OTIS Awards

Business: Dan and Harriet Liddle – Nature with Agriculture

Dan and Harriet run their farm with stewardship top of mind. They are ALUS participants, and Dan is part of ALUS Wetaskiwin-Leduc’s Partnership Advisory Committee (PAC). Wetlands have been protected, native grass planted with future education opportunities in mind, and a dugout constructed to water cattle and provide habitat.

Dan is a valued member of the ALUS Wetaskiwin-Leduc PAC, and actively encourages farmers in his area to become new ALUS participants. In 2021, Dan encouraged a project that maintained a grass waterway through the cooperation of the landowner and new renter. Dan and Harriet operate their farm with the understanding that nature and agriculture are not mutually exclusive but work best when considered together.

Organization: Wainwright Wildlife Society – Valuing Wild Spaces

The Wainwright Wildlife Society began in 1987, a group of volunteers from Wainwright and surrounding communities.  Their mandate is to help everyone understand that wildlife and wild places are of great benefit and should be a part of everyone’s value system.

Society volunteers use a local woodworking shop to construct blue bird house kits that are sold to the public, and given to local youth clubs and schools to assemble and place in the country. Bird feeders are constructed and sold in support of the Great Backyard Bird Count. The Society hosts guest speakers and presentations for the community and local schools, including wildlife photography and identification, and on the geological history of the Battle River Valley. The Society encourages the public to participate in local owl surveys, and the nationwide Christmas Bird Count.

Wainwright Wildlife Society volunteer guides take school groups from Irma, Wainwright, Hughenden, as well as birders and photographers from across Canada, to witness the amazing Sharp-tail Grouse spring dancing every year! They partnered with the Association for Life-wide Living, and hosted three public Grouse Symposiums entitled “Project Bring Back the Grouse”, featuring grouse specialists and status updates on grouse in the Battle River watershed. The Society also developed Sharp-tail and Ruffed Grouse information cards to recruit help from oilfield workers to locate and report bird numbers in the Battle River area.

The Society established and maintains 14 km of recreation trails NE of Wainwright along the Battle River called the Mistahiya Trail system. These trails for hiking, cross country skiing, snowshoeing and biking help immerse users in the importance of wild places.

Youth: Round Hill Renaissance Agricultural Foundation – Growing Rural Education

In 2020, the Round Hill Renaissance Agriculture Foundation was formed. They took a parcel of undevelopable land, and turned it into a food forest. The space features a huge community garden, and a shelterbelt with over 300 trees, including fruit trees and shrubs. The space is being developed with permaculture principles, to use natural water capture, and multi layer growing featuring all edible plants. The space also celebrates and features indigenous traditions of edible plants for food and healing, and honouring the land and what it can provide for the community.

The project enabled the local school to remain open, as they are committed to a strong focus on agriculture in the curriculum. The food forest space also features an outdoor classroom, raised beds for students. The community has worked together to plant, grow, and harvest a 7000 ft² garden.

In the short time since the project began, there has been an increase in enrollment at the school, and an interest from families that would like to move to the area. They have helped to create a healthy community through building a safe, secure and local food supply.