The Beaver Hills Initiative is a collaborative working group involving municipal, provincial and federal governments, private land owners, non-government groups and industry. The initiative was formed to create a sustainable region through shared initiatives and coordinated action. The Beaver Hills area is a stagnant ice moraine located east of Edmonton, one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in Canada.

 

Despite the fact that the area is close to a large industrial area, a large proportion of lands, both public and private exist in their natural state. Protected areas within the Beaver Hills include Elk Island National Park, Cooking Lake, Blackfoot Grazing and Provincial Recreation Area, Ministik Lake Bird Sanctuary, Miquelon Provincial Park and many smaller natural areas.

 

Beyond the protected areas, the counties of Beaver, Lamont, Camrose, Leduc and Strathcona govern the area. The agency partners within the Beaver Hills Initiative hope to maintain the last remaining natural habitat corridor in east-central Alberta, to protect species in the region that are at risk or vulnerable, and maintain the viability of several protected areas.

 

Protected areas within the Beaver Hills are lands that occur in a natural state within a municipal, provincial and federal park, or help by non-government groups such as Alberta Fish and Game Association, Alberta Conservation Association, Ducks Unlimited and the Nature Conservancy of Canada. In some cases the lands are held by private individuals and secured through conservation easements. A protected area for the purpose of this plan is an area of land and or water especially dedicated to the protection and maintenance of biological diversity and the natural and associated cultural resources are managed through legal or other effective means. The protected areas within the Beaver Hills provide a natural feel and these areas form part of the quality of life valued by area residents and visitors.

 

The Beaver Hills landscape acts as a meeting ground. Nature and people have interacted to create a distinct place. The landscape provides a record of our natural and cultural history where values blend and create a sense of identity. The work undertaken by the Beaver Hills Initiative benefits all residents.

 

The idea of a Cooperation Plan was adopted from the Biosphere Reserve Program. There are 400 reserves across the globe and each incorporates a variety of geographical features and human activities and demonstrates diverse conservation and sustainability approaches. Biosphere reserves are designed by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and showcase innovative approaches to living and working in harmony with nature. Biosphere reserves consist of three distinct zones – a core of protected areas, an adjacent area of country living and an outer area of cooperation where most of the residents live and work using the natural resources of the area in a sustainable manner.

 

The Beaver Hills area and the work done to date by Strathcona County and the Beaver Hills Initiative fits within the principles of a Biosphere Reserve.

 

Glen Lawrence

Councillor, Ward 7

780-464-800