The SAPAA Board welcomes new members and provides a resource guide in the form of commonly asked questions, answers, and further reading.
Welcome to the SAPAA Board! Thank you for your contribution to Alberta’s Protected Areas. This page is your reference guide to check back with as you grow into your role. It lists resources and is structured in the form of anticipated questions (and answers).
- Big Overview and Organizational Questions
- Practicalities and Things to Know About SAPAA
- Technical Questions and How We Do Things
Big Overview and Organizational Questions
What Does SAPAA Do?
The Stewards of Alberta Protected Areas Association (SAPAA) was originally a group representing the interests of government-appointed stewards under its Volunteer Steward Program.
In most cases these stewards were assigned to public lands recognized as protected areas under the Wilderness Areas, Ecological Reserves, Natural Areas and Heritage Rangelands (WAERNAHR) Act but also including Wildland Parks. Alberta’s protected areas can be owned by different levels of government, private citizens, and land trusts.
By 2018 the original Volunteer Steward Program had largely been abandoned by the government, with no new stewards being recruited or retiring stewards replaced.
SAPAA, however, has continued, and in 2024 identified a new way forward called “SAPAA 2.0”. It was described in Newsletter No. 52 and adopted at the AGM on November 30, 2024. SAPAA 2.0 seeks to take on some of the functions of the former government program. Further Reading: A Short Selected History of SAPAA, and SAPAA Newsletter No. 52, November 2024.
What Do I Need to Know About the Bylaws?
The SAPAA Bylaws were written in 2001 and have stood the test of time. Important elements for you to be aware of include:
- The role of Officers of the Association, 2. Board Management.
- 4-person quorum for the Board, 2.10.
- Date of the AGM (before November 30), 3.1.
- No renumeration (sorry), 4.1.
How do we Interact with Ministry Officials and the Minister(s)?
- Any steward can contact the regional representative from the Ministry or alternatively call 310-LAND, Report a Poacher, or the RCMP for emergencies.
- The President of SAPAA, or designate, sets up meetings with ministry officials and and communicates with the minster(s).
- SAPAA strives to maintain a cordial relation with ministry officials and to provide informal advance notice of items that may be of interest or concern the Ministry(ies).
What are the Attributes of a Good Board Member?
- Understanding of the basic purpose and function of the Association and the philosophy and spirit which supports it,
- Knowledge of the Association’s origin and history,
- Familiarity with the Association’s relationship with other organizations in the community, including ecological organizations and government,
- Adherence to honest and ethical personal conduct, accountability and respect for others,
- Commitment to acting in the best interests of the Association, placing this before any personal interests.
Policies Affecting Board Members
Policy: Referring To Yourself as a Board Member
Policy Statement: SAPAA board members may publicly identify themselves as such while engaging in external activities and expressing public opinions as long as doing so furthers the aims and reputation of SAPAA. As this is a matter of judgement, board members are expected to err on the side of caution or pre-approve potentially controversial positions with the board in advance.
Rationale: SAPAA strives to attract board members with a wide variety of interests and passion for the protection of Alberta’s Natural Areas. The organization recognizes that such interests fall along a wide continuum. SAPAA must also maintain cordial relations with the Minister of the day and Ministry officials. Overall, this is a matter of balance, maturity, and good judgement.
Scope and Policy in Context: This general statement is subordinate to illegal activities or actions considered overtly offensive to the general public. This policy excludes activities engaged in by a board member where they have NOT identified themselves notwithstanding the good judgement expected of individuals in a leadership role. Relevant bylaw articles: 1.2 (general agreement with the purposes of the association) and 1.5/.6 (resignation and expel members), and 8.2 (indemnify).
ARCI: The President is Accountable for the reputation of the organization and balancing competing demands on its resources including its reputation. Each board member is Responsible to act in the best interests of SAPAA while identifying themselves as a board member. The membership may be Consulted for policy matters of high importance to SAPAA. The GoA may be Informed in advance of potentially controversial SAPAA policy decisions that may otherwise affect cordial relations.
General Guidance: The following guidance may be used by the Board to help determine whether a board member should identify themselves as such while engaging in a proposed activity:
Do Consider Referencing Board Affiliation If the Activity is one or more of the following:
- Contributes factual information or an informed opinion that furthers the objectives of protecting Alberta’s Natural Areas.
- Is respectful in tone, nonpartisan, and speaks truth to power.
- Pre-approved by the board and/or membership.
Don’t Reference Board Affiliation If the Activity is one of the following:
- Is inflammatory, disrespectful, or overtly offensive.
- Directly or indirectly erodes the reputation of SAPAA.
- Is overtly biased, derogatory, or harmful to an individual or another organization in an untruthful or disrespectful manner.
- Is illegal including promoting or engaging in civil disobedience.
- Requires SAPAA to defend itself either in a court of law or in the court of public opinion.
