What About Shady Acres? - CPAWS Southern Alberta · Shady Acres was written by Gareth Thomson,...

What AboutShady Acres?

A hands-on citizenship simulation activity for Social Studies

Hello! Thank-you for your interest in our teacher’s guide, What about Shady Acres? Ranchers, hikers, politicians, developers or environmentalists will all tell you the same thing: It’s about the land. One of the most important decisions our society can make concerns how we use the land. Over 6.5 billion humans inhabit the earth and resource scarcity and land-use decisions are becoming more important than ever. This resource will guide you are your students through a fun and educational simulation of how land-use decisions are made, through debate, research and compromise. Shady Acres was written by Gareth Thomson, illustrated by Ed Carswell and is produced by the Calgary/Banff Chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS). Our mission is to establish new parks and protected areas and ensure that nature comes first in their management. CPAWS has played a key role in saving almost 40 million hectares of Canada’s spectacular wildlands. CPAWS Calgary/Banff is the only chapter across Canada to offer formal education programs. We offer customized workshops and programs for teachers and students on a variety of topics. For more information, please call 403-232-6686 or visit: www.cpawscalgary.org/education. © CPAWS Calgary/Banff 2005. No part of these materials, save the transparencies and photocopies specifically referred to in the text, may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without permission of the CPAWS Education Director.

Table of Contents

Activity Page # What About Shady Acres? 1 The Trouble with Compromise 25 Outdoor Activities 33 Pen Power 36 Getting Connected 38 Take a Stand 42

CPAWS Education Program 1 What about Shady Acres?

What About Shady Acres?

Shady Acres - sounds like a nice place, doesn’t it? This simulation activity is modelled after acontroversial land development process that actually took place in the Town of Canmore in1996 - but it is reminiscent of land development and land use issues that occur throughoutAlberta. In this activity, students work through the process of municipal government todecide on the future of Shady Acres; they decide whether to preserve the Shady Acres naturalarea, an untouched forest that provides shade, peace, and homes for animals; or to create theShady Acres subdivision, providing much-needed economic development and affordablehousing for humans. Or perhaps they’ll find a way to compromise...

Time RequiredApproximately four hours for all six parts - see below.

Materials

❏ Make overheads of all graphics contained in this activity

❏ photocopies, as detailed in part II

❏ a hammer or wooden mallet to use as the Mayor’s gavel

❏ sign to sling around your neck that says ‘Mayor’ on one side and ‘Planner’ on the other


Curriculum Tie-InsThese activities can be used to teach the following Alberta Learning curricula:Grade 4: Sense of the Land Grade 5: Geography & PeopleGrade 6: Local Government; Citizens in Descision Making

SS 10: Citizenship in Canada SS 11: Interdependence in Global EnvironmentSS 12: Political & Economic Systems

Instructions for the Teacher

This lesson will extend over several class periods and can be used as a summary or as anintroduction. It is composed of the following sections:

Part 1 (30 minutes): Introduction of Town Council, description of Shady Acres natural areaand proposed development; first reading of new land use bylaw;scheduling of Public Hearing

Part 2 (30 minutes) : Discussion: pros and cons of nature and developmentPart 3 (50 minutes): Assigning Roles, preparing lobbying and presentation strategiesPart 4 (60 minutes): Public Hearing: presentations in favour of and in opposition to the

proposed bylawPart 5: (30 minutesor more): Decision by Council: Second and Third Reading of the BylawPart 6 (30 minutes): After the decision - group discussion

Part 1:Introduction

1. Tell students that they will be participating in a simulation activity that is very similar tohow decisions actually get made by Local (Municipal) Governments. Tell them that inthis simulation, they all play the part of citizens of Happy Valley, Alberta; but, despitethe name, people in town are not very happy at all! The town is being wrenched apartby a controversial plan for the Shady Acres area.

Further, tell students that in this activity they will each be asked to take a position on thefuture of Shady Acres, and ask them to listen closely as you play the part of the town’sPlanning Officer as you tell them what has happened.

2. Next, select four of your more mature students to play the part of the four municipalCouncillors. Have students sit at five desks at the front of the room, with a full-pagepicture of each councillor taped to the desk the students sits in (see the illustration at thebeginning of this activity). Leave the Mayor’s desk vacant for now, telling students thatthis seat will be occupied by a “Mystery Mayor.” It’s probably best if you occupy theMayor’s seat; but you might wish to invite an actual member of the local Council(thoroughly briefed on Shady Acres, of course!) to take this chair.

3. Open the proceedings by telling students that the council meeting is about to


commence, and that you, the teacher, will play the part of Planning Officer for the townof Happy Valley. Put on your Planner sign. Students sitting in the regular part of theclassroom play the part of concerned citizens; the four at the front of the room play therole of Councillors. Throughout this presentation you, as Planning Officer, should useobjective and value-neutral terms as you address Council.

4. Using an overhead projector, begin the presentation by showing the map entitled “TheExisting Shady Acres natural area”. Point out that...

• the area measures approximately 700 m. by 400 m. wide, covering 28 hectares orapproximately 60 acres.

• Describe the different natural regions found with the area, mention the existence offauna and flora, and tell students that recent studies by the Cashman group’sbiologist have shown that most big animals originally found in the area are still here,including deer and even bear and the occasional cougar.

• This land is currently zoned as Recreational Green Space.

5. Next, use the same neutral tone to describe the map entitled “The Proposed Shady AcresSubdivision” (as Planning Officer you’re not supposed to have an opinion on thisproposed development). Point out the following to students:

• the 115 residential lots (referred to as Affordable Housing by the developer) the threesites for commercial development (stores, etc.) and the school and playing fields.

• Point out that about 5% of the original area surrounding the two ponds will be leftundeveloped “because of drainage problems.”

• Tell Council that this subdivision is being proposed by the developer, LeonardoCashman, and his financial backers, who have an option purchase this land from theProvince and have applied to rezone the land to Commercial/Residential.

