Waterton Biosphere Reserve

Waterton Biosphere Reserve is recognized internationally as a special place where people work together to demonstrate innovative approaches to conservation and sustainable use.

Designated by UNESCO in 1979, the WBR was Canada’s second biosphere reserve, and the first to include a national park at its core.

Located in the southwest corner of Alberta, no area of similar size in the Canadian Rocky Mountains has as much ecological diversity as the Waterton Biosphere Reserve. Here, some of the most ancient and spectacular mountains in the Rockies abruptly meet the prairie, creating a rich mosaic of habitats – from prairie grasslands and aspen groves, to subalpine forests, alpine meadows, lakes and freshwater wetlands – and an astounding variety of plants and animals.

The region is also home to many vibrant communities – Pincher Creek, Cardston, Crowsnest Pass, Piikani and Kainai Reserves, and others – each with a rich and distinct cultural history, and reliance on a wide range of economic activities.

In the WBR, residents are actively involved with ranching, farming, tourism and recreation, wind energy, mining, the oil and gas industry, and other natural resource-related activities.