As of November 21, 2025, SAPAA reported over 3,100 site inspection reports (SIRs) regarding Alberta’s natural areas since 1988. With significant volunteer contributions, this effort highlights both frequently and seldom visited sites, as well as 87 locations awaiting first reports. SAPAA encourages participation in future inspections to foster biodiversity preservation.
- Four Decades of Volunteer Excellence
- 3,100+ Site Inspection Reports
- ‘First Ascent Sites’
- Any Plans for 2026?
Please note that the following statistics refer exclusively to the Alberta Natural areas of current interest to SAPAA. Historical data contains sites that have subsequently being amalgamated into Provincial Parks or lost to the system (see: Transferred and Lost Natural Areas). The SAPAA areas of interest are often lost in the context of larger discussions about preserving Alberta’s biodiversity, thus their focus for SAPAA.
A Site Inspections report can be submitted for both recent visits to a protected areas or past visits as well.
Four Decades of Volunteer Excellence
SAPAA wishes to acknowledge and honour the following individuals who have contributed to Alberta’s Protected Areas. On their own time and own cost, they travelled to one or more sites, recorded their observations and submitted a site inspection report to the Alberta Government (and more recently SAPAA).
Noting that each one of these reports represents at least a day’s effort, this table (and the above chart) represents more than 200 effort-days freely given. Please note that this table excludes more than 2,200 reports for which permission was not received to attribute the report to the individual. At any time you can reclaim your legacy reports by contacting president@sapaastewards.com or see Reclaiming 40 Years of Stewardship.
3,100+ Site Inspection Reports
Since 1988, 3,106 Site Inspection Reports (SIRs) have been submitted to the Alberta Government or the Stewards of Alberta’s Protected areas. The top ten most reported on sites are as follows.
Ten Most Visited Sites per SIR Count
| Site Name | SAPAA-SIR | Total all Years |
| Kootenay Plains (ER) | 121 | |
| Bragg Creek (PNT) | 1 | 67 |
| Threepoint Creek (NA) | 1 | 66 |
| Wildcat Island (NA) | 1 | 59 |
| Whitecourt (PNT) | 58 | |
| Sherwood Park (NA) | 3 | 58 |
| Telfordville (PNT) | 2 | 50 |
| Lloyd Creek (NA) | 3 | 48 |
| Sheep Creek (NA) | 1 | 47 |
| Magee Lake (NA) | 6 | 45 |
Fifty of the sites have 5 or few reports since 1988 and the following ten sites have had a single visit, but none in the last fifteen plus years!
Ten Least Visited Sites per SIR Count
‘First Ascent Sites’
Despite nearly forty years of data, 87 sites have never been reported upon. To be clear, they are being visited, for better or worse, but neither the Alberta Government or more recently SAPAA have received a SIR.
SAPAA calls these sites ‘first ascents’ from the mountaineering lexicon. If you visit them and send us a report, you will be the first to do so!
87 Sites Open for First SIR Ascent
| County | Site Name |
| Athabasca County | Bridge Lake (PNT) |
| Perryvale (CNT) | |
| Tawatinaw River (PNT) | |
| Barrhead No. 11, County of | Camp Creek (PNT) |
| Beaver County | Beaverhill Lake Heritage Rangeland (NA) |
| Big Lakes County | Bleak Lake (PNT) |
| Police Point (NA) | |
| Bighorn No. 8, M.D. of | Ghost River (WA) |
| Ole Buck Mountain (PNT) | |
| Bonnyville No. 87, M.D. of | Moose Lake Islands (PNT) |
| Brazeau County | Bigoray (NA) |
| Easyford (NA) | |
| Easyford Creek (NA) | |
| Marshybank (ER) | |
| Pembina Bigoray (PNT) | |
| Rocky Rapids (NA) | |
| Clearwater County | Aurora (NA) |
| Burning Sulphur (PNT) | |
| Chedderville (PNT) | |
| Douglas Fir (NA) | |
| O’Chiese (NA) | |
| Siffleur (WA) | |
| White Goat (WA) | |
| Crowsnest Pass | Crowsnest Lake (PNT) |
| Mt. Tecumseh (PNT – USE CNT/PNT) | |
| Cypress County | Hargrave Coulees (NA) |
| Onefour Heritage Rangeland (NA) | |
| Fairview No. 136, M.D. of | Dunvegan (PNT) |
| Highland Park (PNT) | |
| Foothills County | Emerson Creek (NA) |
| Highwood River (NA) | |
| OH Ranch (HR) | |
| Forty Mile No. 8, County of | Pinhorn (CNT) |
| Verdigris Coulee (PNT) | |
| Grande Prairie No. 1, County of | Kleskun Creek (PNT) |
| Kneehill County | Dry Island Corridor (NA) |
| Lac La Biche County | Lac La Biche (PNT) |
| Lac Tremble (PNT) | |
| Old Canoe Island (PNT) | |
| Lac Ste. Anne County | Majeau Lake (PNT) |
| Paddle River (NA) | |
| Leduc County | St. Francis (PNT) |
| Mackenzie County | Caribou River (NA) |
| Caribou River (PNT) | |
| Harper Creek (NA) | |
| Hot Pot (PNT) | |
| Ponton River (PNT) | |
| Watt Mountain (PNT) | |
| Mountain View County | Bearberry Prairie (PNT) |
| James Junction (PNT) | |
| Sundre (PNT) | |
| Paintearth No. 18, County of | Paintearth Coulee (PNT) |
| Parkland County | Pembina River Moon Lake (NA) |
| Pincher Creek No. 9, M.D. of | Black Creek (HR) |
| Red Deer County | Schrader Creek – Red Deer River (PNT) |
| Saddle Hills County | Silver Valley (ER) |
| Smoky Lake County | Bellis Lake (PNT) |
| Special Areas No. 4 | Gooseberry Lake (PNT) |
| Monitor (PNT) | |
| Sounding Lake (PNT) | |
| Torlea (PNT) | |
| St. Paul No. 19, County of | Frog Lake Heronry (PNT) |
| Starland County | Hand Hills (ER) |
| Rumsey (NA) | |
| Thorhild County | White Earth Valley (PNT) |
| Vermilion River, County of | Oxville (PNT) |
| Ross Lake (PNT) | |
| Wainwright No. 61, M.D. of | Edgerton (PNT) |
| Killarney-Reflex Lakes HR {NA} | |
| Wainwright Dunes (ER) | |
| Warner No. 5, County of | Ross Lake (NA) |
| Twin River Heritage Rangeland (NA) | |
| Wetaskiwin No. 10, County of | Winfield (PNT) |
| Wheatland County | Carseland (PNT) |
| Willow Creek No. 26, M.D. of | East Porcupine (CNT) |
| Wood Buffalo | Athabasca Dunes (ER) |
| Egg Island (ER) | |
| La Saline (PNT) | |
| Whitemud Falls (ER) | |
| Woodlands County | Centre of Alberta (NA) |
| Noel Lake (NA) | |
| Noel Lake (PNT) | |
| Yellowhead County | Brazeau Tufa (CNT) |
| Highway (NA) | |
| Pinto Creek Canyon (NA) | |
| Round Valley (NA) | |
| Wildhay Glacial Cascades (NA) |
Any Plans for 2026?
As SAPAA looks forward to the 2026 field season, consider adding a few site inspection reports to your plans. They provide a ready method to visit the four corners of our province.
Please remember to submit Site Inspection when you visit a protected area. This information is how we tell the story of these sites. While there, why not make some iNaturalist observations?
SAPAA 
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