Collister 2018

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Owl Ridge Conservation Easement 2018

Owl Ridge Conservation Easement, a 114-acre parcel of Lower Foothills habitat owned by Doug and Barbara Collister, lies adjacent to Winchell Lake Environmentally Significant Area (ESA) in the southwest corner of Mountain View County.

A professional biologist, Doug discovered the property while owling and returned on several occasions. When the property came up for sale in 1987 he and Barb walked it together and decided to buy it with the intention of preservation.

As the name suggests multiple owl species—including Great Gray, Barred, Northern Saw-whet, Boreal and Northern Pygmy—call Owl Ridge home. Other owl species like Northern Hawk Owl and Great Horned Owl visit from time to time. The property also hosts a diversity of songbirds, including Connecticut Warbler, Ovenbird and Townsend’s Solitaire, as well as many other wildlife species.

“Although we recognize the importance of agriculture,” says Doug, “we feel strongly that there needs to be a range of habitat quality on Alberta landscapes. A supply of non-grazed and otherwise undisturbed habitat helps to balance out the biodiversity-reducing effects of other more intensive land-use activities.”

The benefits of Owl Ridge—the biodiversity and wildlife habitat—don’t stop at the property line. They overflow to support surrounding habitat and wildlife populations.

Barbara appreciates the beauty of the land and its ecological value and likes the idea of being able to protect it from development.  Although preserving one piece of land seems like a small contribution, she believes that small contributions by individuals can add up to make a difference to our environment.

Although there has long been incentives for more intensive use of land in Alberta, there was little economic incentive to manage and conserve the biological diversity of land until the Alberta Land Stewardship Act (ALSA) was passed in 2009.

The Owl Ridge conservation easement was completed using funding through the ALSA Alberta Land Trust Grant Program. This grant is designed to conserve ecologically important areas, to prevent habitat fragmentation, maintain biodiversity and preserve native landscapes. It allows land trust organizations, such as Legacy, to help establish and administer conservation easements on private land.

Owl Ridge has also been certified as an ecological gift by Environment and Climate Change Canada. The federal Ecological Gifts Program recognizes properties that are of national or provincial significance and support Canada’s species at risk. Landowners who make gifts of conservation easements that qualify for this program are eligible to receive enhanced tax benefits.

Owl Ridge Conservation Easement
Owl Ridge Conservation Easement
Owl Ridge Conservation Easement
Owl Ridge Conservation Easement
Owl Ridge Conservation Easement
Owl Ridge Conservation Easement
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