Photo credit: City of Edmonton Facebook
A call to action: Protecting the future of the NSRV
The North Saskatchewan River Valley is more than just a scenic landmark; it's a vital ecosystem facing a critical legal test. Ansh Gulati, a law student working with the Edmonton River Valley Conservation Coalition (ERVCC), recently authored an opinion article in the Edmonton Journal that argues the City's new Area Redevelopment Plan (ARP) falls short of providing the necessary protection.
One of the main concerns Ansh voices is the use of weak, non-binding language in the draft bylaw. He highlights the change from "shall" to "should" as a key shift that weakens the city's legal obligations to protect the valley. This subtle but significant change, along with a lack of clear guidance on environmental assessments and mitigation, could allow for development that harms the valley's biodiversity and ecological function.
The article emphasizes that true protection requires a robust and enforceable legal framework. It also calls for the bylaw to move beyond symbolic gestures and include meaningful, constitutionally mandated consultation with Indigenous communities.
Ansh concludes that “Council must not approve a new river valley bylaw until these critical legal and structural issues are resolved. After all, a bylaw is the most binding form of municipal law. The need of the hour is a robust, comprehensive, and enforceable bylaw: one that tackles the current bylaw’s shortcomings and builds upon it in a substantive and meaningful way, from a legal perspective.”
River Valley Alliance 2025 call for calendar submissions
The RVA is excited to announce the 2025 RVA Call For Calendar Submissions! They are seeking 13 stunning images to feature in their upcoming calendar—one for each month and a special one for the cover. To represent the diversity and beauty of our region, they need images from each of our six municipalities: Devon, Parkland County, Edmonton, Strathcona County, Fort Saskatchewan, and Sturgeon County. They are looking for a variety of seasonal shots, so whether it’s a frosty winter morning or a vibrant summer sunset, they want to see your best work!
For full details and submission guidelines visit 2025 RVA Call For Calendar Submissions - River Valley Alliance
Additionally, the River Valley Alliance offers a variety of events focused on outdoor activities and appreciating nature. The upcoming events for September 2025 include:
Youth and Family Geocaching Adventure: This event takes place on Saturday, September 13, from 10am to 12pm at West Rivers Edge Pavilion in Fort Saskatchewan. It is a geocaching event designed for youth and families.
Fall Medicine – Moccasin and Medicine Trail Walk Series: This guided trail walk is on Sunday, September 14, from 10am to 12pm.
Autumn Birding Walk – A Guided Birdwatching Experience: This guided birdwatching experience is on Sunday, September 21, from 9am to 12pm.
For a full list of events and registration details visit Events - River Valley Alliance
Photo credit: Operation Fruit Rescue Edmonton webpage
Operation Fruit Rescue Edmonton - Apple Cider Celebration
At Operation Fruit Rescue Edmonton (OFRE, pronounced “offer”), they’re all about building community through the simple act of harvesting fruit. Founded in 2009, their journey began with a passion for locally grown food and a commitment to ensuring that no fruit goes to waste. For over a decade, they’ve connected Edmonton’s fruit tree owners with eager volunteers, rescuing thousands of pounds of fresh produce that might have otherwise gone unpicked.
Every apple tells a story—and during this three-weekend family apple celebration, you’ll help write the next chapter. From pedal-powered cider pressing to youth-friendly harvest workshops, OFRE’s fall festival connects kids, parents, and neighbours to the rhythms of food, land, and community.
Each event in the Apple Cider Celebration series offers something special. The first two weekends are community-focused cider pressing events—come press, taste, and connect. The final event is their grand finale: a full-day family celebration with the most hands-on workshops.
Photo Credit: Boreal chorus frog. Photo © A. Teucher
Vanishing Voices: The Disappearing Amphibians of Alberta
Amphibians are a unique classification of animals that often live double lives, partly in the water and partly on land. Alberta has three types of amphibians: frogs, toads, and salamanders. For 60 years, the AWA has worked to protect and preserve what makes Alberta unique: our wilderness and the rich complexity of biodiversity that comes with it.
The AWA is still advocating for many of the same things they were at the beginning: the appreciation and protection of our wild spaces and wildlife as a public good, and more mindful development that takes ecological integrity into high regard.
Because of their sensitive skin and specific habitat requirements, amphibians are facing many new challenges due to human activity. Land-use changes, urban development and roadways, chemical additions to ecosystems, water pollution, extended periods of drought, and Chytrid fungus are all culprits in their declining numbers across the world, including right here in Alberta.
Amphibians often serve as indicator species within their habitats (think “canary in the coal mine”), revealing harmful changes in the environment early on. Protecting critical habitats and species helps ensure that all ecosystem services are preserved for the health and resilience of everyone.
For this to happen, we must first remind ourselves to celebrate the sounds of a frog chorus just as we anticipate the calls of migratory birds in spring. For more information and to read the full article by Sara Heerema go to The Story of Alberta’s Abandoned Amphibians.
From Gold Dust to Green Space: The Story of Miner's Flat
Alice writes: Thank you as always for the newsletter! The article on prospecting in the most recent issue reminded me of this particular poem — it’s from a sequence about the river valley that appeared in my collection “The Occupied World.”
Flour gold
The spoon dredge
swirls mud into smooth batter
from the river’s round bowls.
It trawls the slurried beds
for flakes so light
they will float – a gold flour
sifted from sand.
The Gold Rush rises in the miners’ pans
like a loaf.
And the spoon dredge wants more
sweet cake
from the river’s cold oven.
Clover Bar. Gold Bar –
gravel ridges
thrust in the river,
licked like fingers.
Raft Race by Toti Lewis / EPL Stanley Milner 2nd Level
Stanley A. Milner Library ART GUIDE
Comment or Contributions
Please note articles may not reflect the position of NSRVCS. River Valley News is meant to be a clearinghouse for the variety of opinions and ideas about Edmonton’s River Valley.
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