• The bylaw to rezone the land, 98-102, is what Council is being asked to vote on. Thisproposed bylaw 98-102 (to change the zoning of the land from Recreational Green Spaceto Commercial/Residential) is the all-important change in land use that will determinethe future of this area.

• Council is required to vote on bylaw 98-102 three times. Each vote is called a“Reading”; the vote for first reading is required to “get the ball rolling” so thatCouncil can hold a public hearing to collect input from the public before makingtheir decision. The last vote (“Third Reading”) is the one that makes the changeofficial.

6. Next, move to the Mayor’s Chair (if you are playing this role) and tell students that forthe rest of this activity you will play the role of Mayor and wear your Mayor sign. Askone Councillor to hold up their hand and say

“I move that we give this Bylaw 98-102 first reading, and schedulea public hearing for... (choose a time two periods away so thatstudents have time to prepare their submissions to Council).

Emphasize that First Reading is just a formality, that all Council should vote in favour of


the motion, and that they’ll get to do some “real voting” later on!

Once the Councillor has made the motion, say:

“Alright, there’s a motion on the floor. Is there any discussion onthe motion from Council members?” (Allow time for questionsfrom Council). Then say: “All in favour of the motion” and haveCouncil vote.

Now you must end your meeting. Following the above procedure ask for a motion toadjourn, have councillors vote, then say,

This Council will reconvene at [give time].

Case Study:The Eagle Terrace Development, Canmore, 1996

As mentioned, this simulation activity is modelled after acontroversial land development process that actually took placein the Town of Canmore in 1996. Eagle Terrace Developmentpurchased environmentally important land in Canmore andasked Council for the right to develop more than 90% of thearea. After a difficult process that polarized the community,Council voted to allow development on just under half the area- and through negotiations with the developer, had theremaining undeveloped land protected through a ConservationEasement.

Was this a win-win situation, or did just one side of the debatewin? Ask students for their thoughts.


Part 2: Discussion: pros and cons of nature anddevelopment

1. Have Councillors return to their normal seats and, as a group, brainstorm the pros andcons of Shady Acres natural area as it currently exists. This activity serves as an excellentreview (or introduction) to the Grade 6 Science unit “Trees and Forests.”

2. Ask the students to help you come up with as many reasons as possible why our societyshould seek to preserve Shady Acres (and other similar areas). Answers might includethe following:

• provides free ecosystem services (e.g. it is a source of fresh air and clean water• provides animal habitat• ‘makes you feel good to be there’ (e.g. provides peace and tranquillity, and relaxation

to human visitors)• so much of nature has already been developed, and this is what is left

A number of activities suitable for exploring nature with your class are provided in theGoing Outdoors activity.

3. Ask the students to help you come up with as many reasons as possible why our societycommonly ends up developing areas such as Shady Acres. Answers might include thefollowing:

• growing human population in the area, and their need for homes• development interests who meet this demand and generate profit in the process• people’s expectations of a certain quality of life and style of accommodation (e.g.

single family residential homes are desirable in our society)• ignorance of the importance and value of natural areas

Part 3: Assigning roles and preparation of presentations

1. Assign different roles to different groups in class. You’ll need to prepare the following:

❏ one photocopy of the attached page entitled “Description of Roles”

❏ eight photocopies of the page entitled “Preparing for your Presentation”

❏ one photocopy of the Regional Map that shows the nearby wildlife refuge and nationalpark.

2. Ask students to brainstorm what kind of different groups might be found in town thatmight organize to speak in support of, or in opposition to, the proposed bylaw. Writethese on the board.

Assign different roles according to the “Description of Roles” page, and give each groupa copy of the page entitled “Preparing for your Presentation”. Give the Regional Map to


the group representing CPAWS.

Tell students:

“As you will recall, there is a public hearing date scheduledfor (give time). Each of your groups will have to present to Councilat this time and speak in support of or in opposition to theproposed bylaw. For example, if you are a group that is opposed tothe bylaw, it will be your job to convince Council that they shouldNOT proceed with the proposed bylaw, but instead rezone theentire area to a higher level of protection, such as MunicipalParkland (write this term on the board).

“Use the sheet entitled “Preparing for your Presentation” tohelp do this. These sheets will be handed in so I can check tomake sure you are ready to present to Council, as Council’s time isimportant”.

3. Put up the overheads of the Council profiles. Tell students:“You are encouraged to lobby the Councillors before and duringthe Public Hearing. To help you, I’ve done some homework onthese four individuals that you might find useful”.

Read each profile to the group, and ask them to predict which way they will vote andwhat arguments might sway each Councillors’ decision. Post the Councillor profilepages in the classroom for easy reference.

4. The remainder of the planning time is devoted to preparation and filling in of the“Preparing” sheet. During this time, Council members should think about how they feelabout this bylaw, given what they stand for and their personal values; and also wanderthrough the classroom to get a sense of what the “community thinks about this issue.”Allow 15 minutes near the end of class for some intensive lobbying of Council members!Note regarding the Regional Map: the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS)group should be introduced to this map and its significance. Sometimes natural areasare important for more than just the animal habitat that is found there. This mapillustrates the regional importance of the Shady Acres area, as it allows some largeranimals to travel back and forth between the wildlife refuge and the national park.Shady Acres therefore acts as a wildlife corridor connecting the two parks. During theirpresentation, CPAWS should point out that this is why some large animals (bears andcougar) have been seen here, and that development of this area would eliminate thiscorridor. Animals would be trapped in the wildlife refuge and the local extinction(“extirpation”) of some of the bigger animals would occur in the wildlife refuge becauseof the development on the Shady Acres property.


Part 4: Public Hearing

1. Have Councillors take their seats. The position of the Mayor is taken by you; your jobis to run the meeting, and you get one vote, just the same as all other members ofCouncil.

