Presentation to RLS 452, Parks Course University of Alberta February 5, 2009 Final.pdf
Presentation to Canadian Institute of Forestry Conference, Jasper September 29, 2010_Final.pdf
Presentation to Canadian Land Trust Alliance Conference, Banff October 1, 2010_Final.pdf
The Protected Areas Working Group (PAWG) comprises representatives from the University of Alberta (Edmonton and Augustana Campuses), Parks Canada (Elk Island National Park), Alberta Tourism, Parks & Recreation (Alberta Parks), Alberta Sustainable Resource Development, the Strathcona Wilderness Centre, the Nature Conservancy of Canada, Ducks Unlimited Canada, the Alberta Conservation Association, and the Alberta Fish and Game Association. The Executive Director of the Beaver Hills Initiative (BHI) is an ex-officio member of all BHI Working Groups.
The Beaver Hills is a distinct bioregion rich in biodiversity and landscape character. Over 26% of the area is protected under federal and provincial legislation and an additional 1% has been secured through conservation agreements and other land stewardship mechanisms. The overall goal of PAWG is to ensure a collective and coordinated approach, involving all levels of government, environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGOs), and academia, to protect, restore, and sustain the biodiversity, integrity, ecological health, and landscape character of the Beaver Hills. To this end, PAWG produced A Cooperation Plan for Managing Protected Areas with the Beaver Hills in 2008. This plan advocates a bioregional and total landscape approach to conservation whereby safeguarding the ecological integrity and connectivity between the main protected areas is complemented by the need to sustain the ecological health and sustainability of the lived-in and working landscape of the Beaver Hills. PAWG promotes the concept that protected areas, healthy ecosystems, and associated cultural values are essential components of sustainable tourism and recreation, and important contributors to the economy and quality of life of local residents and visitors to the Beaver Hills.
PAWG is the lead Working Group within the BHI responsible for preparing the nomination for the Beaver Hills to be recognized as a Biosphere Reserve under the Man and Biosphere (MAB) Program of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). In the event of the nomination being successful, PAWG will continue to play an essential role in ensuring that the BHI as a whole and all its Working Groups support and contribute to the three interconnected functions of the Biosphere Reserve (conservation, logistic support [capacity building] and sustainable development). Complementing PAWG’s work within the Beaver Hills, is the Working Group’s commitment to develop closer working relationships with other Biosphere Reserves across Canada (Biosphere Reserves in Canada_A Community Guide.pdf) and internationally in order that the proposed Beaver Hills Biosphere Reserve may make an on-going and valuable contribution to MAB’s global program.
