To better understand the health of Calgary’s wetlands, Miistakis Institute, Enbridge, Parks Foundation Calgary, Alberta Conservation Association and the Calgary Zoo have developed “Call of the Wetland”, a citizen science program that enables the public to monitor amphibians as an important indicator of wetland health. There are 6 amphibian species in the surrounding rural landscape; three are listed as species at risk. Currently very little is known about amphibians in the City of Calgary.
Call of the Wetland aims to engage Calgarians in understanding the health of wetlands through monitoring of amphibians and enabling a connection to nature in the City. The long term outcome of Call of the Wetland is to better understand the health of wetlands within the City of Calgary and to build a community of knowledgeable citizens to champion wetland protection and restoration.
Wetlands represent natural infrastructure that plays a significant role in contributing to the rain cycle, filter sediments and pollutants, and lessening the impacts of floods and drought. Despite their value, wetlands continue to be degraded and disappear due to habitat loss, fragmentation, pollution and climate change. In Calgary, 90% of pre-settlement wetlands have been lost. Wetland losses significantly impact biodiversity and ecosystem services important to human well-being. Action is needed by all stakeholders to maintain and restore wetlands in and around the City of Calgary.
The Parks Foundation Calgary is developing the Rotary/Mattamy Greenway Project (Greenway Project), a 138 km network of parks and pathways, encircling the City of Calgary. Along the pathway users will find unique amenities such as off-leash dog parks, family fitness parks, educational wetland interpretive areas, and unique play structures. As a sponsor of the Greenway Project, Enbridge’s amenity is the development of Call of the Wetland, a citizen science program that enables citizens to participate in environmental monitoring along the pathway system.
Data collected by volunteer citizen scientists will be used to determine presence or absence of amphibian species in Calgary wetlands. The results of this data will help inform decisions regarding urban developments and urban environments and will be shared with the City of Calgary and Alberta Environment and Parks. The results will be available to the public through an online report on the results section of the website.
Call of the Wetland is partnership project including Miistakis Institute, Enbridge, Parks Foundation Calgary, Calgary Zoo, City of Calgary, and Alberta Conservation Association.
The program has received generous supported from Enbridge, The Calgary Foundation and TD Friends of the Environment.
We would like to acknowledge Mount Royal University’s, Dr. Dorothy Hill’s and Dr. Melanie Rathburns Biology 3108 Conservation Biology course for their input on website content and review of survey methodology. In addition, the Institute for Environmental Sustainability at Mount Royal University generously supported a summer intern to help manage the acoustic monitoring component of the program. STAR EcoWorks also contributed valuable time toward development of a solar system to operate two of our Acoustic Monitors.