Stewardship Showcase: Signs of Change
Protecting At-Risk Species Through Stewardship
Each year, Land Stewardship Centre’s Watershed Stewardship Grant (WSG) recipients inspire us with their steadfast commitment to hands-on efforts that enhance, protect and restore Alberta’s vital water resources. With funding from Alberta Environment and Protected Areas, seventeen stewardship groups received grants through the WSG program to support a range of stewardship activities in 2024. One of these WSG recipients, Wizard Lake Watershed and Lake Stewardship Association (WLWLSA), put the funds they received to good use, developing and using visual tools to educate and inspire residents about species at risk in the area.
At the heart of WLWLSA’s mission is the commitment to building community with Wizard Lake residents and users. As a WSG recipient in both 2023 and 2024, WLWLSA’s two-year stewardship project aimed to deepen residents' understanding, connection and appreciation of their watershed by enhancing their nature walk experience along the shoreline trails of Wizard Lake with informative, interpretive signage. The signage set up in 2023 along the 900-meter short trail, shoreline trail and historical trails in Jubilee Park showcases the area's wildlife and community history.
"The initial signage in 2023 was well received not only by Leduc County, but by users of the trail system, summer and winter alike," says Blake Bartlett, Chair of the WLWLSA Board of Directors in the project’s final report.
Building on that success, WLWLSA expanded their stewardship initiatives in 2024 by adding new signs along the 1.6-kilometer-long trail. These new signs highlight species at risk in Alberta, with each one featuring an endangered or at-risk species, including details on its description, habitat, threats and conservation status. The featured at-risk species include the Western Toad, Monarch Butterfly, Piping Plover, Trumpeter Swan, Peregrine Falcon and Loggerhead Shrike.
Education and outreach are essential in strengthening stewardship efforts, serving as a driving force for meaningful collaboration and environmental action. WLWLSA's 2024 signage project aligns with their goal to help residents and visitors alike learn about the watershed while simultaneously enhancing the experience of nature walks along the trail. By providing easily accessible information to both residents and trail users around the lake, WLWLSA is raising awareness and inspiring a deeper appreciation of the lake and the diverse species that call it home. All users of this trail system, some 10,000 annual park visitors, will learn and understand the need for protecting these species at risk in Alberta.
Additionally, the project offered an educational opportunity for the New Humble Community School (Charter School), providing a foundation for future nature walks and field trips where students can explore and learn about the lake’s diverse inhabitants. In summer 2024, WLWLSA hosted an open house where the Board of Directors introduced New Humble students to Wizard Lake and its watershed, as well as a Career Day to engage youth in the importance of watersheds and the efforts underway to sustain the lake.
With support from the WSG, this interpretive signage project is one of many important initiatives undertaken by this active and committed stewardship group that is cultivating a deeper appreciation for the watershed and the biodiversity surrounding the lake, including the vulnerable species at risk of disappearing from the province.
Stay tuned to discover the 2025 WSG recipients and the exciting projects they will be undertaking this year!
Signs of Change: Protecting At-Risk Species Through Stewardship
Feature photos of the Wizard Lake Watershed and Lake Stewardship Association (WLWLSA) signage project, education and outreach.
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