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CiB Registrations - Enroll Today!
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The deadline for registration in the 2017 Alberta Provincial Edition of Communities in Bloom was extended to April 30th, however registrations will still be accepted until mid May. Fill out the online registration form.
There are three easy steps to ensuring successful registration:
Step 1: Select a Participation Category.
Your community can choose to participate in the Competitive or Friends (non-competitive) categories.
Participation Categories
Step 2: Complete the 2017 Alberta CiB Registration Form.
Registration fees are detailed on the Registration Form and can be found online at:
2017 Online Registration Form
Direct any questions about your registration form to Karen Snethun, Provincial Coordinator,
ksnethun@arpaonline.ca
or via fax to 780-451-7915. Karen can also be reached by phone at 403-789-6287 to answer any program questions.
Step 3: Get Started!
Visit the
CiB Alberta website
, where you will find an overview of the program and information on how to get your community started, including how to form a local Communities in Bloom Committee. There are also resources such as the "Blooms & Bits Newsletter" and helpful articles like "Preparing a Community Profile Book."
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Lacombe Hosts 2017 Provincial Awards
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Mark your calendars for September 22 & 23, 2017 as planning is well underway for Lacombe to host Alberta's Communities in Bloom Provincial Awards.
The two-day event will feature tours of the beautiful town of Lacombe, speakers, fun socials and end with a banquet and awards! Communities in Bloom Alberta is partnering with Alberta Horticultural Association to make this event a success.
Representatives from all participating communities in the provincial and national editions of CiB are invited to attend. Residents of Lacombe, neighbouring towns, and surrounding communities interested in learning more about CiB are also encouraged to join us.
As usual, a silent auction will be part of the event along with other activities throughout the day and evening. A detailed brochure complete with registration information will be coming your way soon.
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Community Information Packages Coming Your Way Soon!
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The 2017 CiB Alberta community evaluations will take place between July 3rd and August 18th.
Be sure to keep an eye on your email because well before evaluations begin, every community registered in the CiB Alberta program will receive a Community Information Package to assist with the planning and organization of their local program.
The 2017 package includes numerous resource materials such as:
- Important CiB Alberta Dates - provides a list of dates for all key CiB events in 2017
- CiB Program Overview - provides a detailed description of how to participate in the program
- Guidelines for Preparing a Community Profile Book - a guide to preparing your reference tool for the judges. Your community profile book can also serve as a subsequent community promotions piece
- Preparing for the Judges' Visit - a "how to" for your CiB committee when planning and conducting the judges' visit
- To-Do List - a list of items to prepare for before Evaluation Day.
This material, along with other program information and helpful suggestions, will be e-mailed out to each registered community at the beginning of May.
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Communities in Bloom Week 2017
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The week of May 1 - 7, 2017 has been proclaimed as "Communities in Bloom Week" across Canada.
At this time, communities have been encouraged to pass this request to their Municipal Council to endorse this initiative. Please note that the week of May 1
st
has been designated, but the date is flexible and it can be changed to better suit their Community.
A special proclamation has been presented to communities that you can download and print off here.
If you have any special celebrations, please share with our Blooms & Bits Newsletter
here
.
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Do you know a neighbouring community that may be interested in participating in the CiB Alberta program?
If so, pass on our brochure "GROWING YOUR WAY: An Invitation to Participate in Alberta's Communities in Bloom Program". In this one-page flyer you will find the benefits of being involved in the Program as well as 3 Easy Steps to Get Started. You can find the brochure
here
.
If you know of someone who may be interested in the CiB Alberta Program, please forward their contact information to Karen Snethun, CiB Alberta Provincial Coordinator at
ksnethun@arpaonline.ca
. We would love to have them grow with us!
Source: Photos by Skyler Miyanaga, Taber CiB and Town of Taber website.
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Meet a CiB Alberta Judge - Emily Neis
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Emily is a fifth generation Albertan and has been a rural resident of Parkland County for much of her
life.
She grew up maintaining her family garden and fruit trees. Her interest in horticulture led her to attend the Environmental Horticulture program at Olds College.
