our biodivercity - calgary river valleys

DRAFT – OCTOBER 2014

of 31 | CITY OF CALGARY BIODIVERSITY PLAN

Our

BiodiverCity A 10-year plan to integrate with Calgary’s nature



Habitat communities found in Calgary Natural Habitats: Forest

Aspen Balsam poplar White spruce Douglas fir

Shrubland Riparian tall Upland tall Upland low

Grassland Riparian gravel sand shoulders Streams open water Wetland emergent vegetation Wetland open water Semi-Natural Habitats: Manicured green space Gardens Treed boulevards Agricultural areas Storm ponds/reservoirs Built Habitats: Roadways Railways Parking lots Buildings Bare ground Flora and fauna found in Calgary

52 mammals 366 birds 4 reptiles 6 amphibians 34 fish species 845 vascular plants 101 non-vascular plants

19 per cent of Calgary is identified as a natural area.

7 per cent of Calgary is a legally protected or secured natural area.

31 per cent of Calgarians are able to define biodiversity as a variety of plants and animals; an additional

13 per cent define it as a diverse nature/environment.



IN BRIEF The challenge

The City of Calgary needs a comprehensive and systematic approach to developing and managing its

parks and ecosystems.

Our solution

Our BiodiverCity, A 10-year plan to integrate with Calgary’s nature builds on the direction given by

regional plans and The City of Calgary Council to incorporate ecological management principles into the

protection, development and management of Calgary parks and ecosystems, as well as literacy and

outreach programs with citizens and stakeholders. This biodiversity strategic plan directs an approach

that will foster more resilient, biologically diverse open spaces that provide economic, social,

environmental and psychological benefit to Calgarians.

Our vision

We value our city’s diversity and richness in wildlife, vegetation and landscapes; we work to integrate

our actions and built environment with an ecological network that is healthy, connected and well

managed.

The strategic plan’s structure

In this strategic plan we consider three questions:

1. What is the larger context for biodiversity in Calgary? 2. Why do we need to conserve biodiversity in Calgary? 3. How are we going to conserve Calgary’s biodiversity?

Our guiding principles

1. Resilience 2. Literacy 3. Collaboration 4. Integration

Our key indicator of success 20 by 2025 There will be an additional 20 per cent of naturalized open space in Calgary for increased biodiversity by 2025, based on The City of Calgary Parks’ 2014 managed land supply.



In brief ....................................................................................................................................................... 3

Why conserve nature in Calgary? ............................................................................................................. 5

Understanding biodiversity ....................................................................................................................... 6

Nature and biodiversity in Calgary: a brief dynamic ................................................................................. 8

Alignment ................................................................................................................................................ 10

Calgary’s international partner in biodiversity monitoring .................................................................... 11

Pressures on Biodiversity ........................................................................................................................ 12

The Opportunities we see ....................................................................................................................... 13

Our strategic plan.................................................................................................................................... 15

our Three Biodiversity Projects ............................................................................................................... 20

Afterword ................................................................................................................................................ 27

Explanation of terms ............................................................................................................................... 28

List of acronyms ...................................................................................................................................... 29

How we connected with stakeholders and experts ................................................................................ 29

Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................................. 30



WHY CONSERVE NATURE IN CALGARY? Nature is where we engage in activity for fun; it’s where we escape. Nature provides us with rich soil,

clean air and pure water. Nature is our life-support. Nature is our economic base, land for future urban

development and resources to provide us with numerous goods and services. Nature in the form of

dense vegetation along rivers provide wildlife habitat. These riparian areas act as a buffer during flood

events between flowing waters and our homes and offices.

Calgary has always been defined in part by its natural environment: historically, frontier land with rich

resources offered economic opportunity, while today’s Calgarians and visitors cherish a contemporary

portrait of a city of trees, rivers and parks. Calgary has a history of protecting nature; it also has a history

of accelerated growth.

Calgary is forecasted to grow in size and double in population over the next 60 years. How we

incorporate this demand is both a housing choice and an environmental choice. As a city, we can make a

balanced choice. Urbanization can allocate nature solely as a land bank for development, or nature can

be something growth responds to, attempts to incorporate invaluable natural processes within the

areas we build. Urbanization thus is not solely an environmental problem of choosing which nature to

lose to development. But rather seen through a more holistic lens, development offers an opportunity

to meet environmental needs, which are connected with social and economic goals.

Still, the environmental impacts from urbanization are not fully understood. As a municipality we need

to better understand the complex interactions between city growth, our day-to-day life and

conserving nature. We need to understand how development and management processes aid or

restrict the services provided to us by nature. We need to carefully consider where best to develop

Calgary, what natural areas to conserve, how to manage these areas, how to work with Calgarians and

experts to meet the needs of citizens and how local actions can advance nature in Calgary. We need a

vision and a plan.

We start with the knowledge that there is nature in Calgary. That we appreciate it and value it, even if

we can’t fully comprehend or quantify it. We know that nature awards us with personal, social, cultural

and economic benefits. This strategic plan – Our BiodiverCity – explores this complex dynamic and

shows how we arrived where we are. It shows where we want to go. It shows how we’re going to get

there.

Imagine this strategic plan as a story, a story about nature in Calgary; a story about where we’re going; a

story that narrates our 10-year vision for integrating with nature in Calgary. This is a story about

Calgarians and our continuing admiration for nature and what plans we need to have in place to

continue enjoying the benefits of our natural world. How we develop Calgary? How we manage this

city? How we connect with Calgarians to ensure we understand, appreciate and work collaboratively to

conserve biodiversity? This strategic plan helps tell that story.



UNDERSTANDING BIODIVERSITY The International Union for Conservation of Nature defines biodiversity as “the variability among living

organisms - animals, plants, their habitats and their genes - from all sources including terrestrial, marine

and other aquatic ecosystems, and the ecological complexes of which they are part. This includes

diversity within species, between species, and of ecosystems.”

Simply, biodiversity is healthy nature. Biodiversity supports the ecological processes of nature. When

these processes are intact, nature could be understood as healthy functionally. We can state generally

that increased biodiversity provides us with greater goods and services and also lessens the costs

associated with managing nature. The food we eat, the water we drink, the materials that build our

homes, where we play, biodiversity is essential in the ecological processes behind these services

essential for life. It’s also responsible for disease and pest control. Ecosystems with greater biodiversity

are also more resilient; they can better adapt and respond to disturbances and change, they tend to re-

generate more quickly after an extreme weather event.

Biodiversity can be understood as a way to measure and describe the environment in Calgary. It can

be understood as both an index of the quality of services provided by nature (for example, the quality of

habitat for given indicator species such as the sharp tailed grouse) and as a value in of itself, as an

intrinsic good. We can count the number of birds, or describe the differences in the same species of

bird. We can look at their habitat – their food sources and nesting sites – and the overall environment in

which they are a part – the other species, habitats and function and prescribe an index of the overall the

area. This would be a measurement of biodiversity. A stroll through a Calgary neighbourhood might help

illuminate biodiversity as both a way to measure ecological processes and as a value in its own right.

