Urban Ecological Networks: Lessons Learned in Developing the City of Edmonton’s Natural Connections Conservation Plan
Conservation planning for Alberta’s municipalities is a new field. Municipalities interested in conservation planning don’t have a provincial conservation framework to fit into. Non-governmental conservation organizations have been reluctant to include municipalities as partners. As a consequence, municipalities interested in conservation must develop their own approach often in isolation from other conservation professionals.
The City of Edmonton (COE) embarked on a project to develop a strategic plan for conservation in 2007 and is now concluding this project with the release of a Biodiversity Action Plan. This project involved consultation with over 1500 citizens. Along the way, the COE was invited to join the Local Action for Biodiversity Initiative, a project comprised of 21 cities on six continents which provided a conservation network to share and test ideas.
This presentation from the 2009 Parks Conference hosted by Alberta Recreation and Parks Association outlines the approach used by the COE to develop its Natural Connections Plan, and key lessons learned from this project.
Publication Date:
2009
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