2. Open the public hearing by saying:

“As Mayor, I now call the public hearing to order.” The bylaw torezone the land, 98-102, is what Council is being asked to vote on.This proposed bylaw 98-102 (to change the zoning of the land fromRecreational Green Space to Commercial/Residential) is the all-important change in land use that will determine the future of thisarea. If Council votes in favour of this bylaw, then this land willbecome developed.

Continue by reading verbatim the page entitled “Public Hearing Procedure”. Then, ask:

“Is there anyone here prepared to speak in support of the proposedbylaw?”.

Have each group raise their hands and let them each take a maximum of 5 minutes tostate their case. You may wish to enforce this strictly and give each group a 30 secondwarning, as this is common practice in Public Hearings; or you may wish to be morelenient than this). During all presentations, the gallery (i.e. the rest of the class) mustremain silent. Ask that all Councillors and class members take notes on eachpresentation. Following each presentation, Council members are allowed to askquestions of each presenter.

3. Next, ask:

“Is there anyone here prepared to speak in opposition to theproposed bylaw?”

Have each group raise their hands and let them each take 5 minutes maximum to statetheir case. As the CPAWS delegation has a bit of a surprise in store (the Regional Map)you may choose to have them speak last.

4. After all submissions are completed, declare the public hearing over, tell everyone thatCouncil will reconvene to discuss their thoughts in an open Council meeting (tellstudents when this will be) and call for a motion to adjourn. One Councillor must raisetheir hand and say: “I move that Council adjourn” and then all members of Council votein agreement. Remind all students who play the role of Councillors that they must tryto remember to stay in their roles as they make their decisions on this issue.


Part 5: Decision by Council

1. Reconvene Council members, caution the members of the gallery that they must remainsilent unless Council asks to hear from them, and say “I now call this meeting to order.We are here to discuss the proposed bylaw 98-102, a bylaw proposed to change thezoning of the Shady Acres area from Recreational Green Space to Commercial/Residential, in order to create the Shady Acres subdivision. I’d like to hear from eachmember of Council on whether or not they support this bylaw.

2. Allow each Councillor to state their position on the issue. Request that they “addressthemselves to the chair” (that’s you!) - i.e., speak to you and other members of Council,not to the whole room.

3. Next, ask:

“Do any Councillors wish to make a motion?”.

` This is the chance for, perhaps, Bert Suitman to say

“I move that Council approve bylaw 98-102”

or for Bill Greenaway to say

“I move that Council reject Bylaw 98-102, and request our plannersto prepare a new bylaw to rezone the Shady Acres area toMunicipal Parkland, in order that this area be preserved forever.”

If a Councillor makes a motion, say:

“There is a motion on the floor by Councillor (name) - is there anydiscussion on that motion?”

This is a chance for Councillors to reiterate their position, and try to convince theCouncil colleagues to vote the same way as them.

4. The chance to compromise. Before the vote takes place (or ideally, before there is even amotion on the floor), you in your role as Mayor should make a short statement abouthow damaging you feel this whole process has been to the community, with differentfactions pitting themselves against each other. Tell the whole group that you have acompromise to propose that will give each side at least some of what it wants.

Again as Mayor, show the overhead entitled: The Proposed Shady Acres Subdivision - ACOMPROMISE. Tell students that your line, which divides the area in half, would allowanimals to continue to travel between the wildlife refuge and the national park. It wouldalso allow development to occur on the southern half of the property. Note that theroadways would have to be realigned, but this is just a detail). The dividing line goes


through two of the three lakes, allowing people desirable places to live along half of theshoreline while allowing wildlife access to the other half.

At the conclusion of your presentation, you can do one of two things...

1. If there is already a motion on the floor, you can make a motion to amend theexist motion to incorporate your compromise. Then Council as a groupwould have to vote twice: once to amend the exiting motion, and then (if thatvote passes) to accept the existing motion as amended.

2. If there is no motion on the floor, then make a motion! Say

“I move that Council adopt Bylaw 98-102, as amended by this drawing.Motion on the floor - is there any discussion on this motion?”

At this point you may also wish to allow some of the citizen groups in the gallery tocomment on your proposed motion.

5. How will the vote go? You won’t know until it is all over! (Remember - sometimesMayors can lose a vote too!) After a suitable length of discussion time amongst Councilmembers, you should say:

“We have had enough time to discuss this motion. The motion onthe floor is... (repeat the wording). I’m now going to call thequestion. If you wish to vote in favour of the motion, please do sowith a show of hands.

(Have Councillors vote here). “All members of Council opposed to this motion? (HaveCouncillors vote). Remember that you, the Mayor, have to vote as well - it might be that,as the fifth voter, you end up casting the deciding vote!

6. You just voted on second reading. If the bylaw was defeated, the activity ends here. Ifsecond reading of the bylaw was given (i.e. Council voted in favour of the original oramended bylaw) you’ll need to quickly repeat the voting process: ask a Councillor ifthey are willing to move Third Reading of Bylaw 98-102. After the vote, ask if there isany further discussion on the motion. There usually is none at this stage. Call thequestion (i.e. have Council vote) once again.

7. As Mayor, you can then summarize the decision of Council in laymans’ terms, andconclude with a few well-chosen remarks. It is appropriate at this time that you addressthe gallery (.e. the rest of the class) who doubtless who will be feeling left out right aboutnow!. Last, call for a motion to adjourn the Council meeting, and vote on this motion.The last thing you get to say as Mayor is

“I declare this meeting adjourned!”

Ask Councillors to return to their seats.


Part 6: After the decision - group discussion

1. After the vote, ask all students who were involved in this process - as Council membersor as part of a group giving submissions - what they thought about the process. Someuseful discussion questions are given below:

• Did you agree with the final decision?• Would you vote again for all these Councillors if there were an election tomorrow?• Did you think that the meeting was well run by the Mayor?• Was this a good democratic process?

• What will happen to all the plants that live in that part of the forest that is due tobecome developed? What about the animals?All the plants will die. Similarly, although the animals will move away from thedevelopment, they have no place to move to - just as there are no vacant human homesjust sitting there that we can move into if our home disappears, there is no vacant habitatin nature. Without habitat to live in, the animals in this area will also die.

