The Improvement District dataset is comprised of all the polygons that represent large unincorporated rural areas in Alberta. Improvement District is a large unincorporated rural area defined under the authority of the Municipal Government Act and administered under the Improvement District Act. The provincial and federal governments have the primary responsibility in the Improvement District except for school affairs.

The Public Land Use Zone (PLUZ) dataset is comprised of all the polygons that represent Public Land Use Zones in Alberta. A Public Land Use Zone is an area of land to which legislative controls are applied to achieve particular land management objectives identified in a guiding land and resource plan. They can be used to protect areas containing sensitive resources such as wildlife and their habitats, vegetation, soils and watersheds as well as to separate or manage conflicting recreational activities. These areas have been designated as Public Land Use Zones, under the authority of Section 178 and 208 of the Public Lands Administration Regulation (PLAR) under the Public Lands Act. Public Land Use Zones were formerly known as Forest Land Use Zones (FLUZ) which were designated under the former Forest Recreation Regulation under the Forests Act. The Public Lands Administration Regulation came into effect on September 12, 2011. At this time, Forest Land Use Zones under the Forest Recreation Regulation were incorporated into the Public Lands Act and Public Lands Administration Regulation. As a result, Forest Land Use Zone became Public Land Use Zone.

The Rangeland Management Zones dataset is comprised of all the polygons that represent the Rangeland Management Zones in Alberta. A Rangeland Management Zone is an administrative area designated by the Lands Division in which grazing and other agricultural uses related to public land are managed by regional branch offices. The boundaries are used to ensure referrals are sent to the correct locations. The Rangeland Management Zones was formerly known as Alberta Sustainable Resource Development Rangeland Management Districts.

The Alberta Environment and Parks Land Officer Regions dataset is comprised of all the polygons that represent the Environment and Parks Land Officer Regions within the Province of Alberta.

The location of man made areas of importance pertinent to the business activities of the Government of Alberta.

The Environment and Parks Lands Officer Districts dataset is comprised of all the polygons that represent the Environment and Parks Lands Officer Districts within the Province of Alberta.

Under the Recreation, Ecosystems, and Lands Program, The Recreation, Education, and Partnerships Unit Contact Boundaries dataset is comprised of all the polygons that represent the Recreation, Education, and Partnerships districts of Alberta and who to contact for information within that district. The dataset is to help Government of Alberta Staff and external consultants to determine which Biologist is responsible for and has authority over each region.

This dataset is produced for the Government of Alberta and is available to the general public. Note that the distribution contact is different for the general public than for Government of Alberta ministries. Please consult the Distribution Information of this metadata for the appropriate contact to acquire this dataset. The Summer Village dataset is comprised of all the polygons that represent Summer Villages in Alberta. Summer Village is a municipality type defined under the authority of the Municipal government Act. The formation of a Summer Village can occur if a majority of the buildings are on parcels of land smaller than 1850 square metres and there is a population of 300 or more. Generally same provisions related to a Village apply to a Summer Village except that in the latter, elections and annual meetings are required to be held in the summer. A Summer Village is the only type of municipality where a person can vote twice in municipal elections: once in the Summer Village and once in the municipality where their permanent residence is located. Summer Villages can no longer be created in Alberta.

The Specialized Municipality dataset is comprised of all the polygons that represent Specialized Municipalities in Alberta. Specialized Municipality is a type of municipality which does not meet the needs of the residents of a proposed municipality such as City, Municipal District, Town or Village. but formed to provide for a form of local government that will provide for the orderly development of the municipality or by any other reason that is appropriate in the circumstances. Specialized municipalities are unique municipal structures that can be formed without resorting to special Acts of the legislature. Often, specialized municipalities allow urban and rural communities to coexist in a single municipal government.

This dataset contains boundaries of Management Areas, which are geographic areas of managerial responsibility within Parks Operations Division, Alberta Environment and Parks. Management Areas are groupings of Districts, which are geographic areas of operational responsibility within Parks Operations Division. Parks Operations Division Districts nest within Management Areas, which in turn nest within Regions. These boundaries are administrative/operational in nature, and are subject to change.