Lorne Fitch takes us on a tour through the natural regions of Alberta. Mountains are water towers that capture snow that feeds Alberta's cities with their drinking water. The montane is the core for Alberta's grazing (ranching) tradition. The foothills is both rangeland and forest and is the rain barrel for Alberta. The grassland is both drought and fatland (depending on rainfall). Alberta is a water provider to other provinces. The parkland is a natural savanah of grassland, wetlands and wooded islands. The boreal is the forest mixed woods, aspen, conifer and the breeding grounds for tropical birds. Lorne Fitch inventories the assets of Alberta and the challenges of managing for a quality environment for the future.
Lorne Fitch is the provincial riparian specialist with Cows and Fish, the Alberta Riparian Habitat Management Society, Lethbridge, Alberta.
From March 12-14th, 2013, people involved in water issues in Alberta met in Red Deer to discuss ideas and plans for managing water resources. The conference, jointly hosted by the Canadian Water Resources Association (CWRA) Alberta Chapter and Alberta Watershed Planning & Advisory Councils (WPACs), emphasized the integrated planning that is necessary for water management in the future.
The Alberta Land-use Knowledge Network was able to record many of the keynote speakers and conference presentations.