industrial, commercial, and cultural activity.
Learn more about amendments to the LARP in the fact sheet .
How supportive are you of changing the designation of this area to a Public Land Use Zone?
- None - Not supportive at all A little supportive Neutral Mostly supportive Fully supportive
How would establishing the Clearwater River Conservation Area as a Public Land Use Zone affect you?
Multi-use corridor The Lower Athabasca Regional Plan allows for a multiuse corridor through the Gipsy Gordon Wildland Park Conservation Area. This corridor allows linear infrastructure – such as l roads, transmission lines, pipelines, and recreation trails - to cross the Clearwater River.
The draft plan proposes a new multiuse corridor through the Clearwater River Conservation Area near Fort McMurray.
Learn more about amendments to the LARP in the factsheet .
How supportive are you of creating a multiuse corridor at this location?
- None - Not supportive at all A little supportive Neutral Mostly supportive Fully supportive
How would creating this multiuse corridor affect you?