Defending Wild Alberta through Awareness and Action
Welcome
Our website provides awareness of Alberta's natural spaces and the need for action to protect our wildlife, wild lands, and wild waters for future generations.
This site is a wilderness portal to specific areas and issues in Alberta toward inspiring environmental citizenship.
Latest News
2012-05-17 Caribou Habitat Protection: It’s Urgent to Reduce Industry’s Bootprint
Wild Lands Advocate article, April 2012, by Carolyn Campbell, examines the current state of provincial and federal caribou recovery measures, including Alberta’s current wolf kill program in west central Alberta.
2012-05-14 AWA Wilderness & Wildlife Defenders: Federal Budget Will Weaken Canada’s Most Important Environmental Laws
In its April 26, 2012 proposed budget, the federal government has included many changes to significantly weaken Canada’s most important environmental laws. Please raise your voice as a concerned Albertan and Canadian: support responsible environmental management by writing the Prime Minister and your MP. We all need to let our representatives know that bundling non-budgetary changes into a budget, and the substantial weakening of Canada’s environmental laws, is not acceptable.
2012-05-10 The Broader View: AWA’s 2012 Priorities
Wild Lands Advocate article, April 2012, by Sean Nichols highlights the first two of ten priorities AWA has identified to guide our conservation efforts in 2012. Woodland caribou and greater sage-grouse are the first two priorities to be described.
2012-05-03 AWA News Release: Sage-Grouse Reintroduction: More Habitat Protection Needed
Reports in yesterday’s news media reveal details on a program to import sage-grouse from Montana to Alberta. While this reintroduction shows overdue recognition by the Alberta government of the dire situation of one of Canada’s most endangered species, and is likely necessary, Alberta Wilderness Association is concerned. Alberta Sustainable Resource Development’s Fish and Wildlife branch still have not fixed the underlying problem of habitat degradation and lack of protection for all the critical habitat that these endangered birds require.
2012-04-30 Vol. 20 No. 2 Wild Lands Advocate
The Broader View: AWA's 2012 Priorities | Caribou Habitat Protection: It's Urgent to Reduce Industry's Bootprint | A Glass Half-Full: Avoiding Protection Paralysis | ATV Roundup: Managing Motorized Recreation in Alberta | Constrained Conservation: Examining Legal, Policy, and Organizational Obstacles to Sage-grouse Conservation and Recovery in Alberta | Standing Up for the Castle | A Valentine's Day Call for Action
2012-04-23 South Saskatchewan Advisory Council Recommendations: Closing Date for Comments Approaches
In all of the hoopla over a provincial election, please don't forget to make your comments on the South Saskatchewan land-use plan! The closing date for comments on the recommendations of the South Saskatchewan Regional Advisory Council is April 30 and, although the promised public meetings have not yet taken place, we still encourage people to make their comments before the deadline. Though the fate of the Land-Use Framework and its regional plans remains unclear, this is still an important opportunity to have a say.
2012-04-21 21st Annual Climb and Run for Wilderness an Earth Day Success
Four little bear cubs scaled the Calgary Tower Saturday to celebrate Earth Day and raise money for Alberta’s wild lands, wild water and wildlife.
2012-04-20 Celebrating Earth Day
More than 1,500 Albertans will be celebrating their province’s wild side this Earth Day weekend as they climb the 802 stairs of the Calgary Tower at the 21st Annual Climb & Run for Wilderness. Although this event is sure to be a fun filled day for all, we also hope to raise awareness about some of the conservation and environmental issues currently threatening Alberta's wilderness areas.
2012-04-19 ENGO News Release: Slow Down Oil Sands to Save Wetlands, Scientist Says
As development continues to destroy wetlands crucial to Alberta’s water security and climate regulation, a new research paper by a University of Alberta ecologist, Dr. Lee Foote, concludes that the government should negotiate mineable oil sands development limits. The paper cites doubtful reclamation success for the extensive peat wetlands central to that landscape. The Alberta Wilderness Association and Water Matters call on Alberta’s political party leaders to commit to meaningful wetland conservation measures including protection of boreal wetlands.
2012-04-18 Running for Wilderness
This Saturday at 8 a.m. sharp, at least 115 competitive racers will be running 1-kilometre around the base of the Calgary Tower, and then ascending the 802 stairs to the top. And they will be chasing a rabbit...
2012-04-12 Phyllis Hart Leaves a Legacy and a Challenge
Yesterday our hearts were saddened with the news that at 97 years young, our dear friend Phyllis Hart passed away on April 9th, 2012. Many of you will remember her. In the past 15 years, Phyllis quietly became a hero – she was an amazing role model, challenging all of us to be healthy, to learn more about wilderness, to enjoy and protect wildlife and all natural things.
2012-04-10 AWA Climb & Run for Wilderness Made Tower Climb "Bucket List"
The Climb and Run for Wilderness was listed as one of Chatelaine magazines "Bucket-List Tower Climbs." We feel pretty lucky to be able to host and participate in this Earth Day event and want to thank the thousands of people that, over the past twenty years, have made it such a fabulous success!
2012-03-29 Packed Crowd Attends Alberta’s First All-Candidates Forum
It was standing room only last night as AWA hosted a Candidates Forum to discuss “Water for Tomorrow” in Alberta. More than 125 people crowded in to listen to five candidates in the upcoming provincial election debate their perspectives on major water issues affecting all Albertans. The lively discussion was chaired by CBC Radio’s Donna McElligott.
2012-03-29 AWA Presents Day-Long Advocacy Workshop for International Leadership Program
Wild Lands Advocate article, February 2012, by Vivian Pharis describes AWA's presentation to international students with the Conservation Leadership Programme.
2012-03-28 “Water for Tomorrow”: A Candidates’ Forum in Calgary on Water Issues
In recent years, many Albertans have been engaged in a number of important water issues and ensuring the security of our source water has become vitally important to each one of us. We believe there is both a need and high interest to discuss Alberta water resources policy and decision making. Panelists will discuss progress and concerns related to Alberta's water.
2012-03-28 ENGO News Release: Death of Grizzly an Ominous Start to 2012 Season
It’s been two years since grizzly bears were listed as Threatened under the Alberta Wildlife Act, and four years since publication of the Province’s Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan, yet if anything, the Alberta to which grizzly bears are waking up in 2012 is worse than the one to which they woke up in 2008.
2012-03-22 To Report, or Not to Report? That Is the Question
Wild Lands Advocate article, February 2012, by Madeline Wilson, looks at the provincial Report-a-Poacher program
2012-03-15 Clear Water Landcare Builds Community Ownership for Healthier Headwaters
Wild Lands Advocate article, February 2012, by Carolyn Campbell, looking at this community-based water stewardship initiative.
2012-03-14 AWA News Release: No Public Involvement in Forestry Deal: Health of North Saskatchewan and Red Deer River Headwaters at Stake
A large forest management contract on public lands in the headwaters of two major Alberta rivers is close to being renewed without any public consultation. Albertans may miss this one-in-twenty-year opportunity to provide input into the management of North Saskatchewan and Red Deer Rivers headwaters, affecting over a million downstream users.
2012-03-09 How Many Bucks Does It Take?
Wild Lands Advocate article by Christyann Olson details AWA's fundraising, and where those funds are spent.
