Renowned Canmore-based conservationist Karsten Heuer dies at the age of 56

The Bow Valley has lost a stewardof the land and champion forthe wildlife thatcall it home.

Karsten Heuer was a renowned Canmore-based conservationist, biologist, author and award-winningfilmmaker. His family said he died peacefully in his backyard earlier this week at the age of 56.

Heuerchose medical assistance in dying after being diagnosed with a rare neurological disease called multiple system atrophy.

Among his accolades, he helped reintroduce bison to Banff National Park, followed caribou through northern Canada and Alaska to highlight the impact of resource development on the landand paddled with his son and wife all the way from the Bow River to Nova Scotia to visit the placesauthor Farley Mowat'sstories were set in.

Daybreak Alberta11:35Canmore conservationist Karsten Heuer's legacy

Renowned Canmore-based conservationist, biologist, author and filmmaker Karsten Heuer died this week at the age of 56. We're joined by two Canmore town councillors who were friends of Karsten's to talk about their memories of him and the legacy he leaves behind.

Heuerwas known as a down-to-earth, approachable andinspirational leader,who leaves behind apowerful environmentallegacy.

Speaking to Daybreak Alberta host Paul Karchut, two Canmore town councillors and friends of Heuer,Jeff Mah andWade Graham, said he was an icon of the Bow Valley.

Mah reminisced about apublic engagement session where about 40 people from Canmorewere asked who would make a good representative for the town. He said everyone present wasin agreement.

"There was a resounding if we had to think of someone that was a quintessential Canmorian, that embodied a ton of values on conservation....Karsten's name came front and centre. And there's just these nods of agreement around the room," Mah said.

"We all want to be like Karsten."

Right side of history

Graham said Heuer had a magnetic presencethat made people want to stand next to him.

"He led withsuch integrity and such courage and conviction that you really wanted to just be there beside that," hesaid.

Graham described Heuer as a soft-spoken man in a loud world who was always mindful about being on the right side of history.

Mah said he and his family watched Heuer and his wife Leanne Allison's 2004 documentary Being Caribou recently and weretaken aback by its quality.

"I was like, holy shmoly,just to take that undertaking onandfollowa herd of caribou acrossthe Yukon into the Alaska area was pretty impressive," Mah said.

Heuer's friendssaid they are still processing his death, but got the sense that hehad made peace with his situation before he passed away.

"I think that's a courageous path to the very end," Mah said.

Graham said a hole has been left inthe Canmore community without Heuer.

"His wife Leanne is also an incredible person, andhis son Zev, an incredible young man," Graham said.

Mah added Heuer haddonephenomenal work in thefinal chapter of his life in bringing back bison to Banff National Park.

"These last nine years, Karsten's actually reintroducedan apex species into the BowValley," he said.

Mah said Heuer in his finalweeks had written a book about the bison in Banff National Park,which is slated to be published sometime in the nearfuture.

"He was more physically limited in what he could do by the end of his life, but he made sure his mind was sharp and he wrote what he needed to write.... No days were wasted in Karsten Heuer's life."