Sweetgrass Landing Airport

The airport was closed primarily due to a shift in the operational strategy and budgetary considerations of its operator, Parks Canada. The closure was part of a broader rationalization of infrastructure within Wood Buffalo National Park. Key factors include:
1. **Economic Reasons:** High costs associated with maintaining a remote and seldom-used airstrip.
2. **Operational Shift:** An increased reliance on more flexible and cost-effective helicopters for accessing remote park areas, which do not require a fixed runway.
3. **Environmental Policy:** A general move to reduce the human footprint and decommission non-essential infrastructure within a protected national park and UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The airport is permanently closed and abandoned. Satellite imagery of the coordinates confirms the site is being reclaimed by nature. The faint outline of the former gravel and turf runway (oriented 13/31) is still visible but is now completely overgrown with grass, shrubs, and small trees. There are no remaining buildings or signs of recent activity. The site is now an undisturbed part of the Wood Buffalo National Park wilderness.

Sweetgrass Landing was a remote airstrip operated by Parks Canada, strategically located to support operations within the vast wilderness of Wood Buffalo National Park, particularly the Peace-Athabasca Delta region. Its primary function was logistical. It served as a vital access point for park wardens, wildlife biologists, and scientific researchers studying the park's unique ecosystem. Operations handled at the airstrip included:
- Transportation of personnel and supplies for park management.
- Staging for wildlife surveys and monitoring, including for the park's famous wood bison herds and the critical nesting grounds of the endangered whooping crane.
- A forward base for wildfire detection and suppression crews.
- Access to remote patrol cabins used by park staff.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Sweetgrass Landing Airport. Reopening is considered extremely unlikely. The current management philosophy for Wood Buffalo National Park prioritizes conservation and minimizing human impact. Furthermore, the operational needs that the airstrip once served are now met by helicopters. The significant cost of restoring and maintaining the airstrip to modern standards makes any potential reopening financially unviable.