Kakwa

The Kakwa Endangered Forest is located southwest of the city of Grande Prairie and runs along the northern border of Willmore Wilderness Area. It is best known for its spectacular and unique hydrological and geological formations, such as the Kakwa Falls, found inside the Kakwa Wildlands Provincial Park, which failed to protect the surrounding foothills. This area is classified as endangered as it is one of three of the last large intact forests, which supports critical wildlife habitat, remaining in Alberta’s Foothills and thus represents the best of what is left of the world’s forests. It is home to three threatened caribou herds, bighorn sheep, elk, deer and moose, grizzly and black bears. It also provides summer and winter habitat for bull trout and many other fish species. Residing in the foothills, this area boosts a diversity of rare vegetation and water communities, of both the northern Boreal Forest and the Rocky Mountains.

Did you know? Less than 2% of Alberta’s foothills are currently protected. 

As the Kakwa watershed drains into the Smoky River, its impressive terraces, braided streams and meadows provide hydrological functions such as water storage, cleansing, and erosion control. The headwaters of the Kakwa River begin in the Rocky Mountains, then run through the foothills, and into the Boreal Forest.

The Recreational opportunities are in the Kakwa area are limitless. Hiking, swimming, camping, canoeing, kayaking, and photography are just a few of the activities available to visitors. As it supports a robust population of native fish including bull trout, Rocky Mountain whitefish and Arctic grayling, it is a popular fishing destination. The Kakwa River offers a range of levels for recreational paddling, from class 1 to class 5 rapids.

Did you know? First considered in 1970, the inter-provincial Kakwa Wildland Provincial Park was established in 1996. Tragically, no foothills were included.

Kakwa (porcupine in the Cree language) has rare, steep fossil-covered valley walls which showcases its long natural history. The past “human footprint” suggests that archeological resources may reach back 10,000 years. Trappers’ cabins and aboriginal gravesites can be seen along the southern and northern sides of the Kakwa River. Porcupine Meadows and Red Rock Creek also have cultural, historical and spiritual significance for the aboriginal community.

Special Values

* Three herds of threatened woodland caribou (mountain ecotype) live in the Kakwa forest. Highest total counts taken between 1993 and 2000 were 42 for the Narraway herd and 187 for the Redrock/Prairie Creek herds.
* Large numbers of grizzly bears and members of the weasel family like fisher and marten.
* Wildlife wintering areas such as Horn Ridge for bighorn sheep and Lynx Creek for bull trout.
* The Kakwa watershed shines with spectacular waterfalls, colorful rock outcrops and valleys and a natural cold sulphur spring called appropriately “Stinking Springs”.

Threats

Extensive logging has occurred around the perimeter of the Kakwa Endangered Forest, and logging has also destroyed portions of the Red Rock/Prairie Creek caribou winter range. As the threatened caribou rely on intact, old growth forests, these activities are directly contributing to their decline.

Did you know? In 1992, the Alberta Government and Weyerhaeuser met to discuss a protected area. Weyerhaeuser agreed at the time that the Kakwa should be classified as a “Wild River” but managed as an integrated landuse area.

Numerous oil and gas developments in the form of seismic lines, well sites, roads and plant sites are making significant inroads within the entire forest. The fragmentation, noise, human activity, and air, water and soil pollution associated with oil and gas exploration and extraction all play a significant part in the loss of the ecological integrity of the Kakwa. At present there are few road crossings of the Kakwa River, but industry infrastructure is rapidly encroaching on this region.

The Greater Kakwa group has identified the critical need to preserve a corridor that links the Two Lakes recreation area and the Kakwa Park. They have also called for a government analysis of existing habitat in light of endangered or threatened species requirements. Of greatest priority for preservation is caribou and bull trout habitat, both of which could disappear from Alberta in the next decade if habitats continue to be destroyed at current rates.

Hope for the Kakwa…

* Identified as one of the three last remaining hopes of protecting Alberta’s endangered forests, local, provincial, national and international conservation organizations are working hard to raise awareness of the importance, and urgency of restoring and protecting the Kakwa, the Little Smoky and the Bighorn.
* The scientific community, along with conservation groups, have agreed that the best hope for saving the Kakwa would be the expansion of the current Kakwa Wildland Provincial Park and the creation of a buffer zone on its east border.

Help to protect it!

* Visit the What can you do? Section to join in the efforts to save this magnificent area.