Protecting our Parkland
photos & videos of Battle River Valley - Rosalind Alberta
Prairie, and more specifically, Aspen Parkland, is the single most endangered ecosystem in Canada.
Only 5% of Aspen Parkland remains in Alberta
This is a working landscape, providing rangeland for grazing, economic and ecological benefits, and is a living museum for the landscape from before cultivation.
It is our gem.
It is ours to protect for future generations.
plans for sodium bentonite clay mining for cat litter would destroy this unique and valuable area
In 2025 a mining permit for a sodium bentonite strip mine was granted by Camrose County, without public consultation, on environmentally significant, agricultural land in the Battle River valley near Rosalind. Adjacent landowners were notified after the permit was granted; many severely impacted people were not notified as only landowners within the minimum required distance were notified. Formal appeals were made to the Land and Property Rights Tribunal by impacted people and those who have seen the destructive damage of this type of strip mining, with supporting evidence. This led to a hearing, which is currently on hold while the company pursues environmental assessments they had previously claimed were unnecessary, in order to apply to AER.
The permit should never have been granted: Camrose County bylaws and the Provincial Land Use Framework clearly states mining is a discretionary land use on agricultural land and “MUST NOT” be permitted if it has any negative impact on adjacent agricultural operations. Appellants have demonstrated these negative impacts. Consideration of cumulative impacts of land uses is also accepted practice.
Existing operations were neither consulted or considered.
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This land where mining is proposed is designated by the Province of Alberta as environmentally significant areas (ESA’s) in multiple reports, stating intactness of the ecosystem. Generations of people have kept this ecosystem intact.
These and the surrounding landscape are identified as of at least national significance and as a conservation priority.
Extreme erosion is known in the area and restoration attempts have not been successful in returning the landscape to pre-disturbance levels, leaving some areas as completely unproductive. Landslides and loss of land to adjacent landowners has resulted.
Documentation from the Termination Report of Exploration on Lands Reserved…South of Rosalind shows that the bentonite in the area is low-quality, not of drilling grade, and is not present in commercially viable amounts. The area identified for mining now on Section 19 was abandoned for commercial mining in the 1950’s. The only commercially viable amount was mined from 1958-1975 at the Dresser Mine.
The application to Camrose County and associated correspondence for a permit states the intended use is cat litter.
Destruction of an intact valley complex that supports agriculture, wildlife, disappearing native plants and offers opportunities for agri-tourism is not a wise or sustainable development decision.
Scroll for more details on impact to agriculture, ecosystem services, significance of erosion and features of the valley itself.
Links to Detailed Information & Sources from Section Above
revealing the old mining scars
Sodium bentonite clay was mined in the valley between 1958 and 1975. In that time, the mine site has not recovered or been restored. The bedrock and formation of the valley make it extremely prone to erosion. Mechanical disturbance from strip mining, to remove sodium bentonite from the valley erases the unique features of the valley and they cannot be restored. It is a destruction of one the last remaining aspen parkland complexes in Alberta as well as the permanent loss of productive agricultural land.
50 years later, the land has still not recovered.
Deep erosion channels form once the highly erodible bedrock is exposed. Vegetation cannot re-establish.
Land that was once productive for agriculture and classified as environmentally significant becomes a wasteland.
The healthy landscape relies on the native vegetation, with its deep roots, and hard “iron stone” that tops the erodible sandstone of the Horseshoe Canyon formation that is exposed.
This is the same formation that is exposed in Dinosaur Provincial Park at Drumhellar, AB.
The channel pictured is more than 6 feet deep.
Compaction from access roads has an extreme and long-term negative impact on the native vegetation in this area. Scars from access roads still slash the landscape 50 years later.
The landscape is irrevocably changed from a productive, flourishing, intact ecosystem, to a an extreme liability - for the landowner and all those surrounding it.
The old mine site would have looked similar to this prior to mining.
The landscape in the background of this photo is what is proposed to be mined.
This landscape is worth protecting.
known, extreme erosion
Erosion site on Hwy 854 South of Rosalind.
Bridge construction was undertaken in 1985 to replace the bridge over the Battle River on Hwy 854 south of Rosalind. The approach was changed, slopes were disturbed. In 2003, nearly 20 years later, massive erosion caused erosion channels and a landslide. Major repairs were undertaken in 2004 at expense to taxpayers and erosion continues to the present day.
This site is less than 1km from the land proposed to be strip-mined for sodium bentonite clay.
Today the site has continual erosion that requires the setting pond to be pumped out, bank slumping, lack of vegetation cover, weed invasion and continuing loss of land that belongs to private adjacent landowners.
Landowners adjacent to this geohazard appealed the mining permit granted for sodium bentonite mining, citing extreme erosion concerns in the area.
Photos 2025
Who pays the cost?
Extreme costs to adjacent landowners
Extreme costs to monitor long term: 40 years or more
Extreme costs to taxpayers and county residents to repair the damage
Photo Credit: The following photo sets are from the Alberta Transportation Geohazard Assessment Reports and Photos from 2003-2013 at Site C23L H:854:01, SW-18-43-17-W4, public documents available on the Alberta Transportation Website. Follow the link above.