• Do you think the northern half of Shady Acres (or whatever part of the area Councildecided to save from development) has been saved forever?This last question is an interesting one. The bylaw that this council passes to maintainsome land as Recreational Green Space could readily be reversed by the next Council tobe elected, if the new Council turns out to be a very “pro-development” Council, or ifpriorities change. In this scenario, more natural area would be lost.

The activity entitled The Trouble with Compromise is an important one, and it is highlyrecommended that you go through it with students. It shows how the process ofincremental development means that even a well-intentioned compromise doesn’talways work in the long term - and it also gives a number of solutions and action itemsfor students.

Students should realize that all laws can always be overturned by another group lateron. The best way to try to avoid this happening would be for someone like CouncillorBill Greenaway to pass another motion to get the province and/or the federalgovernment to also protect this area; and to have a group like the Canadian NatureConservancy ºbuy a Conservation Easement on this land, which would mean theywould buy the rights of the landowner to develop the land. This concept of“overlapping layers of legal protection” makes subsequent development of this landmore difficult, if not impossible.

CouncillorBert Suitman

CouncillorBill Greenaway

CouncillorBarbara Homebody

CouncillorSusan Justright

Mayorof

HappyValley


Preparing for your Presentation

The name of my group: _____________________________________

How we feel about the proposed bylaw (to develop Shady Acres):

❏ in support of the bylaw (i.e., we’d like to see a housing development)

❏ opposed to the bylaw (we’d like to see the park preserved as it is right now)

Which Councillor(s) we need to lobby, and what we plan to say.

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

The strategy we will use to get what we want is...

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Who will do our 5 minute presentation to Council: _________________________

What overheads or other visual aids will you use?

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________


Description of Roles(cut along the crop lines and distribute to each group)

Shady Acres DevelopmentGroup

Your group consists of LeonardoCashman and his financial backers whohave invested their money to buy thisproperty so that it can be developed.

Happy Valley Chamber ofCommerce

Your group represents businessinterests who feel that continuedeconomic growth and development isthe only way to keep the communityhealthy and prosperous.

Happy ValleyUrban Development

Institute

Your group represents all those peoplewho are involved in the developmentindustry: real estate agents, landdevelopers, etc.

Canadian Parks andWilderness Society, local

chapter

Your group represents those concernedwith preserving wildlife habitat andprotecting wilderness areas.

Happy Valley Fish andGame Club

Your group represents hunters andfishers who regularly use Shady Acresfor hunting and fishing.

Happy Valley AffordableHousing project

Your group represents all those peoplewho hope to create subsidized housingin town and keep house prices at anaffordable level.

Happy Valley Girl Guidesand Boy Scouts

Your group represents all members ofthe scouting movement who regularlyuse Shady Acres to earn their campingand birdwatching badges.

Friends of Shady Acres

Your group, only recently created,represents all those people who liveclose to the natural area, use the area forrecreation, and disagree with theproposed development.

Public Hearing Procedure(Note: these are the procedures actually used by

the Town of Canmore, Ab.)

Profile ofCouncillorSusan Justright

Susan is famous forwanting everything tobe ‘just right’. She isthe local bankmanager in HappyValley. Because of her leadership, herbank gives money to support the localwomen’s shelter. Susan was electedbecause she promised to help HappyValley with its finances, and to helpcreate affordable housing in town. Sheis a girl guide leader and takes girlguides camping in Shady Acres.

Profile ofCouncillorBarbaraHomebody

Barbara is abirdwatcher, eventhough she is quiteshort-sighted and doesn’t know her birdsvery well (to her, everything is either aRobin Redbreast or a Jenny Wren).She likes the environment, but is a littleupset with Bill Greenaway, who built hishouse in a subdivision located on landwhere she used to ride her horse. Shehas several children who have grown upand left home, and was elected becauseshe promised to use the skills shegained through motherhood to help runthe town. She has not yet decided howshe feels about the proposeddevelopment.

Profile ofCouncillorBillGreenaway

Bill is just aboutthe greenest guyyou’ll ever meet!He recently builtHappy Valley’s first environmental home,complete with energy efficient light bulbsand composting toilets. He believes thatHappy Valley runs the risk of growing toobig, and that the town will start losing thethings that make it a great place to live -like a small-town friendly feel, andabundant clean air and fresh water. Healso believes in social justice andhelping the poor. Bill and Bert commonlyend up voting differently on the issues.

Profile ofCouncillorBert Suitman

Bert is one of thenicest people intown, which is onereason his businessdoes so well (Bertsells cars and also works part time as areal estate agent). He believes inkeeping people happy in Happy Valleyby stimulating the economy, providingplaying fields and gyms, and keepinghouse prices low so that the long-termresidents aren’t forced to move away.Bert was President of the Happy ValleyChamber of Commerce for many years,and only stepped down to become aCouncillor. Bill and Bert commonly endup voting differently on the issues.

The existing ShadyAcres natural area

The Proposed ShadyAcres Subdivision

The Proposed ShadyAcres Subdivision- A COMPROMISE

Protect t thisarea as a park

Allowdevelopmentto proceed

Regional map of the Proposed Shady Acres Subdivision(showing how it would separate a national park and a wildlife refuge)Significance of the Regional Map: Sometimes natural areas are important for more than just the animal habitat that is found there;this map illustrates the regional importance of the Shady Acres area, as it allows some larger animals to travel back and forthbetween the wildlife refuge and the national park. Shady Acres therefore acts as a wildlife corridor connecting the two parks.During your presentation, CPAWS should point out that this is why some large animals (bears and cougar) have been seen here, andthat development of this area would eliminate this corridor. Animals would be trapped in the wildlife refuge and the local extinction(“extirpation”) of some of the bigger animals would occur in the wildlife refuge even though no development would occur there;extirpation would occur because of the development on the Shady Acres property.


The Trouble with Compromise...

