Website History

The first AWA website was created in 1997 and in 2000 the Albertawilderness.ca domain was aquired to promote the AWA identity on the Internet.  The former AWA websites of 2000-2009 utilized Microsoft IIS server and Frontpage software.  Today, the AWA uses a content management system (PLONE) to publish and deliver information on Alberta's wilderness.  The AWA website adapted a PLONE 3 theme (or skin - beyondskins.ploneday.site2009) that was originally created by the Simples Consultoria for the World Plone Day 2009.  This theme was chosen for its bright and vivid scene of atmosphere and earth that displays a feeling of tranquility and harmony with nature.

For several years different Internet technologies were researched with respect to their ease of use, stability, and cost-effectiveness in providing the membership and Internet users with an improved sustainable communication system.  Eventually open-source applications became the focus of sustainable digital information.  In the spring of 2009, an opportunity emerged to migrate the existing web content to a PLONE website hosted by Groundwire.  AWA was fortunate to have support from the Wilburforce Foundation to make this improvement in our website communications technology.

Several milestones have been created through the efforts of volunteers and staff, from the creation of a website, forward to a web address, a website hosted on the AWA server, to now an Internationally recognized content management system. In celebration of this historic turn in web content management the following images are screen captures of the AWA home pages through time.

1997 - 2000	2000 - 2001	2001 - 2003
2003 - 2004	2004 - 2006	2006 - 2008
2008 - 2009	2009 - 2011	2011 -

Shop

AWA's e-commerce evolution provides an easy and quick online service for people to donate, register, and purchase merchandise. Developing an e-commerce presence has been an enormous step into full online service integration.  The AWA e-commerce website is an extensive content management system that has its own secured domain name - https://www.gowildalberta.ca - to compliment the AWA website (http://www.albertawilderness.ca) in support of Alberta's wilderness.

The AWA shopping experience is continually being refined on the welcome feedback of users.  Thank you for your support.