A plan developed more than five years ago to protect and enhance the shoreline around Buffalo Lake has been named one of eight finalists in the Alberta Emerald Foundation award.
The Buffalo Lake Integrated Shoreland Management Plan was developed to address the biodiversity, accessible shoreline and the ample recreational opportunities.
The award, presented by the Alberta Emerald Foundation, recognizes individuals and organizations who work to preserve the environment.
Located about 55 km northeast of Red Deer, the lake is growing in popularity. There are an increasing number of people building residences nearby and more people are using the lake and its shoreline for recreational activities.
With increased recreational use and development, it became clear that an integrated land management plan was needed to minimize the human footprint and to ensure the shorelands of Buffalo Lake will provide enjoyment for Albertans now and for many years.
The plan was initiated by Alberta Sustainable Resource Development, which is responsible for managing beds and shores of water bodies in Alberta.
To help protect Buffalo Lake and its riparian area, the department worked closely with landowners, municipalities and other agencies to develop a plan to manage the sensitive shorelines.
It began the planning process with research to find out what types of disturbances were occurring in the area. Department staff filmed the lake’s shorelands from a helicopter and analyzed the videos to help develop a coarse riparian health assessment.
Staff noticed that many lake users were unaware that the shoreline — or the right-of-way — corresponds to the lake’s flood zone and riparian area, a biologically rich and productive habitat.
Several partners and collaborators helped develop the project, including members of the Buffalo Lake-Parlby Creek Water Management Project and the Buffalo Lake Inter-municipal Development Plan Steering Committee.
Several municipalities and counties bordering the planning area were also kept informed of the planning and invited to comment on the draft management plan.
They included the counties of Lacombe, Stettler and Camrose, the summer villages of Rochon Sands and White Sands and unincorporated subdivisions around the lake, as well as Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
Finalists for the award will be announced in late April. There were 102 nominations this year.