Our neighbourhood has trees, shrubs, grasses, vegetable and flower gardens. Perhaps we see potted

plants hanging from each light standard along a road side. There are perched birds or they’re flying; a

squirrel running across the street or above along a power line. Maybe there is a large natural park, a

wetland or creek or river nearby. We could measure this biodiversity. We can count the number of trees

and birds, the number of frogs calling from the shore of the wetland. We could count the number

flowers and note their diversity, the different species of flowers and also the different varieties of a

particular species. Or perhaps it’s winter and there are no flowers at all. In winter we have a different

expression of biodiversity. Changing seasons show us how dynamic biodiversity is. In winter some

processes become dormant. And then spring arrives and growth starts again.

We continue walking. There is a large natural park nearby, perhaps Nose Hill, Griffith Woods or the

continuous shore of the Elbow River. These natural areas are some of the most biodiverse and species-

rich areas in Calgary. These areas are a key component of biodiversity in Calgary. They are the patches of

distinct nature in our urban environment where ecological processes tend to be the most intact.

Maybe we walk to a specific place.i Weaselhead Natural Environment Park is on the edge of the

Glenmore Reservoir, which was built on the Elbow River in the 1930s to supply Calgary with drinking



water. The Glenmore Reservoir was created by flooding the Elbow River valley immediately downstream

of the Tsuu T’ina reserve. Weaselhead was acquired from the Tsuu T’ina as a part of this development

and is formed, in part, from soils accumulated from the flooding. For much of its history it was part of a

military base and was used for combat training until 1948.

Notwithstanding the disturbance that came with flooding and military tank training, this park is home to

a diverse array of species that are unusual for the Calgary region. The area is dominated by white spruce

and trembling aspen, in addition to the riparian area of willow, tall shrub and some balsam poplar. At

the mouth of the Elbow, as the river flows into the Glenmore Reservoir, is a large delta of wetland

habitat. The delta is host to a relatively unique array of plants and animals. Weaselhead contains one of

the largest stands of coniferous forest in the city.

The diverse habitats in Weaselhead allows for an equally varied range of birds and other wildlife.

Numerous waterfowl are found in the area, including migratory species such as loons and tundra swans.

The mud and sandbars of the delta provide habitat for shorebirds such as lesser yellowlegs and

American avocet that feed upon aquatic insects in the rich shore deposits.

The coniferous forest at Weaselhead is home to both red and white-winged Crossbills. The area’s

proximity to the countryside provides the best opportunity to see black bears or other large wildlife

within The City’s park system. Weaselhead offers an illustration of natural processes at work – how a

park, even though having been highly disturbed, when well-managed, can support an array of urban

biodiversity.

We can take a break from walking and next use our imagination. From the edge of the Bow River or the

middle of Ralph Klein Park, we scale up our view to Calgary as a whole, the region where Calgary is

situated, or broader and broader until we encompass all of Canada or even the entire globe. We can

measure and connect with biodiversity at all of these levels. From our urban home to the entire planet

we can draw relationships between natural and built environments. All of these scales are vital to

protect biodiversity, as the ecological processes that support biodiversity are within a complex, dynamic,

integrated, multi-scaled system. What we do to nature in Calgary can, for example, affect residents

downstream of us.

Drinking water is a perfect example to appreciate the scales of biodiversity processes, or how distant

ecosystems benefit us locally. Municipal water supply goes far beyond municipal borders. Our water

quality can in part be understood as a product of the quality of our watershed. Intact ecosystems in our

watershed act as natural purifiers to the water we consume here.

Understanding biodiversity as part of our urban infrastructure and assets, as social and natural capital,

as something local, regional and global, as part of what defines our city will help move us towards our

vision.



NATURE AND BIODIVERSITY IN CALGARY: A BRIEF

DYNAMIC “Changes in urban vegetation over time clearly reflect constantly shifting human value judgments,

socioeconomic cycles and evolving technological advances in transportation, communication and

construction.”ii – author and botanist Peter del Tredici

In The City of Calgary 2014 Biodiversity Report, we reviewed the current state of biodiversity in Calgary.

This report documented the current state of biodiversity and its management in Calgary. We detailed

Calgary’s wildlife and habitat types, as well as how The City is currently managing biodiversity. We

looked at Calgary’s ecology, governance and how we work with citizens and stakeholders. We located

Calgary geographically, the landscape region where Calgary is situated in southern Alberta, Canada, just

next door to the Canadian Rockies. This review provided the first step in our chronology of biodiversity

in Calgary. The City of Calgary 2014 Biodiversity Report illustrates where we are now in 2014. iii We

highlight some of the key elements from this report to add context for this strategic plan, to show where

we’re headed.

When the glaciers began their retreat 14,000 years ago, a landscape of glacial lakes, moraines and river

valleys was left behind. The city of Calgary was founded on one of these river valleys on the western

edge of the Canadian Prairies where the foothills extend up to the Rocky Mountains. The transition

between the prairies and the foothills created a diverse landscape rich in ecological diversity.

There is evidence of human occupation in this area dating back 8,000 years. European contact occurred

in 1787; legal settlement of the area occurred in 1875. Calgary was officially incorporated as a town in

1884 with a population of just 428. Each of these periods is associated with different types of activities

on the land. Hunter-gatherers followed animals and managed land with fire for pastures; in the case of

deriving benefits from bison, their fur, bones and meat, they were stampeded over cliffs. Later, farming

and grazing practices associated with the area created new wildlife habitat. Settlers brought their

agricultural technology and conception of landscape beauty to Calgary. The parks they built were

designed to mirror the architectural norms from their homelands consisting of geometrically designed

parks. Later, trees were added along streets to beautify them. Again, new wildlife habitats were created

with the varying land management and development practices in the Calgary area.

Support for natural area conservation grew, particularly in the 1960s and 1970s with organizations such

as the Calgary Field Naturalists advocating for the protection of significant natural areas throughout the

city. These areas now form the backbone of our citywide natural environment park system. Natural

environments were protected in the ongoing urban development created during Calgary’s growth.

As illustrated above, our changing perceptions of what constitutes quality open space in Calgary have

been an ongoing dynamic. As the city became an established urban space, moving from a frontier land

to a significant urban nexus, our understanding and appreciation for natural systems has grown. For



example, in 1994 City Council approved the Natural Areas Management Plan, which set out for the first

time policies and guidelines for active management of natural areas in Calgary. Other significant

documents emerged around this time, including the River Valleys Plan, the Nose Hill Park Master Plan

and the Calgary Urban Park Master Plan; documents which, when taken together, provided broad

direction for the protection and management of significant landscapes in Calgary.

Calgary, like all municipalities in the province of Alberta, has powers that stem from the provincial

Municipal Government Act (MGA), legislation that was passed in 1968. The MGA provides specific land

use planning powers, among other things, which have been exercised through Council. Notably, the

Provincial and Federal governments have stronger and broader powers that enable them to directly

regulate environmental issue such as air and water quality, pollution, wildlife management and species

at risk.

A major step towards recognizing the importance of biodiversity for The City of Calgary came in 2009.

