Cultural and Scenic Benefits
These cultural heritage and aesthetic values of natural areas are some of the most appealing to regional residents as well as to visitors.
Cultural Heritage Values
The lands in this region have to a large extent defined the people and the culture. Edmonton was originally Fort Edmonton, built as part of a system of fur trading posts, based on the trade in beaver and other wildlife which abounded in the lakes, forests, parklands and wetlands. Our First Nations had a land-based economy, using natural resources sustainably. Agriculture developed on the highly cultivable soils, and, now we have intertwined rural and urban lifestyles. Losing our rural and natural areas would diminish this cultural heritage.
Aesthetic Values
We value nature for its aesthetic and spiritual values. Natural areas give individual sites as well as the region a high degree of scenic beauty. We use these locations as places for families, friends and communities to: gather and socialise; recreate and relax; study and play; contemplate and enjoy. This is not only important for our physical and emotional health, but for our overall sense of wellbeing.
These areas are also important to recreation and to tourism. And so, once again, the scenic values support economic benefits to the region. While preservation of beauty is worthwhile, scenic values go ‘way beyond beauty.
Only 5% of central parkland vegetation remains within Edmonton’s boundaries (COE)