SAPAA has completed its third annual Minister’s Report of the state of Alberta’s WAERNAHR protected areas. Although 84% rated sites as in good condition, 16% suffered degradation from various activities. SAPAA seeks official government recognition and letters of support for funding grants to enhance its work, which aligns with provincial policies. Optimism remains for collaboration.
SAPAA continues to visit the WAERNAHR Natural Areas. This year, information gathered from these volunteers was supplemented by iNaturalist.ca biophysical data. SAPAA wishes to thank two Grant MacEwan University Students for researching and writing the first draft of this report. Thank Aditi Gujar and Nolan Gray as well as Grant MacEwan University
136 Site Inspection Reports (SIRs) have been submitted since SAPAA began collecting data. Added onto the legacy reports from the former government program, and Albertans have contributed nearly 3,100 reports over the past four decades. Of the legacy reports, 206 have been ‘reclaimed’ by their original submitter (see: Reclaiming 40 Years of Stewardship).
Contrary to Expectations…
First the good news: more than 84% of the inspection reports rated the given site as being in great (4 out of 4) or good (3 out of 4) state of ‘Naturalness’. This is a subjective measure assessed by the visitor and articulated as “How natural is this site?”
To many, this is contrary to expectations and suggests that Albertans are generally respectful of their natural inheritance… generally.
The bad news, the remaining 16% of the sites received a score of 2 or less. Redwater River, for example, was given a score of 0 by one volunteer. Off-highway vehicle incursions, dumping, firearms, and tree cutting are the most common causes of degradation of a site. This site was also the subject of a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) report in January 2025.
Asking for the Government’s Help
The 2025 report differs from past reports as this is the first time SAPAA has asked the province for help in carrying out the government’s mandate. In 2026, SAPAA is asking for two simple things, namely:
- Official recognition of the role SAPAA plays in monitoring these sites, and,
- Letters of support if SAPAA applies for grants and other funding to carry out its work.
Why Official Recognition?
When visiting a site and talking to fellow visitors or nearby residents, they often ask, ‘Are you with the government?’. Historically the answer has been “… umm, its complicated”. This is hardly an answer to create trust or recruit volunteers.
What would official recognition look like? At a minimum an agreement that the province is interested in the results collected. Additionally, the authorized use of provincial logos and other branding to support this message.
Letters of Support
To date, SAPAA has not applied for grants due to work in progress and the official recognition question. In 2025, SAPAA has completed the work necessary to manage information and safely field volunteers. Managing and supporting both of these initiatives requires ongoing funding.
As discussed in the AGM Notes (see: SAPAA 2.0 – Too Big, Too Soon, and the Future), the annual cost to run an Occupational Health and Safety compliant program is at least $25,000 for a minimum cadre of volunteers and upwards of $75,000 for a fuller complement.
There are numerous variables in this calculation, and it is possible for the SAPAA to assume greater risks by reducing expenditures on the program and volunteers taking the effort. Given the paucity of volunteers in our society, asking individuals to do more administrative work or assume greater personal risk are all non-starters.
Where To From Here
Governments have many demands on public resources. It is for this reason, SAPAA is not currently asking for financial resources but instead, recognition. How the province responds to these request will help SAPAA better understand the relative importance of monitoring WAERNAHR lands as a matter of public policy.
Nevertheless, SAPAA is cautiously optimistic of evolving its working relationship with the province so we can tell the story of Alberta’s Protected Areas.
SAPAA 