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Alberta Wilderness Association Annual Report 2018 - 2019 1 2 Wilderness for Tomorrow AWA's mission to Defend Wild Alberta through Awareness and Action by inspiring communities to care is as vital, relevant and necessary as it ever was. AWA is dedicated to protecting our wild spaces and helping create a world where wild places, wildlife and our environment don't need protecting. As members and supporters, you inspire the AWA team; your support in spirit, in person and with your financial gifts makes a difference. We trust you will be inspired by the stories told in this 2018 – 2019 annual report. Contributions to the Annual Report are provided by AWA board and staff members with thanks to Carolyn Campbell, Joanna Skrajny, Grace Wark, Nissa Petterson, Ian Urquhart, Owen McGoldrick, Vivian Pharis, Cliff Wallis, Chris Saunders and Sean Nichols. - Christyann Olson, Executive Director Alberta Wilderness Association Provincial Office – AWA Cottage School 455 – 12 St NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1Y9 Phone 403.283.2025 • Fax 403.270.2743 Email: [email protected] Web server: AlbertaWilderness.ca Golden Eye Mother and Chicks on the Cardinal River and Mountain Bluebird at her nest © C. Olson 3 Contents Wilderness for Tomorrow .............................................. 2 Contents ......................................................................... 3 A Successful Year ............................................................ 6 Board and Staff ............................................................... 7 Board of Directors .......................................................... 7 Staff .......................................................................... 7 AWA ......................................................................... 8 Mission, Vision, Values, Objectives ................................ 9 Vision ........................................................................ 9 Values ....................................................................... 9 Objectives .............................................................. 10 Conservation, Stewardship, Outreach.......................... 10 Conservation .......................................................... 11 Wild Spaces – Areas and Issues of Concern ................. 12 Wild Alberta Map ................................................... 12 Areas and Issues of Concern .................................. 15 BOREAL REGION ........................................................... 15 Primrose-Lakeland ................................................. 15 McClelland Lake ..................................................... 16 Wood Buffalo National Park .................................. 16 Birch Wabasca ........................................................ 16 Hay-Zama ............................................................... 17 Peace River Valley .................................................. 18 Bistcho.................................................................... 19 Chinchaga ............................................................... 20 Caribou Mountains ................................................ 21 ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION ......................................... 23 Willmore Wilderness Park ..................................... 23 Kakwa ..................................................................... 24 Little Smoky ............................................................ 25 Bighorn ................................................................... 26 Trail Monitoring ............................................... 27 Bighorn Historic Trail ....................................... 27 Bighorn Cleanup Trips...................................... 27 South Ghost Wilderness Area - Ghost-Waiparous . 30 Bow-Canmore Corridor .......................................... 31 Kananaskis Country ................................................ 31 Castle Wildland Park and Castle Provincial Park .... 33 Livingstone-Porcupine ........................................... 33 Waterton Parkland ................................................. 35 Rumsey ................................................................... 35 Parkland Dunes ...................................................... 36 GRASSLANDS REGION ................................................... 37 Middle Sand Hills ................................................... 38 Suffield National Wildlife Area ............................... 38 4 Milk River-Sage Creek ............................................ 38 Cypress Hills ........................................................... 39 Pakowki Lake .......................................................... 39 Milk River Ridge ..................................................... 40 Milk River Management Committee ..................... 40 Prairie Conservation Forum ................................... 41 Grassland Restoration Forum ................................ 42 WATER 43 Wetland policy ....................................................... 44 Water for Life ......................................................... 45 FORESTS ........................................................................ 46 Fish and Forests Initiative ...................................... 46 FSC Canada ............................................................. 47 ENERGY ......................................................................... 48 Conventional Oil and Gas ....................................... 48 Oil Sands Mine Financial Security Program ........... 49 Tenure .................................................................... 49 Renewable Energy ................................................. 49 Coal ........................................................................ 50 Grassy Mountain ............................................. 51 WILDLIFE ....................................................................... 53 Species at Risk ........................................................ 53 Grizzly Bears ........................................................... 54 Black Bears ............................................................. 55 Caribou ................................................................... 56 Greater Sage-Grouse.............................................. 56 Wolves ................................................................... 58 Game Farming ........................................................ 58 Native Trout ........................................................... 59 Athabasca Rainbow Trout ............................... 59 Bull Trout ......................................................... 59 Wood and Plains Bison .......................................... 60 Limber and Whitebark Pine ................................... 61 Government Policy ....................................................... 63 Public Lands ........................................................... 63 Tax-recovery Lands ................................................ 64 Protected Areas - Federal ...................................... 64 Protected Areas - Provincial ................................... 65 Protected Areas Progress ....................................... 65 Wild Spaces 2020 ................................................... 65 Land-Use Framework ............................................. 66 North Saskatchewan Regional Plan (NSRP) ..... 67 Lower Athabasca Regional Plan ...................... 67 Future Land Use Planning Regions ......................... 67 Biodiversity ............................................................ 68 Indigenous Peoples ................................................ 68 Environmental Laws ............................................... 69 5 International Cooperation ............................................ 70 Temperate Grassland Conservation ...................... 70 Great Plains Conservation Network (GPCN) .......... 70 Transboundary Grasslands Workshop ................... 71 OUTREACH .................................................................... 72 Wild Lands Advocate .............................................. 72 Online Presence ..................................................... 72 Social media ........................................................... 73 Hikes ....................................................................... 74 Talks ....................................................................... 75 Music for the Wild ................................................. 76 Earth Day – Climb for Wilderness .......................... 76 Strength and Capacity .................................................. 79 Roger Creasey Wilderness Resource Centre .......... 79 AWA’s Cottage School ........................................... 79 Financing Wilderness Protection ........................... 81 Review Engagement Report................................... 81 Alberta Wilderness and Wildlife Legacy Circle ...... 81 Bequests ................................................................. 82 Wilderness and Wildlife Bequests ......................... 82 AWA's Wilderness and Wildlife Benefactors ......... 83 Memorial Tributes ................................................. 84 Donations in Memoriam 2018 – 2019 ................... 84 Recognition for Outstanding Individuals ............... 85 Recognizing Youth Supporters ............................... 85 Alberta Wilderness and Wildlife Trust ................... 85 Alberta Wilderness and Wildlife Trust Guest Lecture . 86 Wilderness Defenders Awards ..............................