Volunteers for Heritage Harvest Initiative Project

BACKGROUND

A Biosphere Eco-City (BEC) is an urban core and its surrounding countryside where

people and organizations cooperate to develop a culture of sustainability. The BEC

approach works through education and engagement. There are BEC initiatives in five

cities: Ottawa, Toronto, Brampton, Edmonton, and Vancouver. Biosphere Eco-Cities

Canada (BECC) supports their development.

Edmonton BEC (EBEC) is developing a project with local gardeners to grow heritage

crops and educate the public about the diversity of these crops. Agricultural biodiversity

protects against crop diseases and the impacts of climate change and is important for

food security. The project will focus on Canadian heritage crops, i.e., crop varieties that

have a long history of cultivation in Canada and are valued for their historical, cultural,

or regional significance, such as sunflowers, and traditional garden varieties of corn and

beans. The EBEC website is https://Edmonton.BioEcoCity.org

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY

Volunteers in the EBEC Agricultural Biodiversity team will:

• Reach out to gardeners to grow heritage crops
• Provide BECC’s lists of suggested seeds and sources to gardeners
• Give gardeners a template to record their heritage crop growing experiences
• Collect updates, periodic records and pictures from gardeners through the season
• Create a public newsletter of the project highlighting the growing experiences and tastes of the heritage crops
• Potentially create a map of gardens that are part of the project

COORDINATION OF THE TEAM

A BECC volunteer will coordinate the team remotely. A team member may assume

team leadership if desired. Communication will use email, Slack and periodic meetings.

SKILLS DESIRED

Useful skills include writing, verbal communication, work planning, teamwork, use of

social media and drawing of maps.

EXPECTATIONS & HOW TO APPLY

Flexible volunteer hours between March and September 2026 are requested. To

volunteer, please send your resume or letter of interest to Idowu@BioEcoCity.org