The Smith Blackburn Homestead is stewarded by Edmonton and Area Land Trust, a nonprofit charity committed to conserving nature in Edmonton and area and engaging people and communities in land conservation and stewardship. 

The land was donated to Edmonton and Area Land Trust in memory of Cecil Blackburn and has been cherished by the Averell and Smith families for generations. This land is on Treaty 6 territory, a traditional gathering place, traveling route, and home for many Indigenous Peoples.

The land is of ecological importance as it lies within the UNESCO Beaver Hills Biosphere Reserve, and is part of a larger network of conserved areas. In a region that is increasingly fragmented, Smith Blackburn Homestead provides high-quality habitat, wildlife corridors, and stepping stones that contribute to a critical network of connected natural areas. Keystone species such as beavers thrive here, as do other wildlife like black bears, deer, moose, wood frogs, and Canadian Tiger Swallowtail butterflies. The land is crucial in supporting regional biodiversity as it provides homes for breeding waterfowl and songbirds, large mammals, and mesocarnivores. 

Your donation supports activities such as wildlife monitoring, bird and bat box installation and cleaning, trail maintenance, invasive plant management, and other conservation and stewardship activities. Your donation to the Smith Blackburn Homestead Endowment Fund helps the Edmonton and Area Land Trust steward this land in perpetuity.

To learn more about the Smith Blackburn Homestead, visit ealt.ca/smith-blackburn.