(AB) Connect and Protect – Conservation Work Day – Sept 13 2025

Event Details

While this event is primarily created for Black, Indigenous and People of Colour, if you have an ally family member or friend who you would like to join along with you and can offer carpool, please ask them to fill in the form.

Following a successful work day in July, we will be hosting one more event for this year. All attendees shared very positive feedback and we are happy to offer this experience again.

On September 13, we will be hosting a conservation activity at a tributary of Sharples Creek, meeting at Maycroft Provincial Recreation Area (https://share.google/0DkN5U0ILzxecp8Vk), about a 2-hour drive from Calgary.

Sharples Creek is a tributary of the Oldman River, and home to one of the last populations of threatened Westslope Cutthroat Trout in Alberta. This sensitive native trout species needs cold, clean, connected, and complex water to thrive, but over a century of various land uses, including grazing, forestry, and industrial exploration in the area, coupled with the gradual loss of beaver from the area, have degraded the creek. Several kilometers of the creek now run dry over the latter half of the year, and where there isn’t water, there certainly isn’t fish! To address this, Freshwater Conservation Canada is working with our partners to build over 200 beaver dam analogues in the watershed, to help the stream stay wetter and longer, and restore degraded aquatic habitats.

Registration deadline is Sept 8th.

We’re excited to be working in partnership with Freshwater Conservation Canada to bring our community outdoors and learn more about the conservation efforts of Freshwater Conservation Canada and how it helps restore and rehabilitate the watershed in Alberta.

This is an amazing opportunity to engage with Conservationists, learn about their efforts, and how to be a part of the change. If you’re interested in learning more about conservation efforts and spending a day on the field doing hands-on restorative work with the Colour the Trails community, then this event is for you!

We believe in giving back, learning, connecting, and exploring opportunities in outdoor and conservation areas. While this event entails physical work, it is important to see what effort goes into maintaining natural areas. We have done trail work in the past in BC, and it is fulfilling to see positive impact of your work.

The conservation activity will be building beaver dam analogue to restore a stream, which runs dry for much of the year due to the degradation. The man-made beaver dam will hold back water on the landscape, rewetting dry soils, and keep flow in the creek for more of the year.

This event requires some levels of physical ability, as the group will be:
– Lifting and dragging bundles of wood, 20-30 pounds;
– Arranging the wood in the dams;
– Digging and moving dirt with shovels;
– Walking on uneven ground.

Check out the video from last year to see what the work looks like.

The workday is generally 9.30am to 4pm. And the location is 2 hours away from Calgary. Plan for a little extra time for unforeseen delays.

Transportation

We will be organizing a carpool and will need folks who can drive others to join.

Cost

There is no charge for joining the event. We will ask you to share driving expenses (carpool).

Community Guidelines:

Inclusion Policy: 

At Colour the Trails, we are dedicated to fostering an environment that champions inclusivity, respect, and equality. We want to make it clear that we will not tolerate any form of anti-Blackness, anti-Indigenous attitudes, racism, homophobia, ableism or transphobia within our organization or community. We firmly stand against discrimination and prejudice, and we are committed to creating a safe and affirming space for individuals of all races, ethnicities, sexual orientations, abilities, and gender identities. Together, we strive to promote unity, understanding, and support for all trail enthusiasts, regardless of their background or identity. As a Black owned and Black led business, we recognize the greater prevalence of anti-Blackness and anti-Indigeneity and will always prioritize support and protection for Black and Indigenous communities.

Photo & Video Release Consent:

By purchasing joining the event you grant permission for Colour the Trails to use any portion of the photos or videos from this event that have been taken by Colour the Trails videographers and photographers for the purpose of sharing experiences with the community and encouraging future participation in events which can include but is not limited to, print or digital versions, social media and website . Colour the Trails will not use the photographs in a manner that would exploit or cause malicious representation toward you.

Please contact info@colourthetrails.com BEFORE the event if you do not want to be photographed or on video during an event.

Cancellation Policy

Participants are encouraged to communicate any cancellations or changes to their event attendance at the earliest convenience. This helps us manage our resources effectively and gives us the opportunity to offer the spot to other interested participants on the waitlist. We sincerely appreciate your cooperation and understanding of our cancellation policy. By adhering to these guidelines, we can continue to provide high-quality events and opportunities for all participants that is a fair and equitable system for event sign-ups.

Regular One Day Events Cancellation Policy

This policy applies to smaller one-day events. We would like to emphasize that even when the participation fee is low ($10-100) it is important to show up as last moment cancellations make us look bad as a group in front of partners that help us to create affordable events.

1. Cancellation At Least 7 Days In Advance: For cancellations made at least 7 days in advance of the scheduled event, no penalties will be incurred. Participants can request a full refund. In some cases when we pre-pay for spots with our hosts, we might need to fill in the spot in order to issue a refund.
2. Cancellation Within 7 Days: In the unfortunate event that a cancellation is requested less than 7 days before the scheduled event, or no shows the following policy will apply:

• Refund: Cancellations made less than 7 days of the event will not be eligible for a refund.
• Penalty: A three months ineligibility to attend future events. We leave a right to cancel any registration of the person under penalty in this time frame. After the three-month ineligibility period has elapsed, participants can once again sign up for future events without any restrictions.

Content Creation Statement

We ask to respect our work and not create content to promote any other brands or organizations during our events. Our team is putting a lot of energy and time into creating community spaces with little support and unrelated organizations should not benefit from our hard labour. You are encouraged to share about Colour the Trails work as it shows the welcoming and safe space we are creating and word of mouth helps our community to grow!

Please refer to our community guidelines for a full description of our policies and standards for community engagement.