Ecological Connectivity – Modelling, Planning and Municipalities
Ecological Connectivity – Modelling, Planning and Municipalities
Three guides to help to clear some of the cloudiness around ecological connectivity and municipal planning
The Issue / Idea
Municipalities face challenges in finding practical guidance for integrating ecological connectivity into the structures and practical realities of municipal planning.
The Project
Every municipal planning department in the Calgary region has faced the challenge of addressing ecological connectivity.
It can start from a variety of directions – open house feedback, a councilor request, a regional planning requirement, etc. It can carry many labels: wildlife corridors, linkage zones, structural and functional connectivity. However, two things are common to all of these cases. First, it is always based on the notion that species need to move to stay healthy and viable. Second, what a municipal planner can or should do about this is not clear.
As part of the Calgary Regional Partnership’s Ecological Conservation and Protection Initiative, Miistakis created three guides to help to clear some of the cloudiness around ecological connectivity and municipal planning.
As well as supporting municipal planners, these guides are intended to help those working with planners or who are affected by municipal plans. Understanding the way ecological connectivity is viewed through the lens of municipal planning will help others (including municipal councilors, wildlife biologists, conservation groups, land developers and builders) better understand the decisions and options that emerge in the planning realm.
Planning to Connect: A guide to provide clarity on what ecological connectivity might mean for a municipality, which plans and policies to target, and how. It also includes a searchable catalogue of example clauses from other jurisdictions and a document library of sample plans, reports, strategies, and cases from which to learn
Pulling the Levers: A Guide to Modelling and Mapping Ecological Connectivity outlines how the science can be used to give municipalities map-based illustrations of ecological connectivity.
Connecting the Dots: A Guide to Using Ecological Connectivity Modeling in Municipal Planning outlines how planners can acquire and use that information to address planning questions, working in partnership with their GIS staff or consultants.
Planning to Connect: A Guide to Incorporating Ecological Connectivity into Municipal Planning
Policy Clause Catalogue
Pulling the Levers: A Guide to Modelling and Mapping Ecological Connectivity
Connecting the Dots: A Guide to Using Ecological Connectivity Modeling in Municipal Planning
Organization
This project was undertaken by
The Miistakis Institute
Status
Completed in
2019
Supporters
Woodcock Foundation
Municipal Conservation Easement Program
Municipal Conservation Easement Program
A Guide to help municipalities create a conservation easement program
The Issue / Idea
How can municipalities help landowners conserve their land for the future by using a conservation easement?
The Project
Flagstaff County in east-central Alberta has been working towards better protecting the valuable landscapes within its communities. After being approached by a local landowner about granting a conservation easement to the County, Flagstaff approached Miistakis about helping them establish a Conservation Easement program (municipalities are ‘qualified organizations’ under the Alberta Land Stewardship Act, eligible to hold conservation easements).
Working with the County’s Agricultural Service Board, Miistakis helped them draft a conservation easement bylaw, and tailor the policy to their draft Municipal Development Plan.
Once the decision was made to go ahead with implementation, Miistakis worked with the County to identify the conservation goals, and specific administrative needs. Miistakis then developed several implementation resources including a program procedures manual, a conservation easement template, a Baseline Documentation Report manual and template, a monitoring template, and several other templates and resources.
Flagstaff County is now moving ahead to negotiate conservation easements with interested ratepayers in their community.
Flagstaff County Conservation Easement Program: Procedures Manual
Flagstaff County Conservation Easement Program: Conservation Easement Checklists
Organization
This project was undertaken by
The Miistakis Institute
Status
Completed in
2017
Supporters
Flagstaff County
Transfer of Development Credits
Transfer of Development Credits
A tool to help communities deal with rapid conversion of their valued landscapes, while simultaneously promoting appropriate landscape development
The Issue / Idea
How can municipalities deal with the rapid conversion of their valued landscapes, while simultaneously promoting appropriate landscape development?
The Project
The Transfer of Development Credits (TDC) tool is designed to help communities deal with the rapid conversion of their valued landscapes, while simultaneously promoting appropriate landscape development. The tool allows for the transfer of development potential from areas less suited to development (based on a community desire to see its character and function maintained), to areas more suited to increased development (based on their capacity to accept greater development activity).
The TDC website was developed as a resource for Alberta communities, to assist them in better understanding what a TDC program is, and how it can be used to conserve valued landscapes.
A Practical Guide to Transfer of Development Credits (TDCs) in Alberta
Organization
This project was undertaken by
Miistakis Institute
Status
Completed in
2013
Supporters
Alberta Real Estate Foundation
Anonymous Donor
Managing Recreation on Public Land: How Does Alberta Compare?
Managing Recreation on Public Land: How Does Alberta Compare?
This review by the Environmental Law Centre (ELC) compares the legal framework for recreation management in Alberta to other Canadian provinces and US jurisdictions
The Issue / Idea
How does Alberta regulate recreational impacts on the landscape? How does it compare to other jurisdictions? What challenges does it face in regulating recreational impacts on land and how might we go about it in the future?
