We are pleased to release an Intact Areas Report for Alberta using the Human Footprint Index (HFI) from the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute. Using the 2021 Alberta HFI and distance metrics from the Blueberry decision in BC (Yahey v British Columbia 2021) we calculated the amount of the intact lands. In Alberta 82% of lands outside of parks and protected areas are within 250m of a disturbance or are disturbed. Using 500m, that number increases to 91% of lands in Alberta outside of parks and protected areas. This means in Alberta only 9% of lands outside parks and protected areas remain intact.

Following the metrics from the Blueberry decision, this analysis suggests that there are not sufficient amounts of lands in suitable condition for the meaningful exercise of rights by Indigenous people in Alberta. For more details, click here to download a copy of the report.