Red Deer County staff took to the field last week to take a closer look at some of the areas considered environmentally significant in preparation for a detailed inventory.
A number of pre-selected sites, especially wildlife corridors and other areas of high-quality natural habitat identified in a 2009 survey, will be targeted by the county and consultants from Golder Associates, an international firm with offices around the world including Red Deer.
There are also other areas identified as environmentally significant areas 20 years ago that may have changed and consultants revisit them to ensure information is up to date, said Sam Afolayan, the county’s long range planning manager. The team will also have discussions with the landowner while they’re out there. Fourteen sites were visited in all over three days ending Friday.
Many significant areas can be easily identified by aerial photography, such as marshlands or water bodies.
“But there are some areas that are borderline,” he said. “That’s the kind of information we’re trying to make.”
After this week’s inspections, a number of one-on-one meetings will be held with landowners.
A workshop is scheduled for Nov. 20 to give landowners a chance to meet with experts, and landowners from other areas of the province who have significant areas on their property, to discuss what can be done to protect those areas. A time has not yet been set.
“That’s part of the effort to reach out to the landowners and communicate very clearly what the intention of this planning process is.”
Some residents questioned the boundaries of areas considered significant at an open house in February. Others feared that the ESA project would make it more difficult for landowners to develop their property.
“Unfortunately, that was the perception,” said Afolayan. However, the level of planning being undertaken through the plan imposes no restrictions. “It only recommends things that can be done.”
The goal is to work with landowners and offer them suggestions on how they can manage significant areas on their property, which many have already been doing well.
Afolayan said future planning efforts could have more of a direct impact on landowners. Those kinds of initiatives would not go ahead without prior notice and consultation.
pcowley@www.reddeeradvocate.com