State of Wetland Policy & Regulation

Overview

In 2019, the Beaver Hills Biosphere Reserve Association initiated a wetland conservation and stewardship pilot project in the Biosphere to explore alternative approaches to wetland conservation and stewardship in ways that support both traditional and current cultural attributes of the Biosphere. The first step (phase one of a “state of” assessment) for the pilot project was to review and synthesize the type and scope of existing wetland policies, programs and regulations, such that they can be considered, integrated into and/or leveraged by the pilot program.

Objectives

A key goal of the pilot project, and the focus of this phase, was to test and evaluate a diverse set of policy and market approaches for incentivizing wetland stewardship within the Biosphere so the multiple benefits associated with wetland conservation and restoration can be maintained or enhanced.

Outcomes

This assessment focused on the policies and regulations that will materially impact the implementation and outcomes of the pilot project, which must be clearly understood and considered in the design of the pilot. This included the Alberta Wetland Policy and its associated Directives that provide guidance for policy implementation, as well as provincial legislation such as the Public Lands Act and the Water Act, which generate considerable legal obligations for wetland managers.