Parkland County Wetland Area, Circa 1950 vs 2013

Hectares of wetland in Parkland County as mapped in the County's two wetland inventories: one from aerial photographs taken around 1950, one from the County's 2013 photographs. Wetlands covered 72,485 ha around 1950 and 33,019 ha in 2013, 54% less. Bogs and fens went from 44,633 ha to 24,169 ha, and marshes, swamps and open water from 27,853 ha to 8,850 ha. Named lakes are shown apart and barely changed (11,698 ha and 11,633 ha). The 1950 inventory has only two classes, assigned from the nearest 2013 wetland, so the groups are the ones both share; dugouts and other built ponds (1,580 ha in 2013) are left out. Both inventories were prepared for the County by Fiera Biological Consulting Ltd.