The Weaselhead/Glenmore Park Preservation Society's initiative created a comprehensive Final Report highlighting the significant findings from their seven-year scientific study on the impacts of the Southwest Calgary Ring Road (SWCRR) on the environment. The Final Report measured the impacts in comparison to the original Environmental Impact Assessment and analyzed the effectiveness of the SWCRRs mitigation measures.

The Society required the expertise of the partnerships developed with Dr. Stewart Rood of the University of Lethbridge, Miistakis Institute, City of Calgary Parks Ecologists, Elbow River Watershed Partnership and Creek Watch. The Society also incorporated the perspectives of the neighbouring Tsuut'ina Nation on the ecological connectivity and hydrology of the system.

The Final Report, written in collaboration with these partnerships, built a framework to present findings to the community and provided a scientific basis to inform public policy developments on the impacts of infrastructure on the biodiversity and health of natural areas. Their goal was to influence a system change that improves mitigation practices in road and infrastructure construction and operation. The general community will benefit from improved policy and mitigation efforts as water quality and biodiversity health are given stronger consideration by stakeholders.

The Final Report offers an initial study methodology to be replicated in the future increasing scientific data and awareness of Infrastructure Projects like the Southwest Calgary Ring Road’s (SWCRR) impact on various ecosystem components, while additionally offering insight and baseline data for the multiple confounding factors impacting the Weaselhead Natural Environment Area. Recommendations resulted from their study will be used to inform government and industry on positive paths forward for Nature-based Solutions and Conservation. With the assistance of the Springboard Grant, the Society was able to synthesize multiple sources of data to help influence policy improvement in Alberta.

The Society was also able to enhance the skills of their contractors in plant and bird identification as well as collecting noise and water quality sampling. These skills will lend to future habitat monitoring of the Weaselhead and Glenmore Parks.

This project enables Nature-based Solutions and Conservation with its ability to influence improved infrastructure project mitigation standards, as well as overall improvements made to all of the province's infrastructure projects should their recommendations be accepted and met.

The sharing of their robust scientific information which includes pre disturbance/baseline data, construction period data and operational period data provides a comparison that allows for clear outcomes concluded from their monitoring. The Society observed multiple sediment and erosion mitigation failures that resulted in significant contamination of local water bodies. Improvements on standards and best management practices need to be made and this study provides support towards these recommendations.

The Society influenced an improved design of the bridge and underpass. Failures in directing wildlife movement to the underpass were noted through observation of fencing standards not being met and with Alberta Wildlife Collision data showing the failures in this mitigation effort. Invasive plant management has been an ongoing issue with the provincial road accompanying unsuccessful revegetation efforts. These gaps in current mitigation practices are highlighted in the Final Report that support improved environmental outcomes with targeted conservation efforts to aid in enhancing biodiversity and the environmental resiliency of the Weaselhead Natural Environment Area.