In This Issue
Gibbons Prairie: Exploring Alberta’s ancient cactus badlands.
Local Events: Gardening swaps and conservation films.
River Safety: Hidden dangers of moving ice.
Wintering Ducks: Survival at wastewater treatment plants.
Resilient Cacti of the North
You’ve likely seen Gibbons in the news lately, but perhaps not for the reasons the town would hope. Recent CBC reports indicate that the town is facing a multimillion-dollar financial crisis, with possible insolvency and even dissolution looming. The path to recovery will be difficult and lengthy for both the council and residents. But did you know just beyond the modern townsite of Gibbons lies a landscape that has remained virtually unchanged for centuries?
According to the North Saskatchewan Watershed Alliance, the Gibbons Prairie/Badlands is a rare "living museum" of pre-settler Alberta—a pocket of land that escaped the transformation of the surrounding agriculture and industry. This unique ecosystem is defined by rugged badland formations and native grasses that once covered the entire province. Among its most resilient residents is the Brittle Prickly Pear cactus (Opuntia fragilis).
These hardy plants are biological marvels, capable of surviving Alberta’s -40°C winters by dehydrating their cells to prevent freezing. In early summer, these cacti burst into waxy yellow blooms, offering a vibrant contrast to the arid, sandy slopes they call home. It is a place where history is measured not in years, but in geological eras.
Green Spaces & Cultural Places: Upcoming Local Events
The Strathcona County Library hosts the Everything Garden Seed Exchange on Saturday, February 28 (10:00 AM – 1:30 PM) at the Community Centre. This free event features a seed and tool swap alongside expert presentations on worm composting, bird-friendly gardening, and fruit tree biology, with advanced workshops like snow-seeding and grafting continuing until 4:15 PM.
Join the Dene Tha' First Nation and CPAWS Northern Alberta for the public premiere of Mbehcho: Home of the Dene Tha on Thursday, March 5 (6:30 PM – 8:30 PM) at the Stanley A. Milner Library’s Muttart Theatre. This evening of traditional drumming and film explores Indigenous-led stewardship of Bistcho Lake, a critical sanctuary for caribou and wolverine; tickets are available via Eventbrite.
Kickstart your indoor garden at the Muttart Conservatory’s Herb Seed Starter Workshop on Thursday, March 12. Participants will learn seedling care while creating a custom planter, followed by a guided evening tour of the conservatory’s current "Prehistoric Paradise" pyramid display. Spaces are limited, so be sure to register through movelearnplay.edmonton.ca to secure your spot.
Photo credit: Cam Cook, Global News
The Dangers of River Ice: Stay Safe and Stay Off the NSR
While it may be tempting to imagine skating down the NSR as one would on the Rideau Canal in Ottawa, the City of Edmonton warns that the river is extremely unsafe for winter recreation. Unlike other Canadian waterways, the North Saskatchewan does not freeze reliably; attempting to walk or skate on it is strictly prohibited and carries a $500 fine.
The primary danger lies in the river's constant motion. Even when the surface appears solid, the water beneath remains in a state of flow, creating thin, unpredictable ice and unstable banks. These deceptive conditions are further complicated by fast underwater currents and strong undertows that can pull people or pets under the ice sheet in an instant.
Hidden hazards such as floating debris, fallen trees, and muddy shorelines also make the ice’s structural integrity unreliable. Because of these risks, Edmonton Fire Rescue Services responds to over a hundred river-rescue calls annually. The city emphasizes that the ice is never safe, regardless of how low the temperature drops, and urges residents to stick to monitored, maintained skating locations like the Victoria Park Freezeway or local community rinks instead.
Photo credit: WILDNorth
Why Some Ducks Skip Migration
Every winter, a "renegade" group of mallards elects to skip the cross-continental flight south, choosing instead to make their home in and around Edmonton’s wastewater treatment facilities. While a factory processing human waste might not seem like a paradise, these sites offer a critical resource: open water. The secondary clarified effluent water (SCEW) remains at a hospitable temperature of over 10°C even during extreme cold snaps, providing a safe place for birds to sleep and drink. However, researchers suggest this may be an "ecological trap"; many of these ducks are juveniles that hatched too late to build the strength for migration, and they often struggle with a lack of food, losing up to 30% of their body weight over the winter.
WILDNorth recently admitted several ducks found in the greater Edmonton area that failed to migrate. These winter residents often arrive with minor frostbite on their webbing, parasitic infections, and signs of being underweight. Once treated and stabilized, the rehabilitation team must decide whether to overwinter the patients or release them back onto the river during a winter warm spell. While these birds are incredibly resilient, their presence highlights the complicated relationship between urban infrastructure and wildlife survival.
To foster a better understanding of these urban ecosystems, WILDNorth and EPCOR have partnered to offer Wildlife Interaction & My Community a free program for Grade 7 classes. The 45-minute presentation explores local wildlife issues and includes a 30-minute tour of a stormwater facility, teaching students about urban biodiversity and safety. Educators can request a presentation for the 2025-2026 school year by visiting wildnorth.ca.
Winter Sunrise
Comment or Contributions
Please note that 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.
Email river valley photos, event information, comments, or questions to nsrivervalley@gmail.com.
Forward this link to anyone you think may want to sign up for this newsletter https://www.edmontonrivervalley.org/newsletter-signup