Lorne Fitch takes us on a tour through the natural regions of Alberta. Mountains are water towers that capture snow that feeds Alberta's cities with their drinking water. The montane is the core for Alberta's grazing (ranching) tradition. The foothills is both rangeland and forest and is the rain barrel for Alberta. The grassland is both drought and fatland (depending on rainfall). Alberta is a water provider to other provinces. The parkland is a natural savanah of grassland, wetlands and wooded islands. The boreal is the forest mixed woods, aspen, conifer and the breeding grounds for tropical birds. Lorne Fitch inventories the assets of Alberta and the challenges of managing for a quality environment for the future.
Lorne Fitch is the provincial riparian specialist with Cows and Fish, the Alberta Riparian Habitat Management Society, Lethbridge, Alberta. His presentation was part of the CWRA/WPAC Joint Conference, Red Deer, Alberta, March 13-14, 2013.