Shortly after graduating, Emily lived in Indonesia for a year and half. There she learned to speak Indonesian fluently and developed a love for Asian cultures.
Following her trip to Indonesia, she joined the horticulture department with the Town of Stony Plain and has been working there for approximately three years.
One particular project Emily is currently involved with is the development of an urban forestry master plan including an inventory of all the town-owned trees. She is also responsible for the procurement of all the hanging baskets and annuals for the town and maintaining town-owned shrubs, beds and gardens.
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Dutch Elm Disease: STOP a killer from entering Alberta
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The Society to Prevent Dutch Elm Disease (STOPDED) is asking for your assistance to save our beautiful elm trees from the deadly Dutch elm disease (DED). Alberta has been fortunate to remain DED free but is constantly aware of the threat of the disease pressing the Saskatchewan and Montana borders. The danger of an uncontrolled outbreak of the disease still exists.
DED is caused by a fungus that clogs the elm tree's water conducting system and causes the tree to die. The fungus is primarily spread from one elm tree to another by three species of elm bark beetles: the smaller European, the native and the banded.
The beetles are attracted to weak and dying trees, which serve as breeding sites. Once the beetles have pupated and became adults, they leave the brood gallery, fly to healthy elms to feed, and thus transport the fungus on their bodies from one tree to the next.
The Society monitors the beetles annually throughout the province. The smaller elm bark beetles have been found throughout the province in low numbers and now the banded elm bark beetle is found in larger numbers throughout the City of Medicine Hat and area. For this reason, we must be even more vigilant.
Leaves on a DED-infected elm will wilt or droop, curl and become brown. This appears in mid-June to mid-July. Leaves on trees infected later in the season usually turn yellow and drop prematurely. Leaf symptoms are accompanied by brown staining under the bark. All suspicious elms should be reported to the DED hotline and must be tested in a lab.
What can you do?
- Keep your elm trees healthy, and vigorous.
- Water elms well from April to mid-August. To allow the tree to harden off for the winter. Watering should be discontinued mid-August followed by a good soak prior to freeze-up.
- Remove dead branches and trees as they provide beetle habitat from October 1 to March 31.
- Dispose of all elm wood by burning, burying or chipping.
- Report all symptom trees to the DED Hotline. A confirmed DED tree must be removed immediately to prevent further spread.
What you shouldn't do!
- Do not transport or store elm firewood at any time! DED and the beetles are declared pests under the AB Agricultural Pests Act making it illegal to do so.
- Do not transport elm firewood into or within Alberta! Firewood is confiscated at all the Alberta-Montana border crossings.
- Do not prune elms during the Provincial elm pruning ban period April 1st to September 30th. The beetles are active during this time and can be attracted to the scent of fresh tree cuts, possibly infecting a healthy tree.
Our elms are a treasure that we cannot afford to lose. Alberta has the largest DED-free American elm stand in the world. Until there is a cure for DED, prevention remains our most effective form of control.
Note that the Under the Alberta Agricultural Pests Act (APA) "Pest and Nuisance Control Regulation (PNCR)" the Dutch elm disease (DED) pathogens, smaller European elm bark beetle (SEEBB), and the native elm bark beetle (NEBB) are named declared pests.
All municipalities, counties and MD's in the province of Alberta have the responsibility and authority to prevent and control DED under the APA.
The APA provides a means for enforcement. Several sections of the APA and the Regulation can be applied. It is an offence not to take "active measures" and not to follow an inspector's notice.
If a municipality does not have a local bylaw or policy on a specific pest in place, the municipal pest inspector, bylaw enforcement officer or Agricultural Fieldman could use a notice under the APA to enforce the DED Prevention/Control Measures to the landowner.
If a third party has contravened the APA, the Minister may issue a Stop Order.
The "Dutch Elm Prevention/Control Measures" outlines the measures that can be enforced and can be viewed
here
.
For more information call the DED Hotline 1-877-837-ELMS (3678) or check out
www.stopded.org
.
