Caribou Mountains Wildland Provincial Park

Caribou Mountains Wildland Park is a large wilderness area in northern Alberta, Canada. It is located in the Caribou Mountains, immediately west of Wood Buffalo National Park in a remote backcountry area. The closest communities in Alberta are Fort Vermilion and Garden River.

Caribou Mountains Wildland Park
IUCN category Ib (wilderness area)
Location of Caribou Mountains Wildland Park in Alberta
Location	Mackenzie County, Alberta, Canada
Nearest city	High Level, Fort Vermilion
Coordinates	59°19′00″N 114°58′00″W
Area	5,910 km²
Established	2001
Governing body	Alberta Tourism, Parks and Recreation

It was established by the Alberta Government in 2001 under the "Special Places program" by Order in Council 308/2001.^[1] At 5,900 square kilometres (2,300 sq mi), it is the largest provincial protected area in Alberta. (The nearby Wood Buffalo National Park is managed by the federal government.)

Conservation

The park protects fragile wetland that offers nesting grounds for a variety of bird species and core habitat of the threatened woodland caribou herd.^[2] A small number of wood buffalo is also present in the south-eastern part of the park. The Caribou Mountains reach an elevation of 1,030 m, almost 700 m higher than the surrounding area, and have a unique environment.

The park is located in the hydrographic basin of the Great Slave Lake and that of the Peace River. Yates River, Whitesand River, Buffalo River, Wentzel River, Wentzel Lake and Margaret Lake are found in the park area.

Fauna

The Caribou Mountains is home to many arctic birds that breed nowhere else in Alberta including Red-throated loon, Red-necked phalarope, Grey-cheeked thrush, American tree sparrow, and Red-breasted merganser.

See also

• List of provincial parks in Alberta
• List of Canadian provincial parks
• List of National Parks of Canada

References

1. Alberta Wilderness Association Archived 2013-12-21 at the Wayback Machine - Caribou Mountains
2. Alberta Community Development Archived March 16, 2005, at the Wayback Machine - Caribou Mountains Wildland Park