- Implicitly or Explicitly commits SAPAA to a position or a particular course of action not endorsed by the board and/or the membership
Practicalities and Things to Know About SAPAA
Does SAPAA Have a Working Board?
- The SAPAA Board is also the primary cadre of volunteers and as such it is considered a working board.
- SAPAA engages its members as volunteers or contributors for things like field trips or submission of inspection reports.
- SAPAA has and will continue to partner with post-secondaries to support projects.
- Other types of boards (which SAPAA is not) are Advisory, Governance, or Fund Raising. Further reading: Understanding the Different Types of Nonprofit Boards.
- Another way to think of the SAPAA Board is that it is primarily composed of ‘Doers’ with a secondary emphasis on ‘Knowers’, and with ‘Funders’ in a distant third place. See: Knowers, Doers and Funders in Volunteer Boards
How Are Newsletters Produced, What is their Purpose?
- Newsletters serve two purposes: informing members and friends of SAPAA of relevant topics and serving as an enduring resource for research into protected areas.
- The Connect & Read (Links, Resources, and Further Reading) page provides a listing of news, events, sister organizations, etc. that are related to SAPAA’s interests and is currently maintained by Hubert.
- Currently, newsletters are created via a web page and are numbered from the first edition in 2001 (see Newsletters).
- A courtesy PDF version is created and is mailed out upon request.
- The 2025 newsletter editorial team is composed of Patsy (editor), Frank (technical editor), and Hubert (content and quality assurance).
- Further Reading: SAPAA Website Writing Style Guide.
- A copy of all Newsletters, in a single file, can be accessed here: Shared Drive > Enduring > _Newsletters.
What are the Banking, Expenses, and Year End Details?
- We bank with TD Canada Trust and currently Hubert, Patsy, and Myrna are the signing authorities.
- To be reimbursed for expenses, contact Myrna, treasurer@sapaastewards.com.
- Per Bylaw 6.2, year end is September 30 and the Treasurer is responsible to prepare the financial statements and organize the audit.
When Are Board Meetings?
- Per Bylaw 2.9, at least two board meetings must be held annually and are at the discretion of the president.
- A standing board meeting is scheduled at the most convenient time of the month/day for the members.
- For 2025, board meetings are set for third Monday of the month with holiday Mondays adjusted accordingly.
- 2025 proposed board meeting dates are as follows, all from 7-8.30pm:
- January 20, March 17, April 21 (Easter Monday?), June 16, September 15, October 20, November 17, and December 15.
- February 24 (adjusted due to Family Day)
- May 26 (adjusted due to Victoria Day)
- November 29, Annual General Meeting
- Ad hoc and committee meetings only during the summer months
- All board meetings are virtual save for at least one, ideally held in conjunction with a field trip.
- Expenses for travel to a board meeting may be fully or partly covered by SAPAA in the form of a per diem [PROPOSED].
Significant Activities Throughout the Year
| When | What | Who |
| Oct 1 | New fiscal year | Treasurer |
| Nov 30 | AGM must be held by this date | President |
| Dec 31 | Close of Site Inspection Form | TBD |
| Feb 28 | Site Inspection report to Minister | President |
| Feb 28 | Corporate Registry Report | Treasurer |
| Feb 28 | Ideally, plan field trips & conference | Varies |
| Feb 28 | 1st Newsletter Issue of the year | Newsletter Committee |
| Apr-Oct | Field Season | All |
| Sept | Annual Conference | Ad hoc committee |
Technical Questions and How We Do Things
Where Do We Work and Store Files?
- The How We Do Things page links to the most common business processes.
- As of 2025, SAPAA uses Google Workspace to communally store files.
- The file structure is described in Google Shared Workspace – File Management.
How Do I Access sapaastewards.com Google Workspace?
- All board members and select volunteers can be granted access.
- Access gives you an email address (either an officer or personal), a personal drive, and access to the shared drive.
- There are house rules relating to how to share files (see Google Shared Workspace – File Management) and email addresses (see Email Policy & Procedure).
- Currently Frank is the System Administrator.
- This deck, SAPAA & GWS, provides an overview of SAPAA and GWS including instructions on how to add a Google Profile.
- This deck, Overview of GWS,, provides an overview of email, Shared folders, and Google Applications.
How Do I Access sapaastewards.com Website?
- Access to the website is separate from Google Workspace.
- SAPAA’s website is hosted on WordPress.com.
- The Website is broken into three forms of content: Page, Post, and Media.
- Pages are enduring content (e.g., a protected area, newsletter, home page).
- Posts (or blogs) are transitory (e.g., a site report, AGM notice, sign-up for a field trip).
- Media support the above noting that the Media Library is NOT a content management system; Google Workspace is used for this.
- All board members can be granted post or blog access.
- Additional access rights are granted to those with basic familiarity with WordPress or similar systems (e.g. WIX, Square Space, HTML based systems, etc.).
- Style guides and further reading:
SAPAA 