Author: Candace Gutsche

Looking for spare parts or discounted items for your operation? Special Areas has surplus items up for bid. You can view these items below and many more at the Youngstown Service Centre on December 5, 2024 from 12:30 PM – 3:00 PM If you can’t make the...

The Special Areas Board is requesting proposals for the provision of janitorial services at the Special Areas Youngstown Office. Duties to commence January 1, 2025 and will be for a 12 month term. The size of the building is approximately 815 m2 (8,750 ft 2) and...

Effective October 25, 2024 the Fire Advisory in the Special Areas is lifted. There is No Fire Restriction. Controlled Burn Notifications are required for any type of burning, except campfires and incinerator fires. Safe campfires are allowed in campgrounds and random camping areas....

Check out the summer edition of Growing and Grazing with Special Areas! In this interactive newsletter, you will read about nitrate poisoning, downy brome, funding opportunities and more! Happy reading! To read previous newsletters, visit: Agriculture Services – Special Areas Board...

It’s Fire Prevention Week (October 6-12, 2024) and our Special Areas Fire Chief Rob Palmer has some tips on staying safe. This Fire Prevention Week, we’re focusing on one of the most crucial tools in fire safety: Smoke Detectors. A working smoke detector can mean the...

GOVERNMENT OF THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA PUBLIC SALE OF LAND (In accordance with Section 421 of the M.G.A.) Notice is hereby given that under the provisions of the Municipal Government Act, Alberta Municipal Affairs will offer for sale, by public auction in the: Special Areas Office No. 2, 212...

Three-flowered Avens (Geum trilorum) Native to the Special Areas and also known as Old Man’s Whiskers or Prairie Smoke, this attractive perennial is known for its reddish-purple, bell-shaped flowers that hang in groups of three. The 6 to 18-inch-tall plant has foot-wide, basal clumps of ferny, blue-green...

Broom-Rape (Orobanche ludoviciana) Broom-rape species are parasitic plants that grow on sage (Artemisia) plants. They have a white-ish colouring because they obtain their energy from the sage instead of producing their own via photosynthesis. Three broom-rape species are present in Alberta all characterized by their small...

Prairie Sage (Artemisia ludoviciana and frigida) This aromatic, silvery-white perennial is found throughout the Special Areas. Easily identified with its distinctive scent and silvery leaves,  fringed sage is lower growing with fine, hair-like leaves. Prairie sage is taller with long oval leaves but has the same...

Blue Grama Grass (Bouteloua gracilis) Blue Grama grass is a very distinct grass found across the prairies - particularly on drier sites. Blue grama can be identified by its comb-like seed head when it’s in flower, or by the blueish tinge to its narrow (1-2 mm...