Many trails in northern Alberta are managed largely through volunteer effort — an issue that came up recently during a council meeting for the M.D. of Lesser Slave River.
The municipal district was presented with a proposal to assume management of the Nine Mile Recreation Area trail system in exchange for annual funding.
Under the proposal, the currently volunteer-run trail would be managed by the M.D. under Alberta’s Trails Act and Public Lands Act.
Taking on the responsibility would also come with additional obligations, including trail maintenance and enforcement of trail-use rules, such as restrictions on motor vehicle access and closures required for maintenance or safety reasons.
Several councillors at the meeting questioned whether the municipal district has the capacity to take on those additional responsibilities while facing existing manpower challenges. They also raised concerns about whether funding would remain available and consistent in future years.
The province has thousands of kilometres of designated trails across public land, in addition to municipal trail systems, provincial park trails, privately managed recreation areas and countless volunteer-built routes.
Across Alberta, governments increasingly rely on partnerships with non-profit organizations, recreation clubs and volunteer groups to carry out much of the work required to keep trails operational. That work includes routine maintenance, installing signage, repairing bridges, clearing vegetation and improving infrastructure.
For many designated motorized and multi-use trails, organizations such as the Alberta Off-Highway Vehicle Association and the Alberta Snowmobile Association, along with affiliated local clubs, serve as official trail managers. While these groups may receive provincial support, much of the day-to-day work still depends on volunteers donating their time and expertise.
The Nine Mile Trails (Nine Mile Creek Recreation Area) are a local example of a recreation network maintained largely through volunteer effort. Managed by the Nine Mile Recreation Society, the trails rely on volunteers who groom cross-country ski trails in winter, clear brush, maintain signage and complete ongoing improvements.
The approximately 45-kilometre Nine Mile trail system is among the larger community-managed recreation trail networks in north-central Alberta.
Evan Baranyk, a volunteer and organizer with the Nine Mile Recreation Society, says the current proposal developed after Alberta Forestry and Parks identified grant opportunities for trail managers. Last year, the province informed both the society and the M.D. of Lesser Slave River about funding opportunities for designated trails.
The Nine Mile Cross-Country Ski Trails are already designated under Alberta’s Trails Act and Public Lands Act, providing legal protection for the trail network and allowing trail management agreements to be established.
Baranyk says a formal trail management agreement would provide access to grant funding, when available, and reduce some of the administrative requirements involved in maintaining designated trails. However, he says the volunteer model remains critical.
“The sustainability of volunteer-based trail management depends on the availability, interest and resources of volunteers, supplemented by a dependable flow of grant funding,” Baranyk says.
Baranyk is among the volunteers who help maintain the Nine Mile system. During the winter season, he operates a snowcat and snowmobile with a track setter to groom ski trails and prepare snowshoe routes. He also helps clear fallen trees, maintain access areas, install signage, build bridges and develop new trail routes.
While trail users often see only the finished product — a groomed ski track, a clear pathway or a well-marked route — much of the work happens behind the scenes. Volunteers identify hazards, repair damaged infrastructure and keep trails safe and accessible.
In rural communities like those around Slave Lake, where many recreation areas are located outside municipal boundaries, volunteer trail groups play an important role in maintaining outdoor spaces. Without that dedication, many local trail systems would face reduced maintenance and fewer recreation opportunities.
Baranyk says that if a formal management structure is established, access to operating and capital grants could improve maintenance and provide equipment to support the trail system. He adds that larger infrastructure improvements for safety or environmental reasons remain possible through Alberta Forestry and Parks, although such projects typically require several years of planning.
While the municipal district has indicated it will explore opportunities to work with the Town of Slave Lake on trail management, the long-term success of local trail systems will continue to depend on volunteers. Funding cannot replace the local knowledge, time investment and commitment required to keep these trail networks safe, accessible and sustainable.
William Hetherington
Lakeside Leader
