Gipsy-Gordon Wildland Provincial Park Image Credit: Monica Dahl supplied by AB Government Ministry of Environment
Gipsy-Gordon Wildland Provincial Park to protect wildlife, support Indigenous rights and outdoor recreation
FORT McMURRAY, Alta. — Northeastern Alberta is home to a vast new protected area as the province officially establishes the Gipsy-Gordon Wildland Provincial Park, a move hailed as both an environmental milestone and a win for future generations.
Located southeast of Fort McMurray near the Saskatchewan border, the nearly 190,000-hectare park preserves a sweeping stretch of boreal wilderness, safeguarding wetlands, forests and lakes that provide vital habitat for wildlife, including several species at risk.
“This park will help protect our forests, preserve important habitat for wildlife and provide recreation opportunities for Albertans, all while supporting the exercise of Treaty rights by Indigenous Peoples,” said Environment Minister Rebecca Schulz in a statement.
The park is home to dozens of threatened or at-risk species, including the olive-sided flycatcher and the yellow-banded bumble bee. The province says it will also support traditional Indigenous activities such as hunting, fishing, trapping and motorized backcountry use on designated trails.
The new protected area replaces the former Gipsy Lake Wildland Provincial Park, expanding the footprint from about 35,000 hectares to 186,739 hectares.
“The Fort McMurray area is full of vibrant landscapes and diverse wildlife,” said Brian Jean, MLA for Fort McMurray–Lac La Biche and Alberta’s energy minister. “This expanded wildland park will protect our environment, grow our economy and strengthen our community for generations to come.”
The province says no new industrial or commercial land disturbances will be permitted within the park, including oil sands and mineral development. Existing agreements will continue to be honoured. Forestry is also prohibited, except where needed to manage wildfire, insects or disease.
The designation falls under the Lower Athabasca Regional Plan, which guides environmental protection and development in northeastern Alberta over the next 50 years. The park is one of 34 wildland provincial parks in Alberta that aim to conserve relatively undisturbed backcountry areas.
More information on the Gipsy-Gordon Wildland Provincial Park and its long-term planning framework is available at alberta.ca/lower-athabasca-regional-plan.aspx.
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