This dataset contain the 1:20,000 scale contour elevation text converted from the Provincial Digital Base Mapping Project. These contours require the use of elevation text to properly interpret the elevation value of a specific contour. There are two major types of contours, index contours and intermediate contours. Index contours are identified every 5th contour line. For Alberta, the index contour intervals occur every 50 metres in relatively flat terrain and every 100 metres in mountainous terrain. Intermediate contours are contour lines that occur between the index contours. For Alberta, the intermediate contour intervals are every 10 metres in relatively flat terrain and every 20 metres in mountainous terrain. Where elevation change is sudden, intermediate contours may be deleted and only index contours are shown. The elevation text is associated with the index contours. Currently, no contour information exists for Banff, Jasper and Wood Buffalo National Parks and also for the extreme north east portion of the province. See the Completeness Report in this metadata record for details regarding coverage.

This dataset contains all of the 1:20 000 scale contour information converted from the Provincial Digital Base Mapping Project. These contour arcs are a cartographic product and they do not have any elevation values attributed to the spatial features. These contours require the use of elevation text to properly interpret the elevation value of a specific contour. There are two major types of contours, index contours and intermediate contours. Index contours are identified every 5th contour line. For Alberta, the index contour intervals occur every 50 metres in relatively flat terrain and every 100 metres in mountainous terrain. Intermediate contours are contour lines that occur between the index contours. For Alberta, the intermediate contour intervals are every 10 metres in relatively flat terrain and every 20 metres in mountainous terrain. Where elevation change is sudden, intermediate contours may be deleted and only index contours are shown. Currently, no contour information exists for Banff, Jasper and Wood Buffalo National Parks and also for the extreme north east portion of the province. See the Completeness Report in this metadata record for details regarding coverage.

The National Ecological Framework for Canada's "Surface Form by Ecozone" dataset contains tables that provide surface form information for components within the ecozone framework polygon. It provides surface form codes and their English and French-language descriptions as well as information about the percentage of the polygon that the component occupies. Surface form descriptions describe assemblages of slopes or recurring patterns of forms that occur at the earth's surface. When applied to consolidated materials (material that has been transformed to hard rock), it refers to the form produced after modification by geological processes. The mineral soil surface forms are: dissected; hummocky (irregular); inclined; level, rolling; ridged; steep; terraced; undulating. The wetland surface forms are: bog; fen; marsh; swamp.

This dataset contain all of the 1:20 000 scale index contour information converted from the Provincial Digital Base Mapping Project. These contour arcs are a cartographic product and they do not have any elevation values attributed to the spatial features. These contours require the use of elevation text to properly interpret the elevation value of a specific contour. Index contours are identified every 5th contour line. For Alberta, the index contour intervals occur every 50 metres in relatively flat terrain and every 100 metres in mountainous terrain. Currently, no contour information exists for Banff, Jasper and Wood Buffalo National Parks and also for the Extreme north east portion of the province.

The National Ecological Framework for Canada's "Surface Form by Ecoregion" dataset contains tables that provide surface form information for components within the ecoregion framework polygon. It provides surface form codes and their English and French-language descriptions as well as information about the percentage of the polygon that the component occupies. Surface form descriptions describe assemblages of slopes or recurring patterns of forms that occur at the earth's surface. When applied to consolidated materials (material that has been transformed to hard rock), it refers to the form produced after modification by geological processes. The mineral soil surface forms are: dissected; hummocky (irregular); inclined; level, rolling; ridged; steep; terraced; undulating. The wetland surface forms are: bog; fen; marsh; swamp.

The National Ecological Framework for Canada's "Surface Form by Ecoprovince" dataset contains tables that provide surface form information for components within the ecoprovince framework polygon. It provides surface form codes and their English and French-language descriptions as well as information about the percentage of the polygon that the component occupies. Surface form descriptions describe assemblages of slopes or recurring patterns of forms that occur at the earth's surface. When applied to consolidated materials (material that has been transformed to hard rock), it refers to the form produced after modification by geological processes. The mineral soil surface forms are: dissected; hummocky (irregular); inclined; level, rolling; ridged; steep; terraced; undulating. The wetland surface forms are: bog; fen; marsh; swamp.

The National Ecological Framework for Canada's "Surface Form by Ecodistrict" dataset contains tables that provide surface form information for components within the ecodistrict framework polygon. It provides surface form codes and their English and French-language descriptions as well as information about the percentage of the polygon that the component occupies. Surface form descriptions describe assemblages of slopes or recurring patterns of forms that occur at the earth's surface. When applied to consolidated materials (material that has been transformed to hard rock), it refers to the form produced after modification by geological processes. The mineral soil surface forms are: dissected; hummocky (irregular); inclined; level, rolling; ridged; steep; terraced; undulating. The wetland surface forms are: bog; fen; marsh; swamp.

