Strathmore Communities in Bloom, their partners from Ducks Unlimited Canada, local dignitaries, and members of Strathmore town council came together at Gray’s Park on Tuesday afternoon to unveil new signage in the park that aims to educate the public on the history, ecology and work completed on the local wetland.

Derek Hallgrimson, Conservation Programs Lead for Southern Alberta with Ducks Unlimited, said he thought the public unveiling was great.

“I think we do lots of work on the landscape, but a lot of people in the urban communities don't exactly know what we're doing. I think it's great just to see the importance of the wetlands and why we do the conservation work that we do,” he said.

He explained what Duck’s Unlimited does in Alberta.

“Primarily what we do is wetland restorations on the landscape. We work with producers like grain farmers or cattle ranchers, and we restore wetlands on the landscape. We also do conservation easements, which protects the land forever, the uplands and the wetlands,” he explained.

Hallgrimson believes education is key, and said it’s important to educate the public on the significance of wetlands and the different species that utilize them.

“Not a lot of people understand that there is a vast amount of bird species and other species that utilize the wetlands, so I think it’s great for educational purposes,” he said.

Rob Pirie, Chair of Strathmore Communities in Bloom spoke about the work completed with the town’s sustainability committee, Ducks Unlimited and Communities in Bloom.

“From our perspective, of course, education is very important, but it's (the wetland) also part of Strathmore's heritage,” he explained. He noted that the large wetland is a place where the town was judged during the Communities in Bloom contest as well.

“We always look for partners, so Duck’s Unlimited was a natural partner because they give credibility to the information about wetlands. That's why we went to them,” he said.

The first area of signage is located near the Tom Sadler bridge on Thomas Drive and the second set of signage is located about a five minute walk further down the pathway overlooking the wetland. Visitors are also able to scan a QR code on the signs for more interactive information.

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