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“I think getting people out into nature is the single most important thing to ensure people care about conservation.”
— Sean Feagan
Bunchberry Meadows, located near
the University of Alberta Botanic Garden, houses some of the only old-growth forests in Alberta. In 2015, the owners of the land sold it to NCC at half its value to ensure the area would be conserved for people in and around Edmonton to enjoy. Today, it is one of NCC’s most visited areas.
“It’s kind of in this transition area between the aspen parkland and boreal forest,” says NCC Media and Communications Manager Sean Feagan. “Any time you’re on one of those interfaces between two natural regions there’s really high biodiversity. And I think we’re just really happy that it’s very frequently used.
Looking at the surrounding landscape now, there’s been quite a bit of change even over the last nine or so years. I think it’s an ecological jewel, just in Edmonton’s own backyard.”
Edmonton Community Foundation provided the organization with an $80,000 grant in 2023. The grant not only helped to secure new land donations but also increased NCC’s ability to engage with Edmontonians through events and property visits.
“There’s a long list of benefits that conservation provides to nature in the region, but also to people,” says Feagan. “There’s ecological benefits, so things like clean water, clean air, well-being through access to land. I think helping us conserve land and creating these opportunities for people to get out into nature has an immense value to our society. And for that reason, we’re very grateful for [ECF’s] support.”
NCC encourages residents to connect
to nature through its various volunteer programs. The Trail Stewardship Program recruits volunteers in the community to help monitor regions and the Adopt-a-Patch Program has volunteers protect designated areas from invasive weeds.
“I think getting people out into nature is the single most important thing to
ensure people care about conservation,” says Feagan. “These programs create real benefits on the ground. And we hope that that can translate into more people getting involved with conservation, supporting conservation, encouraging their friends and family to support conservation, or even just get out for an event.”
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