NSRVCS News - Feb. 20, 2020

Larch Sanctuary loop a taste of alpine walks inside the city
Nestled in the middle of Edmonton lies Larch Sanctuary, a tranquil section of the Whitemud Nature Reserve. The combination of wooded areas, along with the riparian areas lining the creek and oxbow lake, retain remarkable biodiversity, providing habitat for dozens of species of mammals, birds, and amphibians.
 
If you’re looking to get a taste of alpine walks inside the city before heading to the mountains, this is a great place to train as the trail is narrow, overgrown at parts and uneven terrain such as exposed tree roots and slippery clay slopes can make this walk a challenge.
 
Edmonton and Area Land trust has put together a self guided tour pamphlet you can reference on your walk to learn more about what you’re seeing https://static1.squarespace.com/static/569ec99b841abaccb7c7e74c/t/5c38cb3a0ebbe8436806f67e/1547225921381/Larch+Sanctuary+Self-Guided+Tour.pdf

Boreal Chickadee our winter hummingbird
The Boreal Chickadee is a tough little bird that does not migrate. This chickadee is identified by its brown cap and smaller white cheek patch. Chickadees are easily identified by their namesake call “chick-a-dee.”

Have you noticed how ravenously the birds eat at your bird feeders, especially first thing in the morning and just before dusk? Chickadees can gain as much as 10 percent of their body weight each day and lose it all again during a cold winter night They will appreciate seeds, especially sunflower seeds, suet and even coconut at your backyard feeder.
 
Chickadees weigh less than one-half of an ounce and their wing beats are about 27 times per second. This compares to a hummingbird’s 80 beats per second. Learn more at https://edmonton.wbu.com/chickadee-fun-facts

Rough fescue – Alberta’ official grass
Rough fescue is a beautiful grass, tall and elegant. Alberta is the only jurisdiction in North America where all three types of rough fescue occur – Plains, Foothills and Northern. Their ranges converge here, reflecting the pattern of recolonization following glaciation 10,000 years ago as well as the natural diversity of the province - from plains to foothills to mountains.
 
A local example of rough fescue can be found at Nisku Native Prairie Park Reserve, a 31- acre remnant of aspen parkland protected as municipal reserve by Leduc County since 1994.  It is located south of Edmonton in Leduc County east of the Nisku Industrial Area and south of Secondary Highway 625. The landscape consists of aspen groves interspersed with grasslands, and it is this latter community, dominated by plains rough fescue.
 
Fescue grasslands are vital range for wildlife and of great significance for the ranching industry. They have been and continue to be threatened by some human activities. Learn more at
http://www.albertapcf.org/rsu_docs/rough-fescue-backgrounder.pdf

Share river valley event, job posting, or news
If you have a river valley event, job posting, or news that you would like to see published in this newsletter, please send the info to nsrivervalley@gmail.com
 
Sincerely yours,
Harvey Voogd
North Saskatchewan River Valley Conservation Society
780.691.1712
nsrivervalley@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/NSRVCS/
http://www.edmontonrivervalley.org/

NSRVCS News - Feb. 13, 2020

Small predator on the river valley forest floor
Shrews, including our local Prairie shrew, are a common creature almost never seen. They are mouse sized but they aren’t rodents, shrews are insectivores. They have pointed noses, sharp teeth and short tails.
 
As insectivore suggests, shrews eat a variety of insects and spiders as well as worms, baby birds, mice, and even carrion. They have a very high metabolism and need to eat as much as three times their body weight every day to fuel their activity. They slow down a bit in the winter and sleep for an hour between each burst of feeding.
 
Females also use their nests for raising their large numbers of young. Eighteen days after mating, the mother gives birth to four to ten blind, naked babies that will be weaned and on their own in only three weeks. Shrews produce one to three litters per year depending on the season. More information at https://www.edmontonexaminer.com/opinion/columnists/shrews-small-predators-on-the-forest-floor/wcm/d5f13a2f-ad7d-4b26-9470-1a40017bab4d

West River’s Edge Loop
This 6 km trail across the river from NE Edmonton can be accessed via River Valley Drive in Fort Saskatchewan. This flat path is rated easy with bikes and dogs on-leash allowed. There are options to take single track trails for a portion of the loop that are closer to the river.