Compromise. It has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? What good Canadian wouldn’t want tocompromise? Well, when you’re dealing with land, compromise can lead to incrementaldevelopment, which - despite our best efforts - can eat away at the natural ecosystems thatprovide us with things such as fresh air and clean water. Here’s how it works...

Time Required40 minutes

MaterialsMake overheads of all graphics contained in this activity

Instructions for the Teacher

1. This lesson works best when it follows What About Shady Acres?, a simulation activityin which students strive to make a decision on whether to turn the Shady Acres naturalarea into the Shady Acres subdivision.

Remind students about the Shady Acres process, and revisit the decision eventuallymade by the Town Council. They may well have reached a compromise - and if nocompromise was reached, propose a hypothetical compromise that might have takenplace. For instance, they might have decided to just develop the southern part of theproperty, leaving the entire northern section of the property intact so that animals cantravel between the wildlife refuge and the national park.

2. Show students the series of overheadson the following pages. Although thegraphics are relatively self-explanatory, use the followingcomments to help you interpret thesediagrams to your students.

Overhead #1: A development proposalfor a natural area.Ask students what animals are shown inthis image (bear and deer). Ask them ifthey see the developer (bottom rightcorner) - and ask them if they think thedeveloper is a bad person. Students shouldrealize that, although the developer standsto profit from developing this land, they arealso meeting a need for humans for morehousing.


Overhead #2: A compromise is reached with the land manager.Ask students what a “land manager” is. (Usually this is a local, provincial, or governmentbody that is put in charge of public land). Ask students if any animals have disappeared fromthe diagram (the bear has - this represent the fact that the area is no longer large enough tosupport a population of bears in the long term). Ask the students if, despite this, they feelokay with the compromise that has been reached.

Overhead #3: 20 years later...Ask students if they were expecting this. If they are like adults, the answer is “Probably not!”Also, ask them if after 20 years some people might have forgotten about the original decisionto develop half the total area. (Yes, 20 years is a long time, and people might have forgotten).Ask students what they think is going to happen next.

Overhead #4: ... and another compromise is reachedAsk students why the newer houses are more closely packed together (there is now less roomto put these houses). Also ask students if they think people in the original subdivision weregrumpy about losing half of their park (probably - but some of them might have thought‘change is inevitable’). Introduce the concept of ‘quality of life’ (define this if necessary) andask students if they think people’s quality of life is declining in this area. This is a verysubjective term - but there certainly is less green space for people to enjoy, and the benefitsthat can be obtained from ecosystems - such as fresh air and clean water - are now lessened).

This phenomenon is known as ‘incremental development’. Write this term on the board andanalyse its meaning with the students. This is development which proceeds in an area over along period of time, in which development - a hotel here, a small subdivision there - proceedsin increments or stages to gradually remove undeveloped land from the area.

Humans tend not to notice small changes in our environment or quality of life, especially ifthey occur over a long period of time! This phenomenon is also called the Boiling FrogSyndrome: a frog when placed in a gradually heating pot of water is not equipped to noticethe fact that the water is gradually warming over time, and will eventually die as the waterreaches boiling - even though it could jump out of the pot at any time.

Ask students:Do you think that growth and development are inevitable?

Overhead #5: ... 20 years laterAsk students if they have noticed a pattern! Ask them what they think the future of this areawill be once house construction has finally ceased.

Overheads #6 and 7:Introduce the empowering concepts of possible, probable, and preferred futures, using thelast two overheads. Define the following for students:

A possible future is one of a myriad of possibilities; a probable future is one that is likely to take place if present trends continue; anda preferred future is one that we would like to have happen


DiscussionRemember to ask students if the overhead entitled ‘Preferred Future’ is truly the one theywould prefer. Some students might wish for a little more green space in this drawing!Ask them what things they would need to do now in order to achieve a preferred future thatincludes substantial green space and natural habitats for humans and animals alike to enjoy.Some ideas are given below.

Notes:

1. the CPAWS activity Guide Inventing the Future is full of activities that teach aboutfutures.

2. Most of Alberta has been transformed from wilderness to human-dominated uses. Thefertile plains have been especially affected in this manner, while the rocky mountains -more difficult for humans to live and grow crops in - are as yet undeveloped. To quotebiologist Dr. Paul Paquet on the topic of further protection of land that is not yetdeveloped: “As far as land goes we do not hope to protect the best of the best: we hopeonly to protect the best of the last”.

Solutions

• Help protect natural areas. When making decisions about land use, decide on thefuture of an area, and think of ways to make that future come true. For example, afterthe first compromise was reached (the one that resulted in half the total area beingdeveloped and the other half still natural), the land manager could well have decided totake the undeveloped - and unprotected - area and turn it into an official protected areawhich would never be developed. (See the CPAWS activity Pen Power).

• Be proactive, not reactive. Both this activity and Shady Acres were started by adeveloper proposing to develop land, forcing environmental groups into a reactiveposition. How would things have been different if it had been an environmental group,instead of a developer, proposing that the entire area be preserved from development?CPAWS attempts to take this proactive approach in its attempts to create more parks andwilderness areas in Canada.

• Practice democracy. People elected to represent us make regularly make decisions thataffect us. For democracy to work, students should get used to the idea of keeping trackof what our politicians are doing, and look for ways to hold politicians accountable fortheir actions and to regularly input into the decision-making process. As the sayinggoes: “We get the government that we deserve.” See the CPAWS activity, Pen Power.

• Lifestyle. All of the nice things that students have - from washing machines to lightbulbs to skateboards to a new bicycle every few years - have an environmental costassociated with them. This cost is shown not just with houses, as in the example shownhere, but with mines, power generating plants, clearcuts, etc. Living ‘more lightly on


the land’ lessens the pressure on natural ecosystems, letting them survive longer (orperhaps forever!). (See the CPAWS activity How We’re Connected).

