Bragg Creek Wild – A Year in Review
It’s amazing how taking a moment to pause and look back can fill us with a renewed sense of purpose. Yes, there are always 101 things left to do, and progress can feel slow on some fronts. But Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is a community where people and wildlife truly coexist. This past year brought momentum, challenges, and quiet progress behind the scenes. Here’s a glimpse of what Bragg Creek Wild has been up to. If you feel inspired to join us, we’d love to hear from you.
Late last fall, we were invited to submit a five-year plan for funding through the BearSmart program. We are still awaiting a response from Alberta Forestry and Parks (as are the other BearSmart committees in the province). Meanwhile, the recent heartbreaking incident resulting in the killing of a mama bear, leaving three orphaned cubs and one hunter at the hospital, highlights the importance of this program and that of the Alberta Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan. We remain hopeful that support for this effective program will soon be renewed.
One of the brightest moments of the year came on March 14, when Brian Keating filled the Bragg Creek Community Centre gym with his trademark enthusiasm. Through stories brimming with humour and wonder, he reminded us how lucky we are to share this landscape with such extraordinary wildlife.
Shortly after the event, we launched a community survey to understand residents’ needs and their awareness of garbage handling challenges at home, in public areas, and across commercial spaces. Around the same time, Rocky View County conducted its own survey. Both efforts received more than 600 responses and revealed a shared set of concerns: the need for better education, the installation of bear-proof bins in the commercial core, and the provision of subsidized bear-proof bins for residents.
A series of follow-up meetings with County staff and Council produced concrete commitments and a clear communication plan. We are encouraged by this momentum and look forward to seeing these initiatives put into action in our community soon.
In May, the BCW board dedicated two full days to governance training and strategic planning. These sessions were energizing and helped us sharpen our focus for the next five years and improve aspects of our operations. Among our top priorities: regenerative land-use practices and helping residents and visitors become truly “wild smart.”
Meanwhile, our online presence is getting a full refresh. Our redesigned website will be more intuitive, more informative, and a true “hub” for anyone seeking guidance on living safely with wildlife. We expected to launch our new website in January.
Education remains at the heart of everything we do, from monthly articles in the High Country News and quarterly newsletters to active social media outreach and rotating messages on our road signs. Bragg Creek Days brought extra joy, as kids and adults alike learned how to use bear spray and followed our “moving bear on a track,” an idea sparked by an Alberta BearSmart workshop we attended this spring.
Bragg Creek Wild is 100% volunteer- powered. Our community is rich with skilled, knowledgeable people who care deeply about our environment, understand our connection to wildlife, and believe in protecting and restoring our wild spaces. To everyone who lends a hand, whether for an hour or a whole project, THANK YOU!
For more information visit www.braggcreekwild.ca
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