Conservation groups are asking the federal government to reverse an “out-of-the-blue” decision to reopen airstrips that have been closed for more than 10 years in the Banff and Jasper national parks.

The airstrips, located in low-elevation grasslands habitat, were closed in 1997 as part of a park management plan. Both Parks Canada and Transport Canada said the airstrips weren’t necessary for emergency use, and conservationists applauded the closures. “There’s been a long process of consultation and environmental assessment that has been leading, we thought, to the official and final closure of the airstrips,” says Wendy Francis of the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative. Environmental assessments showed that decommissioning the airstrips would have positive impacts on wildlife.

On March 14, however, the government put out a news release headlined: “Government of Canada to Improve Pilot Safety in Banff National Park.” A similar release went out regarding Jasper. The government says it’s re-listing the airstrips, because decommissioning them “would increase pilot risk and create legal uncertainties regarding the status” of the airstrips. A safety assessment commissioned by Parks Canada found that closing the airstrips would “have a negative impact on aviation safety.”

Conservation groups were caught off guard by the sudden decision after years of working to decommission the airstrips. It was “out of the blue,” says Francis. Harvey Locke, a conservation officer to the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS), says it was “truly shocking” to see the sudden reversal. CPAWS says it’s looking into legal options to have the government’s decision reversed.

Commercial planes won’t be able to use the airstrips except in emergencies, but the government is allowing recreational planes to use the Jasper airstrip — a use typically not permitted in national parks that aren’t in remote locations. “Saying that private planes can now land in Jasper… is a very significant policy change that gives certain people who can afford to have their own plane a very privileged way of accessing Jasper National Park,” says Francis. “It’s unnecessary. There are roads…. They don’t need to be able to fly their plane to access the park.” (JK)