• Lifestyle part II: Housing choices. Consider whether every family needs to live in asingle-family dwelling with a big backyard. Many cultures, such as most cultures inEurope, accept small apartments or row housing as a standard. These styles of housingare much less wasteful in terms of land area and natural resources such as electricity andbuilding materials.

• Think carefully about human population. The growth of humans on the planet - wecurrently have a population of 6.5 Billion - is seen by many to be the root of all environmentalproblems.


Outdoor Activities

...And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the wind longs to play with your hair.Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet

On average, Canadians spend only 4% of each day outdoors (Gov’t of Canada’s Green Plan,1991). Yet humans need nature. Not only does it provide us with essential ecosystemservices, it also helps us relax and feel peaceful and aware and alive - all of which aremarvelous experiences to accompany and enrich our teaching!

MaterialsFor outdoors activities you’ll need

❏ to remind students to dress appropriately

❏ clipboards and writing materials for each student

A Special Place

1. Tell the students about a special place in your life. This could be a favourite spot on oneof your favourite walks, or a special hiding place that you had when you were the sameage as your students. (It needn’t be outdoors either, although these special placesusually are!)


2. Tell your students that you are about to take them to a large natural area that is one ofyour very special places. Choose a pleasant, calm area - preferably within walkingdistance of the school.

3. At the area, invite students to spread out and find a place that they like or feel is special.Remember to set a boundary on how far they can go. Have them sit in their special spotand write about how that spot makes them feel - this could be a drawing, a poem, or afew paragraphs.

4. Ask the students:• What do you like most about nature? How does it make you feel?

Students may tell you that nature makes them feel good, or relaxed; they may tell youthat they find nature to be pleasant or enjoyable. Humans need to experience nature notonly because it is essential for our survival (see the SOS activity Endangered Species - sowhat’s the Big Deal?) but also because nature makes us feel good!

Mini-trail

This is an exercise in imagination! Each student requires a 3 m length of string, a dozentoothpicks, and a magnifying glass (optional). Take the students to an area where thevegetation is varied: bushes, trees, tufts of grass, rocks, etc. Tell the students aboutinterpretive trails and how they are used. Then, ask students to put together an interpretivetrail for an imaginary friend who is new to the area - and is only one centimeter high.

Tell them to find a spot in their area and, using the string as a pathway, mark points ofinterest along the pathway with their toothpicks. You may wish to model this for yourstudents: have them get down on their hands and knees and look closely at the variety ofthings that comprise the “story” of your trail. Encourage students to narrate their trails toyou, to other adult volunteers, or to their peers. You may wish to have the students draw apicture or write a description of their favourite “toothpick stop.”

The Observation Game

The Observation Game shows students that, when they take the time to really look, amazingthings can appear before their eyes. Have the class surround an object of interest - a stump,perhaps, or a tree trunk, bush, or fallen log - and have them observe as much as they can forthirty seconds. Then have them turn so that their backs are to the object and quiz them aboutits details: what colours did they see, what types of insects, what was the shape of the leaves,etc. You may decide to let them have a second chance at observing the object and then quizthem again.


Viewing Party

Tell the students that the following activity is an adaptation of a Japanese ceremony, in whichthe participants spend time together in a natural area, simply sitting together in silence andappreciating nature’s gifts. Tell the class to follow you silently for a few minutes to an area(out of sight of any human development, if possible) that offers a feast for the senses. Whenyou get there, have the students sit comfortably within a short distance of one another, facingin the same general direction. Together you can spend the next 10 to 15 minutes silently usingyour senses to help you enjoy the natural place; a spicy drink (the Japanese use plum wine!)served by the leader midway through the ceremony helps engage the participants’ sense oftaste.

After the viewing party, allow time for students who may want to share with the group someof the feelings they felt or some of the things they observed.

Magic Spot activity

At an attractive spot, ask students to find themselves a spot to sit (within earshot of you)where they can’t see anyone else. Participants will sit in silence for “ten or fifteen minutes”.Encourage them to use all their senses to take in the area. You may wish to give students aquestion to help them focus: “How does this area make me feel?”

Discussion - Talking Stick

. Call the group back with pre-arranged signal and then do a “Talking Stick” activity: only heor she who holds that stick can talk. Ask students to share ‘one thing they noticed, orsomething they felt”. Stick can go around the circle multiple times.


Pen Power

As someone once said: “The pen is mightier than the sword.” Many teachers commonly askstudents to write and send a letter that expresses how they feel about nature or particular environmental issues to local decision-makers.Send CPAWS copies of your letters so we can feature your class on our Awesome Action webpage at www.actionchallenge.ca

“Without action, environmental education is just talk, talk, talk....”(source unknown)

Instructions for the TeacherTell the students that, now that they have studied natural areas and local governments, thetime has come to do something to help preserve nature.

The CPAWS Education Director was once... a municipal politician! Here’s what he has to sayabout the power of letters:

When I was on Canmore Town Council, we paid close attention to letters that we received -especially when they were from children, and especially if they were from smart, well-informed children! We used to calculate that for every letter we received, there wereprobably a hundred others out there who felt the same way - but never cared quite enough towrite. So we treated each letter as a message from a much larger group of people, and dealtwith each letter carefully.”

If you aren’t aware of any upcoming land use issues or decisions in your area, contact a localenvironmentalgroup or TownCouncillor, andhave someonecome and presentto your groupabout this issue.Then have yourwell-informedstudents write theiropinions about thisissue.


CPAWS’ tips forwriting effective letters

Keep the following tips in mind as you write your letter:

❏ state your purpose for writing

❏ make a very specific request

❏ tell them about what you’ve been studying, mention anyoutdoor field trips, and state how you feel about the issue

❏ if you have made any commitments to lessen yourenvironmental impact, consider mentioning them

❏ check to make sure that the person you’re sending the letter tothe right person. Ask yourself if the letter should be copied toanyone else.

❏ if possible type your letter, using a business letter format -however a neatly handwritten letter can be just as effective.

