News categorized Activities
January 12, 2012
EALT adds a Literary Connection to its Culture Gallery
EALT launched its Culture-Conservation Connection in 2010. Now, a connection with literature has been added to the Photo Gallery and the Art Gallery.
Discussions with Grant MacEwan University began in the spring of 2010, and staff were enthusiastic about enabling students to express their interests in conservation and sustainability through their writings for an electronic journal – “Earth Common”. We agreed that EALT would have input and participate in the Editorial Review Committee. EALT also contributed to a writers’ field workshop along Whitemud Creek “Who Will Speak for Nature? Finding a Voice”.
In the fall, the first issue of Earth Common was published, and EALT was invited to the launch party.
Students, staff and EALT representatives at the journal launch
The 3 themes of the journal are:
- Conservation: since this is core to EALT, a conservancy
- Sustainability: and conservation is one of the key tenets of sustainability
- Global Warming: this is only one aspect of climate change. We know that conserving green spaces is both a mitigation and adaptation strategy for climate change
To see our Literary Connection go to Culture Conservation
Please enjoy! And for any budding writers who would like to write for EALT with appropriate credit, just contact us!
October 31, 2011
Russell Family Conservation Fund
EALT is delighted to announce that a local family, interested in conservation, has developed a named endowment, which will yield funds for EALT’s stewardship activities in perpetuity. This is very good timing, as EALT is current involved in our yearly fundraising drive. We hope that you will consider donating to us. But we also encourage anyone who is thinking of the future of conservation in our region, to consider an endowment – it’s an easy step for the future.
Here are the words of Margaret Reine (neé Russell) which say it all.
“Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees” (John Muir)“Most of our family grew up in Edmonton and we all attended the University of Alberta. The majority of us pursued some or all of our careers in the city. As a child I played in the Millcreek ravine catching tadpoles and looking and exploring the ravine. I also remember my father talking about his youth being out of doors; hearing the birds and enjoying the solitude. When I entered university I went into Biological sciences and have pursued this area for over 40 years, both in my career and as a volunteer, protecting and stewarding natural areas.
When I became involved with the Edmonton and Area Land Trust, I thought it would be a great idea to establish a stewardship fund for conservation, so all of our families’ children and grandchildren could continue to explore nature and enjoy the outdoors. When I presented the idea to my siblings they all agreed this would be a tribute to our family. As my brother told me: “Thanks Marg, you do great work.” My eldest brother has also been involved with endowments, and felt this was certainly a worthy gift.
Marg Reine (neé Russell) giving her family’s cheque to the ECF’s Kathy Hawkesworth
Setting up the endowment was easy, because the Edmonton And Area Land Trust holds endowments with the Edmonton Community Foundation (ECF) and they have a template for EALT endowments. I met with Kathy Hawkesworth and she very capably worked through the agreement with me . So when our family agreed, it only took the stroke of a pen for the endowment to be set up. Learning about options was interesting; you can take up to 10 years to build the $10,000 needed to name an endowment, and this makes it less challenging to start. I also learned that anyone can give to an already established endowment, just by earmarking a donation to the ECF, and of course they get a tax receipt. This concept allows the original fund to grow more quickly so money can begin to work for conservation stewardship.
Stewarding land is an ongoing cost for EALT, so having endowments that work into the future is a responsible and sustainable option.
Anyone may consider leaving a gift for the future by contributing to a named endowment through the ECF, or by leaving a bequest or memorial donation to the EALT.”Check out EALT’s website for further information. http://www.ealt.ca/act/
August 27, 2011
Public Benefits of Conserving Natural Areas: Health, Child Development, Social Wellbeing & More
EALT is working to let the public know about the direct and indirect benefits of conservation to them, personally. We have already published a leaflet summarising the benefits to Municipalities of conserving natural areas and open spaces.
We are pleased to publish this document on the benefits to the general public and families, of natural areas.
- Who would have thought, for example, that:
- the view of trees in front of a hospital window can increase recovery time up to 10%, and reduce the need for painkillers? Or that:
- symptoms of attention-deficit disorder are reduced among children who regularly play in green settings?
- Mental and physical health and human well-being
- Children’s learning
- concentration and physical development and educational benefits
- Economic benefits
- Social benefits
The information comes from studies and recent research. Many thanks to EALT volunteer Daniel Laubhann, for his research time and writing!
If anyone would like to volunteer to write for EALT on other related topics, please just let us know.
July 8, 2011
Wildbird General Store and Alberta Ecotrust Donate to EALT
EALT is delighted to have tremendous supporters in the community, and to have received a donation from them.
The Alberta Ecotrust Foundation ran a Facebook competition in June, which involved randomly selecting members of their Group, to be allocated a cash prize to donate to any of the qualifying groups they wished.
The Wildbird General Store was drawn, and was able to select from any qualified organisation. They chose EALT!!!
We are so delighted at the support this reveals. Coincidentally, the Wildbird General Store had made their meeting room available to EALT for a Task Force briefing, the very day they heard they had been selected. Thus staffer Caroline Lecourtois quickly made up a novelty cheque. Caroline and store co-owner Jaynne Carr presented the cheque just before before the Task Force meeting to EALT representatives Marg Reine (Chair) and Pam Wight (ED). To say Pam was amazed would be an understatement!
