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Join this adventure for a chance to make a difference
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The orange area in the picture below is where a new Calgary suburb will be developed. That got board member Nathaniel Schmidt to wondering, "What's in that orange zone?" so he went down to find out for himself. Turns out there is a lot of intact, riparian habitat teeming with wildlife, including nests of at-risk bank swallows.
Join Nathaniel on September 17 to see for yourself what is in this beautiful place and find out what we can do to stop the destruction of this environmentally sensitive area. Parts of this area have already been acknowledged as sensitive, but the development plan barely mentions them and offers few concrete promises of protection. In addition, the City of Calgary recently approved the Calgary Climate Strategy and claims to be serious about mitigating climate change. If they are serious about this goal then certainly destroying healthy riparian communities is not the way forward.
We hope that by drawing more attention to this area it may be saved from development. At the very least, concerned citizens can ensure that the appropriate protections and buffers are put in place for the sensitive areas already identified.
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Be sure to follow all our adventures on Twitter and Instagram:
@adventures4wild.
We still want to hear about your adventure! Call or email us to use your next adventure to fundraise for a great cause. If you have questions, or an idea for the kind of adventure where you share your unique skills with others please contact our office at 403-283-2025 or email a4w@abwild.ca.
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Safety in Bear Country
September 10, 2022
with Sarah Elmeligi
Author and conservationist Sarah Elmeligi has spent years studying how bears use the landscape in Alberta’s National Parks. Join this adventure for the chance to hike with a bear expert in bear habitat. In this adventure for all ages, learn about how to look for and recognize bear sign on the trail, how to plan for a hike in bear habitat, and how to peacefully coexist with bears and safely recreate on the landscapes they call home.
An accessible adventure for the whole family
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Ice, Glaciers, Gravel & Oil - Cochrane North Field Trip
September 17, 2022
with Tako Koning
This adventure is a road trip where we will see various forms of magnificent glacial geology in the Cochrane & Lochend areas and also see a rapidly developing program of hydraulic fracking for oil in the Lochend area. Gerry Bietz, President of the Bighill Creek Preservation Society will join us to talk about their efforts to protect this environmentally unique and fragile area from a proposed gravel pit in the area.
A unique opportunity to explore and learn
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Bikepacking the Upper Oldman
September 19 & 20, 2022
with Sean Nichols
This 2-day-long bikepacking trip will follow the upper Oldman River from the Oldman Falls near the continental divide, downhill and through the Livingstone Gap, then out across the foothills as we trace the river’s route past the Oldman Reservoir where it becomes a meandering, middle aged river through to Fort MacLeod.
Explore one of Alberta’s precious watersheds on two wheels
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Equinox Art Adventure
September 21, 2022
with Barbara Amos
Celebrate the fall equinox on a day of natural art discovery with artist Barbara Amos. No previous art skills necessary! Barbara will lead participants in an adventure to collect natural items from the forest floor and creatively repurpose them into artwork and/or creative photographs.
Discover your inner artist!
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This content was originally sent to the Alberta Wilderness Association's mailing list. If you would like to receive emails about AWA's conservation work please sign up here.
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Celebrating the place we call home
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 The Alberta government recently announced September 1 as "Alberta Day," to be celebrated from September 1-3. Here at AWA we are in awe of Wild Alberta every day, and work hard to keep our Wild Lands, Wild Waters and Wildlife protected so they can be enjoyed by generations to come. Join us in celebrating just a few of the special, wild places here in Alberta and learn more about some of AWA's current work. We recognize the generations of stewardship of these lands by Alberta's Indigenous peoples and are grateful for their contributions to the protection of these places. I am privileged and humbled to be able to call this place, that my colonial ancestors named Alberta, home.
We would love to hear and see your favourite wild places in Alberta. Share them by email or on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. If you are interested in visiting and learning more about some of Alberta's Wild places check out our upcoming Adventures for Wilderness.
Wildly yours,
-Lindsey Wallis
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Suffield National Wildlife Area
Suffield National Wildlife Area (NWA), has long been recognized for its ecological value. It is one of the few large areas of uncultivated mixed grass landscapes remaining and contains habitat for 28 species at risk. Grasslands like Suffield NWA are the most threatened ecosystem worldwide. Only 25% of Canada’s grasslands are estimated to be surviving intact. AWA is working with Indigenous partners and CFB Suffield to learn more about the management of this vulnerable area and to discuss how to best protect and restore this precious landscape. Learn more here. McClelland Lake
McLelland Lake and the surrounding wetland are important both for aesthetic reasons as well as the diverse biophysical features and ecological functions they provide. The wetland complex includes several significant features - McClelland Lake, a large patterned fen, and sinkhole lakes. The watershed also supports rare plants and provides an important stop-over point and breeding ground for many migratory bird species. This wetland area is part of the Lower Athabasca Region. The Government of Alberta recently announced the start of their 10-year review process for the Lower Athabasca Regional Plan (LARP). The AWA will participate as a stakeholder in this process by providing feedback and/or attending public engagement sessions. Regional plans are important because they help to identify and set environmental management outcomes for air, land, water, and biodiversity. A 2016 Report by the LARP Review Panel upheld First Nations’ submissions that the current LARP was not adequately managing cumulative impacts of development. The AWA hopes that our participation in the LARP review process will help to ensure that the regional plan addresses both environmental and Indigenous needs – including cumulative effects. Learn more here.
To read the rest of this newsletter click here
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What is Adventures for Wilderness?
Adventures for Wilderness is AWA's annual program to engage Albertans in wilderness conservation. We believe an Adventure can be anything from climbing a mountain, to walking by the river, to enjoying the beauty of nature in your own backyard! Visit our website to learn about the Adventures this season and how you can support Alberta Wilderness Association.
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