Unit 2 - Government Legislation and Policies

Alberta’s forested land covers over half of the province, roughly 38 million hectares. Of that, 87% is Crown land, controlled by the Alberta government. The Department of Agriculture and Forestry manages development and sets policies and regulations for forested areas. They act under the authority of the Forests Act. In addition to developing and enforcing forest laws, they also manage the provincial parks and conservation areas. They also monitor activities of forest companies, ensuring that they are compliant with the laws and regulations.

It is the law in Alberta that all forestry activities must meet high sustainability standards; rigorous legislation, plans, and policies have been developed to demonstrate responsible stewardship. All plans must be approved by the provincial government to make sure all environmental regulations are followed and that forest values are maintained.

We will now explore the two most important governing bodies pertaining to Alberta’s forests: the Land Use Framework of Alberta and the Alberta Land Stewardship Act.