If everyone who uses the Castle River area treated it like the special place it has been designated, it probably wouldn’t need legislated protection.

Since that’s not the case, a citizens group that has been working for more than a year is in the final steps of proposing 99 percent of the 1,035 square km be wildland.

Before that happens, local governments and groups, those who have been using the area for recreation, ranching and resource extraction, others who have an interest, and the provincial government will scrutinize the 42-page conceptual proposal. Then, the province has to put it into law.

It outlines what group members agree needs to be done to save the Castle headwaters area, extending from Waterton Lakes National Park to the Castle-Crowsnest drainage divide and from the B.C.-Alberta border to the east forest reserve boundary.

To get to this point, the working committee of about 38 accepted the assessment of other groups and agencies that the Castle ecosystem, including 26 headwater streams and rivers ultimately supplying water to Southern Alberta municipalities and agriculture, has deteriorated and needs protection.

The group established guiding principles that include the area’s “ecological integrity will not be harmed by human activity,” but that existing recreational use continue if it fits with the ecological principle.

It also recognized we all may have to modify how we use the area to protect it.

The monthly deliberations could only happen because this is public land, although there are as many opinions on what that means and how we can use it as there are groups represented at the discussions. Environmental groups prefer limited use, outdoors enthusiasts want to continue hunting and fishing, ranchers want to access range for their cattle and Shell Canada Limited has ongoing oil and gas interests.

Part of the recommendation includes special zoning provision for those uses and others, such as First Nations cultural and spiritual needs.

Groups that represent ATV users were invited to participate, but didn’t. However, their reality as well as that of random campers was frequently discussed, in fact with a view to somehow accommodate their interests either through special zoning or improved camping facilities away from rivers.

To do that, since wildland by the province’s existing legislation doesn’t allow for random camping, it’s being suggested the remaining one percent or 12 square kilometers of the Castle be turned into provincial park to provide proper space and facilities for campers and RVers and better enforcement. Beaver Mines Lake, Castle Falls, Lynx Creek and Syncline would be upgraded.

A stumbling block has been dealing with change, the need to compromise, and the concern by some that the provincial parks administration might put too many restrictions on use or access. Having ongoing local input to management planning is seen as key to balancing the need for protection and how access and use of the area is accommodated.

Some 125 copies of the proposal have been sent to area groups for feedback, which would be included in presentations to government administrators and politicians, planned before the end of the year.

Full proposal details can be accessed at www.castlespecialplace.ca.