A draft forest management plan for the C5 area is available on the Alberta Sustainable Resource Development website.  With increasing public use, concern over grizzly bears and pressure from Yellowstone to Yukon activists we expect that this region will undergo  significant access management planning which will likely reduce trail density and dramatically affect random camping opportunity.

The C-5 -- A Working Forest

The C-5 formally known as the Bow Crow Forest Reserve has long been a primary resource in Southern Alberta. It has provided employment to resource based industrial users for over a hundred years.

Logging done in late 1900's

Agriculture in Southern Alberta has benefited from the availability of access to the land base and its runoff. Irrigation in southern Alberta came about as a result of the existence of this natural resource. Several dams in southern Alberta rely on the C-5 drainage to fill them to capacity and supply the irrigation districts thrughout the south.

Alberta's natural gas industry was established and continues to flourish in the area; supplying jobs and revenue to provincial coffers.

Recreation in the Forestry has always been a high value to the people of Alberta and their visitors. While no up to date numbers are available, recreational use has a huge impact on local regional and provincial economies. Without the C-5 and other forested areas of the province Alberta's economy would definitely be reshaped. The forestry area has long proved it could be sustainable when managed in an efficient manner.

Provincial land managers since its incorporation have done a relatively good job of management; until lately. Government cutbacks have seriously affected the operations of the managers and many issues have arisen. The result of foreign money and high profile environmental lobby groups have changed the way everyone views the land base.

Policies and terms of reference have been put in place due to pressure; not practical knowledge or validated information. New buzzwords like continuity and sustainability have changed the way management should look.

It is here where the exclusionist views are different. They have not been successful at shutting down industrial and agricultural uses so they are focusing on the weakest user (the silent majority), the general public. They form alliances that say certain uses are good for the environment but beware, after the day is done that usage will be next to be targeted .

Over the years they have used many excuses to lock out the public. Industrial use is going to happen but the concession is that gating or restricting usage by others becomes an accepted practice. This should not be acceptable. If an area is unsafe for the public it is also unsafe for industry workers. Industry must operate under the scrutiny of the public eye. If an area is closed for wildlife management purposes then industry does not belong there either. Industry uses the areas all year round.

Recreational use should not be denied due to species disturbance as long as there is a healthy enough population to support sport hunting. Over protection of one species can lead to declining numbers in another. i.e. grizzly bears eating calf moose in the spring of the year. Re-introduction of species can do more harm than good to an area. i.e. the  wolves from Alberta to Yellowstone in the mid 90's have thrived to a point that the U.S. Government is now considering opening a hunting season to control their numbers.

ATV 's are the preferred method of transportation in the back country by all users. Industry, enforcement agencies, and conservation workers all use them. This indicates that the amount of damage they cause is minimal. Recreational access should not be restricted by any reason or group that wishes to continue using the land for themselves. The ATV industry is here to stay and needs to be managed as any other industry!

The C-5 has been whittled away at for years now by protectionists. The area has been assessed, studied and  protected enough. It is time to manage the land for what it is and will continue to be...A WORKING FOREST!!