Issue #6 Spring 2002 BIO: Murray Ingstrup Finally, in 1997 he arrived at the Cooking Lake-Blackfoot PRA where New Kid on the Committee one of his first projects was to help with the volunteers who had gathered to clear trails after a heavy spring snowstorm. But there is more to Murray than protected areas and volunteers. He and his wife Ingrid just spent 13 months travelling through dozens of countries on their bicycles. They returned in August 2001 from a 16,000km trip, covering Western Canada, Western USA, Mexico, Central America, and Western Europe. I’ll bet he has a few stories from that trip, eh! Over the years, Murray has proven his ability to maintain a positive attitude toward protected areas and Meet Murray Ingstrup, your Appointed in September 2001, he the volunteers who are so important. Volunteer Coordinating Committee may be new to the committee, but he At the Cooking Lake-Blackfoot Co-Chair. Murray is a conservation is no stranger to volunteerism in PRA, he continues to be involved officer at the Cooking Lake- protected areas. Throughout his with about 650 volunteers who come Blackfoot Grazing Wildlife and career, he has had extensive out for the Canadian Birkebeiner Ski Provincial Recreation Area (known involvement with volunteer Festival every February. As well, he in its short form as Cooking Lake- campground hosts and partnership or works with the Friends of Blackfoot Blackfoot PRA), located 45 km east cooperative groups. Cooperating Association year round. of Edmonton. Murray began working for the In 2000-2001 he helped the provincial government with the cooperating association create a In this Issue ... Alberta Forest Service in 1989 in Heritage Interpretive Centre that High Level. He worked for four recently opened at the Waskehegan • What’s New seasons as a forest guardian, Staging Area of Cooking Lake- • Chinchaga Wildland Park spending two in High Level and two Blackfoot PRA. • Hay-Zama Wildland Park in the Cadomin area. After a having So give a warm welcome to Murray, • Bow Valley Areas Volunteers a great time in the Cadomin area, he the newest member of our dedicated • Addition to Beauvais Lake decided to come and work for Volunteer Coordinating Committee. Environmental Education provincial parks, and spent the next • Volunteer Steward Survey few summers hopping around the Results province. First, he went back up • 2002 - International Year of north to Notikewin Provincial Park, the Mountains then south to the Red Deer area where he worked at Aspen Beach • and more and Red Lodge Provincial Parks. Bow Valley Volunteers Clear Stream for Trout Your Volunteer Co - o rd i n ating Committee Ch a i r p e r s o n: Brad Marshall, Visitor Services Branch (780) 427-9017 Br a d . M a r s h a l l @ g o v. a b . c a Co - C h a i r p e r s o n : Murray Ingstrup, Red Deer (780) 922-3293 Mu r r a y. I n g s t r u p @ g o v. a b . c a Ma n a g er : June Markwart, Visitor Services Branch (780) 427-9383 Ju n e . M a r k w a r t @ g o v. a b . c a Volunteer Steward Co-ordinator: Sandra Myers, Visitor Services Branch (780) 427-1742 Sa n d r a . M y e r s @ g o v. a b . c a Brown trout from Spring Creek Area Representatives: Dixie Colter, Lac La Biche (780) 645-6315 On September 22, 2001, Brian Lajeunesse, the fisheries biologist for the Di x i e . C o l t e r @ g o v. a b . c a Bow District, along with six members from the Bow Valley Protected Areas Volunteer Stewards, assisted in a stream rehabilitation program on John Doll, Slave Lake/Grande Pr a i r i e Spring Creek. (780) 849-7104 Jo h n . D o l l @ g o v. a b . c a Spring Creek, in Canmore, was plugged with beaver clippings that inhibited the movement and spawning of brown trout. The volunteers Jeanette Brooks, Stony Plain (780) 865-8395 removed branches that blocked the stream, creating a clear channel for Je a n e t t e . B r o o k s @ g o v. a b . c a the fish. The resulting faster flow of water washed away the sediment and exposed the gravel necessary for the trout to spawn. Stuart Polege, Stony Plain (alternate) (780) 723-8244 Four projects similar to this are planned in the Bow Valley area for 2002. St u a r t . P o l e g e @ g o v. a b . c a More volunteers are needed for these projects so if you would like to become a volunteer steward and get involved please call Susan Cameron Don Cockerton, Canmore/Calgary/Brooks (403) 297-5969 at Bow Valley Provincial Park at (403) 673-3663 or e-mail at Do n . C o c k e r t o n @ g o v. a b . c a [email protected] Rosemary Jones, Medicine Hat/Lethbridge (403) 528-5211 Ro s e m a r y. J o n e s @ g o v. a b . c a To call any Alberta government agency toll-free from anywhere in Alberta, dial 310-0000, then the number, or hold the line for operator assistance. Volunteer stewards moving beaver clippings from Spring Creek in Canmore Page 2 Partners in Preservation Spring 2002 What’s New volunteers. This will increase the public profile of the volunteer “Last year 41 Summer 2002 is nearly upon us and program by providing more individuals and 3 many of you are gearing up for a identification items earlier in your new season of volunteering with volunteer term. groups signed up Alberta Parks and Protected Areas. It will also expand our "years of as new stewards.” Each year we welcome nearly two service" recognition program. We thousand volunteers in a variety of have more and more volunteers who roles from all over the province. The have been with us for 15 and even We are pleased to report that our talents, ideas and enthusiasm you 20 years. Volunteers eligible under volunteer programs are continuing to bring with you not only help to this program will receive their new grow. Last year 41 individuals and 3 deliver many core programs, but also items in the mail this spring. groups signed up as new stewards. revitalize our entire team of staff, We now also have stewards at 3 new contractors and other volunteers. We continue to improve our areas: Bow Valley Wildland Park, Speaking on behalf of the Volunteer volunteer communications products and Big Lake and Hastings Lake Coordinating Committee, parks as well. The natural areas brochures Islands Natural Areas. Volunteer-led management team and your on-site have been given a new look and interpretive and educational supervisors, it’s a privilege to work individual site brochures will be activities are increasing as well. with you and to recognize your updated with the new design as field Programs were delivered by volunteer contributions. staff or stewards request them. volunteer stewards at nine natural (Contact Sandra Myers to make the areas throughout the province and at arrangements). We have also created Beauvais Lake Provincial Park, a a new volunteer steward recruitment volunteer environmental educator brochure to promote the program. helped deliver school programs. An application form on the brochure can be faxed or mailed to us, All in all, it looks like a good year to expediting registrations. Over the be a volunteer! summer we’ll be working on a new We look forward to seeing you out handbook for volunteer stewards and and about in your parks and a new poster to advertise site- protected areas this year. specific volunteer opportunities. Hopefully you were able to “Head for the Hills” this April 26-28th, and Training for staff and volunteers join us at Cypress Hills remains a high priority. We are Interprovincial Park for our 2002 excited about our new steward Volunteer Roundup. The conference orientation session, which will be planning team, headed by Rose presented across the province several June Markwart, Manager Jones, planned lots of fun, learning times a year to introduce new Visitor Services Branch experiences for attendees to kick off stewards to the program and their Parks and Protected Areas the new season. There was also an responsibilities. In the future, it will Alberta Community Development excellent awards banquet held to be mandatory for new stewards to celebrate last season’s volunteer attend one of these sessions. The successes. first presentation occurred at the Volunteer Roundup Conference, and This year volunteers and staff will more will be planned on a needs notice some changes and new basis. The conference also included initiatives to improve the way we a staff training session on Friday, manage the program. First, we are where a new staff manual for implementing a new commencement Volunteer Management was and recognition program for all our distributed and reviewed. Spring 2002 Partners in Preservation Page 3 Chinchaga Wildland Park Organization Provides by Elaine Nepstad, Planner, Parks and Protected Areas Opportunities to Interact With Other Volunteer Stewards In 1999, a group of volunteer stewards who were looking for ways to meet and interact with other volunteer stewards within the program, formed the Stewards of Alberta’s Protected Areas Association (SAPAA). SAPAA is a non-profit organization that operates independent of the Parks and Members of the Chinchaga Management Plan Committee (L to R): Trisha Protected Areas Program.