News from May 2011

Environment Week is Coming

May 24, 2011

Celebrate Canadian Environment Week

Preserving our Forests, Protecting our Future
June 5–11, 2011

Protecting Canada’s natural environment reaps a world of benefits for Canadians, from strengthening the economy to enhancing health and quality of life. Canadian Environment Week is the perfect time to celebrate our achievements and initiatives in tackling climate change and reducing air pollution.

The United Nations declared 2011 to be the International Year of Forests. Celebrating the International Year of Forests is a unique opportunity to raise awareness on sustainable management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests.

This year’s theme for Canadian Environment Week is: Preserving our Forests, Protecting our Future.

Canadian Environment Week will celebrate its 40th anniversary this year!

Agroforestry and Woodlot Extension Society AGM

May 17, 2011

Join the Agroforestry and Woodlot Extension Society (AWES) at their Annual General Meeting on June 15, 2011 at the Genesee Community Hall.

Agenda
9:30 a.m. Registration and coffee
10:00 a.m. Annual General Meeting
12:00 p.m. Lunch
12:15 p.m. Presentation by Gordon Thompson with the North Saskatchewan Watershed Alliance
1:00 p.m. Capital Power tree plantation tour

To register please contact Doug at 780–980-3511. The deadline to register is June 10, 2011.

Have your Say on Advice for Southern Alberta Regional Plan

May 10, 2011

The Government of Alberta has posted an online workbook available at www.landuse.alberta.ca for you to share your feedback on the South Saskatchewan Regional Advisory Council’s (RAC’s) advice on developing a regional plan for southern Alberta. We encourage you to participate in phase 2 of the regional planning process. The workbook will be available until December 19, 2011 at 4:30 p.m.

Please keep in mind as you fill out the workbook that you’re commenting on the RAC‘s advice, not a government document. This is an important building block in the development of the regional plan – your input during all three phases of the consultation process and the RAC‘s advice will influence the development of the final plan.

But this isn’t the only way you can share your thoughts – stakeholder sessions will be held this fall in the South Saskatchewan Region so you can speak directly with government staff. Once the dates are set, we’ll let you know via email, advertisements and through our website when the sessions will be held.

We hope to see you there, and in the meantime, please have your say and fill out the workbook.

For more information contact:

Dave Bartesko
Senior Consultation Manager
Land Use Secretariat
Phone: 780–422-4871

NSWA Launches Consultation for Watershed Management Plan

May 5, 2011

The North Saskatchewan Watershed Alliance (NSWA), based in Edmonton, has reached a major milestone in its planning process under Alberta’s Water for Life Strategy by releasing the “Discussion Paper for the Development of an Integrated Watershed Management Plan for the North Saskatchewan River Watershed in Alberta”.

It summarizes the planning process over the last five years, the current legislative and policy context, the results of technical studies and conditions across the watershed. The paper presents draft recommendations in the form of five goals, 20 watershed management directions and 61 specific actions on a wide range of water, land and development issues. The recommendations incorporate stakeholder interests expressed to date and present an implementation strategy.

The NSWA has embarked on a comprehensive public consultation and stakeholder engagement program over the next three months to seek input on the draft recommendations. To that end, the NSWA has produced a workbook as a survey questionnaire. It forms the core of this process and gives all parties an opportunity to share their views on and help shape the final recommendations. The NSWA aims to prepare the final IWMP to submit to Government of Alberta and all stakeholders in late 2011.

Both the discussion paper and survey workbook are available on the NSWA website at www.nswa.ab.ca. The survey workbook can be completed online or you can obtain a paper copy by calling the NSWA at 780–442-6363.

For more information, please contact Mr. David Trew, Executive Director, NSWA at 780–496-3474 or email David Trew.