This trail loops from the pavilion parking lot, back along the riverside and around the large fenced dog park. The wide paved trail makes for an easy ride or stroller walk while affording great views of the river at the well-situated viewing decks along the trail. If you’re a mountain bike enthusiast, single track trails and obstacles are available to explore. Info at https://rivervalley.ab.ca/trail-treks/trailtrek-how-to-west-rivers-edge-loop/

Edmonton’s River Valley and Natural Areas Protection
Protected areas have been identified as an important tool for biodiversity conservation via protection of habitat. Protecting natural areas to benefit wildlife and people in an urban environment brings unique challenges, opportunities and wins.
 
You are invited to attend the Annual General Meeting of the North Saskatchewan River Valley Conservation Society which will feature a presentation on Edmonton’s River Valley and Natural Areas Protection by Pam Wight.
 
Pam was the original Executive Director of the Edmonton and Area Land Trust from 2008 to 2019. EALT works to protect natural areas to benefit wildlife and people, and to conserve biodiversity and all nature’s values, for everyone forever.
 
The AGM will be held Monday, March 16, 2020 at 5:30 pm in Mountain Equipment Co-op, 11904-104 Avenue NW, Edmonton. RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/edmontons-river-valley-and-natural-areas-protection-tickets-93117379589

A Fur Trade Wedding
Paul Kane famously visited Fort Edmonton on Christmas 1847. He ended his descriptions at the Fort with a singular event: The January 6 wedding of the Chief Factor’s son, John Rowand Jr. and Margaret Harriott. Early the next morning, the couple departed to John Jr.’s new station at Fort Pitt.
 
The newlyweds did not make the 300 km journey alone. Nine men accompanied them. Kane also joined trek. For one week, they rode on three carioles and four sledges pulled by a large team of dogs. A cariole is a decorated sled. Kane describes the bride’s as “elaborately painted and ornamented.”
 
The ride was frosty. On day four, the thermometer read minus -43 degrees Celsius. All the same, the party arrived at Fort Pitt on January 14. And Kane returned to Edmonton to stay for the winter, working on sketches, planning his next big adventure. Learn more at
https://www.edmontoncommonwealthwalkway.com/storyline/winter/83 Share river valley event, job posting, or news
If you have a river valley event, job posting, or news that you would like to see published in this newsletter, please send the info to nsrivervalley@gmail.com
 
Sincerely yours,
Harvey Voogd
North Saskatchewan River Valley Conservation Society
780.691.1712
nsrivervalley@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/NSRVCS/
http://www.edmontonrivervalley.org/

NSRVCS News - Feb. 6, 2020

Silver Skate Festival
This festival, which runs February 7-17 in the heart of Hawrelak Park is known for its fire sculpture installation. The fire represents renewal and the release of thoughts that make us sad or any fear or regret that chases love from our hearts. Each Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the event, a team of fire artists will be building a sculpture that will be burned at 7:45pm.
 
In the Storytelling tent, everyone is invited to write down any thoughts to be offered to the fire sculpture. People are also invited to make a lantern at the workshop tent adjacent to the Storytelling tent from 4-7pm and join the 7:30pm lantern parade to the fire circle for the burn.
 
But this festival has more than fire and whether you’re carving a snow sculpture or riding in a horse-drawn sleigh, one thing is for sure, you will have fun! Festival information at https://www.silverskatefestival.org/go/

River valley gondola would come at great cost
Here we go again. The city is considering a private gondola proposal. Discussion of this project has centred on concerns that Edmontonians will be left paying for an expensive chunk of concrete and rusting cable if the project is not viable. Prairie Sky assures this will not be the case, but the hyperbole and holes in their report raise red flags — at least, for some councillors.
 
Coun. