Outdoor Living
Duane Radford | Article and Photos
In Appreciation for Alberta ’ s Green Spaces
Alberta is blessed with outstanding green spaces — Dinosaur Provincial Park
How does gratitude fit into the context of outdoor living for Alberta ’ s seniors ? Outdoor living is all about making connections with nature , no matter where you live . Research indicates that people who are more connected with nature are usually happier in life and more likely feel that their lives are worthwhile . “ Nature can generate a multitude of positive emotions , such as calmness , joy , creativity and can facilitate concentration ” (
bit . ly / nv-benefits-nature ).
I often reflect on the vision of our forefathers who set aside so many wonderful national parks in our province for a variety of reasons , all of them valid . I ’ ve been fortunate to have travelled to all of these parks — Banff , Elk Island , Jasper , Waterton , Wood Buffalo — most of them numerous times . Because they are such marvels , I return again and again . Friends from far away have told me that Albertans are blessed to have such treasures at their doorsteps . Except for Wood Buffalo , all these parks are easily accessible to seniors . Most of the parks have campsites and toilets , tourist accommodations , eateries , places to shop , numerous senior-friendly hiking trails , ski runs , interpretive programs , historic sites , fishing opportunities , bountiful wildlife , and many have sightseeing tours to accommodate all manner of people with mobility issues .
You don ’ t have to leave Alberta to enjoy worldclass national parks . That ’ s why I feel such a depth of gratitude to our past leaders who created them . It ’ s also a good reason why we should support the creation of a new national park along the North
Saskatchewan River near Edmonton , similar to the federal Gatineau Park north of Ottawa .
It doesn ’ t stop there : Alberta ’ s provincial parks backstop our national park framework . Some of them , such as Peter Lougheed Park , married to Kananaskis Country , are on an equal footing with any of the famed federal parks . There are nearly five hundred areas in Alberta ’ s provincial parks that protect sensitive habitats and wildlife , with the message “ It ’ s all about keeping the wilderness wild , while letting humans experience it .” The provincial park network spans our beautiful province . Some are world class destinations — Dinosaur and Writing-on-Stone , for example . I ’ m
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