The Project
Recreational use of public land in Alberta is creating significant management challenges as the demands for recreational opportunities and the impacts of recreational activity are increasing together. These challenges are shared by many western jurisdictions and have intensified in recent decades due to increases in motorized recreation. This review by the Environmental Law Centre (ELC) compares the legal framework for recreation management in Alberta to other Canadian provinces and US jurisdictions. These comparisons include the provinces of Ontario, British Columbia and Nova Scotia, the US Bureau of Land Management, the US Forest Service, and the States of Colorado, Utah and Oregon. The original report is expanded to consider Quebec and New Brunswick in the Addendum published in 2016.
The comparisons focus on three legal barriers to on-the-ground management actions in Alberta that were identified in advance of the research. These are:
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- mandates to manage recreation on public lands;
- funding for recreation management programs; and,
- liability for injuries on recreation trails.
The review also explores two questions relevant to recreation policy development in Alberta:
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- how motorized recreation is typically managed as compared to non-motorized recreation; and,
- how options for improving recreation management under existing legislation compare to the option of legislative reform.
Managing Recreation on Public Land: How Does Alberta Compare?
Managing Recreation on Public Land: How Does Alberta Compare? Addendum
Organization
This project was undertaken by
The Environmental Law Centre
Status
Completed in
2016
Supporters
Alberta Law Foundation
The Calgary Foundation
Glen and Lois Mumey
Good Riddance: Waste Management Law in Alberta
Good Riddance: Waste Management Law in Alberta
A primer on the waste management system in Alberta
The Issue / Idea
Waste management poses a challenge across jurisdictions. What is the regulatory framework around waste management in Alberta?
The Project
Garbage is often considered to be the stuff we no longer need or want. We put it out of sight. We bury it, we burn it, we dump it, we hide it. Garbage is a nuisance and a bother. Unfortunately, the truth is that garbage can be much worse than a nuisance. A general term for garbage, and the term that will be used throughout this report, is “waste”. Waste is defined by what we do with it and how we choose to handle it and the definition can be contentious – as you will read in a later section. If we have no use for certain materials other than to dispose of them, then these materials are often considered to be waste, with the rules for their safe disposal set out in our laws and regulations. Waste can also be defined by type, or where it comes from. For example, separate laws in Alberta deal with biomedical waste or agricultural waste. There is also a differentiation between waste and recycling. This report is designed to provide an overview of the law that applies to waste management in Alberta, including a summary of the governing statutes and regulations.
This report is a primer on the waste management system in Alberta and as such some areas are not dealt with in the repot including sewage treatment; air and water emissions; intensive livestock operations; contaminated sites; and specific municipal waste bylaws.
Good Riddance: Waste Management Law in Alberta, 3rd Edition
Organization
This project was undertaken by
The Environmental Law Centre
Status
Completed in
2020
Supporters
Alberta Law Foundation
Agricultural Lands Law and Policy in Alberta
Agricultural Lands Law and Policy in Alberta
Highlighting and describing the legislative context for agricultural land uses in the province
The Issue / Idea
Agricultural lands and agricultural uses can provide a large suite of social, economic, and environmental benefits. What are laws and regulations that impact agricultural lands?
The Project
Agricultural lands support numerous social, economic and environmental benefits. In addition to making up an invaluable aspect of Alberta’s heritage and culture, social benefits of agricultural lands include food security and valued viewscapes. This project is set out in two phases. Phase 1 (2019) provides a review of the relevant statute and regulation relevant to agricultural lands and their operations. Phase 2 (forthcoming in 2021) outlines approaches (and recommendations) to move toward better conservation of high valued agricultural lands.
This report highlights and describes the legislative context for agricultural land uses in the province.
Agricultural Lands Law and Policy in Alberta
Organization
This project was undertaken by
The Environmental Law Centre
Status
Phase 1 Completed in
2019
Phase 2 is
on-going
Supporters
Alberta Real Estate Foundation
Municipal Powers, Land Use Planning, and the Environment: Understanding the Public’s Role
Municipal Powers, Land Use Planning, and the Environment: Understanding the Public’s Role
Exploring the nature of citizens’ rights to participate in municipal decisions related to the environment
The Issue / Idea
What is the nature of citizens’ rights to participate in municipal decisions related to the environment?
The Project
Municipalities exercise a broad range of powers that have significant direct and indirect impacts on the environment. Alberta’s cities, towns, and rural municipalities are already key players in waste management, water and wastewater treatment, and land use planning and development. They have the authority to assume a greater role in the regulation and management of natural areas including wetlands, air and water quality, toxic substances, redevelopment of contaminated lands, water conservation, wildlife, and other aspects of the environment within the municipality.
This Guide outlines the legal rights of citizens to participate in decision making on issues related to the environment. The Guide also provides approaches citizens can take in participating in municipal decisions.
