Trails4Tomorrow Petition

We, the signatories to this petition, would like to see the following changes to the proposed South Saskatchewan Regional Land Use Plan.

  • And end to the Access Management Plans for managing recreational trails on Public Land.
    • Access Management Plans require the re-use of existing linear disturbances on the land which were not necessarily engineered as sustainable recreational trails and may not provide the desired experiences of the recreational users.
    • The only management tool for government in an Access Management Plan is to declare a particular trail as Open or Closed, meaning that the only available response to Trail problems is Closure.
  • Replace Access Management Plans with "Recreation Plans" based on the 5E's
    • Experience, Engineering, Education, Enforcement, Evaluation
      • Experience – Master Trail Planning which incorporates ecological, social and trail sustainability while providing the Experience Albertan's desire.
        • A Master Plan should be developed for each Public Land Use Zone.
        • In developing the Master Plan, Recreation Groups should be consulted for input on desired experiences, destinations and favourite activities within each Public Land Use Zone.
        • User groups should have the opportunity to participate in the planning process through providing inventories of desired trails and waypoints of favourite destinations.
        • Connections to staging areas, transportation corridors, camping facilities and inter-connection between Public Land Use Zones should be well thought out within each PLUZ.
      • Engineering – Budget and Implementation capability to create sustainable trails, not just re-use unsustainable disturbances.
        • A budget to implement and maintain a trail network as outlined in the Master Plan.
        • Implementation responsibility assigned to appropriate government department with milestones for progress and completion.
        • Trail built to standards that offer challenges, experiences, and 'Trail Time' such that users do not feel the need to 'Make their own fun'.
        • A variety of Trail standards to offer transportation corridors, as well as challenging alternate routes for varying skill levels of users.
        • Source of ongoing funding to provide maintenance and repair of heavily used trails.
        • 'Adopt a Trail' programs to ensure ownership for clean-up and monitoring of recreational trails.
      • Education – to ensure users know what to expect, what to do, and their responsibilities on the trails.
        • A consistent set of signage standards, brochures, kiosk information, and rules for all recreation areas.
        • Consistent trail descriptions to help users make informed decisions about where to recreate.
        • Educate users on trial etiquette and expectations for enjoying the trails.
        • A program to partner with recreation clubs to provide training to safely operate your vehicle and its equipment on the trails, and without damaging the trails.
      • Enforcement – to ensure compliance with the plan
        • Meaningful enforcement regulations for issuing penalties for people misusing the trails.
        • Specify minimum staffing levels for enforcement during different seasons to ensure meaningful enforcement presence.
        • Program to partner with recreation clubs to provide Trail Volunteers to promote education and proper use of trails.
      • Evaluation – to continuously improve the plan.
        • Set appropriate Key Performance Indicators for recreational trails in each PLUZ, i.e. # of KM of trails, Destinations, staging areas, User capacity, Compliance, etc.
        • Identify appropriate government department with responsibility to provide annual reporting against the Key Performance Indicators.
        • Program to partner with recreation clubs ensure user's needs are being met, issues are identified and corrective action is taken when needed.

To sign the petition, click here.