Experience The Mountain Parks Blog

The Alberta Wilderness Association "Marketing" Strategy

"The death of a female grizzly bear that was struck by a train near the Banff townsite is once again raising concerns about how safe the iconic species is from human activity in the national park." (Calgary Herald)

The Alberta Wilderness Association has an interesting take on how to draw attention to this specific topic. The AWA launched a campaign of satirical ads, along with a new website called "No More Grizzlies" trying to attract strong attention from the public. They even developed an online game rewarding players for killing bears!!

Here's their website foreword.



Pretty strong message, isn't it?

Now let's take a look at some of the posters the AWA is using:



We would like to get you opinion on this. Is it effective? Do you think it's a good idea? Is it the best way to draw attention? What's your take on this? This campaign is definitely controversial, but is it going too far? Do you think shocking is the way to go?

In the past they used some other techniques, considered softer, certainly not as controversial. Below are some posters they produced. We found them on their website called "Save the Grizzly".




 Again, we'd like to get your opinion and your comments on this.

Incidentally, a cougar nicknamed Doug died of natural causes a few weeks back, after living happy days for a decade or so in the Bow Valley. This is a great example showing that wildlife -in this case carnivore-  and humans can co-exist in close proximity when conditions are optimal.
On a broader scale, though, the question remains whether we can live in harmony with the wildlife while keeping it wild?

In our opinion, some answers are achieved through local initiatives, such as the Bow Valley Wildsmart approach.

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We support The Friends of Kananaskis Country! You can do the same!

About The Friends of Kananaskis Country:

The Friends of Kananaskis Country Cooperating Association was incorporated as a not-for-profit and registered charity in 1996. Working in partnership with Alberta Tourism, Parks, Recreation and Culture, we are interested citizens cooperating for the benefit of Kananaskis Country and its visitors.

The Friends of Kananaskis Country is a member of a community of caring that values and protects the natural and cultural landscape.

Their mission is to enhance, protect and share the unique natural and cultural experiences of kananaskis Country through a community of caring and public participation.

This not for profit organization is governed by a volunteer board of directors with a diversity of backgrounds and skills. All have a passion for Kananaskis Country. They ensure that every one of their programs and projects center around the concepts of: Education, Participation, and Protection.

Each year The Friends of Kananaskis Country produces a poster set featuring one animal and a complementary scenery photograph.

Below are the 2010 posters. They are 24 by 18 inches large (or 18 by 24 inches). Hurry, it's a very limited edition! 

Frightened fawn | Photo by Robert Berdan

North end of Mount Rae from Little Highwood Pass Area | Photo by Heinrich Lohmann

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2010 Trip Advisor | 10 Best Outdoor & Adventure Worldwide Destinations Announced

Banff & Whistler make it in the top 10, in the world, respectively #4 and #5!

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Save Money, (Re)discover Alberta & British Columbia

More than half of Canadians say they can’t afford a summer vacation this year and those who can take time off are planning to stay close to home, according to a new survey released May 4. The study, commissioned by Frito Lay Canada and reported on in Canoe.ca’s ‘Money’ news website, found more than 50 per cent of respondents believe they don’t have the money to get away and 75 per cent say they either won’t take any vacation time this summer at all, will stay near home, or will vacation within their own province. A TD Canada Trust spokesperson said the poll suggests that Canadians are worried about putting money aside for a vacation, but setting a budget and savings goals and trimming expenses can help, even starting as little as eight weeks before a summer holiday or day trip. For the study, Lay’s teamed up with the Canadian Tourism Commission ahead of its “Lay’s Chip Trips” campaign which will offer discounts on hotels, car rentals, amusement parks and more.

• Specifics to trips in Alberta here.
• Specifics to trips in British Columbia here.

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The Power of Photography, or how it connects us to our world

The photo director for National Geographic, David Griffin knows the power of photography to connect us to our world. In a talk filled with glorious images, he talks about how we all use photos to tell our stories.

DavidGriffin_2008_480.mp4

Speaking of the power of photos, did you enter your submission(s) to our 2010 Experience The Mountain Parks Photos Contest? Get a closer look here, see the great prizes awaiting! There are opportunities you don't want to miss. The list of the 2010 prizes isn't finalized yet, but we can tell you the 2009 winner went away with quite a deal! Expect some similar prizes this year.

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