A look at the 2026 program

Conference day begins with breakfast, opening comments and a blessing from an Elder, followed by two keynotes, six breakout sessions and a plenary.

Keynotes

• The Ecological Buffalo with Wes Olson. Wes Olson has spent more than four decades in wildlife and landscape conservation, including roles as a park warden in Banff, Waterton Lakes and Elk Island National Parks. Over his career, he helped return bison to their former ranges in Alberta, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Yukon, the Northwest Territories, Alaska and central Siberia. His keynote draws on that experience to explore the role bison play in the ecosystems they share with other species and the human connection to these communities. 

• Working with nature: A regenerative path forward with Derek Leahy. The executive director of Rural Routes to Climate Solutions closes the day with a look at regenerative agriculture and what it means to work with natural systems rather than against them. Drawing on examples from Alberta, he will discuss how producers, sectors and communities can help restore and care for the landscapes we rely on.

Breakout sessions

Morning breakout sessions 

• Keeping nature connected. Wildlife need to move across the landscape to reach water, food and mates, but roads, housing and other development can create barriers. This session looks at the role municipalities play in maintaining ecological connectivity and shares a case study on large mammals and amphibians in the Greater Calgary Region. Speakers come from Miistakis Institute, Rocky View County and the City of Calgary. This session might be particularly interesting for municipal staff, planners and anyone interested in wildlife. 

• Watershed security in action. This session focuses on scaling natural infrastructure in Alberta, with speakers from the Oldman Watershed Council, Miistakis Institute's Working with Beavers program and the City of Calgary. It might be particularly interesting for those working on water and watershed management. 

• Alberta's nature positive economy. Led by CPAWS Northern Alberta, this learning session covers ways to assess the economic value of nature and how to share those findings with decision-makers and the public. It might be particularly interesting for economists, policy makers and communicators. 

Afternoon breakout sessions

• Regenerative buildings. This interactive session explores a shift from fixing problems to finding potential, with a focus on buildings that create economic, social and environmental value together. It might be particularly interesting for builders, developers, designers and decision-makers. 

• 5X for Nature. Presented by the Nature Investment Hub, this session introduces the capital continuum for nature finance and the tools that could bring private finance to conservation, stewardship, restoration and Indigenous-led nature activities in Alberta. It might be particularly interesting for investors and funders. 

• The value of working lands. Through practical case studies, this session shows how agroforestry, conservation easements, stewardship incentives and collaborative land use can support both agriculture and conservation. Speakers come from Miistakis Institute, Southern Alberta Land Trust and the Agroforestry and Woodlot Extension Society of Alberta, and the session is moderated by the Alberta Real Estate Foundation. It might be particularly interesting for landowners, producers and rural communities. 

Plenary

Later in the afternoon, all attendees come together for a plenary session on Indigenous perspectives on conservation with Alvin Firstrider of Blood Tribe Land Management and Kansie Fox of the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute. The conversation will explore how Indigenous knowledge shapes the ways we understand, care for and protect the land, from building meaningful relationships with First Nations communities to the role of traditional ecological knowledge in stewardship and how Indigenous data is shared and protected. 

Connect and network

Connecting with others is a big part of the Gathering, and there are several chances to do that over the two days.

Kick-off reception. The Gathering opens on the evening of November 17 at cSPACE Marda Loop with live music, drinks and appetizers. It's a relaxed chance to meet speakers, sponsors and other attendees before conference day. Short remarks at 5 pm include a first look at new Alberta Ecotrust videos.

Booths and conference artist. Booths and an interactive conference artist will be set up all day on November 18. Stop by during breaks and over lunch to connect, learn more and contribute to the artist's piece, with a chance to take the finished piece home at the end of the day.

Networking reception. After closing comments, the day wraps up with a networking reception from 5 to 6 pm. Appetizers and drinks will be served, and it's a chance to reflect on the day and continue the conversation.

Thank you to our 2026 event sponsors

The 2026 Environmental Gathering is made possible with support from our presenting sponsor, RBC; our collaborating sponsors, the Government of Canada and the Alberta Real Estate Foundation; our supporting sponsor, Alberta Beverage Container Recycling Corporation; and AVANTE Audio Visual for in-kind support.