Prevention Strategies
Protecting species before they need recovery plans is the focus of prevention strategies. Prevention activities can be directed at the species level or at the landscape level. Any species designated as "Special Concern" following detailed status evaluation, or "Sensitive" following general status evaluation, becomes eligible for special management actions (in the form of a management plan) designed to prevent the species from becoming at risk. Biodiversity and ecosystem management are considered fundamental aspects of program delivery.
What is Environmental Stewardship?
MULTISAR: Multiple Species at Risk
The Land Stewardship Centre of Canada
Other Helpful Stewardship Links
What Should I Do if I Have an "At Risk" or "May Be At Risk" Species on My Land?
Links to Land-use Principles and Guidelines
What is Biodiversity?
What is Alberta Doing to Conserve Biodiversity?
Biodiversity Links
Stewardship
What is Environmental Stewardship?
Environmental stewardship involves the wide range of voluntary actions that people take to conserve and protect the environment. These actions are not only essential to the recovery of species at risk, but prevent other sensitive species from becoming at risk. Such actions range from protecting and conserving soil, water, air, and other natural resources, to monitoring and managing wildlife species and habitat.
MULTISAR is a collaborative effort of government, conservation organizations and landowners. Features of the project include:
- practical system
- conservation
- stewardship
- multiple species at risk
- management at a landscape level.
The Milk River Basin was chosen as the first area for application of the MULTISAR approach for unique reasons, including:
- a high number of species at risk in a relatively small area
- a high proportion of the landscape (approx. 70%) is undisturbed native habitat.
How does this MULTISAR Project work:
- uses specific wildlife habitat and range data from private and public lands in the basin
- implements Beneficial Management Practices for conservation of wildlife species
- applies wildlife habitat models
- uses input from landowners and resource managers
- produces conservation strategies for species at risk and other wildlife
- puts strategies into action through cooperative conservation agreements with residents.
For further information on the project, visit the MULTISAR website: http://wwww.multisar.ca.
The Land Stewardship Centre of Canada
The Land Stewardship Resource Centre of Canada (off-site) offers the basic working definition of land stewardship as, the practice of carefully managing land usage to ensure natural systems are maintained or enhanced for future generations. You can visit their web site to learn more about land stewardship, biodiversity and Alberta's landscapes. This link also provides information on resources, programs and organisations to help you conserve wildlife habitat and maintain natural communities, which are so vitally important to a healthy and productive landscape.
Overall, public education is key to conserving biodiversity and keeping all wild species from becoming "At Risk". For more information, please visit the Government of Alberta's Environmental Education page.
Other Helpful Stewardship Links:
- Alberta Conservation Association
- Alberta Ecotrust
- Alberta Environmentally Sustainable Agriculture (AESA) Program
- "Cows and Fish" - The Alberta Riparian Habitat Management Program
- The Habitat Stewardship Program for Species at Risk
- Government of Alberta's Environmental Education page
- Operation Grassland Community
- North American Waterfowl Management Plan
- Prairie Conservation Forum
- Wildlife Habitat Canada
- Canada Stewardship Portal
- Agriculture, Food and Rural Development Land Stewardship Directory
- Federation of Alberta Naturalists website
What Should I Do if I Have an "At Risk" or "May Be At Risk" Species on My Land?
The first thing you should do if you suspect that you have an "At Risk" or "May Be At Risk" species on your property, or to report a sighting of such a species, is to contact your nearest Fish and Wildlife Division office. The nearest office can be located by calling the RITE line 310-0000
Industry
If you are an industrial land user, please visit the following links to learn about land use guidelines and help manage ecosystems in ways that conserve Alberta's biodiversity.
- Wildlife Land Use Guidelines Recommended by Fish and Wildlife Division of Alberta Sustainable Resource Development http://www.srd.gov.ab.ca/lands/usingpublicland/
- Alberta Sustainable Resource Development, Public Lands - information about land use on public land http://www.srd.gov.ab.ca/lands/usingpublicland/
- Principles for minimizing surface disturbance in native prairie and parkland areas (Energy Utilities Board site) http://www.eub.gov.ab.ca/BBS/requirements/ils/ils/il2002-01.htm
- Petroleum industry activity in native prairie and parkland areas - guidelines for minimizing surface disturbance (Energy Utilities Board site) http://www.eub.gov.ab.ca/bbs/documents/reports/NativePrairieGuidelines.pdf
- Information about industrial operations on woodland caribou range in Alberta www.srd.gov.ab.ca/lands/managingpublicland/landinformation/borealcariboucommittee.aspx
- Water Act and Water Act Codes of Practice http://environment.alberta.ca/3.html
Biodiversity
Biodiversity, or biological diversity, is the variety and abundance of all life on Earth - plants, animals (including humans) and other organisms -- and all the genetic variation and natural communities formed and depended on for survival.
Canadian Biodiversity Strategy
Click here to view a copy of the Canadian Biodiversity Strategy.
What is Alberta doing to sustain biodiversity?
The report, Sustaining Alberta's Biodiversity, highlights recent and ongoing Government of Alberta policies and programs conserving biodiversity and ensuring sustainable development within the goals of the Canadian Biodiversity Strategy. Download the report (PDF).
Click here for more information about biodiversity conservation in Alberta.

