Building on the success of our 2023 Open House and Forum, the Beaver Hills Biosphere is excited to announce we are hosting a bigger and better three-part event on March 11 - 13, 2025, consisting of an Open House (March 11), Forum (March 12) and Youth Summit (March 13). The theme of this series of events is Stories From the Land.
All three days of Stories From the Land will be a great opportunity to learn, connect and network with others who are interested in and passionate about all the Beaver Hills Biosphere has to offer.
Scroll down to each day for more information and registration links.
Location
The event will take place in the Agora Room at the Strathcona County Community Centre in Sherwood Park.
Parking
Here are the parking options for the venue.
Public Transit
For those using public transit, the venue can be reached via bus routes 443 or 450. Please check the local transit schedule for exact timings and stops to ensure a smooth journey to the event.
We're still refining and confirming some event details, working hard to bring you top-notch agendas and speakers. So, keep checking back - we'll update this page when more is available.
Executive Director, Beaver Hills Biosphere
For more than 30 years, Brian has been bringing people together to work on common priorities for achieving sustainability on the landscape. Working throughout the diverse landscapes of Alberta, Brian has partnered with individuals, organizations and all levels of government to design and implement conservation and stewardship programs that benefit landowners, land managers and biodiversity. Brian has served as the Executive Director of the Beaver Hills Biosphere since 2019.
Keynote Speaker
Bruce Cutknife is a member of the Samson Cree Nation in Maskwacis, Alberta. He has worked on numerous projects related to Cree language, culture and history. Most recently, Bruce received the Lois Aspenes Award from Augustana University and the Pioneer of the Year Award from Wetaskiwin & District Heritage Museum.
President, Beaver Hills Watershed Stewardship Society
Ken developed a long appreciation for the outdoors through years of living and working in diverse ecosystems in Northern Ontario, the Northwest Territories and Alberta’s Rocky Mountains. After arriving in the Beaver Hills, Ken began noticing the adverse changes taking place in this region, so has become a strong advocate and student of this unique ecoregion. He has participated in several citizen-science initiatives and, in 2023, helped found the Beaver Hills Watershed Stewardship Society (BHWSS), becoming the organization's first board president.
Parks Canada
Annelise and Marissa are both Resource Management Officers at Elk Island National Park (EINP) and have worked for the Parks Canada Agency for nine and six years, respectively. They have been involved in a variety of ecological monitoring and active management projects in the Park, from bison handling for conservation translocations to contributing to prescribed fires and vegetation monitoring. Annelise and Marissa take lead roles in the invasive plant management work at EINP, including the mapping and control of terrestrial invasive plant species, organizing the associated volunteer programs, and contributing to the wider invasive plant management community.
Consultation and Lands Manager, Montana First Nation
Kyra Northwest is a proud member of the Montana First Nation (Akamihk), one of the four Maskwacîs Cree Nations located within Treaty Six Territory in what is now Alberta, Canada. Currently, she serves as the Consultation and Lands Manager for her Nation. Her role centers on the crucial responsibility of ensuring the protection of Treaty and Aboriginal Rights while championing the right to free, prior, and informed consent.
Kyra is actively involved in various initiatives, including her role as a Committee Member on the Line 3 Indigenous Advisory and Monitoring Committee, where she has contributed since its inception. Additionally, she sits on the Socio-Economic Sub-Committee of the TMX Indigenous Advisory and Monitoring Committee. The IAMCs provide collaborative, inclusive and meaningful Indigenous involvement in the review and monitoring of the environmental, safety and socioeconomic issues over both projects’ lifecycles.
As a founding member of the International Buffalo Relations Institute, Kyra is dedicated to promoting the implementation of the Buffalo Treaty and supporting Indigenous Nations in rematriating buffalo to their lands, revitalizing important cultural and ecological connections. The Institute takes a holistic eco-cultural approach to achieving this goal through initiatives in education, conservation, culture, economic, health, and research.
In her free time, she enjoys playing sports, particularly hockey and slo-pitch. Kyra also loves to travel and attend concerts.
Beaver Hills Resident, Volunteer and Citizen Scientist
Alyssa has participated in the Biosphere’s Rural Residential Stewardship program and in 2024, received funding to implement a stewardship project on her acreage in the Beaver Hills using Green Acreages resources tailored to the region. As a landowner in Beaver County, in the neighbourhood she grew up in, Alyssa drew from her education in Conservation Biology and her participation in wildlife conservation groups to utilize the grant to enhance wildlife habitat in a unique way and construct a hibernaculum for the native plains garter snake.
Alyssa studied wildlife and fisheries conservation at Lakeland College and conservation biology at the University of Alberta. She volunteers with various wildlife conservation groups and partakes in numerous citizen science projects. She is passionate about wildlife and community engagement, and has a particular interest in reptiles and amphibians.
A variety of our partners, stakeholders, ENGOs, community groups, academic institutions and learning organizations will be participating in our trade show to highlight their activities and programs. We are grateful for their support and invite you to stop by and chat with them during the event. Please note, not all exhibitors will be in attendance on all days.