Several hundred conservationists, nature enthusiasts, and community members gathered at the Bragg Creek Community Centre on Saturday for the inaugural Wild Fair, an event aimed at celebrating and educating about the environment and wildlife surrounding the town west of Calgary.
Event Highlights and Purpose
The Wild Fair was hosted by Bragg Creek Wild, an organization dedicated to promoting safe and sustainable coexistence between humans and wildlife. The event featured a marketplace with vendors and exhibitors, multiple workshops throughout the day, and a keynote speech by conservationist, author, and former Banff National Park superintendent Kevin Van Tighem.
Renée Delorme, president and founder of Bragg Creek Wild, explained that the goal was to bring together experts, advocates, and community members to learn from each other, further conversations, and build community. She emphasized that a key concern for many Bragg Creek residents is land use changes and development. As visitor numbers rise, more infrastructure is needed to support growth, which can encroach on the environment that both visitors and residents cherish.
Finding Balance
“It’s finding this balance, and that’s where being ‘wild smart’ comes about,” Delorme said. “(It’s) not just about not littering and keeping your garbage safe, but it’s also about land use planning in a way that makes sense for the environment, the ecosystems, and the wildlife. We really have to be mindful of unintended consequences.”
For the average person, Delorme noted, it is not about adopting extreme or radical conservation practices. “It’s all about small, everyday choices. And coexisting doesn’t mean that you’re going to lose something in the process. It’s about keeping what’s there and making it better and enjoying the nature and the wildlife that we have come to love.”
Community Engagement and Education
Alberta Wilderness Association conservation outreach specialist Sara Heerema said events like the Wild Fair help inform and involve people in protecting Alberta’s land and at-risk species. “We love coming out to things like this to meet people who are interested in the environment and maybe aren’t sure how to get involved,” she said. The event provides an opportunity to educate people about issues faced in other communities or the province as a whole. “We love telling people about why different regions are important, some of the issues that areas are facing right now, with some of those cumulative impacts in the province, (and) just talking to people who are excited about getting outside and protecting areas that they love.”
Hendrik Boesch, who runs Wildlife Coexistence Cochrane, noted that many residents come from different parts of Canada or other countries and are unaware of the wildlife that lives in and around the town. “They have no experience growing up with it, and have no idea how to avoid conflicts with them,” he said.
Interactive Demonstrations
Among the exhibits, the Elbow River Watershed Partnership demonstrated how salt, litter, oil, and other pollutants wash into Alberta’s rivers through storm drains when rain or snow falls, highlighting the importance of responsible waste management.
The Wild Fair underscored the community's commitment to preserving the natural environment while accommodating growth, fostering a spirit of cooperation and education among all attendees.
