MEDIA RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Edmonton and Area Land Trust (EALT) received a wild gift in their 10th Anniversary year: almost 80 acres of wilderness! This brings the EALT’s natural areas to over 2,240 acres of conserved land, across 12 locations, in 9 municipalities in and around Edmonton. An astounding accomplishment for a 10 year old non-profit in this Central Parkland region which has the least remaining percentage of native habitat in any Alberta ecoregion (only ½ of 1% of Central Parkland remains natural).
What Makes this Such a Great Gift?
The Smith Blackburn Homestead is located just a couple kilometers east of Elk Island National Park. It is within the Beaverhills Initiative which was recently designated as a UNESCO International Biosphere Reserve. This area of hummocky moraine is a focal point of nature conservation for the government and other agencies. Adding an additional piece of conserved wilderness increases the connectivity within this special region, making it a great place to live – or to travel in – for all wildlife.
This wild land is covered by aspen and poplar forest, with a nourishing raspberry, Saskatoon, and rose bush understorey. The forest is teeming with wildlife including everything from tiny songbirds to lumbering moose, and there is a lake with cattails for the ducks and great blue herons.
The varied habitat in this region sustains a high diversity of rare species and globally significant concentrations of migratory birds. It is a vital component of freshwater health for the region, and provides wetland breeding grounds for many species of North American waterfowl, making EALT’s work in this area vital in many ways.
Edmonton and Area Land Trust (EALT)
EALT works to protect natural areas to benefit wildlife and people, and to conserve biodiversity and all nature’s values, for everyone, forever. EALT stewards these special places with volunteers and neighbours, who are critical to conservation work, and EALT educates the public to protect nature for future generations.
Celebrating 10 Years of Conservation
Thanks to the support of the wider Edmonton community, EALT has had 10 successful years of conserving natural areas. Early in 2018, EALT announced the securement of their 10th natural area, and within the year have secured two more lands, bringing the total number of conservation lands to 12!
