TransAlta – Beaver Creek Conservation Site opening

Aboriginal blessing

On Friday, July 24, TransAlta along with the Alberta Fish & Game Association Wildlife Trust Fund kicked off the official opening of the Beaver Creek Conservation Site with a special event and picnic lunch at the site. Cindy Bearhead, a cultural advisor from the Paul First Nation led a moving Aboriginal blessing ceremony with her son, Karlton, a summer student who works at the Sundance power plant. Cindy shared about the importance of the land for Paul First Nation and how her people and future generations can make use of this site.

The event program also included speeches from the Mayor of Parkland County, Rod Shaigec; the Vice President of the Alberta Fish & Game Association, Doug Butler; and a message from Brad Fenson with the Wildlife Trust Fund.

Ecological Significance

Part of the Beaver Creek site was once a mine settling pond and is now a vibrant wetland community donated to the Alberta Fish & Game Association Wildlife Trust Fund for everyone to enjoy. The new Beaver Creek Conservation Site is a unique parcel of land located on the southwestern shore of Wabamun Lake that is home to eleven ecological communities, including aspen forest, timothy meadow and birch-willow riparian shrub land. Many of these communities provide habitat for a variety of species, including mule deer, red fox, several migratory birds and amphibians.

“Given the ecological significance of this natural area, TransAlta donated this site to the Wildlife Trust Fund,” said Wayne Collins, TransAlta’s executive vice president of Coal and Mining, “We are thrilled that this land can be used for wildlife habitat and outdoor recreation for years to come.” Brad Fenson from the Alberta Fish & Game Association, Wildlife Trust Fund said, “We use TransAlta as an example for other companies of what to do for operational planning and what they can do with ecological gifts.”

Partners for the land

TransAlta and the Alberta Fish & Game Association have a long-term partnership that has seen a total of 207 hectares of land in the Wabamun Lake region donated to the Wildlife Trust Fund by TransAlta. This donated land includes 174 hectares of reclaimed land within the Whitewood Mine just north of the Village of Wabamun and seven hectares on the north shoreline of Wabamun Lake.

Take a hike

TransAlta is proud to announce that the site is now open to the public for outdoor recreation use, although foot access only is permitted in order to protect the wildlife habitat. This site and other nature conservation sites owned by the Wildlife Trust Fund are available for the public to enjoy and treasure for generations to come.

NT3