It is important to note that there have been some amendments to the Municipal Government Act since this guide was published in 2005. These amendments may have implications for certain aspects of public participation. See the ELC website for further updates on the Municipal Government Act changes.
Municipal Powers, Land Use Planning, and the Environment: Understanding the Public’s Role
Organization
This project was undertaken by
The Environmental Law Centre
Status
Completed in
2005
Supporters
Alberta Law Foundation
Renewable Energy for Rural Municipalities
Renewable Energy for Rural Municipalities
A project to help municipalities municipalities understand their environmental, social, economic concerns and opportunities, and what support tools they may need to process applications for large scale (over 1MW) solar and wind development in their municipality
The Issue / Idea
What tools do municipalities need to balance development considerations with high value agricultural, ecological, and cultural lands?
The Project
“By 2030, renewable sources like wind and solar will account for up to 30 per cent of electricity generation,” says Alberta’s Climate Leadership Plan.
To achieve this goal, large scale wind and solar developments are being proposed and are likely to have direct impacts in rural jurisdictions that have the land base to support them. In discussions with several municipal staff, it has become apparent they are uncertain how renewable electricity regulations and development will affect them. What is their role in the regulatory and approvals process? How do they balance competing interests between agriculture, ecology and renewable development? What do they need to know to make informed decisions?
Miistakis is working with municipalities to understand their environmental, social, economic concerns and opportunities, and what support tools they may need to process applications for large scale (over 1MW) solar and wind development in their municipality. Miistakis will then collaborate with stakeholders to develop the support tools required to inform decision making at the local level.
Renewable Energy Development: Ecological Fact Sheet for Municipalities
Renewable Energy Development: Regulatory Resources for Municipalities
Rural Municipal Wind and Solar Decision Support Tools: Regulatory Context Background Paper
Survey Report: Large Scale Wind & Solar Decision Support Tools for Rural Municipalities Project
Rural Municipalities and Renewable Energy Development: Education Session (January 23, 2018, Brooks, AB)
Rural Decision Support Tools for Renewable Energy Development: Progress Update (Miistakis Institute)
Organization
This project was undertaken by
Miistakis Institute
Status
Completed in
2018
Supporters
Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties
Wheatland County
Working with Nature
Working with Nature
Harnessing the power of natural infrastructure to increase municipalities’ flood and drought resiliency
The Issue / Idea
Every municipality has “natural infrastructure,” but what is it, where is it, and how does it relate to flood and drought risk?
The Project
The Working With Nature toolkit was created to help municipalities catalogue their natural infrastructure, and then develop a prioritized plan for better using it to mitigate flood and drought risk. A Primer document was developed to provide a starting point for municipalities to understand the type of information, data, and programs available to inform and support flood and drought mitigation planning.
This free toolkit provides the materials and directions for a municipality to self-navigate through workshops, worksheets, and ultimately a living Workbook. In the process, a municipality will address Goals and Principles, Risks and Hazards, Natural Infrastructure, Actions, and Policy Development.
Working with Nature Toolkit Website
Working with Nature Webinar Slide Deck
Municipal Flood and Drought Action Planning Primer
Adapting to Flooding: An Adapt-action Summary Report
Adapting to Water Scarcity: An Adapt-action Summary Report
Organization
This project was undertaken by
The Miistakis Institute
Status
Project was completed in
2019
Supporters
Government of Alberta’s Watershed Resiliency and Restoration Program
Town of Cochrane
Urban Ecoroofs
Urban Ecoroofs
Exploring the impacts ecoroofs may have on climate change resilience in Alberta municipalities
The Issue / Idea
What impacts can ecoroofs have on climate change resilience in Alberta municipalities?
The Project
As cities develop, vegetation is typically replaced with non-permeable, non-vegetated surfaces. Ecoroofs are one way to provide some of the lost ecosystem services in urban centres including improved stormwater management (both quantity and quality), better regulation of building temperatures, reduced urban heat island effects, improved air quality, and increased urban wildlife habitat and biodiversity (Oberndorfer et al., 2007). Some jurisdictions refer to ecoroofs as a ‘no-regrets’ climate adaptation measure (Mees, Driessen, Runhaar, & Stamatelos, 2013) because they serve multiple societal goals.
Between 2017 and 2019, the Miistakis Institute partnered with the City of Edmonton, Environmental Strategies team to explore the impacts ecoroofs may have on climate change resilience in the city.
Ecoroof Guide for Municipalities
Ecoroof Fact Sheet
Edmonton Ecoroof Initiative for Climate Change Resiliency: Ecoroof Function Research
Jurisdictional Review
Edmonton Ecoroof Case Studies
Edmonton Ecoroof Website
Organization
This project was undertaken by
The Miistakis Institute
City of Edmonton, Environmental Strategies
Status
This project was
completed in 2019
Supporters
City of Edmonton
Alberta Ecotrust Foundation
Edmonton Community Foundation
Federation of Canadian Municipalities