Parkland Stewardship Program

The Parkland Stewardship program is involved in conservation planning on many levels, Provincial, Municipal, and local farm planning.

On the provincial level, the Parkland Stewardship Program is involved in conservation initiatives such as Alberta Water Quality Awareness (AWQA) Day www.awqa.ca. This is a province-wide, community based water-monitoring program that allows participants to gather water quality data in their area and compare it to data gathered in other parts of the province. This education tool gives a “snapshot” picture of water quality in the province every year.

On the municipal level, the Parkland Stewardship Program is involved in such projects as the Beaver Hills Initiative www.beaverhills.ab.ca, a partnership between several counties, provincial and federal governments, as well as a number of non-governmental conservation organizations. The award-winning Beaver Hills Initiative promotes environmentally, socially and economically sustainable development and land use within the Beaver Hills, just east of Edmonton.

Parkland Stewardship Program members have access to this conservation planning capacity at a local level.

Farm planning
Long-term conservation goals begin with good planning. The Parkland Stewardship Program can help you with that planning and provide technical resources to help you turn your plans into practice. These services can increase the ecological value of your land. Taking part also demonstrates due diligence in addressing environmental issues on your farm. Services available to members include:

• An Air Photo of your lands to help you link your farm with other environmental values in your community.
• A Natural Resource Inventory of the habitats and wildlife species on your lands.
• Farm Water Watch tools for monitoring surface water quality in your runoff, streams, and wetlands.
• A custom prepared Farm Conservation Plan for improving fish and wildlife habitats on your farm.
• Farm-specific development of environmental Best Management Practices.