The Rosebud River Conservation Area, northeast of Calgary, is one of 19 projects receiving funding (Credit: Western Sky Land Trust Society)
Landowners are committed to protecting their land, water and the plants and wildlife that live there, while still being able to provide for their families. Alberta’s government remains committed to working alongside landowners, while growing the economy and protecting the environment.
As a result of a request for proposal (RFP) issued in 2024, $5 million in grant funding through the Land Trust Grant Program will be awarded to 19 different projects, protecting nearly 21,000 acres across the province. These 19 projects are helping landowners and land trusts protect Alberta’s natural landscapes without disrupting the livelihoods that hard-working families rely on.
“Alberta farmers and ranchers are natural environmental stewards of their lands. This funding helps provide the support needed to preserve their lands for future generations, all while ensuring they can continue to provide for their families, keeping food on our tables and our economy strong.”
These projects, which come from funding allocated in 2024-25, will protect important areas like watersheds, riparian areas and grasslands while ensuring an area roughly the size of Airdrie, when combined, can still be economically productive agricultural lands. Alberta’s government is also reviewing its private land conservation program to identify even more opportunities to work with Albertans and sustainably conserve the province’s diverse natural landscapes.
“We have been watching the conservation momentum in the Rosebud Conservation Area grow over the years and admire the leadership of the landowners. My great grandfather homesteaded on this land in 1897, and we felt it was our time to safeguard the legacy of our farm. A perpetual conservation easement is the perfect solution to accomplish our vision.”
These areas will provide important habitat corridors, support healthy watersheds and protect the habitats of endangered species. Projects include a conservation site in Red Deer County that will help to reduce wetland loss and protect critical habitat for species at risk, like a species of bumblebee and swallow. Further north, there is a project in Lac Ste. Anne County with virtually untouched habitat made up of shrubby swamps, seasonal marshes and open water wetlands that will support a healthy watershed. Another project near Cypress Hills Provincial Park will help support native grasslands and the local watershed.
“This program, unique in Canada, allows land trusts in partnership with landowners to ensure Alberta’s irreplaceable landscapes are conserved forever. Thanks to the leadership of the Alberta government, we can safeguard working agricultural landscapes, including precious native grasslands, key habitat and connecting corridors for wildlife, and protect clean water supply and drought resilience. The Land Trust Grant Program is a unique and amazing catalyst for voluntary conservation, delivering durable protection while maintaining open spaces that that are core to our culture and to our agriculture and tourism industries.”
Quick facts
- Since 2019, the Land Trust Grant Program has awarded more than $50 million to land trust organizations, helping conserve more than 142,000 acres of private land.
- Alberta-based land trusts work with landowners who are interested in protecting their land.
- Land trusts work with the landowner and then apply for funding through the Land Trust Grant Program within Environment and Protected Areas.
- The projects are evaluated, and funding is awarded based on guidelines that align with Alberta’s long-term conservation goals.