The Woodlot Association of Alberta was formed in 1995.  At the time of its inception there were serious issues impacting the harvest of timber off private land with the majority of the timber going to British Columbia to augment mill quotas.  As a result of this, exorbitant prices were being offered to landowners with little or no regard to sustainable management practices.   In response to this, and with both financial and physical help from a number of government agencies including the Canadian Forest Service (CFS) and the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Authority (PFRA), a small group of approximately 12 members primarily from the Cochrane and Sundre areas of Alberta formed the WAA.  The original intent was to provide a voice to represent the opinions of the small landowner and to promote sound and sustainable management options. Over the years the membership has increased to around 175 - 200 where it is today.

In the late 90's the organization started publishing it’s newsletter the “Logjam”.  For a short while different names and formats were experimented with however today it again retains it’s original name and much of it’s original tone and mandate.
Today the issues that originally prompted the WAA’s formation have largely disappeared however the organization continues to lobby on behalf of private landowners on numerous issues as they arise. As the representative of private woodlot owners in Alberta the WAA also sits on the Canadian Federation of Woodlot Owners (CFWO) where national issues such as income tax and national sustainability standards are dealt with.