Exploring Fall Wetlands at Evergreen Park

This September, DUC staff and the Wetland Centre project manager visited the Wetland Centre MOU area to map wetlands, measure peat depths, and meet with stakeholders to discuss the project. It’s been a very wet year for much of northern Alberta, and the County of Grande Prairie is no exception. We found tamarack swamps with over 5 inches of standing water and observed waterfowl in the shallow open water and graminoid fen wetlands! Check out some of the photos from our visit:

Extremely wet graminoid fen (foreground), seen in behind is the transition to a shrubby fen, tamarack swamp, and upland ridge.

Changing fall colours of tamarack and bog birch

Wetland ground cover vegetation

Tamarack swamp with saturated soils

In addition to exploring and mapping wetlands, we also had the opportunity to meet with stakeholders to learn about their work, challenges working in and around wetlands, and opportunities to work together in the future. We met with the Canadian Forest Service to learn about CFS’ current projects at the Evergreen Learning and Innovation Centre, presented as part of the NAIT Centre for Boreal Research Boreal Nature Series, and met with project supporters Pembina and Keyera.

Jaime (CFS) and Kylie (DUC) are pictured in a graminoid fen.

Becky (DUC, pictured) and Kylie (DUC) presented on Wetland Remote Sensing: a Tool for Wetland Best Management Practices. Kylie and Angie (Wetland Centre Project Manager, Incremental Forest Technologies) followed up with a short presentation on the Wetland Centre.

Stay tuned for our next post to learn how we mapped wetlands at the Centre!

Workshop re-cap: Introduction to the Wetland Centre at Evergreen Park

A full summary of the Wetland Centre workshop can be found here. For more information about the Wetland Centre project, sign-up for our mailing list and check back for future blog posts.

On April 24, 2019 the Evergreen Learning and Innovation Centre and Ducks Unlimited Canada hosted an introductory workshop for the Wetland Centre project. Over 35 attendees from industry, provincial and municipal government, First Nations communities, non-profit, consultants and contractors, and other groups and backgrounds gathered to learn about the project and share their ideas.

The purpose of the Wetland Centre workshop was to provide attendees with information about the organizations involved (ELIS and DUC), about the project, and provide an opportunity for interested parties to get involved early and to help shape the future of the Wetland Centre.

What we heard

Workshop participants attended the workshop for a range of reasons including interest in wetlands and wetland best management practices, in learning about the Wetland Centre project and being involved from the ground up, and in meeting with and learning from other individuals and organizations also interested in wetlands.

Over the course of the day, participants had the opportunity to discuss what brought them to the workshop, their current challenges and opportunities with respect to wetlands, and their ideas for what a Wetland Centre at Evergreen Park could be. Participants learned about the project leads, the Wetland Centre project, and next steps as part of introductory presentations.

These presentations and summaries of the discussions are included in the Workshop Proceedings (link). At the end of the day, participants toured the Evergreen Learning and Innovation Centre to get an idea of the types of activities that could be hosted at the Wetland Centre.

What we learned

The number and diversity of participants resulted in excellent discussions about boreal wetlands including operational challenges, research and training opportunities, and potential directions for the Wetland Centre.

From the day’s discussions we learned that there is interest in:

1. Having an on-the-ground location to share information about wetlands including wetland values, functions, challenges, and approaches to avoiding, minimizing, or reclaiming, with a wide variety of audiences.

2. Using an on-the-ground location as a hub to bring together diverse groups to share information about wetlands, address common challenges, and develop and showcase innovative technologies for wetland avoidance, minimization, and reclamation/ restoration.

3. Showcasing traditional knowledge, bringing together western science and traditional knowledge, and creating opportunities for Indigenous perspectives as part of developing the Wetland Centre.

4. Regular project communications to share information about project developments and opportunities for involvement. Participants are interested in receiving information via digital communications (e.g., website, newsletter, social media), hosting a regular event/ workshop, and attending community events to share information about the project.

5. Understanding funding opportunities and constraints and developing an effective governance structure to ensure the Wetland Centre is financially and functionally sustainable in the long-term.

Where we’re going next

As follow-up to the Wetland Centre workshop we committed to sharing the workshop proceedings and presentations. To do so, and to have a place to share future updates, we created this website! Read more about next steps in the proceedings document.

As part of carrying out Year 1 project activities, and to meet the requirements of the Provincial Court of Alberta funding, the project team will develop a ‘living’ Strategic Plan by August 2019. As part of carrying out Year 2 (September 2019 – August 2020) project activities, the project team will work on site access and development and will lay the ground work for potential research and demonstration projects. Based on what we heard at the workshop we will also explore approaches for incorporating Indigenous knowledge and values into the Wetland Centre.  