2003 - Erosion and Landslide Geohazard Assessment Photos
East side of highway: Major erosion channel down a steep slope.
According to the Klohn Crippen Report (2004) to Alberta Transportation, Erosion Mitigation at the Bridge over the Battle River in 2003 Cost over $187,883 to attempt reclamation on approximately 3.25 acres. Adjusted for inflation, that would be over $303,000. Efforts were not successful and further associated costs are still being investigated.
Reclamation efforts cost an equivalent of over $93,000 per acre and erosion and loss of adjacent land persists to present day. The report noted the “high erosion potential of the soils.”
This site is less than 1km from the proposed sodium bentonite clay mining activities and 9km south of Rosalind. Reclamation costs are extensive due to the unique features of this area and make disturbance unprofitable.
West side of highway: Erosion channels, some running under the surface. Sediment dumping into the Battle River causing siltation and further erosion of opposite bank.
2008 - Erosion and Landslide Geohazard Assessment Photos
2009 - Erosion and Landslide Geohazard Assessment Photos
Conventional reclamation efforts are unsuccessful at re-establishing vegetation. Native vegetation has deep roots that are critical for stabilizing soil in this area in order to prevent erosion. Once it is disturbed it is not possible to put it back, particularly if there is any kind of slope impacted. Erosion is a major factor in the loss of agricultural land.
Green arrow indicates Property line impacted by adjacent, ongoing erosion.
2012 - Erosion and Landslide Geohazard Assessment Photos
known negative impact on adjacent agricultural operations
Land is still being lost to erosion
Photos from July 2025
Above: The property marker in the center foreground shows how far the fence has been moved and how much land has been lost.
Erosion continues on the other side of the fenceline, on adjacent property. Erosion travels regardless of property lines. Landowners are still waiting for the problem to be fixed.
When the landscape is gone, it is gone forever. Permanent loss of productive, agricultural landscape needs to be non-negotiable.
Agriculture is the beating heart of our community.
These are long-term, harmful impacts on many local families and farming operations in our community. The negative impact would last a lifetime.
Ignoring the risks only serves to turn productive agricultural and ecologically significant landscapes into a liability.
a landscape worth protecting
calculating the value of natural ecosystems
A Health in the Watershed Atlas of the Battle River and Sounding Creek Watersheds integrated indicators of ecological, social and economic health. The estimated societal benefits provided by natural ecosystems of the Paintearth Subbasin of the Battle River, where this area is located, were valued at $696 million in 2011 (Hallstrom, 2022). Adjusted for inflation, that would be upwards of $976 million today. Recent ecosystem valuation calculations estimate the value even higher.
Landscape connectivity is critical for maintaining ecosystem function and biodiversity (Liu et al, 2018). Connected landscapes are more adaptive and resilient than those that are fragmented (Government of AB, 2008). This area contains grassland ecosystems. Provincially, only 5% of native vegetation remains (Government of AB, 2006). Maintaining the value of ecosystem benefits requires that this ecosystem, this landscape, remains intact.
learn more about this unique natural area
So What’s the Big Deal?
While a development that declares a hefty income might sounds like a incomparable opportunity, profit claims as well as costs must be responsibly weighed before a development that requires soil disturbance and irreversible changes to a landscape is approved.
A thorough economic assessment that weighs the costs to the community: agricultural, social, recreational, environmental, and cultural, against the estimated financial gains is a reasonable and required step. A third-party economic assessment should have been requested by Camrose County prior to permit approval. The negative impact to adjacent agricultural and included agritourism businesses alone should have been enough to halt this development process, let alone slow it enough to have time for a thorough consideration of the less showy costs.
The impact on adjacent property value and the ability to leverage loans on land with or adjacent to an existing or closed mine is a huge consideration. Residents and landowners in the valley would be left with a huge eyesore and many were not even notified of the permit granted.
The well-being of the community and its members must be considered. The costs are just too great.
Target for Tourism
This picturesque natural landscape is a gem that can attract visitors to our area. Agritourism and ecotourism in natural, local areas like this is booming.
With travelers staying closer to home, investment in local adventures is a growing trend. With it comes opportunities for luxury getaways, food services, and diversification of existing agricultural operations.
Local agri-tourism ventures already exist in our community and is seeking to grow: farm tours, farm to table opportunities, eco-tours, event venues, campgrounds, accommodation and more. Local tourism should be wholeheartedly supported as a non-destructive economic driver for our area.
This is in alignment with Camrose County’s own tourism mandate: Camrose County's rich agricultural landscape provides fertile ground for investment in farm tours and other ag experiences. (From Camrose County Website May 20, 2025; Tourism | Camrose County)
Alberta’s Tourism Strategy has set a goal of building the provincial tourism industry to $25 billion in annual visitor spending by 2035.
With a key pillars to “attract investment into the development of unique products, experiences and destinations that enable our province to shine,” our area is uniquely situated to grow as a tourism destination. Alberta.ca | Tourism Strategy
This incredible opportunity only exists if this landscape remains intact.
take action
your neighbours need your support: talk to us, hear more about what we’re doing to protect our parkland and our community, share the message
get in touch with us to see how you can help, walk the landscape, or to learn more about this amazing area and why we want to protect it for generations to come