❏ be honest: include only necessary and truthful facts

❏ be concise, brief, and organized. It would be nice if your letterfits onto one page

❏ be courteous: there is no harm in being polite

❏ ask for a reply

❏ check your letter before sending it: edit, revise, check forspelling and grammar

❏ keep a copy for your records

❏ SEND a copy to CPAWS for our Awesome Action webpage


How We’re Connected

It’s easy to look outwards, to try to fix blame on others who you think might be at fault -whether we’re referring to endangered species or to other things in life. In this activitystudents are encouraged to take a hard look at the impacts of their lifestyles on theenvironment...

Materials

❏ overhead projector and screen

❏ overhead of two graphics: the ‘thinking boy,’ and Effective Environmental ConsumerChoices

Instructions for the Teacher1. Ask the students:

• Name some of the things you use in your daily life. These could be food, water,toys, school materials, etc.: anything that touches your hands during a typical day.Record this list on the board without comment.

2. Ask the students to define the word “need”, and ask each student to use it in asentence.

3. Ask the students to define the word “want”, and ask each student to use it in asentence.

4. Go through the list of words on the board and circle those items that students agreethat they all feel they actually need in order to survive (needs are things that arerequired to sustain life: these should be variants of food, water, shelter, air, andspace). Are there any needs that aren’t included? (for example, students may feelthat love, family, etc. may constitute needs). If so, add them to the list and circlethem. Tell the students that the items not circled should be those things that arenonessential wants.

(television, bicycle, VCR, etc.).

5. Next, ask the students for their assistance in circling all of those needs that a wildanimal also has. Students should realize that most wildlife uses only the basics -unlike most of us humans. Show students the graphic of the thinking boy. Askstudents:

• What do you think the boy is thinking about?Students should realize that this individual has made a connection between hislifestyle (as shown by all the goods surrounding him) and the impacts of his lifestyleon nature (as shown by the homeless elk, the clear-cut forest, and the belching


How We’re Connected


smokestacks of the plant generating electricity.

Ask students to focus on the items inside the thought bubble. Ask them:• Think about the people who cut down the forest or who are operating the plant. Are

they bad people?No! They are simply employed in businesses whose job it is to provide things like paperand electricity to people like... school students!

• What do you think the environmental cost is of all the "wants" that you identified?This may be the hardest question that you have ever asked them! It is difficult tocalculate the environmental cost of, say, building a television set. Have studentsimagine where the metal came from (probably a mine). The plastics were using oilresources, and the electricity required to manufacture it and to operate it is generated (inAlberta) by burning coal - which pollutes the air and creates carbon dioxide, agreenhouse gas. And of course there are other costs...

The overhead on the following page details which of our consumer activities do themost harm to environment - and show what things we can do to help.

Tell students that if they want to help nature and to protect endangered species, thenone of the best ways we can do that is to look at your lifestyle - which isenvironmentally very costly - and find ways to change our lifestyle to decrease theseenvironmental costs. This then puts less demand on our environment: less trees are cut,less coal is burned, etc. For example:• choose to NOT buy new goods (such as Nintendo or the latest kind of sneakers)• ride a bike more often, rather than accepting rides• look for ways to use less paper (the three R’s come in order: reduce consumption,

reuse that which you are forced to consume, and then recycle rather than throw itin the garbage)

7. Have the students brainstorm to come up with a list of other actions they could do tohelp the environment. Suggestions may include education component (i.e. makingposters), collecting information, making phone calls, writing letters, planning a fund-raising campaign, etc. Keep a record of this list.

8. Ask them if they agree with the statement that ‘Not all actions have equal impact.”(This statement is all too true!). Ask students which of the suggestions brainstormedabove are truly the most effective in helping the environment. This discussion mayrapidly lead into some evocative and science-based discussion!

Have students examine the overhead entitled Effective Environmental ConsumerChoices. This summarizes an excellent analysis done by scientists on which are ouractivities harm the environment most - and what our actions and guidelines forconsumption should be.

9. Have students write a note that begins: "I commit to doing the following to help theenvironment..." (Note to the teacher: you might wish to model this for them...)

...plus somegeneralguidelines ...

Effective Environmental Consumer Choices

1. THE MOST HARMFULCONSUMER ACTIVITIES

Cars and light trucksMeat and poultryFruit, vegetables, and grainsHome heating, hot water, air conditioningHousehold appliances and lightingHome constructionHousehold water and sewage

Based on theseactivities, hereare ...

2. ELEVEN PRIORITY ACTIONS FOR CONSUMERS

TRANSPORTATION1. Choose a place to live that reduces the need to drive.2. Think twice before purchasing another car.3. Chose a fuel-efficient, low-polluting car.4. Set concrete goals for reducing your travel.5. Wherever practical, walk, bicycle, or take public transportation.FOOD6. Eat less meat, and especially red meat.7. Buy certified organic produce.HOUSEHOLD OPERATIONS8. Keep your house size small.9. Reduce the environmental costs of heating and hot water.10. Install efficient lighting and appliances.11. Choose an electricity supplier offering renewable energy.

3. SEVEN RULES FORRESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION

1. Give special attention to major purchases2. Reduce the weight of the things you own3. Analyse your consumption quantitatively4. Don’t worry or feel guilty about unimportant decisions5. Look for opportunities to be a leader6. Buy more of those things that help the environment7. Think about non-environmental reasons to reduce consumption

(from The Consumer’s Guide to Effective Environmental Choices; practical advice from the Union of ConcernedScientists, by Michael Brower Ph.D. and Warren Leon, Ph.D. 1999. Random House, 291 p. ISBN 0-609-80281-X.)


Take a Stand

Behind every environmental crisis lurks an issue, and the biodiversity crisis is no exception.Here, students begin to think critically about some difficult questions and examine their ownvalues as they “take a stand” on a difficult issue. An exercise in empathetic listening helpsthem improve their ability to respect others’ viewpoints...

Instructions for the teacher1. This activity works best when you as a group have discovered an area of controversy

in your study, and can easily be done in an outdoor setting.

