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This site contains the valley and ridges of the Whaleback area, relatively undisturbed montane and sub-alpine habitat. The Whaleback is considered the last remaining area of wilderness montane in Alberta.

[FP, MEDIUM DUE TO NUMBER OF LINKS]

• Map of the Area
• Other Information
• Site Statistics
• References and Further Reading

Map of the Area

Any maps and map views are for general information only. Do not rely on them for navigation or to determine legal boundaries.

Other Information

OH Ranch Heritage Rangeland contains grassland, aspen-dominated forests, willow shrub lands and, in montane areas of the site lodgepole pine & white spruce-dominated forests. Wildlife species include wolves, cougars, coyotes, grizzly bears, black bears, moose, mule deer, elk, white-tailed deer, grouse, hawks, eagles, falcons, owls and waterfowl.

Buffalo and Ranchers. Historically, the area was used by aboriginal people, primarily to hunt buffalo. With the extirpation of the buffalo in about 1880, ranchers began using the highly productive fescue grasslands to build their cattle herds and cattle ranching has been the dominant land-use in the area since that time. Other land uses that have occurred in the past have included limited timber harvesting and some geo-physical exploration. A 500 KV transmission line parallels Whaleback Ridge on its eastern side, crossing through the Black Creek Heritage Rangeland [1].

OHV and Whales Don’t Mix. The ‘Whaleback’ is the colloquial name for the region within the Bob Creek Wildland Provincial Park and Black Creek Heritage Rangeland; so named for the resemblance of its prominent ridges to the spine of a beached humpback whale. It is part of the Alberta Wilderness Association’s Livingstone-Porcupine Area of Concern. Unfortunately, motorized recreation has in recent years led to damage of the Bob Creek Wildland Provincial Park’s streams and riparian areas, as its trail systems host an inappropriate number of stream crossings in areas that cannot sustain such intensive use [2].

Site Statistics

Site Name	Black Creek
Site Type	Heritage Rangeland
Subtype	Order-in-council (OC)
Natural Region(s)	Montane
O.C. No. (Land Ref. Manual)	139/2008
PASite ID (Map Ref #)	584
Site # (Parks Website)	430
Total Area	7733.10 ha. (19108.23 ac.)
Steward-Status
Recreation Activities	none noted
IUCN	VI
Operated By	Parks Division
Notes and Comments

References

The following links are provided as a courtesy but are not verified or endorsed by SAPAA. Clicking on the link will cause you to leave the SAPAA website. Primary source of information is: Information & Facilities – Black Creek HR | Alberta Parks (All links accessed on 2023-01-23).

1. Bob Creek and Black Creek HR Management Plan (July 2011), p. 4.
2. Whaleback – Alberta Wilderness Association
3. Activities – Bob Creek Wildland Provincial Park | Alberta Parks

Further Reading

• Activities – Bob Creek Wildland Provincial Park | Alberta Parks
• Livingstone-Porcupine – Alberta Wilderness Association
• Bob Creek Wildland Provincial Park – Wikipedia

Editing, Review and Silence Procedure

1. FRANK: Publish page
2. HUBERT/PATSY: Assign page for editing by update tbd in the Title (4-
3. Review for readability and alignment to SAPAA organizational reputation.
4. Best available image
5. Review for accuracy including:
   1. Correct map and site statistics
   2. Area size is correct
   3. Standards (e.g. use of hyphens, spelling, etc.)
   4. References are accessible and and notes match
6. Review for formatting, e.g.: Centered captions, No empty blocks
7. TEAM: Last walk through
   1. Any final discussion or notes
   2. Remove [name] from title
   3. Add to log book for silence procedure
   4. Delete these notes.