Alberta Wetland Field Guide in Development
May 27, 2019
Edmonton, AB: With support from Alberta Innovates and the Alberta North American Waterfowl Management Plan Partnership, Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) is leading the development of a plain-language field guide for identifying and classifying Alberta’s wetlands.
About the project
Approximately 20% of Alberta is covered by wetlands. These wetlands play a critical role in maintaining healthy watersheds by storing water, enhancing infiltration, filtering sediments and contaminants, and providing habitat for a variety of species. The first, fundamental step to conserving these vital wetland ecosystems is the ability to recognize and classify them when working on the landscape. This skill set is essential to meeting regulatory requirements, adhering to guidelines, and making informed decisions about implementing avoidance, minimization and restoration best management practices. The Alberta Wetland Classification System Field Guide will be a simple, plain-language tool that can be easily implemented in the field by wetland practitioners and land managers.
In April 2019, DUC began working with partners and consulting users to develop one (potentially two) wetland identification field guides that follow the Alberta Wetland Classification System. Project deliverables include:
- A publicly-available field guide(s) by March 31, 2021. Online copies will be available for free download, while hard copies can be purchased from DUC.
- Information webinars and field demonstrations to educate users on how to use the guide(s) from April to September 2021.
We want to hear from you!
From May to September 2019, we are consulting with interested and knowledgeable stakeholders who have ideas and feedback on how to make the field guide(s) an effective and practical field tool. For more information on how you can participate, please watch our 15-minute project launch webinar, participate in our stakeholder consultation survey or contact the project lead: