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Economic Development and water availability are two major priorities of Southern Albertan districts. How is economic development in these areas being impacted by factors like fully allocated basins and potential drought? Learn more about the findings from this recently published ALI funded study with Lorraine Nicol. Read the study below: Closing a river basin to water allocations: Is economic development affected? https://www.witpress.com/elibrary/wit-transactions-on-ecology-and-the-environment/267/38791

In Alberta, boreal forests cover 60% of our land base. Understanding the composition of these forests will help us understand how much carbon our forests could store. For more information check out these resources: Mapping tree demographic rates and biomass of Alberta’s boreal forest https://shorturl.at/NVOTX How many trees are there in the North American boreal forest? https://nsojournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ecog.07677

Conservation easements have a long history as an effective conservation tool for private landowners. Find out about the history of conservation easements in Canada and why landowners might choose to restrict their property rights in favour of conservation. For more information check out these resources: Provincial diffusion, national acceptance: the transfer of conservation easement policy in Canada https://www.facetsjournal.com/doi/full/10.1139/facets-2024-0016 Forrest Hisey https://scholarscommons.fgcu.edu/esploro/profile/forrest_hisey The implementation of market based conservation tools under ALSA: A review https://tinyurl.com/marketbasedconserv

The responsible management of stormwater is essential to protecting our waterways, but it may also present an opportunity to supplement water supply. For more information check out these resources: WaterSMART | A Hazen Company https://watersmartsolutions.ca/ Canada WaterPortal https://waterportal.ca/ Alberta Low Impact Development Partnership https://alidp.org/

Suburban areas have large amounts of green space and concrete that contribute to urban heat island effects. Find out the benefits of transforming these spaces into ecosystems for native pollinators! Join Oscar Zapata and Ana Hidalgo to learn about ecosystem services from native pollinator gardens! For more information check out these resources: Transforming suburban areas: A marketplace for urban ecosystem services https://tinyurl.com/nativpollgardens Pollinator plants catalogue - Native species in the Prairies: https://research-groups.usask.ca/urban-ecoservices/documents/pollinators-catalogue.pdf

Ecosystems provide numerous benefits to the health and wellbeing of our communities and the planet. How do perceptions of ecosystems and their benefits influence urban development? For more information check out these resources: The influence of ecosystem service values on green infrastructure and urban development: insights from 5 Canadian municipalities https://tinyurl.com/ecosysvalues The application of property rights in ecosystem service markets: https://tinyurl.com/ecosysproprights

Forest fires, drought and flooding are among the many climate impacts experienced by communities all across Alberta. Local planners face the constant challenge of creating effective adaptation strategies, but when should communities consider relocation and how do we plan for it? For more information check out these resources: Local planning for climate induced relocation: A systematic review https://tinyurl.com/reloctnali Understanding risk communication in Alberta’s municipalities: https://tinyurl.com/riskcomali

If you have owned or stayed at a cabin or lake house anywhere in the province, chances are you’ve visited one of Alberta most unique municipalities, the summer village. Due to their small and impermanent populations, these communities face unique land use and planning challenges. Join professional planner, Craig Thomas, to learn more about planning challenges in summer villages. For more information check out these resources: Rights intrusion and land use planning inequalities in Alberta’s summer villages: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02697459.2024.2358280 Municipal Boundary Battles: https://www.ualberta.ca/en/alberta-land-institute/research/municipal-annexations-in-alberta-good-bad-or-inevitable.html

Studies have revealed that soil and all of the complex systems that exist within the soil are being altered by our changing climate. This, in turn, is affecting our ability to grow crops and provide food security for our growing populations. Join the Alberta Land Institute for the first ever live episode of the Land Use Podcast where postdoctoral researcher, Yuge Bai, will discuss how biochar may be able to improve soil health in Alberta under future climate conditions. For more information check out these resources: Soil Health: Policy, Science, and Law in Action: https://www.ualberta.ca/en/alberta-land-institute/research/soil-health-policy-science-and-law-in-action.html Climate Change and Soil Dynamics: Effects on Soil Microbes and Fertility of Soil: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780128164839000037 Evaluation of the Use of Sewage Sludge Biochar as a Soil Amendment—A Review: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/9/5309

Edmonton’s iconic river valley is home to multiple golf courses, but are these exclusive green spaces the best use of this land? How do golf courses intersect with biodiversity preservation and water conservation? Learn about golf courses as land use in Edmonton with the University of Alberta’s Arshdeep Kaur and Damian Collins. For more information check out these resources: Golf as Land Use: The Case of Edmonton, Alberta https://era.library.ualberta.ca/items/e22a6925-51b2-46b3-9d12-944b58f7b58f Opinion: Golf courses aren't a fair way to use Edmonton's river valley https://edmontonjournal.com/opinion/columnists/opinion-golf-courses-arent-a-fair-way-to-use-edmontons-river-valley

Carbon capture and storage is an effective tool in the global effort to mitigate climate change, but many feel this technology is controversial. How does the public feel about cross-border transport and storage of carbon? Cross-border CO2 transport decreases public acceptance of carbon capture and storage https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-024-02023-0 NORSAR Ensure- Effective monitoring of long-term site stability for transparent carbon capture and storage hazard assessment. https://ensure.norsar.no/

Across Canada there are 400 thousand abandoned oil and gas wells with over 172 thousand of those in Alberta. With Provincial campaigns yielding underwhelming results, and the high cost of remediation, it’s worth considering other uses for these wells. Join Mohammad Zolfagharroshan from McGill University to discuss the geothermal energy potential from abandoned oil and gas wells in Alberta on the latest episode of the Land Use Podcast. For more information check out these resources: Assessment of geothermal energy potential from abandoned oil and gas wells in Alberta, Canada https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306261924014867 Oil and gas liabilities management (Government of Alberta) https://www.alberta.ca/oil-and-gas-liabilities-management

Municipal boundary adjustments like amalgamation and annexation can have a significant impact on municipalities. So why do these boundary adjustments happen? Join Sandeep Agrawal to discuss the recently released book “Municipal Boundary Battles” and learn about the motivations behind boundary adjustments and how municipalities are affected. For more information check out these resources: Municipal Boundary Battles https://ualbertapress.ca/9781772127454/municipal-boundary-battles/ Land annexation in Alberta: what you need to know https://www.ualberta.ca/en/science/news/2018/november/annexation-in-alberta.html

Urban farms have a number of environmental benefits and have often been discussed as solutions to food security issues, but there is another, less discussed benefit: community building! Find out more from the latest episode of the Land Use Podcast.

With a 2050 net-zero goal on the horizon, Alberta is going to have to turn to renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power. But how do landowners feel about the development of wind power? Are these perspectives connected to political affiliation? Learn more from our latest podcast episode with John Parkins. For more information check out these resources: Unraveling the link between political polarization and wind energy perspectives: Insights from a survey of agricultural landowners in Alberta, Canada: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0958305X231199150 Assessing motivations and barriers to renewable energy development: Insights from a survey of municipal decision-makers in Alberta, Canada: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352484723007680 Renewable energy developments in Alberta to face strict new rules: https://www.cbc.ca/news/can