Bert Riggall's Greater Waterton,
A Conservation Legacy
The Book
Bert Riggall’s Greater Waterton, A Conservation Legacy. ON SALE NOW!
The publication is an anthology from writers including award winners Sid Marty and Fred Stenson and contributors including Harvey Locke, Charlie Russell, Chris Morrison, Bruce Morrison, Dave Sheppard and Larry Simpson amongst others. All share their insights into this inspiring story. Riggall’s original black-and-white photographs, hand drawn maps and early letters illustrate the manuscript.
$60.00 plus shipping and handling
Contact Beth Towe tgbear@telus.net
Charlie Russell's Full Unedited Essay: "Bert Riggall: A Grandson’s Perspective"
Dave Sheppard's Full Unedited Essay: "The Castle: A Conservation Legacy Through Time"
Kevin Van Tighem's Full Unedited Essay: "GOD'S BREATH"
Banff Center - Mountain Film and Book Festival, Oct. 27 - Nov. 4, 2018
2018 Banff Mountain Book Competition
Book Category: Mountain Environment and Natural History
Banff Mountain Film And Book Festival
Special Jury Mention
Bert Riggall's Greater Waterton: A Conservation Legacy
Beth Russell-Towe, Fifth House Publishers (Canada, 2018)
“Bert Riggall’s photographs from the first half of the 20th Century frame some fabulous writing about the people, terrain and history of the Greater Waterton Region. The images alone tell a fabulous story. Sid Marty’s Mistakis-The Backbone of the Earth and Kevin van Tighem’s God’s Breath should be required reading for anyone who travels to southwest Alberta. This is a story of the origins of a regional conservation legacy that to this day strives to include the landscape, flora, fauna and people who live in this very special part of the world.”
— Larry Stanier, 2018 Book Competition Jury
The Background
The story of conservation in southwest Alberta is of international significance. Many innovative approaches are employed here that result in a diverse and highly active environmental stewardship. An evolving conservation legacy, this ongoing commitment to the conservation of the region was inspired by Bert Riggall, his photographic images, the wilderness trails he created and the contributions he made to conservation awareness. Bert Riggall arrived in the Twin Butte, Waterton Lakes area in 1905 and became one of its most respected mountain guides and naturalists. A self-taught photographer, Riggall captured some of the earliest images of this stunning wild region. The photographs became a lure for a fledgling tourism industry; they became the eyes of change for an emerging conservation movement. Leaving an impressive archival record of more than 14,000 photographs, records, diaries, maps and letters, the Riggall archives are considered to be of “outstanding significance and national importance” by the Cultural Property Export Review Board. His influence flows across generations and continues today. It’s seen in the efforts of individuals and the successes of conservation initiatives such as The Castle, The Waterton Biosphere Reserve, Flathead Wild and The Waterton Front. It serves as a model in conserving landscapes and wildlife communities on a scale that nature works.
Bert Riggall Environmental Foundation