In 1984, the Alberta Department of Energy and Natural Resources (ENR), was a complex multi-divisional organization, with a permanent staff of 2, 605 and a budget of $499 million, that was responsible for the management of energy, mineral, forest and fish and wildlife resources as well as public (crown owned lands) which constituted 62% of Alberta's land base. ENR policy was based on the premise that with proper planning and management, land can support a variety of uses, such as, timber, recreation and wildlife. However few were ideally compatible creating a climate of competition and conflict.