To explore the path forward for the Wetland Centre beyond the scope of the three-year Provincial Court of Alberta funded project we will assemble a small advisory group.

How can you get involved?

• Keep up to date with progress on the Wetland Centre project – read the workshop proceedings and presentations, sign up for the new Wetland Centre newsletter, and keep an eye on this site for updates, news, and events.

• Share information about the Wetland Centre with others – help us raise awareness and ensure the right groups are at the table to carry out the Wetland Centre project and plan for the future of the Wetland Centre.

• Share your ideas for potential projects – is there a project you’re looking to lead that the could fit with the Wetland Centre? We’re interested in hearing about potential wetland research, demonstration, training or other projects that could utilize the site.

• Help us fund the Wetland Centre and plan for the long-term – for the Wetland Centre to be successful beyond the three-year project, we will need to build a community of in-kind and financial supporters. In addition to assembling and working with a small advisory group, we are interested in hearing your ideas.

• Keep in touch – contact us with questions, events or projects that may be a good fit, or anything else you think would be helpful for us to know about.

Thank you to our workshop sponsor Keyera

Announcing the Wetland Centre at Evergreen Park

The Evergreen Learning and Innovation Society (ELIS) and Ducks Unlimited Canada’s National Boreal Program (DUC) are collaborating to establish a Wetland Centre here at Evergreen Park. The Wetland Centre will be an outdoor, hands-on centre that can be used for wetlands related training, research, and industry demonstrations.

ELIS and DUC have received funding for a three-year project (starting September 2018) to establish a Wetland Centre at Evergreen Park. The Wetland Centre will build on the reputation, location and partnerships of the Evergreen Centre. Over the next three years we will be:

• Year 1, Planning: Developing, with involvement from stakeholders, a Strategic Plan for a Wetland Centre at Evergreen Park.

• Year 2, Building: Building support and partnerships and initiate site development (e.g., access, fencing, signage).

• Year 3, Implementing: Starting to implement the Strategic Plan so that activities such as site visits and wetlands training can be carried out at the Wetland Centre in the third year. Secure financial support for the Wetland Centre to continue to operate beyond the term of the project.

In November DUC & ELIS hired Angie Kuysters with Incremental Forest Technologies (IFTech) as the Wetland Centre Project Manager. Angie is a long-term resident of the Grande Prairie area and brings experience in strategic planning from her previous work in the forest industry as well as practical, hands-on skills, a dedication to sustainability of our adapting forests, and a belief in continual learning.  We are very excited to have Angie on board.

As part of Year 1 strategic planning activities DUC and ELIS will be hosting a stakeholder workshop at Evergreen Park on April 24th, 2019.

This is your opportunity to get involved early and to help shape the future of the Wetland Centre. Participants will…

• Learn about the plans for the Wetland Centre project and opportunities to get involved

• Interact with other participants from a range of sectors to discuss potential ideas and uses for the Wetland Centre

• Generate ideas for conducting new research, demonstrations, training, and other wetlands programming at the Wetland Centre

• Provide input that will inform the future direction and activities of the Wetland Centre

• Learn about boreal wetlands, meet the project leads, and take part in a tour of the Evergreen Centre

Anyone interested in the intersection of boreal wetlands and resource management in Alberta’s boreal should consider attending this workshop. We envision the Wetland Centre as a location for demonstrations, education and training, research, and more, but we want to hear your needs and ideas. Register here

The success of the Wetland Centre depends on the involvement of potential users like you. For more information about the Wetland Centre project or to find out how you can be involved contact:

Angie Kusters, Wetland Centre Project Manager

Incremental Forest Technologies

Angie (at) iftech.ca

(780) 832–1956

Primary funding for the Wetland Centre project is resulting from a Provincial Court of Alberta sentencing order for an Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act infraction. We thank our workshop sponsor Keyera, and project contributor Pembina Pipelines for their financial support.

Wetlands at Evergreen Park

Evergreen Park in the County of Grande Prairie Alberta is home to many different types of boreal wetlands. Ducks Unlimited Canada’s remote sensing team mapped and classified some of the wetlands at Evergreen Park.

Wetland mapping at Evergreen Park using Ducks Unlimited Canada’s Enhanced Wetland Classification

There are several wetland types present at Evergreen Park

Graminoid fen to shrubby fen transition

Conifer swamp

Emergent marsh to graminoid fen transition

Graminoid fen, shrubby fen, tamarack swamp