Western Sky Land Trust

09/28/2026

What does it look like to make room for both people and wildlife?

At Gray Park Natural Area in the Town of Diamond Valley, beavers had blocked culverts with mud and sticks, causing water to back up and wash out sections of the pathway.

Rather than removing the beavers, Western Sky worked with You Betula Environmental Inc. and project partners on a different solution.

Kirby “The Beaver Guy” England and his team installed and upgraded a beaver coexistence system that helps manage pond water levels while allowing the beavers to keep maintaining their dam.

It’s a practical example of coexistence in action: protecting park infrastructure while making room for beavers, people, and other wildlife.

Watch the timelapse to see the work in action.

09/17/2026

We’re excited to officially launch the Western Sky Pickleball Tournament on Saturday, November 21 at Mega Courts in Calgary. 🏓

This is a fun, community-focused fundraiser for Western Sky Land Trust, and everyone is welcome. We’ll have two divisions, Open Range and High Country, so players of different skill levels can take part and have a great day.

Western Sky works with landowners, communities, volunteers, and partners across southern Alberta to care for the lands and waters that support everyday life. That includes working lands, rivers, grasslands, wetlands, wildlife habitat, and the places people are connected to through family, livelihood, and community.

There are lots of ways to get involved:

• Register to play
• Volunteer at the event
• Support as a sponsor or community partner
• Share the event with someone who might want to join us

Register here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ticketing/2026-western-sky-pickleball-tournament

09/13/2026

A story from the land.

Audrey and Cliff Egger, have a deep connection to the land they cared for together.

Their story is rooted in family, ranching, native pasture, wildlife, and a hope that this place will continue to be cared for well into the future.

Through a conservation easement with Western Sky Land Trust, the Egger family has helped ensure this foothills rangeland will remain intact for generations to come.

Stories like this remind us that caring for land is built on relationships, trust, and love for place.

Read the full story on our website:

https://www.westernskylandtrust.ca/blakeegger.html

09/03/2026

What a lovely way to experience Gray Park Natural Area in the Fall.

This Art in the Park program invites participants to slow down, explore the shapes and patterns found in nature, and create a mandala inspired by the surrounding landscape.

We’re grateful to partner with The Path Less Taken on opportunities that help people connect with Gray Park in creative and meaningful ways.

Registration details are included in the original post.

Art in the Park: Nature in the Round
Explore the circles found throughout nature on an interpretive walk. Use what you discover as inspiration to create your own mandala.

Look around the natural world around you. What shapes do you notice? Circles appear throughout nature because they are one of the most balanced and efficient shapes that can exist.
Take a walk through the woods at Gray Park Natural Area and discover this well-rounded shape in the landscape around you.
To celebrate the circle, participants will take part in a short interpretive walk before creating their own nature mandala, using inspiration and colourful fall materials gathered from the surrounding landscape.

Event Details
Meet your facilitator at the Gray Park South Entrance at 4:30 p.m. Together, we'll enjoy a short interpretive walk. Then it will be time to create your nature mandala. Make sure to bring a camera to capture your creative work! The program will wrap-up at 5:30.

This event is brought to you in partnership between The Path Less Taken, Western Sky Land Trust and Gray Park Natural Area

Register Here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1999384528948?aff=oddtdtcreator

08/30/2026

We’re sharing more of Western Sky’s story.

Over the past few months, we’ve been updating our website and taking a closer look at how we share our work.

Our purpose has not changed. We are still here to work with landowners, communities, supporters, volunteers, and partners around the lands and waters that support everyday life.

Some people have been close to this work for years. Others are just beginning to learn what a land trust does. We want to bring everyone along.

As we share more regularly, our goal is to offer clear stories, simple explanations, and a stronger sense of how land, water, wildlife, working lands, and community connect.

We’d love for you to visit the updated website and let us know what you think.

www.westernskylandtrust.ca

08/21/2026

The water from your tap starts somewhere.

Before it becomes your morning coffee, your water bottle, or the water you use to brush your teeth, it begins much farther upstream.

It begins in the landscapes around us.

Rivers, streams, wetlands, forests, and grasslands all play a role in supporting cleaner, healthier water systems.

That is one reason protecting land matters.

It is not only about preserving beautiful places. It is about caring for the natural systems that quietly support everyday life.

08/14/2026

Looking for a simple way to spend time outside in Diamond Valley?

Gray Park Natural Area offers a place to walk, slow down, and discover the wetlands, grasslands, forests, and wildlife habitat found along the Sheep River watershed.

Visiting with children, family, or friends? Download Gray Park Bingo and see what you can find, from local plants and birds to the Sheep River and signs of beaver activity.

As you explore, please remain on designated trails and respect signs protecting sensitive habitat. These boundaries allow people to enjoy the park while giving wildlife and delicate areas the space they need.

Gray Park is protected for present and future generations through Gordon Gray’s generous donation and the shared efforts of Western Sky Land Trust and the Town of Diamond Valley.

Learn more and download the complete bingo card:

https://www.westernskylandtrust.ca/gray-park-natural-area.html

Have you visited Gray Park? Share something you noticed during your walk.

08/06/2026

How much do the landscapes around us shape everyday life?

More than we might realize.

Across southern Alberta, these places are connected to the water we drink, food grown nearby, wildlife, local livelihoods, and places to explore. Many are also working lands and family homes.

Western Sky Land Trust is a Calgary-based registered charity. We work with willing landowners to make voluntary, lasting plans for the places they care about. Every relationship begins with listening.

If this is your first introduction to Western Sky, welcome. Follow along as we share the people, places, and choices shaping what comes next.

07/31/2026

Take a mindful break in Gray Park Natural Area this August. 🌿

Join a unique outdoor experience where art and nature come together.

Guided by The Path Less Taken, you'll explore Gray Park, learn about the remarkable aspen tree, and create your own Zentangle-inspired artwork in a peaceful outdoor setting. No artistic experience is required.

Whether you're looking to slow down, try something new, or simply spend time outdoors, we'd love to welcome you.

📅 Thursday, August 13 from 4:30 - 6:00 PM
📍 Gray Park Natural Area, Diamond Valley
🎟️ Register here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/art-in-the-park-zentangling-in-the-trees-tickets-1996126640516?aff=oddtdtcreator

07/11/2026

The Honourable Nathalie Provost, Secretary of State (Nature), sporting her Western Sky Land Trust cap while touring through Rocky View County!