I guess you would have to define 'man-made' but essentially no, the Weaselhead is not man-made. No one dug the valley, planted the trees, or introduced the wildlife.
About 10% of the area, along the eastern edge, is a seasonal wetland that is caused by the Glenmore Dam, but the vast majority of the area remains un-impacted. The area's only man-made elements are the regional pathway (2 bridges), a wooden foot bridge, a floating bridge, a storm-trunk outfall, a smaller power line (which is to be removed) and the trail network (some signs, benches, a few culverts, some wood-pole fencing and limited boardwalks).
I tend to agree with UrbanWarrior that a better bridge should have been used, but it doesn't even have to be a suspension bridge. That would be great in many ways, but given that the full plans could see 16 lanes across the Elbow there, I understand why the Province would shy away from that kind of cost. I personally think that a causeway-style raised crossing might have been a reasonable way to handle that crossing. I understand the weaving problems on the north side, and I understand the Nation's desire to curtail trespass from the Weaselhead, so it's clearly not a black-and-white issue, but I think more could have been done there, especially when it comes to constraining a river that wants to meander.
My gut says that if the Board review concluded that the current design is totally acceptable, it would have been released as soon as it was received. KGL wants to get going on the work around those wetlands, and it would be a vindication of Alberta Transportation's plans. The fact that it hasn't come out yet makes me think that the Board is recommending some changes. We'll see, I guess!
