Kristina Dembinski - Alberta NAWMP Partnership

THE TIME TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE OUR WETLANDS IS NOW.

The Alberta North American Waterfowl Management Plan Partnership collaborates with several conservation organizations on initiatives geared at conserving and restoring drained wetlands. Wetland ecosystems protect the planet’s citizens from extreme weather events while simultaneously storing carbon and improving water quality. And, as the climate crisis heats up and extreme weather events become more frequent, protecting and restoring these critical landscapes will be vital.

In previous years, Alberta has experienced extreme weather and some of the worst droughts in recent history. During dry periods such as these, wetlands help mitigate the impacts of drought by slowly releasing the water they’ve stored back into surrounding areas.

Alternatively, in years of excess, wetlands act as a giant sponge, absorbing and storing surplus water. But these essential ecosystems are in crisis, and they need our help. Nearly 90% of world’s wetlands have been lost since the 1700s’, with the remaining wetlands disappearing 3X faster than forests. The opportunity to protect and preserve these essential landscapes is quickly diminishing. The time to act is now. We have a team of experts ready to tackle the challenge of preserving these critical ecosystems, and – in the spirit of World Wetland Day – we invite you to join us as we take action for wetlands in 2023.

The Alberta NAWMP Partnership has produced annual Progress Reviews since 2000. Containing everything from project descriptions and committee updates to an assessment of contributions and habitat expenditures, Progress Reviews provide a complete picture of the breadth and scope the accomplishments of the Partnership in a given year.

Our most current Progress Review offers many great examples from 2021-2022 of the Partnership’s science-based approach.

Read on to learn about the work accomplished by the Alberta NAWMP partners this past year that is driven by a passion for conservation and rooted in science.

Ducks Unlimited Canada and Weyerhaeuser Partner to Protect Canadian Wetlands

On March 24, 2022, Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) and Weyerhaeuser Company (NYSE: WY) announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU), spanning five years and including $250,000 in new funding commitments.

This agreement marks the continuation of a long and collaborative relationship between Weyerhaeuser and DUC that will involve several projects over a five-year period in the temperate and boreal forest regions of Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario and Saskatchewan. 

Efforts will include the continued development of best management practices designed to help protect natural habitat in this important working landscape, an inventory of carbon storage in wetlands for effective carbon accounting, and the creation of a Wetland Stewardship Report which will identify areas for future collaboration and knowledge-sharing. 

Learn more.

The time to protect and preserve our wetlands is now.

The Alberta North American Waterfowl Management Plan Partnership collaborates with several conservation organizations on initiatives geared at conserving and restoring drained wetlands. Wetland ecosystems protect the planet’s citizens from extreme weather events while simultaneously storing carbon and improving water quality. And, as the climate crisis heats up and extreme weather events become more frequent, protecting and restoring these critical landscapes will be vital.

Last year Alberta experienced this extreme weather with one of the worst droughts in recent history. During dry periods such as these, wetlands help mitigate the impacts of drought by slowly releasing the water they’ve stored back into surrounding areas.

Alternatively, in years of excess, wetlands act as a giant sponge, absorbing and storing surplus water.

But these essential ecosystems are in crisis, and they need our help. Nearly 90% of world’s wetlands have been lost since the 1700s’, with the remaining wetlands disappearing 3X faster than forests. The opportunity to protect and preserve these essential landscapes is quickly diminishing. The time to act is now. We have a team of experts ready to tackle the challenge of preserving these critical ecosystems, and – in the spirit of World Wetland Day – we invite you to join us as we take action for wetlands in 2022.

Wetlands Action for People and Nature

Plan to take part in the virtual 2022 World Wetlands Day Symposium on February 2, 2022 from 8:30 AM – 12 PM.

World wetlands day (WWD) is celebrated on February 2 each year, to mark the protection of wetlands under the Ramsar Convention. Events to celebrate WWD are hosted around the world, with the aim of gathering wetland stakeholders to discuss conservation under a global theme that is selected by Wetlands International.

The theme for the 2022 WWD is Wetlands Action for People and Nature. Its an appeal to invest financial, human and political capital to save the world’s wetlands.

Learn more and register today.

The Alberta NAWMP Partnership has produced annual Progress Reviews since 2000. Containing everything from project descriptions and committee updates to an assessment of contributions and habitat expenditures, Progress Reviews provide a complete picture of the breadth and scope the accomplishments of the Partnership in a given year.

Our most current Progress Review offers many great examples from 2020-21 of the Partnership’s science-based approach.

Read on to learn about the work accomplished by the Alberta NAWMP partners this past year that is driven by a passion for conservation and rooted in science.

Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) is pleased to announce the official release of the Alberta Wetland Classification System Field Guide. Digital and hardcopies of the guide are now available.

This project would not have been possible without the generous support of Alberta Innovates Water Innovation Program, Alberta North American Waterfowl Management Plan Partnership and Prairie Habitat Joint Venture. We would also like to thank all our collaborators, photo contributors and reviewers as we celebrate the release of this valuable wetland resource.

Download your field guide here or, purchase a hardcopy for $32 (shipping included) here. Please note that the field guide was updated on July 12^th and we recommend anyone who downloaded it prior to this date re-download the final version.

If you have already attended a training session, we thank you for your time. We will be offering further free wetland classification training events this fall, with the possibility of a field training event. In order to determine the format and schedule for these events, we ask anyone interested to please participate in this 3 minute survey.

For information and updates on this project, stay tuned to the DUC website or reach out at k_mayner@ducks.ca.

Wetlands are an integral part of Alberta’s landscape and provide a critical role in maintaining healthy watersheds, providing habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife, maintaining upland forests, and providing many other ecosystem services and benefits. Do you work in and around Alberta’s wetlands? Join Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) staff to learn how to identify and classify Alberta’s wetland classes, forms and types at their upcoming online or outdoor training events:

Thursday, September 23, 2021 from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM MDT DUC is offering a free, three-hour online workshop where we’ll explore the recently released Alberta Wetland Classification System Field Guide. You’ll learn how to recognize and classify Alberta’s wetlands according to the Alberta Wetland Classification System, including coverage of common wetland plant species as well as soil and hydrology indicators. Learn more and register today.

Friday, September 24, 2021 from 9:30 AM – 3:00 PM MDT DUC is leading a free, outdoor, hands-on wetland classification workshop at Cooking Lake-Blackfoot Provincial Recreation Area east of Edmonton. We will tour attendees through nine different wetland sites representing both prairie and boreal wetland systems. We will conduct hands-on identification of common wetland plant species and soil indicators. All government COVID-19 restrictions will be adhered to and this event is capped at 20 attendees (plus DUC staff). Learn more and register today.

Water, wetlands and life – They are inseparable and they’re in crisis

Globally, a growing water crisis is threatening people and our planet. We use more water than nature can replenish and vital wetland ecosystems are being destroyed.

The impact of wetland loss is real

Nearly 90% of the world’s wetlands have been lost since 1700s; those remaining are disappearing 3X faster than forests.
25% of all wetland species and 1 in 3 freshwater species face extinction.
Climate change is reducing surface and groundwater in already dry regions, resulting in increased competition for water.

Source: worldwetlandsday.org

There are people taking action

Work led by the Alberta North American Waterfowl Management Plan (ABNAWMP) Partnership to promote wetland conservation is having an impact. Together we work to:

Conserve and restore drained wetlands.
Support research that leads to improved water quality and quantity.
Help to integrate wetland conservation into development plans and resource management.
Deliver education and outreach programs for wetlands.

What you do matters

It’s up to us – together – to protect and conserve wetlands – the ecosystems that water and all life depend on most. You may ask yourself, “But what can I do?”

Learn about the Alberta NAWMP Partnership and the important work of the partners to conserve wetlands and associated wetland habitat, for wildlife and for people:

If you have wetlands on your property, take action by:

Keeping natural wetlands on your land intact.
Retaining upland vegetation around your wetlands.
Using responsible practices to preventing excess nutrients and chemicals from entering wetlands.
Supporting conservation organizations through donations or volunteerism.
Taking advantage of available resources and programs to conserve and restore wetlands.

Post a note on the World Wetlands Day site and share why you value wetlands.

Earlier this year, Alberta NAWMP produced two new videos with fresh footage that features stunning wetland landscapes, habitat and scenes from DUC projects in Alberta.

In the first video, “We are Alberta NAWMP”, you’ll learn about Alberta NAWMP and the important work of the partners to conserve wetlands and associated wetland habitat, for wildlife and for people.

The second video, “The Face of the Boreal Forest”, introduces you to the boreal forest, one of the most ecologically rich nesting grounds for waterfowl. You’ll learn about this special landscape, it’s human dimensions and the efforts of Alberta NAWMP partners to ensure Canada’s boreal forest continues to thrive. Through these videos, Alberta NAWMP hopes to inspire audiences to take action to conserve wetland and waterfowl habitat, and for those already doing it, to continue their efforts.

Watch them both here and enjoy.

Kristina Dembinski - Alberta NAWMP Partnership - Page 2.