Land Use Decision Making – Putting it in the Hands of Alberta Students

Alberta Tomorrow

As evidenced by the Alberta government's efforts to create a new integrated  Land Use Framework for the province, land-use planning is at a critical juncture in the province.  Alberta Tomorrow is a multifaceted educational program that will help foster an educated and engaged citizenry that is essential for sustainable management of Alberta’s resources. The project combines educational and land-use planning expertise with  innovative technology to create a free, web-based resource that engages students in the Land-use Framework.  A computer simulator developed by Brad Stellfox -- perhaps the foremost authority on land-use and cumulative effects in Alberta -- allows students to design a land-use plan for the province and evaluate future ecological and economic effects.

Although the first version of the tool has been well received, it is under-used and teachers have reported that its relevance could be greatly increased by incorporating local issues. Accordingly, the proposed program is combining Alberta Tomorrow with an urban growth simulator model that allows students to visualize past and potential future growth within their community.  Further, a cross-curricular project will be developed that tasks students with using knowledge from science, social studies, math, and computer science to investigate land-use issues affecting their local environment.  The project’s end product will be collaborative “state of the ecosystem” multimedia presentations that students can exchange with their peers from across the province via the project’s website.  Blogging will further facilitate discourse on land-use issues.