The construction and installation of the CASA Ghost River Access Project has come to a grinding bureaucratic halt. 

The day CASA was meeting to finalize the details of the construction we were informed by Alberta Sustainable Resource Development (ASRD) that they would be not be approving the Temporary Field Authorization (TFA) for the construction work (leveling of crossings, building a stringer bridge, and installing signs).  The Government of Alberta has decided to delay all gifting of structures built by organizations (e.g., not for profits like CASA), because of concerns about the liability and maintenance of the structures. The ASRD Policy group in Edmonton is writing up a “Siting Guide” around the design and installation of structures to be gifted to the Crown.  Once the guide is completed it needs to go through legal review before it can be implemented and ASRD can again start providing TFA’s for our type of work.

Ideally, the ASRD policy process would be completed quickly, allowing CASA to complete the construction work before the fall.  Realistically, it will likely take longer, meaning that vehicle access will be limited to junction 39 until there is a definitive decision from the Government.

While the Alberta Sustainable Resource Development is developing its policies, CASA will venture to complete the parts of the Ghost River Access project that do not require the installation of structures.  If approval can be obtained from ASRD, we will conduct a limited amount of field work this season.  At the same time, CASA will continue to seek alternative solutions and negotiate whatever resolution it can to this issue.

al

http://climbersaccess.ab.ca/

Hey Trad, all.

Quote from trad on July 24, 2009, 12:38
Its been awhile since the last time I was in the Ghost. Do you mind given a general idea about the issues in the Ghost?

Is it all about the creek crossings?

Cheers

Actually, this is a good question, wish the answer was simple.

Really, there are three sets of issues with the ghost.

You identified the first issue.  There is bull trout nesting habitat in some of the track that climbers have historically used for travel to climbs in the ghost river area.  We are glad to mitigate any impact we might have on the area.

The second issue is bureaucratic.  As the government was identifying a potential threat to the trout, it was setting up an advisory group for the management of Forest Land Use Zone.  The Alberta Sustainable Resource Development (ASRD) closed several trails, including ours, as a precautionary measure.  That advisory group has become known as Ghost Stewardship Management Group (GSMG) with representatives of various user and interest groups.  Its taken about two and half to three years for it to set a constitution, develop policies, and to make recommendations.  We’ve been glad to participate in the process.  The Ghost Access Project was the first to approved by the GSMG, and it was based on the fish study we had contracted out the previous year.  The Access Project was then reviewed by the ASRD, and well you get the picture on how long this all takes. …

The third issue revolves around “users”, responsible use, and enforcement.  With any area that is opened up in the Ghost River, the ASRD is concerned with the impact of irresponsible off road vehicle users (e.g quaders and 4×4s).  Without lots of resources for enforcement, the ASRD minimizes impact by limiting the activities and locations of the recreations users.

All three of these issues have worked together to make regaining our historical access difficult.  Indeed the access we have gained, well sort of gained because its not done yet, is only partial.  The good news is that there are improvements on all three issues, and we all the more determined.

al