ESRD 2014 Land Classification Methodology
How Phaseview generates the Remote Forested Land classification layer
Overview
This layer implements the land classification system from the Alberta ESRD (Environment and Sustainable Resource Development) 2014 guidelines: "Subsoil Petroleum Hydrocarbon Guidelines for Remote Forested Sites in the Green Area" (Reclamation and Remediation, 2014, No. 4).
The classification determines which parts of Alberta's Green Area (forested/unsettled land) qualify as "Remote Forested Land" for regulatory purposes related to petroleum hydrocarbon contamination remediation.
Key Finding
Approximately 36.4% of Alberta's forested land qualifies as Remote Forested Land under the ESRD 2014 criteria (~221,000 km2).
Zone Types
The classification system divides Alberta into four mutually exclusive zone types:
Remote Forested Land
Green Area locations that meet ALL remoteness criteria (outside all buffer zones). These sites may qualify for alternative remediation guidelines.
Non-Remote Forested Land
Green Area locations within at least one buffer distance. Standard remediation guidelines apply to these sites.
Non-Forested Land
The White Area (settled and agricultural land in central and southern Alberta). ESRD 2014 remote site guidelines do not apply here.
National Park
Federal protected areas (Banff, Jasper, Waterton Lakes, Wood Buffalo, Elk Island). Excluded from provincial land classification as they fall under federal jurisdiction.
Buffer Distance Criteria
Per the ESRD 2014 document, land is classified as Remote Forested Land only if it is located beyond ALL of the following buffer distances:
| Buffer Source | Distance | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Fort McMurray Urban Service Area | 20 km | Major regional population center |
| White Area boundary | 20 km | Proximity to settled/agricultural land |
| Towns, Villages, Summer Villages, Hamlets | 10 km | Proximity to population centers |
| Indian Reserves | 10 km | Proximity to community lands |
| Provincial Highways (1-216, 500-986) | 5 km | Accessibility via road network |
Important Note
The 20 km White Area buffer is measured from the White Area polygons themselves, NOT from the Green Area boundary. This ensures that areas near BC/SK provincial borders (which are not near settled land) are not incorrectly classified as non-remote.
Data Sources
The classification is computed using authoritative Government of Alberta spatial datasets:
| Layer | Source Table | Filter Criteria | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green/White Zones | reconnaissance.green_white_zones | zone_type | 39 polygons |
| Fort McMurray | reconnaissance.municipal_areas | name='Fort Mcmurray', type='Urban Service Area' | 1 polygon (120.5 km2) |
| Settlements | reconnaissance.municipal_areas | City, Town, Village, Summer Village, Urban Service Area, Hamlet | 691 settlements |
| Indian Reserves | reconnaissance.indian_reserves | Within 10km of Green Area | 253 reserves |
| Provincial Highways | spatial_layers.roads | data_source='alberta_access', numbered 1-216 or 500-986 | 5,324 segments |
| National Parks | reconnaissance.protected_areas | protected_area_type='National Park' | 5 parks |
Computation Algorithm
The classification is computed using PostGIS spatial operations in the following steps:
- Load base layers - Import Green Area, White Area, and National Parks polygons from the database.
- Subtract National Parks from Green Area - National Parks are excluded from the forested land calculation as they are federal land.
- Create exclusion buffers:
- 20 km buffer around Fort McMurray Urban Service Area (not the county)
- 20 km buffer around all White Area polygons
- 10 km buffer around each Indian Reserve
- 10 km buffer around each settlement (City, Town, Village, Summer Village, Urban Service Area, Hamlet)
- 5 km buffer around each provincial highway segment (highways 1-216 and 500-986)
- Union all exclusion zones - Combine all buffer polygons into a single exclusion zone geometry using
ST_Union(). - Compute Remote Forested Land - Calculate
ST_Difference(GreenArea - NationalParks, ExclusionZones) - Compute Non-Remote Forested Land - Calculate
ST_Intersection(GreenArea - NationalParks, ExclusionZones) - Subtract National Parks from White Area - Elk Island National Park lies within the White Area boundary and must be excluded from Non-Forested Land.
Implementation Decisions
Several implementation decisions were made during development to correctly interpret the ESRD 2014 guidelines:
Fort McMurray Urban Service Area
The buffer is applied to the Fort McMurray Urban Service Area (120.5 km2), not the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo county (66,523 km2). This follows the intent of the guideline to buffer from the urban population center.
All Numbered Highways Included
Provincial highways are included regardless of surface type (paved or gravel). Many secondary highways (500-986) are gravel but provide year-round access, so they affect remoteness classification.
Hamlets Included in Settlements
All 434 hamlets are included in the 10 km settlement buffer, in addition to cities, towns, villages, summer villages, and urban service areas (691 total).
Indian Reserves Added
All 253 Indian Reserves in or near the Green Area are buffered with 10 km, consistent with the treatment of other settlements.
Geometry Processing
All geometries are validated with ST_MakeValid()before buffering, and buffers are combined using ST_Union()rather than ST_Buffer(ST_Collect(), 0) to avoid geometry corruption with large datasets.
Verification
The classification was verified against known locations:
| Location | Coordinates | Expected Classification | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highway 88 | 56.99, -115.17 | Non-Remote Forested Land | |
| Highway 686 (gravel) | 56.73, -114.96 | Non-Remote Forested Land | |
| Highway 734 (gravel) | 52.81, -116.42 | Non-Remote Forested Land | |
| Far northern Alberta | 59.0, -117.0 | Remote Forested Land | |
| Jasper National Park | 52.9, -117.9 | National Park | |
| Edmonton area | 53.5, -113.5 | Non-Forested Land | |
| Elk Island National Park | 53.6, -112.9 | National Park |
Source Document
"Subsoil Petroleum Hydrocarbon Guidelines for Remote Forested Sites in the Green Area"
Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development
Reclamation and Remediation, 2014, No. 4
This implementation aims to faithfully represent the remoteness criteria as described in the ESRD 2014 guidelines. For official regulatory determinations, always consult the original guideline document and Alberta Environment and Protected Areas.
Related Resources
Layer data is computed from Government of Alberta authoritative spatial datasets.
Last updated: February 2026