The Hicks property southeast of the City of Edmonton is the latest conservation area to be photographed for a virtual tour thanks to Google Trekker.
The Google Trekker is a backpack-mounted camera with 15 lenses that capture 360-degree images every two-and-a-half seconds.
“Each image is actually embedded with a GPS location and once we send the data back to Google, they’re going to stitch the images together, create 360-degree panoramas and put them up in Google Street View so Google users everywhere can see some of the amazing landscapes we have across our country,” explained Carys Richards, spokesperson for the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) Alberta region.
READ MORE: Google Trekker puts B.C. wilderness on the map
The non-profit group first partnered with Google three years ago. Together, they’ve created virtual tours of 18 sites across Canada. This year, the NCC will bring the Google Trekker to the Dutch Creek Hoodoos in B.C. and to Jean-Paul Riopelle Nature Reserve in Quebec. The Hicks property is the first stop on the national tour.
READ MORE: Google’s Trekker to take visitors on virtual hikes through B.C.
Having the areas accessible online means people who can’t visit in person can still experience them.
“I think it’s really important to showcase the natural areas we have close to the city,” said Carissa Wasyliw, the Conservancy’s natural area manager for northeast Alberta.
“A lot of people are unable to actually get out and enjoy these places on the ground, so it’s nice to have this as an option for them to enjoy it virtually.”
In order to capture accurate images of Hicks conservation area, staff don the Google Trekker backpack and hit the trails.
“The actual process is to just put the camera on and start walking,” Richards added. “We make sure there’s no people visible in the shots; it’s just 100 per cent nature.”
WATCH: How the Google Trekker is exploring Alberta
She says the Hicks area has a diverse mix of habitat for migratory bird species and moose, elk and deer, including forests, shrub land, open grasslands and wetlands.
The Hicks property is owned by NCC in partnership with the Edmonton and Area Land Trust. It’s located within the Cooking Lake Moraine natural area, which overlaps with the boundary of the UNESCO Beaver Hills Biosphere Reserve.
“Because this area is so close to an urban centre like the City of Edmonton, it’s really important that we keep these areas from being completely subdivided and developed,” Richards said.
The organization isn’t part of the federal government, but it works with all levels of government as well as private property owners to preserve land.
It also suggests spots near you — and provides maps and trails on its naturedestinations.ca site — where you can experience conservation lands in person for yourself.
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