Community Engagement and Partnerships
Community Engagement
We know the incredible value of engaging local community members in conservation work. Public engagement builds stewardship capacity, creates a space for the sharing of knowledge and expertise, and strengthens partnerships. Most importantly, it gives community members a chance to share their passion for Edmonton's natural areas.Natural Areas Advisory Committee
The Natural Areas Advisory Committee (NAAC) is one opportunity for community engagement. The Committee includes representatives of the University of Alberta, Alberta government, Urban Development Institute, local conservation organizations, as well as several citizens-at-large.
Master Naturalist Program
We're also developing a new Master Naturalist Program, which will be run for the first time in the spring of 2009. Please visit the What's New section for more information, and keep checking the website in the coming months - we'll post new information as it becomes available.
Partnerships
The Office of Natural Areas has established a number of partnerships with community and government conservation organizations. The Office is involved in various ways in the following partnerships:- Edmonton and Area Land Trust
- Alberta Land Trust Alliance
- Living by Water City Stormwater Education Project
- Provincial Wetland Policy Project Team
- Capital Atlas Project
- Big Lake Management Plan Committee
- Evergreen Stewardship Advisory Committee
Edmonton and Area Land Trust
Edmonton and Area Land Trust Website
The City of Edmonton has partnered with five other organizations (Edmonton Community Foundation, Edmonton Nature Club, Legacy Lands Conservation Society, Urban Development Institute, and the Land Stewardship Centre of Canada) to establish an Edmonton and Area Land Trust (Part 9 corporation).
Alberta Land Trust Alliance
Alberta Land Trust Alliance Website
In 2006, the Office of Natural Areas participated as a partner in Alberta Environment's Land Trust Leadership Project.
The purpose of the Land Trust Leadership Project was to "develop or improve province-wide tools to encourage the use of conservation easements as part of the voluntary conservation of private lands" by engaging with key stakeholders in Alberta – land trusts, municipalities, landowners, planners and government agencies.
Specifically, the project was focused on three key objectives:
- Identifying actions to enhance the delivery of conservation easements;
- Identifying improvements to the conservation easement tool that would enhance delivery; and
- Identifying other tools that would support or enhance the delivery of conservation easements.
While the project focused on short term, "easy wins", it also captured longer term ideas that could be addressed later and, where appropriate, directed to the provincial Land Use Framework. The input gathered at the Small Advisory Group meeting and the LTLAC workshop has been developed into the set of recommendations described in the
Land Trust Leadership Project: Recommendation Report.
A key outcome of this project was the establishment of the Alberta Land Trust Alliance as a result of a $300,000 grant from Alberta Environment. The Alliance, a non-profit, province-wide organization of individual land trust organizations and supporters, will increase land trust collaboration, provide leadership, build capacity and promote awareness about land conservation. In addition to the funding, allocated over three years, Alberta Environment's commitment includes a seconded staff member.
Nov. 22, 2006 News Release: "Province grants $300,000 to Alberta's first-ever land trust alliance"
Living by Water City Stormwater Education Project
The Living by Water City Stormwater Education Project is a feasibility study that will determine the effectiveness of a City environmental management program designed to provide services and information to residents living near stormwater management facilities (City wetlands and wet ponds). The project team includes representation from several municipal branches (including Drainage Services, Parkland Services and the Office of Natural Areas) and is being facilitated by Living by Water, a national non-governmental organization that provides programs to promote the value of keeping shorelines healthy. One of the outcomes of the project will be the creation of a resident's guide to sustainable living near wetlands and wet ponds.
Provincial Wetland Policy Project Team
Since the late 1800s, Alberta has lost about 64% of its slough and marsh wetlands to urban development and agriculture, and continues to lose wetlands at a rate of about 0. 5% per year. In response to this trend, the province is in the process of creating a Provincial Wetland Policy. The Natural Areas Coordinator, Grant Pearsell, sits on the Provincial Wetland Policy Working Group, which is providing input on the development of the policy. An important component of this policy will be the development of mechanisms for wetland loss compensation. The Wetland Policy will be complete in 2008.
Capital Atlas Project
The Centennial Atlas Project for the Alberta Capital Region (also known as "CapMap") is a community mapping project of the Province of Alberta, the City of Edmonton, the Federation of Alberta Naturalists, the Area Councils Edmonton Society, and the Green Map System. The primary purpose of the project is to use mapping to encourage the engagement of citizens of the Capital Region in their communities, as well as the development of a keen sense of place. The partners intend to produce an interactive website, a published Atlas, a CD Rom Atlas, and a teaching/learning package to assist students in discovering and mapping their communities and environment. The group's website is http://capmap.fanweb.ca/.
Big Lake Management Plan Committee
Alberta Parks and Protected Areas developed a partnership committee with City of Edmonton, City of St. Albert, Sturgeon County and Parkland County to work together to conserve and protect Big Lake. May 2002 saw the release of the Big Lake Natural Area Management Plan Phase I Report. In April 2005, Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park became the 69th provincial park in Alberta. The park contains the former Big Lake Natural Area and an additional 302 hectares of Crown land, for a total of 1421 hectares. The lake makes up around 59 per cent of the park's total area.
Natural Area Management Plan Phase I
Evergreen Stewardship Advisory Committee
Evergreen is a non-governmental organization dedicated to exploring the relationship between nature, culture and urban spaces. The organization has engaged a number of municipalities in a new research project to investigate the status of municipal environmental volunteer and partnership programs in Canada. The goal of this partnership is to enhance the ability of voluntary groups and local governments to work together on urban green space planning and habitat restoration and stewardship initiatives in their communities.