Article compliments of Janet Feddes-Calpas, STOPDED Executive Director.
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Mo
saiCanada 150/Gatineau 2017
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MosaiCanada 150/Gatineau 2017
, a Canada 150 project funded by Canadian Heritage, the Government of Quebec and the Ville de Gatineau, will be held from July 1
st
to October 15, 2017 in Jacques Cartier Park, a National Capital Commission park, partner of the project.
The mosaïculture structures will celebrate Canadian Confederation, the Founding Peoples, the First Nations and our Canadian Heritage
Wayne McCutcheon, a volunteer gardener from St. Albert, is preparing the "Wild Rose" that will represent Alberta at the Exhibit in Gatineau and will be displayed in St. Albert in 2018.
Mosaïculture is a most spectacular horticultural technique that combines the following different art forms:
- sculpture for the structure
- paint for the palette of colours
- horticulture as the means of creating living and changing artworks with plants.
After the exhibition, the structures will return in their province or territory to be displayed in 2018.
Wayne McCutcheon, a volunteer
gardener from St. Albert,
prepares the "Wild Rose."
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Important 2017 Communities in Bloom Dates
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Mark your calendars for the following CiB activities:
- Community Registration Deadline Extension: April 30 (contact Karen if your community wants to register past the deadline)
- CiB Alberta Community Evaluations: July 3 to Aug 18
- CiB Alberta Provincial Awards in Lacombe: Sept 22 & 23
- CiB National Awards & Symposium in Ottawa: Sept 13 - 16
- LANTA's Green Industry Trade Show in Calgary: Nov 16 & 17
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The CiB Alberta Judges' Training was held on Saturday, April 22
nd
in Leduc, Alberta. There were 15 CiB judges in attendance as well as Steve Allan and Karen Snethun. The training event was sponsored by FortisAlberta.
We were treated to an insightful presentation by Kerra Chomlak, Environmental Sustainability Coordinator for the City of Leduc. Kerra spoke about "Environmental Action in Communities: Best Management Practices and Ideas" and covered ideas such as recycling plans and sustainability.
Following Kerra's presentation and a brief administrative update, CiB Provincial and National Judge, Berta Briggs lead the judges through a mock community evaluation. The goal of the session was to learn to fine-tune their judging skills and know what to look for as a CiB judge.
To complete the training, Delinda Ryerson, Executive Director of the Alberta Invasive Species Council provided an update on the Council and shared resources the CiB Judges can to assist municipalities.
See all the CiB Alberta judges and their bios
here
.
Steve Allan, ARPA Operations & Finance Manager presents Sharon Miller,
John Helder, Marie Wenger and Berta Briggs with their volunteer appreciation awards
Left to Right - Back Row: Linda Tomlinson, Lorna McIlroy, Alice Laine, Linda Lockwood, Berta Briggs, Lorrie McFadden, Sharon Miller.
Left to Right - Front Row: Rose Carmichael, Marie Wenger, John Helder, Maureen Sexsmith-West, Gillian Evans, Karen Snethun
Regrets: Bob and Sherry Cote, Emily Neis, Faye Kary
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The Community Profile Book (CPB) is a written document of your accomplishments in Communities in Bloom (CiB) evaluated criteria. CPBs are an important document that CiB judges will be using as a reference both while in the community, and later when completing their evaluation. The CPB is an excellent means of promoting a community to visitors, town administration, local sponsors and potential volunteers.
See Samples of Community Profile Books from other communities
here
.
Please see Guidelines for Writing a Community Profile Book
here.
Find an easy Template to Create Community Profile Book
here
.
Please note that the Community Profile Book is not a judged element, but is designed to be a tool for your community. There are numerous advantages to creating this tool, such as: economic development, addendum to grant applications, a historical document and as a fundraising tool.
There will be a work session at the 2017 CiB Alberta Conference & Provincial Awards in Lacombe called "Creating a Killer Community Profile Book." Be sure to mark your calendar for September 22 & 23, 2017 in Lacombe and plan to attend!
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Communities in Bloom is supported by
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