Heritage Hills Wetlands Project

The Heritage Hills Wetlands project was the first attempt by a Developer and Strathcona County to conserve a naturally occurring wetland in the process of developing a new urban subdivision within Sherwood Park, Alberta. The Heritage Hills Wetlands is part of a tributary of the Old Man Creek watershed that originates within Sherwood Park and flows east into Old man Creek before discharging into the North Saskatchewan River. Qualico Developments Limited (Qualico) began planning the Heritage Hills Subdivision in 1990. The original plan included a proposal to bisect the naturally occurring wetlands with a road and modifying the existing wetlands for stormwater management requirements. Environmental concerns and public demand for the conservation of the natural landscape changed the course of development. In addition to its stormwater management function, other opportunities within the wetlands were recognized for passive recreation, wildlife viewing and appreciation, maintaining wildlife habitat, aesthetic quality, and interpretation that are otherwise not readily available to urban residents. The objective subsequently focused on maintaining the unique natural features and ecological function of the wetlands which would otherwise be lost through traditional development practices. In this regard the transportation network plans were changed with roads being diverted around the wetlands to avoid the fragmentation and loss of habitat posed by the road and to minimize their potential as a pollution source to the wetlands. The wetlands project was substantially completed in 2003 with immediate success.