Calgary 
Alberta has officially established the Gipsy-Gordon Wildland Provincial Park in the province’s northeast, expanding protected forest land by over 150,000 acres.
Credit: Monica Dahl/Govt. of Alberta
The new park, now totalling 186,739 hectares, replaces the previous 35,000-hectare Gipsy Lake Wildland Provincial Park.
Situated southeast of Fort McMurray near the Alberta-Saskatchewan border, the park will safeguard critical habitats for 28 at-risk species, including the yellow-banded bumble bee, olive-sided flycatcher, and various birds, fish, amphibians, invertebrates, and mammals.
The designation under the Provincial Parks Act ensures long-term environmental management and prohibits new industrial development, including oil sands and mineral extraction, except where existing agreements apply. Forestry is also restricted, with exceptions made for wildfire, insect, and disease management.
Credit: Govt. of Alberta
The park allows traditional Indigenous land use and backcountry recreational activities such as hunting, fishing, trapping, and motorized travel on designated trails.
According to the news release, the Gipsy-Gordon Wildland Provincial Park is part of Alberta’s broader strategy to manage regional environmental impacts under the Lower Athabasca Regional Plan, which came into effect in 2012. The region contains major oil sands resources and is a focal point for land-use planning, balancing ecological, economic, and community priorities.
