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For the ninth 12 months in a row, Parks Canada is implementing a dusk-to-dawn seasonal closure to all visitors in a bit of the Bow Valley Parkway to attenuate the results on animals within the space.
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Between 8:00 p.m. and eight:00 a.m. from March 1 to June 25, the 17-kilometre stretch of highway from the Trans-Canada Freeway/Bow Valley Parkway interchange to the Johnston Canyon Campground might be closed to motor autos, bicycles and pedestrians.
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Parks Canada customer expertise supervisor Daniella Rubeling stated conserving the world away from visitors at night time is important to the success of the numerous species that go to it.
“That stretch of the Bow Valley Parkway that constitutes this journey restriction is crucial habitat. It is crucial for wildlife because it’s the primary place to inexperienced up within the spring, so this restriction is to restrict night journey throughout a time of 12 months when animals use the valley ground to keep away from the deep snow.” she stated.
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Delicate species similar to grizzly bears and wolves are identified to make use of the world to feed and lift their younger, Rubeling stated, including that black bears, cougars, foxes, coyotes, deer, elk and bighorn sheep additionally come by means of often.
“Right here within the mountains, spring might be very changeable. . . and so it actually demonstrates the necessity for this space to be obtainable to them.”
The seasonal restriction can even apply to the Bow Valley Parkway biking expertise, which begins on Might 1. With gates in place on each side, the highway closure might be clear to autos, however Rubeling stated it is necessary to get the message out to cyclists.
“It is a bit extra permeable to cyclists and that is the place we simply need to make sure that it is actually clear,” she stated. “I do know that anecdotally over the previous couple of years we’ve not had issues with car visitors. It is the biking visitors that we actually need to guarantee stays out of these areas throughout that restriction as a result of it is grown over time.”
Through the closure, guests will nonetheless have entry to Johnston Canyon and the westernmost part of the Bow Valley Parkway by way of Fortress Junction from the Trans-Canada Freeway.
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