Distribution (range) polygons were assembled by regional SARA biologists using the best available information, including COSEWIC status reports, recovery potential assessments, academic literature, and expert opinion. These spatial data support the protection, recovery and conservation of species listed as Extirpated, Endangered, Threatened or Special Concern under SARA. Species distributions are also described and displayed in Recovery Strategies, Action Plans and/or Management Plans. Discrepancies may exist between the distribution data shown in a species SARA recovery document and the current spatial data. Please contact DFO for more information on any data discrepancies. Please refer to the metadata included with the data for full entity attribute information

The Resource Management Area (RMA) dataset is comprised of all the polygons that represent the resource management areas of the 17 Integrated Resource Plans (IRP) - Subregional in Alberta. This dataset does not include the RMAs of Local IPR plans due to the resource restraint. Future enhancement of this data set to include Local IRP plans is feasible when resources are available. A Resource Management Area is an area identified within a Sub-Regional IRP plan for more detailed land and resource management intent on a landscape assessment. Generally, a Resource Management Area is characterized by an intent statement and detailed resource management objectives and guidelines. However, there are IRP plans which have their own specific RMA definitions. Plans include, Lakeland Sub-Regional IRP: A RMA is a geographic area of common resource management intent. There is a management intent statement for each resource management area. The intent statement expresses the resource priorities for the area. Kananaskis Country Sub-Regional IRP: RMA areas identify broad units of land within the planning area which have distinct management intents and specific management objectives.

The Non-Crown Mineral Ownership dataset represents land under which any party other than the Province of Alberta holds the mineral rights. This data includes freehold mineral rights as well as mineral rights held by the federal government for National Parks, Indian Reserves, and Surrendered Indian Reserves.

The Alberta Provincial Terrain is a component of the Alberta Provincial Digital Elevation Model. The Alberta Provincial Digital Elevation Model has five components: the Alberta Provincial Terrain, the Alberta Provincial 25 Metre Raster, the Alberta Provincial 100 Metre Raster, the Alberta Provincial 25 Metre Hillshade and the Alberta Provincial 100 Metre Hillshade. The source data is contained within the feature dataset that houses the Alberta Provincial Terrain. The source data consists of feature classes generated from the mass points, soft breaklines and hard breaklines that were stored as ASCII generate files in 1:20 000 scale National Topographic System (NTS) blocks. The source data has three origins: Digital Elevation Model: Alberta 1980 1995 60K, Southwestern Alberta 1979 1996 50K and Northeastern Alberta 1955 1986 50K. These three datasets were processed separately and tiled seamlessly along their borders. The Digital Elevation Model Alberta 1980 1995 60K was compiled from 1:60 000 scale aerial photography using analytical stereoplotters with vegetation and structures excluded. The Digital Elevation Model Northeastern Alberta 1955 1986 50K dataset was created primarily from 1:50 000 scale contour and hydrography data acquired from Natural Resources Canada (NRCAN) with supplementary aerial triangulation points derived from 1:60 000 scale black and white aerial photography dating between 1980 and 1995. The Digital Elevation Model Southwestern Alberta 1979 1996 50K dataset was created primarily from 1:50 000 scale contour and hydrography data from Natural Resources Canada, using Geographic Information System (GIS) processes that recognise the relationship between surface contours and hydrography. The Alberta Provincial Terrain is an ArcGIS terrain dataset that is built from feature classes. Terrains are TIN (Triangulated Irregular Network) -based representations of a surface and must reside inside of a geodatabase. The surface is displayed as triangles with an elevation point at the apex of each triangle. Pyramids are built into the terrain structure to generalize the display of the triangulated surface at different scales. Some analysis can be conducted using terrains but gridded data, such as a raster or a lattice, is often more useful. The Alberta Provincial Terrain is used as a base to generate the Alberta Provincial 25 and 100 Metre Rasters.

Oil Sands Agreement feature class contains provincial extent polygon features representing Oil Sands applications, agreements, leases, and licences, with varying term dates and conditions. These applications and subsequent agreements give the holder the right to explore Oil Sands.

This file contains the June 2022 spatial data. ACIMS Non-Sensitive Element Occurrences for tracked species of conservation concern in Alberta. Vertebrate data is excluded. This file contains element occurrence polygons mapped based on NatureServe Methodology. ACIMS (Alberta Conservation Information Management System) is the Alberta member of the international network of NatureServe Conservation Data Centres. This dataset is publicly available on the ACIMS website. More information regarding ACIMS can be obtained at: https://www.albertaparks.ca/albertaparksca/management-land-use/alberta-conservation-information-management-system-acims/

Compiled by Alberta Data Partnerships Ltd. (ADP), on behalf of the Government of Alberta, the ATS v4.1 Polygons - Legal Subdivision (LSD) with Road Allowance layer contains polygons that represent the location of LSD and adjacent Road Allowance Segment polygons, derived from the Master Alberta Township System points file published as ATS Version 4.1, dated March 31, 2005, and clipped to an updated Alberta Data Partnerships Ltd. (ADP) created version of the Alberta provincial boundary. Legal Subdivisions and adjacent road allowance segment polygons are new data that were not available for publication at the inception of ATS Version 4.1.

The Treaty Boundary dataset is comprised of all the polygons that represent the historical treaty lands of Canada negotiated by First Nations over the years through treaty-making between 1867 - 1999. The approximate boundaries illustrate the traditional territories described in First Nations Statements of Intent to negotiate treaties which have been submitted to, and accepted.

This file contains the June 2022 spatial data - ACIMS Sensitive Element Occurrences for tracked species of conservation concern in Alberta. Vertebrate data is excluded. Please note this data is hazed to township. ACIMS (Alberta Conservation Information Management System) is the Alberta member of the international network of NatureServe Conservation Data Centres. This dataset is publicly available on the ACIMS website. More information regarding ACIMS can be obtained at: https://www.albertaparks.ca/albertaparksca/management-land-use/alberta-conservation-information-management-system-acims/

Petroleum and Natural Gas Agreement feature class contains provincial extent polygon features representing Petroleum and Natural Gas applications, agreements, leases, and licences, with varying term dates and conditions. These applications and subsequent agreements give the holder the right to explore Petroleum and Natural Gas.