Conservation of Wildlife, Wildflowers, and Wildlands

There is little doubt among reputable scientists that some wild species won't survive unless we citizens actively encourage our governments to take steps to protect the habitat on which they depend for their survival. As Harvard's E.O. Wilson puts it, we are in a wave of extinction comparable to that of the dinosaurs. The only difference is that the current extinction rate is entirely in the hands of one species, human kind.

In Edmonton, my homeplace, there is a continuous struggle between development and preservation. If we don't urge our city council to act to protect the few remaining wildspaces left in our city, there will be none remaining for our grandchildren to enjoy. While Edmonton currently has species like pileated woodpeckers, horned and pigmy owls, and foxes, these species are dependent on old stands of trees such as those found in the watersheds of the North Saskatchewan River Valley. You can help by visiting and contributing to the Capital Region River Valley Alliance.

On the provincial scale, the Alberta Government has done too litle and too late to protect species that once inhabited areas like Willmore Wilderness Park in great numbers. Under present policies and industrial practices in mining and forestry, experts suggest that the Woodland Caribou will be extinct [or extant] in Alberta in our lifetimes. Wolves are under great stress in the Canadian Rockies. Because of habitat damage, moose are rarely seen in the Willmore anymore -- even though hunting is still permitted. And, so on ...

The hard work of lobbying governments to create protected wildlands and of purchasing private lands for conservation purposes always falls to the few. Some of those few are radical and attract headlines while others are conservative and work closely with business and government. All have the same objectives: species protection and habitat conservation.

In my view, here in Canada, there are several premier conservation organizations that do this work. Please consider contributing to them. Contributions are easy to make. Simply visit their web page, determine whether their philosophy and approach fit your values, and if they do, send a donation.

In Alberta, my home province, the premier organizations are:

If you are interested in reading about conservation issues in Alberta, try these webpages:

Meanwhile, go an enjoy these areas. Whether by horse or on foot, because our industrial development has happened later than in much of Canada, we have some of the world's best wilderness areas.