Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park Climate Change Assessment

Problem Context

This case study examines the process of adapting park management plans in Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park to potential climate change impacts.

The park is located near the British Columbia-Alberta Border about 28km southwest of Banff. At 39,050 hectares, the area supports a range of recreational activities and consists of many lakes, glaciers, alpine meadows, and mountains (BC Parks).  

The goal of the project was to inform the creation of a twenty year plan for park management, with particular attention to climate change impacts in Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park. Projected changes in annual average temperature, precipitation, and ice melt have implications for park management objectives. Compass Resource Management Ltd. was hired to explore the potential impacts of climate change and alternatives for adaptation. The result was a set of recommendations to BC Parks for managing potential climate change impacts.