Council formally committed to protecting the city’s biodiversity in its Municipal Development Plan

(MDP). The process to enact this bylaw began in 2005 when over 18,000 Calgarians were involved in

creating a long-term vision for Calgary. The MDP addresses future land uses, services and transportation

systems within the city, attempting to balance land use, infrastructure servicing and environmental

objectives.

The MDP outlines a series of clear environmental policies. Section 2.6, Greening the city, places a

priority on maintaining biodiversity and landscape diversity, as well as integrating and connecting

ecological networks through the city. It states,

It is clear that Calgarians want a healthy natural environment and aspire to a lifestyle that will

reduce their ecological footprint. They want to manage and protect the air, water, land and

biodiversity to benefit themselves and future generations. Environmental stewardship is a

shared responsibility of government, business, communities and individual Calgarians. The City

of Calgary is committed to leading and inspiring actions to reduce Calgary’s ecological footprint

and to conserve, protect and enhance the environment locally and regionally.

The City recognizes the need to partner with adjacent municipalities and regional neighbours to

develop strategies for protecting watersheds, habitats and biodiversity and to establish

ecological networks that benefit the region as a whole.

As we previously quoted botanist and professor Peter del Tredici, Calgary’s natural environment clearly

reflects “constantly shifting human value judgments, socioeconomic cycles and evolving technological

advances in transportation, communication and construction.” Below we continue exploring how we

are aligned in this evolution of constant and dynamic pressures on biodiversity and our current

responses to these pressures.



ALIGNMENT The City is aligned with the following international, federal and regional objectives for the conservation

of biodiversity.

International

Convention on Biological Diversity: Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011 – 2020 (2010)

Originating at the 1992 Bio Earth Summit, the Convention on Biological Diversity in 2010

developed a Strategic Plan to provide an overarching framework on biodiversity, not only for

the biodiversity-related conventions, but for the entire United Nations system and all other

partners engaged in biodiversity management and policy development.

Parties agreed to translate this overarching international framework into revised and updated

national biodiversity strategies and action plans.

Federal

Canadian Biodiversity Strategy, Canada’s Response to the Convention on Biological Diversity (1995)

The Canadian Biodiversity Strategy is a response to this obligation and has been developed as a

guide to the implementation of the Biodiversity Convention in Canada. All of the strategic

directions contained in the Strategy are relevant from a national perspective, but some

elements may not be relevant in some jurisdictions. The Canadian Biodiversity Strategy

recognizes existing constitutional and legislative responsibilities for biodiversity in Canada. It

also emphasizes the importance of inter-governmental co-operation to create the policy,

management and research conditions necessary to advance ecological management. Federal,

provincial and territorial governments, in cooperation with stakeholders and members of the

public, will pursue implementation of the directions contained in the Strategy according to their

policies, plans, priorities and fiscal capabilities.

Regional

South Saskatchewan Regional Plan (2014)

The South Saskatchewan Regional Plan establishes a long-term vision for the region

encompassing Calgary. It aligns provincial policies at the regional level to balance Alberta’s

economic, environmental and social goals. It sets desired economic, environmental and social

outcomes and objectives for the region. It describes the strategies, actions, approaches and

tools required to achieve the desired outcomes and objectives. It establishes monitoring,

evaluation and reporting commitments to assess progress and provides guidance to provincial

and local decision-makers regarding land-use management for the region.

http://www.cbd.int/nbsap/

http://www.cbd.int/nbsap/



These plans and strategies provide overarching direction for biodiversity planning and management at

the municipal level. With these we are better enabled to plan for biodiversity at the landscape level and

to manage it as a system rather than fragmented elements in the city and region. We turn now to where

we are, how we’re partnered with an international organization for better integrating the ecological

processes behind biodiversity, and ultimately helping build communities that respond to their

environment while monitoring development to ensure natural areas are conserved and managed

appropriately.

CALGARY’S INTERNATIONAL PARTNER IN

BIODIVERSITY MONITORING In 2011, Council committed to signing the Durban Commitment and formally joined Local Action for

Biodiversity (LAB), a global urban biodiversity program coordinated by ICLEI – Local Governments for

Sustainability (previously, International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives), which was founded

in 1990 when more than 200 local governments from 43 countries convened at the UN World Congress

of Local Governments for a Sustainable Future.

By agreeing to sign The Durban Commitment, The City signified its alignment with ICLEI to value and

protect the environment, and to acknowledge accountability and responsibility for the health and well-

being of Calgary neighbourhoods through protecting, sustainably using and managing biodiversity while

recognizing its role as the foundation of our existence.

The LAB program provides the opportunity to work with leading experts in the fields of conservation

biology and urban biodiversity management to learn from and share experiences with the other cities

that are also demonstrating leadership in biodiversity conservation. LAB prescribes the following five-

step process for biodiversity conservation:

1. Develop a biodiversity report documenting the current state of biodiversity and its management in Calgary;

2. Ensure long-term commitment by Council to sustainable biodiversity management through LAB cities formally signing a local government biodiversity declaration;

3. Develop a 10-year biodiversity action plan and framework that includes commitments to biodiversity implementation plans and integration within broader city plans;

4. Formal acceptance by Council of the 10-year biodiversity strategic action plan and framework; and

5. Implement three new on-the-ground biodiversity initiatives by the end of the 10-year program.

In The City of Calgary 2014 Biodiversity Report we worked with LAB to help describe the current state

and management of wildlife and plants in Calgary. We looked back at historical factors that led us to our

current realities. We also looked at our partnerships in biodiversity conservation and what is currently

being done to protect what we have and, where feasible, restore what has been degraded. We reviewed



the biodiversity-oriented programs we’re running, the tools we have in place to protect our natural

environment and how we work with citizens to conserve biodiversity in Calgary.

Our strategic plan, this document – Our BiodiverCity – represents steps three, four and five in LAB’s

process. Our BiodiverCity declares our commitment to protect and enhance biodiversity at the local

level, and regularly monitor, report and act on the state of biodiversity within Calgary. This plan

establishes clear, strategic and comprehensive principles to consider biodiversity in all aspects of local

planning from land-use, mobility to social and economic development. The plan commits The City to

continue raising awareness of the value of biodiversity, and to ongoing engagement with our

stakeholders to ensure participation and involvement in biodiversity conservation locally, regionally

and globally. This plan helps us to continue building a corporate picture of biodiversity conservation.

To better understand where we want to be, we need to understand how we currently disrupt the

ecological processes behind biodiversity. We turn to that now.

PRESSURES ON BIODIVERSITY The common environmental challenges found in all cities are pollution and disruption of the natural

environment from growth, consumption and over-use. The processes by which they occur are

numerous and complex. We can, however, categorize them into four broad themes:

Awareness pressures

A lack of awareness can occur at two levels. One, how we personally and/or collectively are not aware of

how our actions negatively affect nature and two, there are limits to our knowledge – many species and

ecological processes and connections are unknown, or not described scientifically and, therefore, we

can’t be aware of our long-term impact on them. A lack of awareness can prevent us from taking

effective action to mitigate our impacts (as a city and as individuals) on biodiversity. Calgarians may feel

they lack the opportunity and ability to engage with this issue. A lack of knowledge and awareness of

biodiversity and ecosystem processes can often lead to the other three pressures we experience, as

described below.

