Conservation Blog

Coal mining

Making Sense of the Situation in Alberta’s East Slopes

19 April 2021

If you are like most people, you may be having a hard time keeping track of what is going on in the East Slopes. First, the coal policy was rescinded. Then it was reinstated — sort of. Leases were awarded and then leases were cancelled. Yet a major coal mine is in the final stages of review. Keep reading to make sense of it all and keep your head from spinning!

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Alberta Parks Face the Loss of Park Interpreters

3 April 2021

Alberta Parks may lose most of their park interpreters. Kate Corrigan explains why interpreters matter and why we should keep them.

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Concerns Regarding a Proposed Irrigation Expansion Project in Southern Alberta

31 March 2021

A large-scale project to expand irrigation infrastructure in the South Saskatchewan River Basin has been announced by the government. Environmental groups have raised concerns about the impacts of this project.

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Alberta’s Coal Policy Reinstated

8 February 2021

Today’s announcement demonstrates that grassroots voices can make a real difference in ensuring that Alberta’s special places remain protected.

This is s a welcome reprieve for future development in the Eastern Slopes. We urge concerned citizens to continue to press for a full stop on exploration and development activities until public consultation is completed and appropriate protections are in place.

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Coal at What Cost? Alberta’s Endangered Whitebark Pine Under Threat From Benga’s Proposed Coal Mine

6 February 2021

Kelsey Fleming reviews the implications of the Benga coal mine on Alberta’s endangered whitebark pine.

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Red Deer River Naturalists requests public consultations on proposed coal developments

3 February 2021

The Red Deer River Naturalists Society has requested that the government reopen the public consultation processes for the North Saskatchewan River Regional Plan and enable the public to comment on the cumulative effects of coal development.

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Province Pushes the Pause Button on Coal Development

27 January 2021

Energy Minister Sonya Savage has announced that the province will cancel 11 recently issued coal leases and pause future lease sales in the Eastern Slopes.

Unfortunately, a pause is not the same as a stop.

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Society of Grasslands Naturalists Raises Concerns About Land-Use Decisions in the Eastern Slopes

26 January 2021

The Society of Grassland Naturalists has raised concerns about land-use decisions in the Eastern Slopes. They urge the premier to adopt an integrated approach to planning that involves public consultations.

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Loon with chick
Common loon adult with small chick. DARWIN PARK

Why Are Common Loon Chicks Becoming Less Common?

22 January 2021

BY KRISTIN BIANCHINI

Measuring loon productivity is also an excellent indicator of lake health. As top predators, loons are sensitive to damage at lower levels of the food chain. For example, processes that decrease the number of fish in a lake can cause food shortages, especially for young loons. Being a top predator also makes loons more vulnerable to pollutants, like acid rain and mercury.

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Panorama of Lake Minnewanka. Z. KOZOMARA

A Fisheye View of Cumulative Effects in Alberta’s Southern East Slopes

22 January 2021

BY SARAH MILLIGAN

The southern East Slopes region is both busy and ecologically significant. However, no landscape can provide an inexhaustible supply of benefits to humans. And in the southern East Slopes region, there are growing indications that a tipping point has been reached.

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