Viking is one of 24 critical landscapes in Alberta. It is of national ecological significance due to its unique habitat and diversity of plant and animal species.
 

Viking Landscape

The Viking Priority Area is a 981,219 acre landscape located southeast of Edmonton with Viking being the largest town and the most centrally located in the region. This area straddles two major watersheds: Vermillion River and Battle River. There are two well-defined habitat types in this landscape, the Viking Moraine Pothole Complex (knoll and kettle) and the Torlea Flats/Daysland plain area.

Until recently, much of this land was native grassland but now much of it has been converted into cropland and pasture for mixed farming operations. DUC has been conducting wetland programs in this area since the 1940s but increased its activity as native grassland began to be drained and plowed. DUC has made 71 purchases of property and completed 31 wetland projects in this landscape. DUC hopes to secure more land through conservation easement agreements in order to restore uplands and drained wetlands, and to encourage producers to plant winter wheat.

DUC has designated Viking as a critical landscape in need of immediate conservation action. DUC’s objectives are to conserve and restore over 2,000 wetland basins and about 24,000 acres of upland habitat, work that will cost an estimated $3 million over five years. DUC is turning to local partners, land owners, government and private donors to partner with them on this conservation initiative.

Download Alberta’s Viking Landscape (PDF 683 KB)

Canada has already lost nearly 70% of its wetlands from settled areas and more are vanishing every day. The Canadian Wetland Inventory will create a national framework of baseline data and support continued wetland monitoring.

 
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