November / December 2000 vol. 1 / no. 4
CREATING A RIPPLE OF CHANGE
Fall has definitely arrived and as many of us have returned to the comfort of indoors,
we here at The Living by Water Project have decided to dedicate this month’s
newsletter to groups and individuals who are making a difference along Alberta’s
shorelines. Join us in celebrating their efforts!
SHORELINE STEWARDSHIP IN ACTION
Hard work does pay off! That’s according to the advice of Janet Remillard of the
Sylvan Lake and Watershed Stewardship Society. As part of a set of workshops for summer
village councillors and waterfront residents, Janet invited Clive Callaway, co founder of The
Living by Water Project, and three other guests to speak at this August 11-13 event.
Thanks to Janet’s efforts more than 100 people attended the workshops and six
Homesite Assessments were carried out. What’s more, Janet and a team of dedicated
workers and volunteers, obtained 375 Shoreline Conservation Pledges from local waterfront
residents! To show our appreciation for her efforts, The Living by Water Project
has awarded Janet an Honorary Shoreline Ambassador Certificate.
Thanks to Janet, her volunteers, and the Sylvan Lake and Watershed Stewardship Society
for exemplifying what shoreline ambassadorship is all about.
Watch our web site for an upcoming list of tips from Janet and her crew on
contacting waterfront residents!
ADVENTURES IN STEWARDSHIP
Lakeland College. Contact - Stu Heard, [email protected], (780)
853-8593.
The Adventure Tourism and Outdoor Recreation students at Lakeland College have found a
fun way to get the word out about shoreline issues. This October, the students conducted a
series of "Snow Goose" canoe tours along the Vermilion Provincial Park
shoreline. The canoeists stoped to look at shoreline vegetation and to interpret the
aquatic environment as they paddled towards their final destination, the gathering place
of the 1500-2000 snow geese in transition. To raise awareness of environmental issues and
to encourage shoreline stewardship, the students handed out Living by Water Project materials
to their guests at the end of their tour.
SHORELINE RESTORATION TAKES HOLD!
The Sandy Lake Restoration Society - Contact Ida May McLarty , [email protected],
(780) 967-2173.
September was a busy month for the Sandy Lake Restoration Society! On September 2, the
Society dedicated a tree to the Sandy Lake beach and asked local waterfront residents to
join them in restoring the shoreline by planting trees on the beach or on their own
properties. Members Dennis and Ida McLarty, Jack Stevens and Pat Roshko also donated a
number of spruce, willow and jack pine trees. In total, more than 400 trees have been
planted along this shoreline. What a terrific effort!
THE BIG SPAWN BULL TROUT HIKE
Contact - Claudette Landry, [email protected], (403) 591-6319.
This fishy event was a great success! From August to Thanksgiving, over 1400 people
came to the shores of Lower Kananaskis Lake to take part in the popular public hikes given
by park interpreters and a Bull Trout biologist. Visitors and students alike enjoyed this
opportunity to see and ask questions about bull trout, as well as to witness the success
of the bull trout conservation program. Thanks to the park’s efforts, the numbers of
returning spawning adults have risen from 60 in 1992 to 1300 spawning adults in 2000. As
the park’s research is now complete, this will be the final year for the hike.
"SURVIVAL OF CHESTERMERE LAKE" CONFERENCE
Contact - Heather Davies, [email protected] (403) 272-6361, or Ada Rawlins, [email protected],
(403) 781-7148 or visit www.chestermere.com
Congratulations to Heather Davies and Ada Rawlins for organizing a successful and
inspiring September 30th conference! Many conference attendees commented on both the
excellence of the guest speakers, Alberta Minister of the Environment, Halvor Johnson and
MLA Carol Haley and the quality of the other presentations. Conference organizers report
that many participants were motivated to become involved in shoreline conservation.
Additionally, as a result of the work that this committee has done over the past number of
months, the Minister announced the following proposed changes: the diversion of one of the
main sources of polluted water entering the lake, and the creation of a wetland as a
filter for stormwater runoff.
TOOLS FOR CHANGE
Looking for assistance in carrying out a shoreline initiative? We are proud to
introduce the following products and services now available to interested groups:
- Shoreline Ambassador Program Manual
- Homesite Assessment Program Manual
- Workshop-In-A-Box Program Manual
- Shoreline Celebration and Restoration Month Info Kits
Watch for our upcoming publication, the Shoreline Celebration and Restoration Event
Planning Manual!
DISTRIBUTION
Shoreline Talk is distributed to stewardship and conservation networks,
community groups, municipalities, regional districts, and environmental agencies
interested in shoreline preservation and restoration. It is available monthly by fax or
email, and is posted on our website. Please let us know if you want to receive Shoreline
Talk in another format.
SHORELINE TALK IS AT YOUR SERVICE!
We’re here to help promote your shoreline events and activities and to act
as a networking tool for your organization. If you have a submission for an upcoming
newsletter contact Simone Palmer at The Living by Water Project, ph (250) 832-7405,
fax (250) 832-6874, [email protected].
Special Thanks to the Federation of Alberta Naturalists and
the Calgary Field Naturalists Society.
Thanks also to our sponsors: Canada Trust Friends of the Environment
Foundation and the Canada Millennium Partnership Program.
The Living By Water Project
Alberta Project Office
11759 Groat Rd, Edmonton AB, T5M 3K6
Phone: (780) 427-8124, Fax: (780) 422-2663
E-mail: [email protected]
Compiled by Simone Palmer
Edited by Natalie Affolter and Shelley Sawada
