As environmental challenges grow and experienced professionals retire, there is an increasing need for young people to step into roles that support and protect Alberta’s water systems. At the same time, many youth lack opportunities to connect with their local watershed in meaningful, hands-on ways.
The Youth Water Council is addressing this future gap by bringing together high school students from across the watershed and placing them at the forefront of water conservation and watershed management. Led by the North Saskatchewan Watershed Alliance, the year-long program focuses on learning, leadership, and taking meaningful action in the protection of Alberta’s water resources. Through a mix of workshops, field experiences, and mentorship, participants explore watershed science, Indigenous knowledge, and land-based education, learning directly from experts in various environmental fields. Each cohort applies their knowledge and works together to create an innovative project that supports water education and stewardship, with past initiatives reaching thousands of classrooms and communities across the North Saskatchewan River watershed and beyond.
Youth Water Council members graduate the program with the skills, knowledge, and confidence they need to become lifelong stewards of Alberta’s water resources, while their projects continue to build awareness and strengthen environmental connections for watershed residents of all ages across the region.