This surprise donation further strengthens EALT’s links with these worthwhile organisations: we often meet at the Wildbird General Store before going on any of our volunteer activities and ownders Lu Carbyn and Jaynne Carr are very supportive of us; and we received a grant from Alberta Ecotrust in 2010, related to the first year costs of our Glory Hills acquisition and stewarding activities.
More information can be found at: http://www.albertaecotrust.com/node/427/
December 12, 2010
Alberta Ecotrust Supports EALT’s Work with a Major Project Grant
EALT is delighted in the confidence which the Alberta Ecotrust Foundation has shown in our activities. They have awarded us a major project grant, to help with a unique conservation opportunity in a dry mixedwood area. There are many challenges in securing land, not the least being covering the professional fees and other costs of assessing and acquiring the land. More information can be found about our Glory Hills project at: http://www.albertaecotrust.com/node/324
Most of the Glory Hills are designated an Environmentally Significant Area (ESA) by the province, and have a provincial level of significance, yet ESAs don’t have protection policies. A location within an ESA is not a legislatively mandated protected area, despite the public value of its natural resources and ecological services. This is why it is so important to EALT to work on conservation within this area. The Glory hills are composed of hummocky moraine with uplands and pothole wetlands, and are particularly significant as duck breeding habitat, so the protection of natural shorelines is important for a variety of waterbirds, as well as for water protection. EALT also understands the value of corridors of conservation, for wildlife movement, biodiversity connections, and groundwater linkages.
Once EALT has finally secured the property, we will be developing a Management Plan, and working how best to steward the land to support its conservation values. All those interested in volunteering to assist in planning, monitoring and stewardship activities can make contact with EALT at 780 483–7578.
Further information about the Glory Hills can be found in the following article:
Conservation of unique Glory Hills close at hand – by Hanneke Brooymans, EdmontonJournal.Com December 12, 2010
October 4, 2010
Virtual Art Gallery Launched in EALT’s Culture-Conservation Connection
EALT is absolutely delighted to share its exciting new initiative – a Virtual Art Gallery .
This gallery has an incredible selection of works of art from local/regional artists, representing local/regional landscapes and wildlife. Words can’t describe them.
You will be truly touched and inspired to visit this art gallery.
Many thanks to all the fine contributors to this initiative!
August 4, 2010
Ghost Bird Film Screening – 23rd September
When: Thursday September 23, 2010
Time: 7 pm Royal Alberta Museum
Cost: $25.00
EALT is excited to provide a unique opportunity to view Ghost Bird
Ghost Bird is a unique documentary film that will not be released in theaters. The Ivory-billed woodpecker’s controversial rediscovery has been well documented in numerous books and in media around the globe. This documentary steps out of the swamp and takes an even wider perspective on the bird’s rediscovery, fully exploring all of its political, cultural and economic dimensions. As a result, surprising insights are made and significant facts are uncovered, some having been previously censored. This documentary pursues the unsettling territory of human ambition and wishful thinking.
Order your tickets early as seating is limited.
There will be refreshments provided before and after the film and opportunities to network with other guests, EALT people and volunteers, and see our displays.
Tickets must be paid for in advance and can be picked up at the door.
Please write your $25 cheques to the Edmonton and Area Land Trust, and mail them to:
The Edmonton and Area Land Trust
c/o Joel van Huizen
5512 90th Ave
Edmonton, AB
T6B 0N9
November 15, 2009
Capital Region Board Hears EALT Discussing the Municipal Benefits of Natural Areas, Parks and Rural
EALT was invited to give a presentation to the Capital Region Board (CRB) on November 12th.
The CRB is comprised of 25 municipalities in the region, represented by the mayors of the municipalities. The CRB was charged with developing a Growth Plan for the Capital Region to address four components: land use, transit, housing, and GIS. The Plan was submitted in March, 2009, and established principles and policies to guide growth. The minister of Municipal Affairs subsequently charged the Board to do more work on specifics, and a Growth Plan Addendum was developed, October 2009 (available at http://www.capitalregionboard.ab.ca).
This Addendum includes such interesting topics as:
• Maps of priority growth areas, cluster country residential areas, and regional buffer areas
• Regional conservation buffer areas
• Criteria for locational planning
• Traditional design versus Conservation design
The Growth Plan Addendum made an excellent topic for part of our presentation, since EALT is interested in seeing alternative, more environmentally sensitive approaches to building, developing and growing. In fact, EALT supports a land use planning approach that includes keeping what we value, as well as putting infrastructure on the landscape. And we very much support the Conservation design principles advocated by the CRB.
We pointed out that while the Growth Plan Addendum acknowledges natural resources (or goods) provided by the environment, there was little discussion of the services the environment provides. Thus many natural areas and landscapes, beyond those which are environmentally sensitive, provide huge value to municipalities and their citizens.
We described how natural areas and rural landscapes convey tremendous benefits, which are economic, as well as social and environmental. This information was made available as a handout. The handout only summarizes the multiple benefits; the fact that there are a huge number of economic benefits from conservation, should have provided very good news to the Board members.
Those who wish further information about these topics, should contact EALT at (780) 483–7578.
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