INTRODUCTION

Human footprint status and trend in Land-use Framework Planning Regions

The Government of Alberta has identified seven planning regions under the Land-use Framework (LUF), which are based on the province's major watersheds. A land-use plan is being developed for each region that integrates provincial policies and regional land use objectives, providing the context for future decision making. A large part of this planning process is managing the impact of human land use (human footprint) on economic, social, and environmental values. The government has approved the first two of these plans—the Lower Athabasca Regional Plan and the South Saskatchewan Regional Plan—with the other planning regions to follow. Explore the status and trend of human footprint by LUF region.