The hamlet of Faust, among other attractions, is the home of about 20 great blue heron nests. These majestic birds apparently like company, and have their own version of a moms and tots program in a wooded area on the west side of Faust. It’s called a ‘rookery,’ and it consists of about 20 nests in mostly dead poplar trees a few hundred metres from the lake.
The nesting colony is on private property, and the absentee owner of the 14 acres in question recently put it up for sale. Through various channels the news of the sale came to the Alberta Conservation Association (ACA), whose mandate is to preserve wildlife habitat. The ACA went shopping for partners, and is in the process of buying the land.
“We just want to limit the motorized traffic that’s going through there now,” says Leanne Osokin, the Slave Lake ACA representative.
Buying the land also ensures that the trees surrounding the rookery won’t be logged off. The birds will relocate if the habitat becomes unsuitable, or if they don’t feel safe, Osokin says. Despite the proximity to Faust, the birds seem to be comfortable where they are. The goal of the ACA and its partners – principally Suncor, with a $1,050 commitment over three years – is to make sure the rookery stays as good a place for heron in years to come as it is now.
“The downfall of a lot of these colonies is that the old trees fall down and there’s no young ones coming up,” Osokin says. “The great thing about this property is there’s a good amount of old, decadent balsam poplar, but also younger poplar, so it should persist for a number of years.”
The nests appear as bundles of sticks in forks of the trees quite high up. There’s a fairly constant croaking sound coming from them, and the heads and necks of birds can sometimes be seen sticking out. The adults can be seen coming and going from fishing in the nearby lake, or sometimes perching in nearby trees.
Last week Osokin and three of her ACA colleagues spent a few hours hauling off metal debris from the former homestead, which has been unoccupied since the 1960s. Osokin says the plan is to put up barriers to motorized traffic, but not to exclude community members from the property. In fact, the ACA welcomes the participation of local residents in seeing that the property is properly used.
“The community of Faust is well aware of it,” she says. “They’re actually quite supportive and protective of it. I’ve asked (Faust resident) Bonnie Raho to be the local steward. She’s very excited about it.”
Also involved in the project is Keith Denoncourt’s Outdoor Education class from Roland Michener School in Slave Lake, which chose the ACA as the beneficiary of its fundraising efforts this year. The Alberta Fish & Game Association, the Sawridge Band and the Alberta Sport, Parks, Recreation and Wildlife Foundation are also contributing to the project. Osokin says the property owner has made a contribution to the effort as well.

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