Denise Bruinsma, trail volunteer with Alberta Hiking Association, working on the Star Creek Falls Loop this past fall.
Photo courtesy of Jenice Smith
Nicholas L. M. Allen
May 28, 2025
Volunteers invited to preserve trails, build bridges and clean up the Crowsnest Forest
Residents and visitors are invited to roll up their sleeves for the annual Ed Gregor Stewardship Day on Saturday, June 7, a long-standing community effort to maintain and enhance public recreational access in the Crowsnest Forest.
The full-day event runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., beginning with a free breakfast at the Blairmore Ranger Station, located at 11901-19 Ave. The Coleman Lion’s Club will be serving breakfast, and participants will have the chance to review a range of stewardship projects before heading out to the field.
Project options this year include trail and boardwalk work at Chinook Lake and Allison Falls, bridge building, fence maintenance, garbage collection and invasive weed removal. Volunteers will return to the Ranger Station by mid-afternoon for a complimentary supper provided by the Blairmore Lion’s Club. The day will conclude with a raffle and a draw for a chainsaw.
Organizers are reminding attendees to bring sturdy footwear, gloves, lunch, water, weather-appropriate clothing and eye protection.
“This event continues to be a hands-on way for people to give back to the trails, campgrounds and natural spaces we all enjoy,” said event supporter Jenice Smith, who works with the Alberta Hiking Association, “The collective effort makes a visible difference year after year.”
Ed Gregor Stewardship Day is supported by the Crowsnest Forest Stewardship Society, Crowsnest Pass Quad Squad, Hillcrest Fish and Game, Great Divide Trail Association, Government of Alberta and the Alberta Hiking Association.
Over the years, the initiative has become a model for sustainable, multi-use public land management, drawing volunteers from across the region to work alongside government and community groups.
For more information or to participate, show up at 8 a.m. sharp at the Blairmore Ranger Station on June 7.
