Southern East Slopes Conservation Strategy
Why collaboration?
The science and threat analysis tells us that this treasured landscape requires proactive steps to maintain its integrity for future generations. Historic and current management has led to unofficially sanctioned and incremental degradation of the landscape. This continual decline has occurred through years of independent actions and decisions in the absence of a clear vision and clear accountability for the health of the landscape as a whole.
Creating a comprehensive plan that identifies conservation priorities, goals, and desired objectives of the collaborative conservation community aligns our individual programs and strengthens the voice of land and water-based conservation groups in Southern Alberta. The input of many organizations working in the region is invaluable for achieving this outcome, thus the project was developed by a core team with the input and support of many partner organizations.
Working with participant conservation organizations, we identified goals and priority objectives to conserve this important landscape. The goals and priority objectives identified by the Collaborative for all four conservation targets include either maintaining the current extent of the target and/or improving its current health.
More work needs to be done, and we can only accomplish this through building new partnerships and encouraging participation with all Albertans. Please feel free to contact us with your interest in participation.
How to Use the ESCC reports – priority objectives and collaborative work
This project and report will help guide positive change for both the conservation community and Albertans more broadly though improved management of our valuable Southern Eastern Slopes. As a collaborative conservation community, a comprehensive plan that identifies conservation priorities, goals, and objectives will help align individual programs and strengthen the voice of land and water-based conservation groups in southern Alberta.
Ultimately, this report will be used in myriad ways to support conservation in Alberta. We envision conservation organizations might use this document to:
- provide valuable scientifically based information specific to the Southern Eastern Slopes
- Prioritize conservation actions
- Align conservation strategies across organizations
- Identify areas for collaborative efforts
- Establish new conservation programs to address gaps identified
While the primary audience for this report is conservation organizations, it was also created for governments, agency personnel, landowners and other interested stakeholders to support conservation action. We envision others using this report to:
- Provide valuable scientifically based information specific to the Southern Eastern Slopes
- Provide specific landscape information to support land-use planning, specifically with implementation of the SSRP
- Identify areas of common interest and priority across agencies and organizations
- Provide support and direction for design and implementation of conservation-based programming
Collaboration on the Ground – mapping our collective efforts
Mapping of participant organizations and current or potential partners was created by the Collaborative in February 2018. The map helps us to see common lines of conservation work between participants and partners, and potential opportunities for further collaboration. The Collaborative encourages reviewing the range of conservation work being done and to look for ways to align and collaborate on critical conservation initiatives. Contact us if you or your organization are working on any of these priority areas or looking to connect with other groups.
Participant/Partner Maps
Looking to the Future
Given the enormous economic and social value of the Southern Eastern Slopes, Albertans need to take all steps necessary to avoid having this provincial treasure become a cautionary tale of irreplaceable natural riches lost. From a more optimistic perspective, Alberta is still blessed with significant ecosystem services provided by this unique landscape. With good information and clear goals at our fingertips it is now up to all of us to ensure those benefits continue for future generations.