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March 9, 2009

EALT works with conservation coalition to save the largest working ranch for sale in the region.

EALT is a member of a partnership of conservation organisations trying to preserve the unique Golden Ranches property. Located on the east shores of Cooking Lake, this is the largest working ranch left in Strathcona County. Besides grazing areas, the property has woodlots and wetlands, and 8 klms of shoreline. This long shoreline area has a great variety of birds – waterfowl, shorebirds, and even ospreys. It also has a range of larger animals, such as moose, deer and coyotes.

EALT is a member of a partnership including the Alberta Fish & Game Association, Ducks Unlimited, the Nature Conservancy of Canada, the Alberta Conservation Association, the Beaver Hills Initiative, and the County of Strathcona. Working as a group gives us a greater chance of success in purchasing this $13—$14 million ranch, than working separately. We are also approaching industry to participate in this unique venture.

EALT and other partners welcome any industry, corporations, or individuals who might wish to contribute to saving this property. More information is available here

February 1, 2009

EALT Joins International Partners Supporting Countdown 2010

EALT is one of 23 organisations throughout the Americas to sign the Countdown 2021 declaration. Pam Wight, Executive Director of EALT, says “the Land Trust is proud to join the City of Edmonton as the only two Canadian signatories to this important biodiversity initiative”.

In 2002, nearly every country came together for the World Summit on Sustainable Development, and promised to ‘achieve by 2010 a significant reduction in the current rate of loss of biological diversity’. Countdown 2010 is an international network of partners working towards the biodiversity target, helping to move from words to action. Partners commit additional efforts to tackle the causes of biodiversity loss.

Since biodiversity conservation is at the heart of the EALT mandate, we support the goal of Countdown 2010, which is that ‘all governments and members of civil society, at every level, have taken the necessary actions to halt the loss of biodiversity by 2010’.

Key principles of Countdown 2010 are also shared by EALT – for example, sound science, where ‘all work is underpinned by sound science or relevant practical conservation experience, and is carried out to the highest possible standard’. With such similar goals and objectives in mind, EALT Directors recently voted to become a Countdown 2010 partner. Our commitment of support is published at http://www.countdown2010.net/ under ‘Partners’. It states:

The Edmonton and Area Land Trust will work to select, secure and steward natural area systems, and appropriate natural interconnections in the Edmonton area of Alberta, Canada in order to contribute to the protection of global biodiversity for the benefit of present and future generations.

The year 2007 marked a milestone, being the turning point where more people live in cities than in rural areas. According to UN projections, 85% of world population growth between 2000 and 2010 will be in urban areas. Cities are therefore responsible for the well-being of the majority of the world’s population, which is directly linked to sound biodiversity management. As urbanization is leading to an increase in their size, they also control an increasingly vast area of land.

The concept of urban biodiversity is therefore becoming extremely important. It is heavily influenced by the built environment and the economic, social and cultural dynamics of densely populated places. Municipalities manage large areas of land, and play an important role in approving land use changes, as well as planning and implementing infrastructure development, so are crucial in taking action to halt the loss of biodiversity and taking it into account in their decision-making processes, as well as involving their citizens.

Countdown 2010 recognises that it is the actions of all kinds of organisations (not just government) that generates the momentum to reach the World Summit’s biodiversity target. Just as biodiversity itself depends on the variety of ecosystems, species and genes, the success of biodiversity conservation rests to a large extent on the diversity of partners and their work. Thus all types of partners have a role, even if core competencies are not linked to nature conservation. The initiative simply asks that partners tie in their usual activities more under the Countdown 2010 banner. Wight adds “EALT encourages all organisations to make this commitment – it’s straightforward, and it’s worthwhile!

To read the Edmonton and Area Land Trust commitment, visit the countdown website, or open it here.

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