A Conservation Unit (CU) is a group of wild Pacific salmon sufficiently isolated from other groups that, if extirpated, is very unlikely to recolonize naturally within an acceptable timeframe, such as a human lifetime or a specified number of salmon generations. Holtby and Ciruna (2007) provided a framework for aggregating the five species of salmon (genus Oncorhynchus) found on Canada’s Pacific coast into species-specific CUs based on three primary characteristics: ecotypology, life history and genetics. The first stage in the description of the Conservation Units is based solely on ecology. The ecotypologies used in this framework include a combined characterization of both freshwater and near-shore marine environments, and is termed “joint adaptive zone”. The second stage of the description involves the use of life history, molecular genetics, and further ecological characterizations to group and partition the first stage units into the final Conservation Units. The result is CUs that are described through the joint application of all three axes. It is important to note that CUs are distinct from other aggregates of Pacific salmon, such as designatable units (DUs) under the Species at Risk Act or management units (MUs).CU Counting Sites: Salmon spawner enumeration data in the Pacific Region is stored and managed in the New Salmon Escapement Database (NuSEDS). The term “escapement” is used to refer to the group of mature salmon that have ‘escaped’ from various sources of exploitation, and returned to freshwater to spawn and reproduce. This data is assigned to a “Counting Site”, which may be a complete watercourse with a marine terminus, a tributary to a larger watercourse, or a defined reach within a watercourse that may or may not encompass the entire population but represents an index of the abundance of that population. CU Status:CUs form the basic unit for assessment under Canada’s Policy for the Conservation of Wild Salmon Policy (WSP) (DFO 2005). The biological status of a CU is evaluated using a number of metrics (Holt et al. 2009; Holt 2009), which indicate a WSP status zone: Red (poor status), Amber (marginal status), or Green (healthy status). A final step then incorporates all metric and status-related information into a final integrated status for each CU, along with expert commentary to support the final status determination (e.g., DFO 2012; DFO 2016). This information is used as inputs to fisheries management processes to help prioritize assessment activities and management actions.Note: CU boundaries were reviewed in 2020-2021 and have been updated from the BC Freshwater Atlas 1:50,000 scale to the BC Freshwater Atlas 1:20,000 scale. The CU boundaries were last updated in March 2023. Please be aware that CUs may be reviewed and are subject to change without notice.Please refer to Conservation Unit Review Requests-Form and Summary for a list of CU review requests that are ongoing or have been finalized.

A Range Unit is an administrative area established to assist in the management of the range program. Typically made up of one or more pastures. Generally, one or more Range Units make up a Stock Range

A Conservation Unit (CU) is a group of wild Pacific salmon sufficiently isolated from other groups that, if extirpated, is very unlikely to recolonize naturally within an acceptable timeframe, such as a human lifetime or a specified number of salmon generations.Holtby and Ciruna (2007) provided a framework for aggregating the five species of salmon (genus Oncorhynchus) found on Canada’s Pacific coast into species-specific CUs based on three primary characteristics: ecotypology, life history and genetics. The first stage in the description of the Conservation Units is based solely on ecology. The ecotypologies used in this framework include a combined characterization of both freshwater and near-shore marine environments, and is termed “joint adaptive zone”. The second stage of the description involves the use of life history, molecular genetics, and further ecological characterizations to group and partition the first stage units into the final Conservation Units. The result is CUs that are described through the joint application of all three axes. It is important to note that CUs are distinct from other aggregates of Pacific salmon, such as designatable units (DUs) under the Species at Risk Act or management units (MUs).CU Counting Sites:Salmon spawner enumeration data in the Pacific Region is stored and managed in the New Salmon Escapement Database (NuSEDS). The term “escapement” is used to refer to the group of mature salmon that have ‘escaped’ from various sources of exploitation, and returned to freshwater to spawn and reproduce. This data is assigned to a “Counting Site”, which may be a complete watercourse with a marine terminus, a tributary to a larger watercourse, or a defined reach within a watercourse that may or may not encompass the entire population but represents an index of the abundance of that population. CU Status:CUs form the basic unit for assessment under Canada’s Policy for the Conservation of Wild Salmon Policy (WSP) (DFO 2005). The biological status of a CU is evaluated using a number of metrics (Holt et al. 2009; Holt 2009), which indicate a WSP status zone: Red (poor status), Amber (marginal status), or Green (healthy status). A final step then incorporates all metric and status-related information into a final integrated status for each CU, along with expert commentary to support the final status determination (e.g., DFO 2012; DFO 2016). This information is used as inputs to fisheries management processes to help prioritize assessment activities and management actions.Note: CU boundaries were reviewed in 2020-2021 and have been updated from the BC Freshwater Atlas 1:50,000 scale to the BC Freshwater Atlas 1:20,000 scale. The CU boundaries were last updated in March 2023. Please be aware that CUs may be reviewed and are subject to change without notice.Please refer to Conservation Unit Review Requests-Form and Summary for a list of CU review requests that are ongoing or have been finalized.