Nature-Based Solutions and Conservation
There are 41,505 farmers and ranchers in Alberta managing 49.2 million acres of land. While these land managers are facing uncertainty from increasingly unpredictable weather patterns, unstable financial conditions, and rising societal pressures, they are also at the forefront of implementing nature-based solutions. Widespread implementation of these solutions requires leaders who can activate others in changing practices and mindsets. Humans have been living through relatively stable conditions and have gotten by with a recipe-type approach to land management. If I do this, I can expect this. In this new, uncertain world, this approach no longer serves us. An approach is needed that helps land managers predict changes, diagnose problems, and design solutions in contextually-appropriate, adaptive and timely ways for the ecology, economy and society. This project will provide training for Holistic Management educators and land managers in Alberta in leadership skills that focus on supporting this behavioural change. Additionally, programming will be offered to train Ecological Outcome Verification monitors in Alberta. Alongside new approaches, managers need data to understand if the ecosystem is truly moving in a direction of regeneration rather than degeneration. Training will take place in Valleyview, Alberta alongside our conference and through online sessions.
Explore a showcase of projects that we've funded.