Lacombe County Environmental Stewardship Award nominations now open

Lacombe County is shining a spotlight on outstanding individuals and community non-government organizations who exemplify the essence of environmental stewardship, recognizing individuals or groups who demonstrate an unwavering commitment to conserving and sustaining the environment within Lacombe County.

The Environmental Stewardship Award nomination process is open to the public. Anyone can put forward deserving candidates who embody the spirit of environmental stewardship. A committee will review nominations and select a recipient based on their contributions. Self-nominations are not permitted. The nomination period runs from July 15, 2026, to September 30, 2026. Individuals wishing to nominate someone deserving are invited to submit their applications in person or via email to jnakonechny@lacombecounty.com.

A judging panel will choose the winner of the Environmental Stewardship Award who will receive a one-time cash award of $1,500, recognizing their outstanding efforts in environmental stewardship.

Eligibility:

• Must be a resident/organization in Lacombe County.
• The recipient can only win once.
• Nominations must be submitted by September 30, 2026.
• Forms available at www.lacombecounty.com/EnvironmentalAward.

About Lacombe County’s Environmental Program

The Environmental Stewardship Award is part of Lacombe County's commitment to environmental sustainability. In 2021, the Environmental Community Engagement Program was launched, encompassing educational and sustainability initiatives. This program was extended by Lacombe County Council in 2023 due to its success. We are pleased to be running this program again in 2026!

Past winners include:

• 2025 Winner Medicine River Watershed Society: Outstanding work in preserving and improving the health of the Medicine River watershed. The Society’s mission is to increase awareness of water quality, riparian health, and the natural beauty of the Medicine River through a number of initiatives and community awareness.
• 2024 Winner Nick Harper: Restoration and preservation, including reforestation (150 native trees planted), pond restoration, and implementing sustainable grazing practices.
• 2023 Winner Ward Nelson: Selected for planting over 2,000 trees and implementing solar-powered livestock watering systems.
• 2022 Winner Joan Olafson: Carried forward her father's legacy of being a steward over their home quarter (located seven miles northwest of the City of Lacombe), including 80 acres of wetlands, forest, and spring-fed streams surrounding 74 acres of agricultural land.
• 2021 Winner Sharon and Rick Wiebe: Completed a number of projects on their property (located south of Blackfalds), including establishing a community garden that uses rainwater and compost from vegetable waste generated by the garden, as well as developing an off-site watering system to isolate cattle away from sensitive areas, planting trees to replace fallen/windblown trees, creating a bird habitat, and landscaping around their property with an emphasis on pollinators.