Legislative pressures

When there is a lack of rules or commitment to judicious and timely application, it becomes challenging

for a municipality, businesses or citizens to protect biodiversity. Legislation can also conflict. In

conservation practices there also tends to be numerous stakeholders with varied interests, compounded

by unclear legislation and intent. Conflict, multiple perspectives and varied interpretations can hinder

conservation measures.



There can also be competing land use priorities, which is common in an urban environment.

Recreational activities can negatively impact natural systems such as increased human and associated

activities deteriorating the health of plants, soil and habitat.

Budgetary pressures

When there is a lack of knowledge it becomes challenging to allocate limited finances to conservation

practices. As ecological processes aren’t normally assigned economic value, those asks where economic

benefits can be identified tend to win the competing interests in financing initiatives. There is a cost to

managing biodiversity: preserving and protecting species and habitats, while also mitigating their loss.

Like any municipal infrastructure and assets, from roads, buildings, etc., there is a necessary financial

commitment to manage our urban environments.

Physical pressures

Physical pressures on biodiversity can be both direct and indirect. Direct impact to the natural ecological

processes of land and water can come in numerous forms. Degradation can stem from heavy human

use, which can lead to soil compaction, erosion and damage to sensitive vegetation, as well as invasive

species. Pollution also degrades ecosystems. Nutrient loading from chemicals and toxins released into

the environment disrupt natural ecological processes. These nutrient loads can come from lawn and

garden products, pharmaceuticals, contaminated runoff from hard surfaces such as parking lots and

roadways, and from industry effluent. Additional pressure can come from animals colliding with

structural hazards such as buildings and guy wires and vehicular hazards when wildlife must cross roads

to get to habitat.

Indirect pressures on biodiversity tend to be associated with climate change. The relationship between

climate change and the elevated temperature levels in cities can be associated with local drought, more

extreme rain events and resultant impact to water bodies. Plants and animals are also affected by

abrupt temperature fluctuations resulting in a change in range, loss of natural prey/predator

relationships and the introduction of invasive species and diseases.

With recognition of these pressures on the ecological processes behind biodiversity comes

opportunity. Below we give an overview some of our current actions for supporting and improving

urban biodiversity in Calgary, and how they are addressing these pressures on biodiversity.

THE OPPORTUNITIES WE SEE Progress towards integrating with nature comes from government policy, public literacy and action;

grassroots initiatives; business strategies and a multitude of implemented design solutions. These

initiatives need to be principle-based. Conservation is not simply about protecting and fencing off large

areas of natural habitat and hoping biodiversity will flourish. Rather, it’s about better managing these



areas and broadening the objectives of a variety of projects to include the appreciation of biodiversity –

some projects we’ve highlighted below. When we expand the scope of a project to include biodiversity

benefits we can advance the goals of conservation without the project necessarily being a conservation

practice. Instead of fences around natural areas to preserve natural environs, we can develop a new

community that builds ecological processes into it.

Projects and actions that The City undertakes have the potential to provide multiple benefits which will

show a positive return on investment, if these initiatives incorporate the protection of natural assets.

For example, greening the city with smaller storm water facilities rich in vegetation will allow for the

interception of rainwater and infiltration through the soil thus preserving hydrologic function and

improving water quality by reducing the amount of pollutants that reach rivers and wetlands.

Additionally, rich and complex vegetation provides pollinator pathways, habitat connectivity, and

aesthetic living spaces for the enjoyment of Calgarians. Below are numerous examples of projects

planned or under development that nest biodiversity objectives with larger project-based goals.

There is a 384 hectare industrial development planned in east Calgary. Wetlands and the natural animal

corridors provided by streams will be conserved or reclaimed. The percentage of permeable landscape

will be improved in comparison to standard industrial land development practices. A diversity of native

and drought tolerant vegetation is also planned.

A new cemetery planned for southeast Calgary will increase the diversity of trees and plants, as well as

integrate open space with an adjacent wetland. Plans to increase topsoil depth lands will better absorb

rainwater thus improving water quality by lessening runoff into the wetland. Deep topsoil will also

support the growth of healthy, complex plant communities and minimize irrigation requirements. On

site staff will also provide education programs to advance awareness about these initiatives.

In order to advance awareness of the complex ecological processes behind behind biodiversity a waste

management facility in Calgary has established a wetland monitoring program to assess impacts and

monitor the health of wetlands that extend into the facility. The program will establish baseline

conditions at the wetlands prior to facility expansion to ensure the site is not negatively impacting

wetlands.

Literacy in youth around ecological processes is increasing with park stewardship programs. From litter

pickups in parks to volunteering as a park interpreter, these initiatives help instill a conservation ethic in

youth and helping to model career and lifestyle choices to become life-long stewards of the

environment. In addition, this year two schools are piloting a unique new program. The Year for Nature

will involve an environmental educator working with teachers to assist connecting their curriculum with

the natural environments and biodiversity surrounding their schools and describing what stewardship

actions students and teachers can take.

The City has taken a strong position on water quality and water resource management, and recognizes

the relation to protecting riparian areas and upland habitat. Water management initiatives have evolved

and grown in scope from site-specific practices and consumer education to larger-scale actions such as



changing bylaws to make water efficiency a requirement and working with industrial and commercial

consumers to realize the value of water conservation over the long term.

Citizen support for conserving nature in Calgary was demonstrated in a 2014 survey revealing that 89

per cent of Calgarians believe life in Calgary is better because of public parks. Seventy-two per cent of

respondents believed one person can do something to help the environment. Ninety-one per cent

agreed that a world-class city is a city with a sustainable urban forest comprised of many healthy trees.

Eighty-six per cent agreed that Calgary’s parks are an important part of our city’s heritage, natural

history and identity. Seventy-three per cent stated that an important feature in a city park is

biodiversity.

Numerous Council policies support the desire of citizens. To date, however, the lack of a system-wide

approach to ecosystem conservation and directly tying decision making to biodiversity objectives has

hampered the effectiveness of efforts needed to support the ecological processes behind biodiversity.

Effectiveness requires interdisciplinary planning and action specific to the environmental and urban

qualities of a specific area. It requires recognition of how we can change and improve upon our

behaviours that negatively impact ecological processes and advance new ways to better integrate

with and be more responsive to nature. Fortunately, there is wide support among citizens and City

Council. This strategic plan establishes the principles, commitments and recommendations to create the

system-wide approach necessary for biodiversity conservation.

OUR STRATEGIC PLAN In order to respond to the pressures the ecological processes behind resilient biodiversity, The City of

Calgary needs a comprehensive and systematic approach to developing and managing its parks and

ecosystems, as well as direction to work with stakeholders and engaged citizens to advance The City of

Calgary’s goal of conserving, protecting and restoring the natural environment.

