Homepage Conservation
Freedom to Roam
BY RICHARD SCHNEIDER
What if people were allowed to walk through and explore undeveloped landscapes wherever and whenever they chose? And what if this was considered a basic human right with deep cultural roots and wide public support?
Read MoreConservation Trade-offs
BY RICHARD SCHNEIDER
Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Situations where conservation objectives are themselves in conflict are challenging for conservationists to grapple with and lead to divisions within the conservation community.
Does Going Green Put Wildlife in the Red?
BY LORNE FITCH
There is no question we need to transition from fossil fuels to alternate energy sources. It’s hard to find a species in Alberta not affected by climate change. But we shouldn’t be blind to the issues renewable energy solutions can cause to wildlife and their habitats.
Deadly Fungus Adds to Bat Conservation Concerns
BY CORY OLSON
While bats have a remarkable ability to manage energy reserves, only a few can withstand the devastating impacts of white-nose syndrome (WNS), a disease caused by a fungus, Pseudogymnoascus destructans, that grows on bats during hibernation, which will lead to more frequent arousals during the winter, depletion of energy stores, and eventual starvation.
Read MoreHow Do UCP Environmental Policies Stack Up?
BY RICHARD SCHNEIDER
One thing almost all Albertans will agree on is that it’s important to take good care of our environment, both for our own well-being and for the generations that will follow. So how are we doing on the environmental protection front? In this article we will review how past and present governments have sought to balance resource development with environmental protection.
Read MoreThe High Cost of Freedom
BY RICHARD SCHNEIDER
Premier Danielle Smith’s sovereignty legislation has nothing to do with establishing Alberta’s “rightful” place in Confederation. It is simply a unilateral decision to ignore federal rules the premier doesn’t like. The flaw in Premier Smith’s reasoning is that the rules she is proposing to ignore are not Ottawa’s rules. They are Canadian rules. Most of them involve environmental protection, which is something Albertans value highly.
Read MoreAction for an Icon
BY RICHARD SCHNEIDER
Why do Alberta’s Caribou Keep Declining, and What Can We Do About It?
Despite the woodland caribou’s high profile and the millions of dollars we’ve poured into research, the caribou’s story is one of progressive decline. Here, Richard explores the key challenges that make caribou conservation so difficult and provides an unvarnished perspective on what needs to change.
Read MoreThe Recovery of Trumpeter Swans in Alberta
BY NICK CARTER
Historically, trumpeter swans were found throughout Alberta. But by the early 1900s, the species was near extinction, mainly because of overhunting. Through concerted conservation efforts, the population is now well on its way to recovery – an amazing conservation success story.
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