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Site Descriptions - Parkland Natural Region
Level
1 Natural History Theme Targets | Progress
on Level 1 Targets
* Denotes
a protected area established or expanded as part of the Special
Places program
Central Parkland Sub-region
Fourteen level 1 and 63 level 2 natural history themes have been
identified to describe the environmental diversity of the Central
Parkland. Full representation of five of the level 1 themes has
been achieved, but the remaining level 1 themes are not well represented
within the parks and protected areas network. There is some representation
of most level 2 themes within the network.
Aspen Beach Provincial Park
(2.14 km2) is a manicured landscape that provides camping facilities
and beach access.
 Beaverhill
Lake Heritage Rangeland Natural Area *
(175 km2) is internationally recognized for its wetlands
and diverse bird populations. More than 272 species of birds have
been reported, with 145 known to breed locally. Beaverhill Lake
was recognized as a RAMSAR site (a wetland of international significance)
in 1987. Beaverhill Lake is located approximately 40 km east of
Edmonton and is a renowned birding area. The 2-day long Beaverhill
Lake Snow Goose Festival attracts 6,000 people annually.
• RAMSAR
Web Site
Beaverhill Natural Area (4
km2) protects the islands and part of the south shore
of Beaverhill Lake. Double crested cormorants and pelicans nest
on the islands when water levels are favourable. Known for the diversity
of its bird species, the area is home to the
Beaverhill Lake Bird Observatory, where bird-banding  operations
began in 1980.
Big Knife Provincial Park
(3 km2) is located on the steep north-facing bank of
the Battle River. The park includes mixed stands of birch, aspen
and white spruce, as well as shrub lands and open grasslands. Prickly
pear cactus grows on drier slopes.
Clifford E. Lee Natural Area
* (11 ha), located north of Devon,
is a critical addition to the Canadian Nature Federation's Clifford
E. Lee Nature Sanctuary. The natural area ensures protection of
the outlet channel of the sanctuary's main wetland.
Dillberry Lake Provincial Park
* (12.05 km2), located
southeast of Wainwright in a beautiful sand dune setting, is internationally
recognized for its shorebird migration. Park visitors can explore
the surrounding parkland on maintained trails, or simply wander
the open landscape.
Innisfail Natural Area (64
ha) is an island in the midst of agricultural land that provides
shelter for deer, coyote, beaver, muskrat and a variety of birds.
J. J. Collett Natural Area
(2.6 km2) contains stabilized sand dunes, black spruce
peat lands and a small creek.
 Killarney-Reflex
Lakes Heritage Rangeland Natural Area *
(27.31 km2), a kame moraine, sand plain and sand dune
complex with small alkali lakes, preserves a large portion of an
internationally significant shorebird migration area. Some of the
world's largest concentrations of stilt sandpipers have been reported
here. Reflex Lake supports one Alberta's densest breeding populations
of piping plover, an endangered species in Canada.
Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park * (11.19
km2) preserves a lake and wetland complex adjacent to
the cities of Edmonton and St. Albert. Although relatively small,
this natural area is significant because of its proximity to a large
population that appreciates the area for the abundance and variety
of its bird species, and its educational value. Supporting a large
nesting colony of Franklin's gull, migrating flocks of tundra swans
and numerous nesting and migrating waterfowl and shorebirds, Big
Lake was recently recognized as a globally significant Important
Bird Area.
• Important
Bird Areas of Canada
• Big
Lake Environmental Support Society
Magee Lake Natural Area (65
ha) consists of gently rolling aspen-covered uplands with a few
wetland depressions.
Miquelon Lake Provincial Park
(8.36 km2), located at the south end of the Cooking Lake
Moraine, consists of aspen covered hills, ponds and marshes. Over
200 species of birds visit the park annually.
Ribstone Creek Heritage Rangeland
Natural Area * (83.27 km2),
located 25 km east of Wainwright, is a diverse complex of sand plains,
active dunes, calcareous fens and riparian wetlands. The area preserves
habitat for numerous breeding birds, including sharp-tailed grouse
dancing grounds.
Rochon Sands Provincial Park
(1.2 km2), located on the shores of Buffalo Lake, is
a manicured landscape that provides camping facilities and beach
access.
Rumsey
Ecological Reserve (see Northern
Fescue Grassland Sub-region)
Strathcona Science Provincial Park
(1.1 km2), located just outside the City of Edmonton,
provides day use opportunities.
Vermilion Provincial Park
(7.59 km2) is located along the Vermilion River just
north of the Town of Vermilion. The river meanders across a glacial
melt-water channel in the western end of the park. At the eastern
end, the river has been dammed to create a small, shallow reservoir.
North-facing valley slopes are forested with aspen while the drier
south-facing slopes are grasslands. 
Wagner Natural Area (1.3
km2) preserves calcium-rich, spring-fed marl ponds surrounded
by forests of spruce, aspen, birch, tamarack and willow. Sixteen
of the 24 species of orchids known to occur in Alberta have been
found in this natural area.
Wainwright Dunes Ecological Reserve
(28 km2) preserves part of a large and diverse area of
sand dune, outwash and kame moraine. Plant communities are a mixture
of stunted aspen groves, low shrubs and grasslands.