Our BiodiverCity, A 10-year Strategic Plan for the Integration of Nature in Calgary builds on the direction

given by regional plans and The City of Calgary Council to incorporate ecological management principles

into the protection, development and management of Calgary parks and ecosystems, as well as

environmental literacy and outreach programs with citizens and stakeholders. This biodiversity strategic

plan offers an approach that will foster more resilient, biologically diverse open spaces that provide

economic, social, environmental and psychological benefit to Calgarians.

This plan establishes a set of principles that define our vision for biodiversity in Calgary.

Our vision

We value our city’s diversity and richness in wildlife, vegetation and landscapes; we work to integrate our actions and built environment with an ecological network that is healthy, connected and well managed.



This plan is principle-based, as we recognize the indefinite time horizon for achieving a vision of

biodiversity in Calgary. Natural systems are dynamic; we too must be dynamic in our planning and

management of them. We will act in accordance with the recognition of the inherent value of

conserving biodiversity locally and being cognizant of the practices that affect it regionally and globally.

Our principles require commitments to demonstrate our dedication, resulting in tangible actions –

initiatives and projects to advance our vision.

We’ve chosen one broad-scale indicator to represent a successful trajectory of our strategic plan. The

indicator represents the land supply critical for wildlife habitat, nutrient flows and natural ecological

processes that need to be kept intact while the city develops.

Our key indicator of success

There will be a 20 percent increase of naturalized lands for increased biodiversity in Calgary open

space by 2025 based on The City of Calgary Parks’ 2014 managed land supply.

The City of Calgary Parks currently manages 7,821 hectares of land, of which 4,149 hectares are natural

area. By 2025, the City commits to an increase of 20 per cent, or approximately 830 hectares, of natural

area in Calgary, not including land brought into its inventory through subdivision or annexation.

These numbers are based on benchmarking data produced by Parks every year. Parks will continue to

monitor progress.

Our plan is one of collaboration. We will work across business units and departments; we will connect

with specialists, researchers, educators and practitioners. Collaboration will happen across industry

sectors and across scales. We will continue our work with international organizations and keep up to

date on research and innovative practices. We will value the work of citizens to enhance or conserve

biodiversity in their gardens, neighbourhood parks, natural area parks or work with park stewardship

groups.

Our principles

We have established four key principles to guide our decision making. They act as a foundation for our

behaviours and actions towards biodiversity conservation.

Resilience: plan, protect, manage and restore open space in Calgary for productive, diverse,

resilient ecosystems with the capacity to recover from disturbance and adapt to change.

Literacy: support the conservation and appreciation of local ecological resources by cultivating

knowledge and understanding about ecological processes, Calgary’s natural history and personal

stewardship actions.

Collaboration: work jointly with individuals and groups to advance innovations and practices

associated with biodiversity conservation and environmental resiliency in planning and

developing the city of Calgary.



Integration: create neighbourhoods to be responsive to nature to support healthy people and

integrate ecological processes in Calgary.

Our commitments

In order to enact these principles, we require commitments from The City and resolve with industry and

community members. Outlining commitments will provide a finer resolution for actions to be

undertaken to ensure we achieve our vision.

We commit to:

Resiliency

Ensure the city’s natural areas and water bodies are able to absorb disturbance while retaining the same function, structure and ecological feedbacks and integrity.

Increase the amount of natural areas in Calgary to ensure a representative range of ecosystem processes.

Retain large contiguous or connected natural/naturalized areas.

Reduce direct pressures on biodiversity through managing appropriate access and use in areas rich in biodiversity and natural history.

Ensure the conservation of wildlife by establishing and protecting animal corridors in Calgary.

Reduce the threat of invasive species through identification of threats and implementing measures to prevent their establishment while strategically controlling the species themselves.

Conserve habitat function and natural heritage by supporting non-invasive locally adapted and native species to minimize loss of biodiversity and monitor and manage invasive species populations.

Manage landscapes towards viable populations and life-forming processes.

Expand The City’s biological control program to use ecological processes to control weed and pest populations rather than chemical inputs.

Education

Develop volunteer initiatives and education programs to support environmental stewardship and biodiversity conservation in collaboration with schools, communities and citizens.

Facilitate and encourage positive environmental actions across the spectrum of conservation to influence positive consumer behaviour.

Ensure appropriate City staff, Council, businesses and communities have access to training and information on the newest products and techniques to advance the goals of biodiversity conservation, including procurement practices, building and site designs and managing open spaces.

Raise awareness about invasive species and how they disrupt ecological resilience and population viability.

Set objectives and targets for biodiversity across appropriate plans.

Make biodiversity conservation ubiquitous in our Municipal decision-making. Collaboration



Evaluate the financial cost of both protecting and removing ecological processes in developing Calgary and include consideration of these costs in decision-making.

Recognize biodiversity as an aspect of economic development in Calgary.

Partner with researchers, government and institutions to advance research and technological innovation in biodiversity conservation.

Support and nurture community actions that advance ecosystem services, enhance biodiversity at a local scale and protect nature for nature’s sake.

Work with educators and school boards to advance biodiversity awareness in youth to support the development of a local and global conservation ethic.

Integration

Increase private, public and institutional open space habitat diversity to support ecologically healthy neighbourhoods and increase access for nature appreciation for citizens.

Develop a geographic information system that integrates land use and biodiversity data to support strategic management of Calgary’s ecosystems.

Plan and manage Calgary parks and open spaces as a connected network of habitats and wildlife movement corridors, reducing roadway collisions threats and related human-urban wildlife conflict.

Develop infrastructure that mimics ecological processes.

Manage landscapes and communities to be responsive to environmental change.

Preserve rare landscape elements, critical habitats and features, and associated species.

Our recommendations

Our commitments will require actions: a response to the pressures on biodiversity. The following

recommendations categorize possible actions. Each action requires initiating a project, assigning

performance measures, and managing the process to ensure objectives are being met.

Recommendation 1: Foster environmental literacy

Increase public understanding of biodiversity and ecological processes to encourage positive actions

towards environmental conservation and wise consumer choices.

Practices and projects that would support the recommendation:

a) Deliver a city wide environmental literacy campaign for all Calgarians. b) Work with key partners to promote grassroots community engagement with broader

environmental stewardship initiatives such as pollinator friendly and biologically-diverse community gardens, wildlife/habitat conservation initiatives, school greening programs, etc.

c) Develop and implement a framework to integrate traditional knowledge of Calgary’s historical landscape for conservation and education opportunities.

d) Develop and implement a strategy to inspire citizens to take positive stewardship actions through volunteer, school, corporate and community environmental education programs and initiatives.



e) Provide a range of programs and tools that encourage Calgarians to participate in creating a more livable city using interactive online experiences and scientific fieldwork that encourage engagement in Calgary's urban and natural landscapes.

f) Establish an artist-in-residence program to advance biodiversity literacy.

