CROWSNEST PASS, AB – Two environmental groups say the plan to phase out off-highway vehicles (OHV) in southern Alberta’s Castle Parks was a big step in the right direction and needs to keep going.
The Government of Alberta paused the phase out in 2019 to reconsider the move.
Officials are expected to decide within the next few weeks if that OHV phase out should continue.
The Alberta Wilderness Association and Castle-Crown Wilderness Coalition say the 2018 Castle Management Plan clearly states that recreational OHV use is incompatible with conservation objectives.
In a news release, Devon Earl of the Alberta Wilderness Association stated “OHV trails present an unjustified threat to the sensitive and valuable landscapes in the Castle Parks.”
Both environmental groups stress that thousands of Albertans also agreed during consultations that off-highway vehicles should be prohibited in order to protect sensitive vegetation, water quality and wildlife.
The use of OHVs in the Castle Parks has been a big topic of discussion in recent years.
NOTE:: We have reached out for comment from the Quad Squad in the Crowsnest Pass.
