About
Current Activities
The Hanen Society is focussed on the conservation of the Society's ranch in the Pekisko valley, employing best practices in native grassland and riparian area management techniques.
The Hanen Society supports a number of similar conservation projects in the region including grassland and riparian area restoration, education of industry, the public and land stewards in such efforts, as well as research efforts to innovate improved land management practices.
History
The Hanen Society was founded by Zahava Hanen in 1993. Zahava was keenly intersted in the conservation and restoration of the natural grasslands situated on the eastern slopes of the Canadian Rockies and their heritage of sustaining the buffalo herds and the first nations who coexisted with the buffalo and grass. Zahava spent much of her life working to ensure that industrial impacts on these lands were moderated and development practices improved to ensure the grasslands and the flora and fauna that depended on them would survive and flourish.
Zahava Hanen, Founder
Link to Zahava Hanen Fonds at Glenbow (U of C)
Recent Grants
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
| Trout Unlimited | 70,000 | 80,000 | 83,500 |
| Nature Trust BC | 50,000 | ||
| Golden Rod and Gun | 20,000 | ||
| Oldman Watershed | 25,000 | 40,000 | 25,000 |
| Alberta Tomorrow | 20,000 | 30,000 | 30,000 |
| Cows and Fish | 25,000 | 25,000 | 22,000 |
| Grassland Restoration Forum | 25,000 | 25,000 | 28,470 |
| Total | 235,000 | 205,000 | 188,970 |
Replacing hanging culverts and fenland restoration
Trout Unlimited work is focussed on the reconnection of the Whispering Pines Creek in the Waiparous area through the installation of open bottom arches in relacement of hanging culverts at road crossings to allow upstream fish migration and natural downstream flow. Work also includes fen restoration to remediate channeling caused by off road vehicles.
Ungulate habitat enhancement
Nature Trust BC and Golden Rod and Gun Club projects focus on ungulate habitat enhancement at Bull River and the Kickinghorse Canyon through thinning of overgrown forests and encouragement of natural grassland and brush development.
Work with the Oldman Watershed Council is focussed on building bridges and offstream watering troughs as well as rehabilitating riparian areas.
Alberta Tomorrow projects include landuse simulation software development and 360 virtual tours of Alberta's natural regions with a focus on classroom education.
Cows and Fish projects (including work with Southern Alberta Land Trust Society) involve landowner engagement with innovative grass and riparian health practices as well as completion of riparian health assessments and inventories.
Grassland Restoration Forum develops targeted grazing monitoring methods, recovery strategies for native grassland adversely impacted by industrial development, and watershed resiliency and restoration outreach workshops.