The Red Deer River Watershed Alliance will launch its Watershed Ambassador Program later this week.
The RDRWA will release the new program at an ambassador breakfast on Sept. 16 in Red Deer.
Through the program the organization hopes to raise the profile of the watershed, its stewardship groups, stewards, and all those practicing related Beneficial Watershed Management Practices.
Gerard Aldridge, executive director of the RDRWA said they hope the Watershed Ambassador Program will provide the Red Deer River Watershed community with a renewed sense of pride for all their accomplishments. He added there are many grassroots Watershed Stewardship Groups (WSGs) who operate in the watershed region.
“The program will be our way of saying hats off to them and to our Watershed Ambassadors – people who proudly promote improvements in our watershed’s management.”
Aldridge said the RDRWA took requests from the region’s Watershed Stewardship Groups for further support and recognition of their efforts. In response, RDRWA took a successful concept from the economic development arena, the ambassador program, and adapted it to actively recognize and promote efforts toward improving watershed management.
Any person in the watershed community may be nominated by any citizen to become a Watershed Ambassador.
“It will not be restricted solely to RDRWA or WSG volunteers working in watershed programs. We want to recognize the contribution being made on watershed stewardship and ensure the general public understands its true value.”
The RDRWA intends the Watershed Ambassador Program to help take watershed planning out of the boardroom and out into the watershed.
“Watershed management benefits everyone – it’s everyone’s business,” said Aldridge.
As well as conferring ambassadors, the RDRWA will highlight watershed management issues of interest each month through breakfast speakers.
Getting underway at 7:30 a.m., the RDRWA Watershed Ambassador Breakfast will be held at the Quality Inn North Hill, 7150 50 Ave. The breakfast is $12 per person.
More information on the RDRWA Watershed Ambassadorship Program, including the nomination process, is available at www.rdrwa.ca. Those interested can also get more information by emailing ambassador@rdrwa.ca, or calling 403-340-7379.
– Fawcett
