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