Recommendation 2: Conserve wildlife, plants and natural heritage in Calgary

Identify and conserve lands and water to retain essential local ecosystem function, structure, quality and

resiliency.


a) Develop and implement a framework to conduct an Ecological Integrity Index assessment of existing Calgary parks to aid in conservation priority-setting and monitoring health.

b) Develop and implement policies and guidelines to conserve and connect ecological patches and corridors through citywide review of existing and proposed open space; these may include green roofs and living wall design requirements, ecological corridors protection, design of animal crossings for urban barriers, park design, top-soil conservation regulation, permeability enhancement techniques, salvaging/relocating vegetation and habitats, land use zoning bylaws, development design guidelines, etc.

c) Implement a framework to allocate municipal budget to purchase lands of high ecological and social value that can’t be otherwise protected through the subdivision process.

d) Establish data sharing agreements and strategic collaborations with government, industry, research organizations and the public.

e) Map environmentally significant areas and develop and implement a regulatory mechanism to conserve and connect these areas.

f) Develop and implement an incentive program to advance the use of ecological easements.

Recommendation 3: Improve the ecological function of Calgary’s natural environment

Restore degraded habitats and manage the natural environment for biodiversity conservation to

increase the overall health of Calgary open space.


a) Implement a framework for habitat restoration projects. b) Develop and implement management plans for all known species at risk and areas of rare plants

in Calgary parks and open space. c) Naturalize underutilized manicured park space to increase plant diversity and habitat

complexity. d) Encourage the naturalization of private, community, business and institutional lands. e) Develop and implement landscaping design guidelines to establish appropriate soil fertility,

volume and management that support the goals of the new or redeveloped open space. f) Develop and implement a preferred planting list of native plant species for developers and The

City of Calgary. g) Develop and implement a strategy to reduce invasive species and their spread in Calgary. h) Develop and implement a wildlife management plan.



i) Develop and Implement alternative land management practices in open spaces through grazing, controlled burns, naturalization, among other things and develop educational messages and opportunities for public understanding.

Recommendation 4: Mainstream biodiversity across The City of Calgary

Develop a variety of approaches and mechanisms to integrate biodiversity values into City planning,

managing and operating goals.


a) Encourage City Council and Administration advocates to ensure biodiversity principles are adhered to throughout City planning, managing and initiatives.

b) Develop and implement a biodiversity communications strategy. c) Initiate a biodiversity steering committee with representatives from The City, Council, local

businesses, environmental nongovernment organizations, academia and citizens at large to identify challenges and opportunities in biodiversity conservation and to advance the commitments of the 10-year biodiversity strategic plan, Our BiodiverCity.

d) Continue the biodiversity oral history project to showcase personal connections to biodiversity. e) Continue to identify and align with other City plans, strategies and programs that have

biodiversity-related components. f) Develop and implement a biodiversity project recognition program for community, private

business and City projects. g) Ensure biodiversity goals are captured in appropriate city planning frameworks, for example the

project management framework.

Corporate implementation

Each City of Calgary department requires a Council-approved 4-year business plan and budget. These

provide the direction for how The City provides the services and programs that Calgarians have asked

for. These plans offer one opportunity to introduce biodiversity conservation goals across the

corporation, and act as intervals towards our 10-year biodiversity strategy.

The broad objectives in the business plans will provide the opportunity to implement a selection of the

numerous possible actions listed above. The plans will establish timelines for projects and initiatives,

roles and responsibilities, specific targets, budget and stakeholder engagement. Together these will help

paint a corporate picture of biodiversity.

OUR THREE BIODIVERSITY PROJECTS As described previously, through our partnership with LAB – Local Action for Biodiversity – we have

committed to three key projects as a tangible demonstration of our principles that implement our

strategic plan. Together these projects represent the basic architecture of our biodiversity principles:



a) Establish biodiversity evaluation criteria and use these to identify critical habitat patches and corridors for biodiversity conservation;

b) Map and inventory key areas in conjunction with a metric for data collection and reporting; c) Ensure policies and programs are in place to protect, re-establish and manage key areas and

connections, and develop new ones as necessary; d) Educate and collaborate for a holistic picture of biodiversity in Calgary; and e) Develop and implement ongoing on-the-ground projects to continually advance biodiversity and

ecological processes.

The first two projects, an ecological integrity index for Calgary’s parks and a landscape ecology policy,

are the first three elements in the architecture. The third project, a mental models analysis, is the fourth

element. The last element is carried out in the above mentioned corporate business plans and

community/citizen-based projects.

1. An Ecological Integrity Index (EII) for Calgary’s parks

Scope

This project evaluates the quality of Calgary’s natural environment parks (NEPs) through the

development of a scoring system that grades the condition of habitats within a given park. Condition

scores reflect the diversity of plants in forest, shrub and grassland habitats, as well as the integrity of

habitat patches under the pressures of urban use. These EII scores will be used to help The City describe

the health of individual parks and track changes in plant diversity and habitat condition from

development through maintenance. The EII will also be used in planning new parks and prioritizing

habitat management activities like restoration, park naturalization and trail design to best protect

biodiversity across Calgary.

Target biodiversity pressure

Calgary’s park system is largely developed under a subdivision process, where tracts of land are parsed

within the context of neighbourhood design. This often leads to a fragmented landscape of small green

spaces disconnected from one another and the established park system. The ecological integrity index

will be used to predict how parks respond to changes in the surrounding landscape and strategically

connect or reconnect parks across Calgary’s open space system.

Goal

Calgary’s natural environment parks host a wealth of habitats, species and ecological functions that are

vital to maintaining urban biodiversity. Because interactions between these factors can be complicated,

there are often communication challenges between habitat managers, policy makers and citizens

around the inherent value found within healthy, diverse ecosystems. The EII is a quantifiable, repeatable

measure that can be used to distill the complexities of ecological condition into a single park health

score.

Timeframe



In 2014, an ecological integrity index will be designed to predict a park's condition based on:

a) Biological indicators that most reliably describe terrestrial habitats within Calgary’s natural

environment parks, and

b) Modeling to determine which parks are most susceptible to human disturbance.

Indicators and human disturbance factors will be assessed in 2014 using remote sensing and on-the-

ground (field) surveys. From this, each of Calgary’s nearly 400 NEPs will be assigned an EII condition

score.

Further testing of the Ecological Integrity Index model and application of the EII tool to aquatic habitats

(i.e. wetlands) will continue in 2015. Park EII ratings will be reviewed and updated periodically as new

parks come into The City’s inventory and/or conditions change within an existing park, requiring re-

scoring.

Determining success

The success of Calgary’s Ecological Integrity Index depends on the use of clear, repeatable measures

that, combined, reliably predict habitat health. Once terrestrial and aquatic EII models have been

finalized and scores generated for all natural environment parks, scores will be verified by field surveys

at representative parks.

Monitoring

Fiera Biological Consulting, experts in ecological modeling, will assist in development of the Ecological

Integrity Index unique to Calgary’s diverse urban parks system. We are constructing the EII model in an

iterative fashion, using field surveys to verify the applicability of each habitat metric and review model

suitability at various evaluation milestones.

Challenges

The new habitat condition rating system must return consistent results and use indicators capable of

detecting differences in EII scores across urban parks that:

Are comprised of diverse habitat types (forest, grassland, upland and riparian shrubland,

wetland);

Range widely in size (less than 1 hectare to greater than 100 hectares); and

Are subject to a host of different user intensities, impacts and management regimes.

Further, once adequate metrics have been identified, they must be combined to generate an EII model

that can represent park condition based on a single output: it’s EII score. The habitat condition rating

must be representative but also sensitive to impacts and change.

Managing change



We are developing the EII model in an adaptive fashion to allow flexibility for change, in both indicators

and survey methods as required.

Communications

Project elements will be shared with various audiences as follows:

a) Once the model has been designed, City of Calgary Parks staff will be trained on the model and

related field survey methods.

b) Opportunities for encouraging Calgarians to interact with the EII tool through citizens collecting

data are being explored.

c) EII scores will be incorporated into Calgary’s development planning process and reported to the

public via The City’s Open Data Catalogue.

d) A description of the Ecological Integrity Index model and its development will be submitted to a

scientific periodical for peer review and publishing.

Budget

$200,000 (Year 1); $600,000 (3-4 year total)

Project lead

City of Calgary Parks, Urban Conservation

Project stakeholders

City of Calgary Parks, City of Calgary IIS, Fiera Biological Consulting

2. Landscape ecology policy and frameworks

Scope

This project will build on the work of the Ecological Integrity Index, as outlined above. This project will

develop city-wide policy for planning parks (key habitats and linkages) and technical guidelines for

evaluating lands to determine conservation value.


As per the Ecological Integrity Index, Calgary’s park system is largely developed under a subdivision

process, where tracts of land are parsed within the context of neighbourhood design. This often leads to

a fragmented landscape of small green spaces disconnected from one another and the established park

system, and resulting habitat loss. The landscape policy and accompanying frameworks will enable the

strategic connection, and reconnection, of open space across the municipality.



Goal

Create or sustain connected, sustainable and representative habitats that support biodiversity and a

resilient open space network as the city grows.

Timeframe

This project will work program will commence in 2014, with expected implementation by 2017.

Determining success

1. Acceptance and understanding of the landscape ecology approach in community development by Council, Administration and stakeholders;

2. Stated objectives for conservation in a development are substantively achieved; and 3. Long-term monitoring program demonstrates sustainability of conserved areas.

Monitoring

A monitoring program will be implemented to track long-term sustainability of conserved areas and

long-term success in program implementation.

Challenges

Balancing residential development and conservation of key habitats and species, as well as garnering

citizen awareness and support for biodiversity conservation.

Managing change

The program will seek to balance development and environmental conservation, as well as be cognizant

of legislative changes. Change with regards to climate change and ecosystems will also be forecasted.

Communications

There will be wide-spread stakeholder and community engagement to ensure a diversity of interests are

represented.

Budget

$500,000, including staff time and operating budget for existing programs.

Project lead

City of Calgary Parks, Urban Conservation




City of Calgary; development industry; community stakeholders; non-government organizations;

subject-matter experts; the academic community.

3. A Mental Models Analysis of citizen engagement and education in biodiversity

Scope

This research project will rely on interviews with Alberta-based experts on urban biodiversity, as well as

interviews with citizens of Calgary, in order to develop a model of how people think about and

understand urban biodiversity. While the geographic location is the city of Calgary, through academic

papers, the results of this research project will have implications for urban centres across North

America, Europe and beyond.


A central part of The City of Calgary’s Local Action for Biodiversity initiative is the development of

effective public engagement, education, and communication strategies around urban biodiversity.

Citizen education and engagement have long been recognized as an important part of biodiversity

conservation, and the support and meaningful involvement of citizens and stakeholder groups has been

instrumental to the success of urban biodiversity initiatives.

Goal

Past research has shown that engagement, education, and outreach efforts are often hampered because

managers and agencies do not have a clear understanding of what people know, don’t know, or need to

know about a particular topic (in this case, urban biodiversity). Unfortunately, very few studies have

focused on systematically exploring the specific information needs of citizens regarding urban

biodiversity initiatives, as well as how urban biodiversity is conceptualized. This research project aims to

close this gap.

Timeframe

This project will commence in July 2014, with an expected completion date of April 2015.

Determining success

One of the key goals of this research project is to identify misconceptions and gaps in citizens’

knowledge about urban biodiversity, and in particular highlight what people see as the risks and benefits

associated with improving the city’s natural biodiversity. Thus, success will be determined, in part,

through the identification of these knowledge gaps for the purpose of future communication, education,

and engagement activities around urban biodiversity in Calgary.

In addition, the results of this research project will be presented at an academic conference and will be



published in an academic journal. Thus, reviews and feedback by scientific peers will be another

indicator of success.

Monitoring

The project will stay on track through regular consultation with the established benchmarks identified

previously.

Challenges

The main challenges of this project are,

1. Identifying and scheduling interviews with a sufficient number of subject matter experts (i.e., 10–15), and

2. The timely recruitment and scheduling of an appropriate number of citizens (i.e., 20–30) for the mental models interviews.

Managing change

While we have planned to interview 20–30 citizens (the standard sample size for mental models

analysis), we may need to modify this number if responses are more heterogeneous than expected. We

have sufficient funds in our budget, and the necessary time, to accommodate this possible change.

Communications

We will advertise for study participants through local community organizations, community gardens,

and other citizen groups; this—in and of itself—will help to raise awareness about the project as the

research progresses. We can also request coverage in UToday, the University of Calgary’s regular

newsletter, and through the Urban Alliance (a City–University research, outreach, and engagement

partnership). Finally, the results will be disseminated in academic journals, at conferences and meetings,

and in publications geared to a non-scientific audience.

Budget

$5000.00

Project lead

University of Calgary researchers


The City of Calgary Parks, Urban Conservation



AFTERWORD

Why

When nature and its natural processes are healthy, we benefits. We enjoy nature for the recreational

opportunities it offers. Intact nature provides water safe for drinking and irrigating; it stabilizes local our

local climate; it mitigates flooding; it better resists weeds and pests. Nature also benefits our

psychological well-being by providing physical place to emotionally connect with.

The ecological processes in nature provide us with rich soil, clean air and pure water. Nature provides

our economic base, land for urban development and resources. Fostering the connection between

nature and biodiversity can help nurture a city that is integrated with the ecological services we depend

on locally, nationally and internationally. Locally in how we manage our parks and open spaces, to what

species we grow in our gardens. Globally in how our consumption practices affect biodiversity and

ecosystems in other parts of the world.

Biodiversity is our life support system and necessary infrastructure in Calgary. We can’t separate

Calgary from the ecological processes that happen around us. The Calgary we build and live in is a part

of nature. It’s our choice how well we integrate the two. We must examine our biophysical

environment as we do our built, social and economic environments. With social and economic

development we can find solutions to environmental problems, and environmental conservation can

help us find solutions to social and economic problems. These challenges provide opportunities for

critical leadership on the global stage. The numerous environments we physically inhabit — social

places, economic relationships, natural parks — offer opportunities to create connections: connecting

development decisions to environmental and social ones. Coupling these processes — and

understanding how they best integrate — is a challenge to overcome as the city of Calgary continues to

evolve.

