Beavers in the Boreal – Adventure for Wilderness, August 29, 2026

September 1, 2026

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• Adventures for Wilderness
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Text and photos by Lindsey Wallis

Friends of Alberta Wilderness Association got a sneak peek at Edmonton Area Land Trust’s newest conservation area sîsîpakotaskîwâw on August 29. The name was given to the property by elders who visited the site and roughly translates to “place where the ducks nest”. Northwest of Wabamun, the area is a transition zone between boreal forest and aspen parkland, with a number of tiered beaver ponds running through the property. To fully appreciate the pond, we had Kirby “the beaver guy” England along to fill the day with fascinating beaver facts.

Though we didn’t see any beavers (they tend to be most active at dawn and dusk), we saw plenty of beaver sign and admired their giant beaver lodge in the middle of the first pond. Kayleen Falkenstein, from EALT, gave us some great insight into the work they are doing to conserve private land in Alberta. We had a great discussion about conservation easements, how they are used and current issues with some of the changes the government has made to the program.

And the trip wasn’t just beavers! We also found a moose skeleton, lots of interesting plants and fungi, and a wood frog. This property is another important addition to the patchwork of protected areas throughout the province and it was a special treat to get the first public look at it.