Connecting with Something Bigger than Yourself

ACA Donations Program

article by Susan Hagan, photo by Kirsten Azar

Sometimes Ken Kranrod will get an email or a phone call about a donation that moves him to remember that his job with Alberta Conservation Association (ACA) is deeper and more meaningful than simply an occupation. “Conservation allows you to connect with something bigger than yourself,” says Kranrod, a biologist and Vice President of ACA. “What’s the meaning of life? That can be disconcerting to people, the big unknown.”

Whether it is a corporate partnership, individual donation, land donation, or municipal partnership, there are many ways to become a partner or donor. ACA has seen a dramatic increase in municipalities coming on board, with 25 now signed up with longterm commitments—putting money toward stocking fish, aerating lakes or ponds, and helping with habitat restoration.

“There’s a lot of caring there. Some companies and some municipalities do it because they know it’s the right thing,” Kranrod says. “This work needs to get done, and if they don’t step up it won’t get done. Conservation resonates with them, and they want to help out.”

While ACA receives solid financial backing annually from hunting and fishing licences, people devoted to conserving nature might also donate land, money, or time to their favourite cause. Legacies can bring comfort to loved ones and honour those they have lost.

“No one group can do it alone,” Kranrod says. “Conservation is such a large and comprehensive and complicated thing that you need a lot of different people lending a hand in order to make it happen. We try to forge long-term relationships.”

Land and in-memoriam donations also seem to be growing. The Ecological Gifts Program administered by Environment and Climate Change Canada aims to bolster land donations by corporations and private citizens. Corporate donors may deduct the amount of the gift directly from taxable income. Private donors convert the donation value into a non-refundable tax credit, with unused portions carried forward for up to ten years. Kranrod added that ACA has received many land donations because of generous tax credits, and without it, people would have to sell their land even if they didn’t want to. The donated land is conserved in perpetuity, protecting the land’s biodiversity for future generations.

Kranrod adds that because nature outlasts us, conservation is the perfect tribute to those who were passionate about conservation, “It was here before you were here, and it will be there after you’re gone. That’s what resonates with people.”

MacConnachie Conservation Site

The largest in-memoriam donation to date was for Peter MacConnachie, who worked with a tireless passion as Senior Sustainability Issues Management Specialist at Suncor Energy, and worked closely with ACA for more than a decade. While there have been many memorial sites that have been donated, this is the first time ACA initiated the memorial with industry partner Suncor, which has been a conservation partner since the early days of ACA.

“We had a really strong personal relationship with Peter,” said Todd Zimmerling, President and CEO of ACA. “He was a friend to me and to a good number of our staff, who worked with him so closely and for so many years.”

The memorial is set on 310 acres about 17 kilometres east of Two Hills, a beautiful location with trails cut through the forest and nestled within the ecologically sensitive area. The memorial site is home to wetlands, aspen, birch, poplar, willow, and spruce trees, with wild berries in summer, and supports a variety of species including ruffed grouse, waterfowl, deer, moose, and black bear.

MacConnachie was a strong advocate for biodiversity and protecting mixedwood forests. When the site was officially dedicated in 2019, Peter’s wife, two daughters, colleagues, and ACA staff were there to celebrate his life.

“Everybody went for a walk and they came back with the impression that this is a beautiful site to relax, be with your thoughts in nature—all the things Peter would love about it,” Zimmerling says. “When he passed away very prematurely, it just came to everybody’s mind that we should do something to honour what he had done and what he helped to develop, as a legacy for the funds that he helped to gain and the support that he provided within Suncor.”

Leave Your Legacy in Conservation

Conserving your land is a commitment and a pledge for future generations to use, explore, and enjoy.

Monetary donations—whether for yourself or in-memoriam of a loved one—benefit all outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy wildlife, fish, and habitat.

Donating shares and stock options is win-win: minimize taxes on the investment appreciation and support conservation efforts.

For more information visit www.ab-conservation. com/donate/make-a-donation or email Ken Kranrod at ken.kranrod@ab-conservation.com.