Tell students:• I am about to make a statement that you may find controversial and may not

necessarily agree with - and that is okay! I’ll repeat the statement once and then willask you to physically “take a stand” on how you feel about the statement I’ve made.

2. Designate areas where students are to stand. This can be done in any one of severalways:Simply state: “Standing in this part of the room means you strongly agree with the


statement; standing here means you strongly disagree with the statement; and bystanding somewhere between these two points you can show where you stand in thespectrum.”

This can also be done by hanging signs within an room (indoors) or on a tree limbs(outdoors) that say “strongly agree”; “somewhat agree”; “no opinion”; “somewhatdisagree’; “strongly agree”. Or you can have students grasp a rope somewhere alongits length, where one end represents “strongly agree” and the other end represents“strongly disagree.”

3. Make a deliberately controversial statement that you feel will divide the group - andthat ties into your unit of study. Try and use a local example upon which studentsmay have already developed an opinion. Some examples follow:

• "If a critically endangered species of snail is found to live in (give name of localsubdivision] some other homes in the area should be bulldozed and the area restored toprovide the snail with habitat.”

• “The government should bulldoze all homes and businesses on the outskirts of thetown of Banff to provide for more animal habitat.”

• “If humans don’t have any use for a plant or an animal, then it might as well notexist in the first place.”

• “All of the remaining old growth forest habitat of the endangered Spotted Owlshould be preserved, even if it means that many loggers and their families end up poorand on welfare.”

4. After students have taken their stand, emphasize that in this matter there are no rightor wrong positions, since everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Then play the roleof interviewer and ask individuals from different “camps” why they are standingwhere they are. Allow students to react to statements made by their peers, and thentell them that this “clash” of opinions - resulting from people’s different values - isprecisely what makes issues and land use decisions so difficult.

If the Yellowstone to Yukon plan is to be successful, it will be because the majority ofpeople and groups decide that they value the things that the Y2Y can offer them. Thesame holds true for any other plan to protect the environment.

5. Decision-makingAsk the students:

• What would happen if we took a vote on this issue right now?Obviously, the majority would win! This would be analogous to a binding plebiscite, inwhich everyone’s vote counts.

Ask the students who lost the vote how they feel, and tell them that you are about tolearn a little about another way of decision-making.


6. Have each student pair up with someone who took a different position on the issue.Give them the following instructions:

• Find out why your partner stood where they did, and practice “empatheticlistening,” in which you try to relate to the person and truly understand, or“empathize,” with their position - even if you don’t agree with it. Listen carefully,because in a few minutes I’ll ask you to tell the group why your partner took thestand they did.

7. After five minutes, have each student report back to the class. Alternatively, ask eachpair to team up with another pair, forming groups of four, and have each studentreport to the three others in their group. Ask students:

• What does everyone in this group have in common on this issue? What is ourcommon ground? Students should come to realize that there is a lot of common ground in the group. Tellthem that building this common ground is an important part of the consensus process,in which everyone would engage in a negotiation process and search for a compromisethat everyone can live with. Ask students which model of decision-making they prefer.

VariationTo add a little spice to this activity, introduce it by “planting” two very opinionated people in

the group! Pass the prompt cards (see overleaf) to two group members who you feel areconfident and flamboyant enough to successfully play the role of a pro-developmentand pro-environment person, making the sort of aggressive statement referred to on thenext page; and then try to “stake out the middle ground” as these two antagonists makeeveryone feel decidedly uncomfortable.

Then comes the moment in which you reveal to the whole group that they have been dupedor “set-up” by you and your two helpers. In the subsequent discussion, you mighttouch on the rancour generated when two people move beyond attacking each other’spositions to attacking each other on a personal level. It is a failure to recognizeimportant points of process such as this that can lead to the collapse of many importantnegotiation processes - including critically important discussions on land use that mightlead to the preservation of environmentally important areas.


~ Prompt card: Pro-development role ~Can you keep a secret? Don’t let anyone see you read this!

In a few minutes, you’ll hear me say the following: “Everybody, I want to tell you something that no-one could possibly disagree with...” I’ll then make the following statement: “It’s important thatwe as humans find a way to share this area with the animals that live here.”

That is your cue. I want you to pretend that you completely disagree with me! Interrupt me, tell meI’m stupid, tell me that parks are for people and that humans are the most important race onthis planet, tell me that recreation is more important than any old animal habitat - be creativeand try to get the crowd on your side. Be convincing! Be hot-headed! Be prepared to getANGRY!

You may find yourself caught in a hot argument with another group member who takes the oppositeview. That’s OK - its part of the game! Wade into them, too - and don’t be afraid to attack thempersonally as well as their ideas.

Don’t worry - after a few minutes of this, I’ll cut it off and tell the students that we “set it up”. A veryinteresting discussion will follow!

Be convincing!!! And - thank you!

~ Prompt card: Pro-environment role ~Can you keep a secret? Don’t let anyone see you read this!

In a few minutes, you’ll hear me say the following: “Everybody, I want to tell you something that no-one could possibly disagree with...” I’ll then make the following statement: " It’s important thatwe as humans find a way to share this area with the animals that live here.”

That is your cue. I want you to pretend that you completely disagree with me! Interrupt me, tell methat parks are the last homes for animals and that humans must be kept out of the parks, tell methat without biodiversity humans will ultimately perish, tell me that humans are growing like acancer cell - be creative and try to get the crowd on your side. Be convincing! Be hot-headed!Be prepared to get ANGRY!

You may find yourself caught in a hot argument with another group member who takes the oppositeview. That’s OK - its part of the game! Wade into them, too - and don’t be afraid to attack thempersonally as well as their ideas.

Don’t worry - after a few minutes of this, I’ll cut it off and tell the students that we “set it up”. A veryinteresting discussion will follow!

Be convincing!!! And - thank you!

What About Shady Acres? - CPAWS Southern Alberta · Shady Acres was written by Gareth Thomson,...

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