The Caring for Our Watersheds program started in Alberta with the Battle River Watershed Alliance in 2007, modelled after a similar contest in the Kenai watershed. Initial funding for the program was provided by the Battle River Community Foundation and then Agrium, which later became Nutrien. By 2026, the contest was hosted in Canada, the United States, and Argentina, challenging students in grades 7-12 to learn about their local watershed, identify environmental concerns, and create realistic solutions.
In May 2026, we celebrated our last Caring for Our Watersheds contest with Nutrien as the primary sponsor.
Over the past 20 years, this impactful watershed-education program has engaged 5000 youth, 250 schools and teachers, and dozens of community partners from across Alberta. (Catherine Peirce, Battle River Watershed Alliance)
The Battle River Watershed Alliance has been honored to coordinate the Alberta Caring for Our Watersheds program. The contest aligned with our vision to have a watershed that sustains all life by using sound knowledge, wisdom, and wise action to preserve our watershed for future generations. It has played an important part in our efforts to build watershed literacy and support youth-led stewardship of the land and water.
Teachers also found tremendous value in the Caring for Our Watersheds program. The interdisciplinary nature of the contest encouraged students to blend knowledge and methods from multiple subjects while developing solutions to complex, real-world problems. Students presented their ideas through written proposals, while finalists further developed their communications skills by presenting their ideas in front of peers and a panel of judges.
Each year, approximately $6,000 was awarded to students, with a matching amount awarded to their schools. According to one teacher, their school uses matching funds to buy science supplies for the classroom.
With 10 finalists every year, and sometimes a few more because it was so hard to narrow it down, we have had the privilege of hearing from more than 200 student finalist teams over the life of the program.
In total, the program awarded: $120,000 in Student Awards & $120,000 in School Awards
Nutrien also provided funding to help students implement over 70 stewardship projects.
Seventeen volunteers judged the final year of the competition, including community members and partner organizations who volunteer their time to help us determine the finalists. In the final year of the contest, judges read through 191 entries from 388 students in 12 schools. From these proposals, 11 submissions received the highest scores and were invited to present as finalists at the final competition in Wetaskiwin on May 22, 2026.
Thank you to all the students who entered into the contest. Not only did they have great ideas for caring for their watersheds, but the steps they took to implement their proposals showed initiative and passion for their communities and environment. All of the projects have been exceptional. (Sarah Skinner, Battle River Watershed Alliance)
We are deeply grateful for the leadership, dedication, and long-standing support provided by Nutrien. We extend a special thank you to the behind-the-scenes Nutrien team members who helped make this contest possible, and to Cory Wald, Nutrien representative, who served as a judge at the final competition for many years.
We would also like to thank everyone who contributed to the success of this program over the years: our judges, volunteers, community partners, teachers, guardians, families, and friends who encouraged and supported participating students. Thank you as well to the Reynolds Museum for providing an excellent venue and catering for the event.
As we look ahead, we encourage teachers and students to connect with their local Watershed Planning and Advisory Councils and stewardship organizations to continue collaborating on projects that care for local watersheds.
After 20 years of supporting the Caring for Our Watersheds program, Nutrien has shared that it will conclude its funding and involvement following the 2025–2026 school year. This decision reflects a broader transition in Nutrien’s education strategy toward workforce development and industry-related education for older youth and post-secondary learners.
As a result, the 2025–2026 school year marked the final year of Alberta’s Caring for Our Watersheds program unless a new sponsor comes forward.
In 2011, Agrium (now Nutrien) was honoured to win an Emerald Award for the Caring for our Watersheds Contest! If you are not familiar with the Emerald Awards, they are the Oscars for Environmental Action in Alberta. The contest has continued to win awards across Canada and the United States!