Now

As ecologist Hillary Rudd writes, it is vital to “enhance the matrix of backyard habitat, planted

boulevards, and utility rights-of-way found in a city.” Strengthening such networks should work well to

support wildlife protected in urban parks, refuges and the seasonal migrants that sometimes depend on

urban habitat for their survival.iv Integrating with nature is broad and city-wide. The key elements will be

in our natural parks, but linkages will be across the city in highly designed and managed spaces such as

tree-lined streets, backyards, rooftops, landfills and cemeteries.

We are taking a comprehensive, integrated, multi-scale approach to planning and managing the

ecological system of Calgary. Our vision is to value Calgary’s diversity and richness in wildlife, vegetation

and landscapes. We will work to integrate our actions and built environment with an ecological network

that is healthy, connected and well managed.



We seek integration, to recognize that Calgary as a city of almost 1.2 million people is not separate from

its natural environment but rather dependent on the services provided by an intact ecosystem. A city

responsive to its natural surroundings can be mutually beneficial to both its people and its wildlife. This

is why we aim to integrate with nature. It’s our heritage, part of our identity; its beauty gives us a sense

of who we are.

EXPLANATION OF TERMS Biodiversity: The variability among living organisms - animals, plants, their habitats and their genes -

from all sources including terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems, and the ecological

complexes of which they are part. This includes diversity within species, between species, and of

ecosystems (International Union for Conservation of Nature).

Connectivity: [forthcoming]

Conservation/conserve: Is an approach to ecosystem and species management. It aims to maintain the

continuity of a species' population and habitat system, and implies the necessity of management to

retain and/or sustain the area's natural significance.

Ecological footprint: [forthcoming]

Ecosystem: A dynamic system of plants, animals and other organisms, together with the non-living

components of the environment, that functions as an interdependent unit.

Ecosystem services: [forthcoming]

Environmentally Significant Area: A natural area site that has been inventoried prior to potential

development and which, because of its features or characteristics, is significant to Calgary from an

environmental perspective and has the potential to remain viable in an urban environment.

Functional habitat diversity:

Habitat restoration: The active process of assisting, through land management activities, the recovery of

a degraded habitat to initiate or accelerate its succession towards a reference habitat.

Natural area/naturalized area/naturalized lands: City-owned land comprised predominantly of native

species and natural ecosystems except where action has been taken to naturalize the land.

Natural heritage: [forthcoming]

Naturalization/naturalize: A type of habitat restoration; the deliberate reintroduction of species that

are native to a given area or are well adapted to the climate circumstance; activities that are intended to

improve and enhance the natural environment.



Natural Region/Subregion: Natural Regions are the largest ecological classification unit in Alberta and

allow for the geographic classification of the province based on ecological criteria. Each Natural Region is

further categorized into Natural Subregions.

Open space: Open space includes all land and water areas, either publicly owned or offering public

access, that are not covered by structures. For the purposes of this document, open space includes

current and potential future parks, pathways, roadway greens, land for parks and recreation fields, golf

courses, cemeteries and other types of alternative use open space or unmaintained green area.

Park: A specific-use open space area that is managed to provide opportunities for recreation, education,

cultural or aesthetic use.

Resilience: The amount of change a system can undergo (its capacity to absorb disturbance) and remain

within the same regime – essentially retaining the same function, structure and feedback.v

Reference habitat: The target ecosystem for restoration of a degraded habitat; the reference habitat

may be described from historic or contemporary data sources, or may be physically represented by

undisturbed, similar native habitat appropriate for the site conditions of the degraded habitat, and

which may be adjacent to the project site or elsewhere in the Natural Region/Subregion.

Stewardship: Individuals or groups feel a sense of ownership, connection or attachment to parks and

open space that result in behaviours and actions, which maintain, protect and preserve those areas.

Watershed: Watersheds include groundwater, springs, wetlands, ponds, streams and lakes as well as all

land that drains into these linked aquatic systems. Watersheds reflect both the natural characteristics of

their geography and the impacts of human activities within them.

LIST OF ACRONYMS ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability

LAB – Local Action for Biodiversity

MDP – Municipal Development Plan

MGA – Municipal Government Act

HOW WE CONNECTED WITH STAKEHOLDERS AND

EXPERTS



Over 70 individuals and organizations

Local, regional, provincial, federal and international participants

Business units and departments across The City

Stakeholders were composed of park stewardship groups, biologists, experts in environmental

education, academic researchers, community representatives and City staff.

We first connected with stakeholders in the spring and summer of 2013.

A backgrounder was sent out to stakeholders prior engagement sessions.

Sessions were composed of six to eight people; an open conversation guided by a few questions.

(The summer stakeholder sessions were put on hold due to Calgary’s flood.)

A summary of what we heard during our sessions was sent out to participants and stakeholders, along

with an opportunity to respond to this document.

An outline was developed based on the stakeholder input, literature review and review of global best

practices.

An outline went to our stakeholders and feedback was requested.

In June 2014, a draft of the strategic plan circulated and feedback requested.

In October 2014, a final draft was circulated to stakeholders for review and feedback.

The final version, including design, was wrapped by the end of 2014.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This document was created as part of The City of Calgary’s commitment to protect and restore the

natural environment.

Lead author: Steven Snell, The City of Calgary Parks, Parks Business and Policy Planner;

[email protected]

Editor: Barb Crawford

Illustrator: Nicole Sweazey

The completion of this protect included invaluable input from:

The City of Calgary Parks, Urban Conservation



The following City of Calgary business units:

City Wide Policy and Integration

Community Neighbourhood Services

Law

Local Area Planning and Implementation

Office of Land Servicing and Housing

Office of Sustainability

Parks

Recreation

Transportation

Waste and Recycling

Water Resources

External stakeholders:

Bow River Basin Council

Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society

Community Garden Resource Network

Edworthy Park Heritage Society

Federation of Calgary Communities

Friends of Nose Hill

ICLEI

Nature Calgary

University of Calgary

i The overview of Weaselhead park is taken from The City of Calgary’s 2014 Biodiversity Report. A copy can be found through Local Governments for Sustainability, www.iclei.org/lab. ii Tredici, P.D. 2014. “The Flora of the Future.” Posted April 17, 2014.

http://places.designobserver.com/feature/flora-of-the-future-urban-wild-plants/38417/ iii For an overview of Calgary’s biodiversity: ecological classification, watersheds, habitat types and common species

found in Calgary, see The City of Calgary’s 2014 Biodiversity Report. A copy can be found through Local Governments for Sustainability, www.iclei.org/lab. iv Rudd, H et al. 2002. “Importance of Backyard Habitat in a Comprehensive Biodiversity Conservation Strategy: A

Connectivity Analysis of Urban Green Spaces.” Restoration Ecology. Vol. 10 No. 2, pp. 368–375. June 2002. v Walker, B and Salt, D. 2006. Resilience Thinking: Sustaining Ecosystems and People in a Changing World. Island

Press.

our biodivercity - calgary river valleys

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