Other Natural Areas
| Astotin |
Gadsby Lake |
Heatburg |
| Markerville |
North of Bruderheim |
Northwest of Bruderheim |
| Opal |
Riverlot 56 |
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Provincial Recreation Areas
| Bigelow Reservoir |
Buffalo Lake |
Coal Lake North |
| Coal Lake South |
Dickson Dam - North Dyke |
Dickson Dam - North Valley |
| Dickson Dam - South Dyke |
Dickson Dam - South Valley |
Kitscoty |
| Meeting Creek |
The Narrows |
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Peace River Parkland Sub-region
Of the seven level 1 natural history themes that make up the Peace
River Parkland, none are fully represented in the parks and protected
areas network. As yet there is no representation of the wetland
themes. In total, about 30% of the  preservation
targets for this sub-region have been achieved.
Dunvegan Provincial Park
(9.26 ha) is the site of historic Fort Dunvegan. The St. Charles
Mission church and rectory and the Factors House have all been restored.
 Dunvegan
West Wildland Park * (209.68
km2), although mostly in the Dry Mixedwood Sub-region
of the Boreal Forest Natural Region, includes 46 km2
of Peace River Parkland. Most of the lands involved are the steep-sided
valleys of creeks flowing into the Peace River between the British
Columbia border and Dunvegan. South-facing slopes support typical
parkland vegetation, with clones of aspen, shrubs, and grassland
communities. Cacti are found on some of the drier sites. The valleys
are key year-round habitat for deer and elk. Fossil beds are common
in the bedrock exposures. The bedrock cliffs are nesting sites for
bald and golden eagles. Wandering and red-sided garter snake hibernacula
occur along the river.
 Kleskun
Hill Natural Area (65 ha) preserves remnant uplands of the
Peace River Parkland and one of the northernmost badland areas in
Alberta. Kleskun Hill rises 100 metres above the plains that surround
the city of Grande Prairie. The area is covered mainly by dry grassland
and contains plant species that are either rare or at the northern
limit of their range, such as the prickly pear cactus.
 Saskatoon
Island Provincial Park (1.1 km2) preserves one
of the few remaining natural shrub communities in the Peace River
Parkland. The park is located within the Grande Prairie Important
Bird Area and is home to large numbers of grassland, forest and
lakeside bird species. The lake is a waterfowl staging area, and
tundra swans and rare trumpeter swans can be observed from a viewing
platform on Saskatoon Lake.
Silver Valley Ecological Reserve
(18.06 km2) is composed, in large part, of the valley
slopes of the Peace River. Maturing aspen/shrub and mixedwood forests
cover approximately 70% of the reserve. Wildlife species include
moose, mule deer and black bear. Six plant species occur here that
are beyond their normal range: drooping wood reed, turned sedge,
striped coralroot, low milkweed, clustered broom-rape and alpine
aster.
Foothills Parkland Sub-region
The Foothills Parkland is the most poorly represented sub-region
in the parks and protected areas network, with only slightly more
than 20% of the level 1 targets achieved to date. There is some
representation of all but 1 of the 30 level 2 themes that have been
identified.
Big Hill Springs Provincial Park
(31.54 ha) preserves a large spring that flows year-round.
Bighill Creek flows down a steep valley wall over a series of small
waterfalls and has formed well-developed tufa deposits.
Chain Lakes Provincial Park
(4.1 km2) is located in the Willow Creek valley (the
creek was dammed to form Chain Lakes Reservoir). Large clumps of
willow and open grassland result in willow parkland, which is not
well represented elsewhere in the parks and protected areas network.
 Fish
Creek Provincial Park (12 km2) is one of the largest
urban parks in North America and serves as a focus for environmental
education for the City of Calgary. The mixed forests and open prairie
of the park are accessible through an extensive trail system. The
park's historic Bow Valley Ranch House has been renovated as a restaurant.
The park contains a number of archaeological sites such as teepee
rings and bison kill sites. The Fish Creek Archaeological Centre
features a range of interactive archaeological displays and a working
lab. Visit the Fish
Creek Provincial Park web site for detailed information.
Outpost Wetlands Natural Area
(72 ha), located immediately west of Police Outpost Provincial Park,
preserves a small creek and wetland complex.
Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park
(1314 ha), located between Calgary and Cochrane Glenbow Ranch Provincial Parkwill help meet a growing demand for education programs, walking and
biking trails between Calgary and Cochrane and will join an existing network of municipal and provincial protected areas
making a substantial natural corridor between the two communities.
Additional Media: Downloadable Map, Fact Sheet
Police Outpost Provincial Park
(2.2 km2), located near the Alberta-U.S. border, preserves
a small area typical of the Foothills Parkland. A Northwest Mounted
Police outpost was established at this location in 1891 to control
smuggling.
Sheep Creek Natural Area
(5 ha), a small gravel depositional area of the Sheep River channel,
contains riverine succession communities ranging from bare gravel
to mature balsam poplar.
Threepoint Creek Natural Area
(52 ha), located at the confluence of the Sheep River and Threepoint
Creek, contains a great blue heron colony.
Provincial Recreation Areas
Additional Information
For information about facilities and services in the parks and protected
areas listed above, visit the Gateway
to Outdoor Adventure web site.
Parks and protected areas boundary maps, legal descriptions and
ArcView data captures are available on the Land
Reference Manual web site.
For more information about Managing the Network, contact Archie
Landals.
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