Participate
Become a Citizen Scientist
Become a Citizen Scientist
Citizen Science is research conducted with the help of volunteers. Often a researcher or organization looking to answer a scientific question will need help, whether it’s counting critters to guide conservation action and assess population health, reporting invasive species, documenting biodiversity or more!
Local Initiatives
The Tawatinaw Watershed Working Group now has a WATER RANGERS PAGE! If you’d like to learn more about the group and how you can be involved in contributing to water quality monitoring along the Tawatinaw River, check out our Tawatinaw Watershed Working Group Page.
The Alberta Volunteer Amphibian Monitoring Program is an Alberta-wide initiative established in 1992 as a long-term community survey of amphibians. Volunteers with this program submit amphibian observations and their locations, as well as incidental reptile observations.
Living Lakes Canada hosts an annual Lake Blitz where volunteers across Canada help create a ‘snapshot’ of lake health by collecting temperature readings at their chosen lake and shoreline photos of their location and the colour of the water. Keep an eye out on their website for when Lake Blitz 2024 opens!
International Citizen Science Initiatives
If you’re a birder, you can catalogue all the birds you heard or saw after entering where, when and how you went birding. eBird observations can help inform conservation decisions and research!
This citizen science initiative is designed to collect information on reptiles and amphibians around the world.
On iNaturalist, you can report observations of any organisms: plants, animals, bugs, and any other critters! Findings get shared with scientific data repositories.
Be a Good Steward
What is stewardship?
Stewardship can be defined as managing, supervising, or taking care of our resources. As a value, it embodies responsible planning and management.
How can I engage in stewardship?
- Consider reaching out to, or creating a local stewardship group. There are over 140 STEWARDSHIP GROUPS across the province. The Athabasca watershed has a number of active stewardship groups including:
- BAILS
- LEPA
- HEALTHY WATERS LLB
- FRIENDS OF JASPER NATIONAL PARK
- Airsheds (WCAS, WBEA)
- If you’re a landowner, employ best management practices! Keep up to date on local regulations and guidelines for land and water management.
Beneficial Management Practices
- For RIPARIAN AREAS
Resources for Stewardship Groups
Athabasca Watershed Council
5101 50 Avenue, PO Box 1058,
Athabasca, AB