Conservation Society pitches Ag board and park

Delegation highlighted membership growth, local grant funding and proposals for stronger environmental planning

The Crowsnest Conservation Society asked council on Jan. 27 to consider bringing back a former Agricultural Services Board, explore joining the Waterton Biosphere region and look at options for creating a new municipal park along the Crowsnest River.

Mayor Pat Rypien introduced the delegation as society president Brenda Davison and secretary Susan Wagner.

“Good afternoon. Thank you for having us,” Davison told council, saying the group hoped to work with the municipality on future projects.

Davison described the society’s core work as advocacy for responsible land and resource management, education and outreach, support for research and habitat restoration.

Wagner told council the society’s membership has increased in recent years. She said individual memberships doubled from 40 to 82, family memberships increased from 73 to 95 and corporate memberships remained stable. She said the society now represents 281 people who support its activities and advocacy.

Wagner also outlined funding the society said it brought into the community between 2021 and 2025. She said grants totalled $50,000, including $20,000 from TD Friends of the Environment, $20,000 from the Community Foundation of Lethbridge and Southwest Alberta, $8,000 from TC Energy, $1,500 from the Honda Canada Foundation and $500 from the local landfill association. She said the board also donated $20,953 of its own money during the same period.

Wagner said the organisation invested in projects that included an outdoor learning environment and pollinator garden at Horace Allen School, support for Isabelle Sellon School’s Week on the Creek, public speaking engagements and interpretive signage placed along local trails.

Davison said the interpretive sign project has been done in cooperation with the municipality, with the society securing funding and handling design and production while municipal crews installed the signs. 

“So thank you for that,” Davison said. The society said 14 signs are already up and more are planned.

Wagner also pointed to education and community events held between 2021 and 2025, including public talks, guided bird walks, wildflower walks and a market booth that ran for seven weeks.

On research, Davison said the society is planning stream monitoring this year using a national freshwater biomonitoring approach that includes collecting water samples and assessing aquatic insects that can indicate changes in water quality.

On habitat restoration, Davison said the society has continued river cleanup efforts and helped with trail work, describing trail maintenance to reduce pressure on surrounding habitat by keeping people on established routes.

Davison also described advocacy efforts that came from residents flagging local concerns. She said she was contacted about a wetland in Bellevue and spoke with municipal administration, which she said told her an environmental assessment would be required. She also described residents raising concerns about logging activity near a nesting area, which led the society to contact provincial and federal environment officials to understand what protections applied.

After describing the society’s work, Wagner presented three ideas she said would improve the natural environment and the experience of residents and visitors.

First, the society urged the re-establishment of the former Agricultural Services Board, which Wagner described as a committee that could help oversee environmental health and advise council as it makes decisions. She said the board, paired with a full-time environmental coordinator, could help the municipality access more than $150,000 in provincial grants for staffing and weed control.

Second, Wagner asked council to consider joining the Waterton Biosphere region, describing it as a UNESCO designated biosphere reserve initiative that relies on cooperation and partnerships rather than regulatory authority. She said participation could support discussions on wildlife conflict and provide opportunities to learn from nearby communities, including Indigenous neighbours.

Third, Wagner encouraged council to consider creating a new municipal park along the Crowsnest River. She said the river runs through much of the municipality but there are limited sizeable public park areas directly on the river. She referenced parcels rezoned in Hillcrest in October 2025 and suggested council could explore whether land in that area could become a future park site. 

“Our community slogan is ‘naturally rewarding’,” she said. “Municipal parks show a community that wants to enhance the quality of life enjoyed by residents and visitors.”

Davison also asked if council would consider naming a councillor as a liaison so the society can share ideas and coordinate more efficiently without needing to formally present at meetings each time.