Alberta is blessed with six distinct natural regions: Aspen Parkland, Boreal Forest, Canadian Shield, Grassland, Foothill and Rocky Mountain. Each region has its own unique landscape features and climate and each supports its own distinct species of animals and plants.

Click on the map (left) to visit one of the six bio-regions.

Contrary to popular belief, a surprising number of Alberta species (35 in all) are in serious trouble. The more commonly known ones are mountain caribou, burrowing owl, swift fox, whooping crane, northern leopard frog, trumpter swan, bull trout, piping plover, peregrine falcon, long-tailed weasel, Baird's sparrow, white pelican and the ferrunginous hawk.

It is our belief that the most certain way to ensure the survival of Alberta's wild species is to protect a portion of each of the six regions from intensive human development. Hunting, fishing, riding and other recreational pursuits would be allowed, but industrial development would not.

Our present Provincial and Federal governments are now making the decisions that will determine whether future generations will also be able to experience the special places and wild species that we currently enjoy.

This website was designed by some of the many citizens who cherish Alberta's special places and whose hope it is to see a representative portion of each of them preserved for future generations.

We are presently experiencing economic growth at such a rate that by the year 2000 nearly 100% of Alberta's public lands will be committed to forestry, oil & gas extraction, mining and farming.

Experience in the other developed countries clearly tells us that if we fail to act now to set aside portions of each of the six regions, we will lose much of the biological diversity that the present generation of Albertans takes for granted.

We invite you to join us in celebrating the beautiful and special places that make up Alberta and the diverse species that inhabit our wild lands.

Please also join with us in our request of the Alberta Government to act now to protect the places that species need for habitat by completing the Special Places 2000 Program and in our request of the Federal Government to proceed with a strong and meaningful Canadian Endangered Species Legislation. Presently, species that are endangered enjoy no protection in Canada and currently none of the six natural regions of Alberta have sufficient levels of protection to ensure the survival of Alberta's biological diversity in the longer run.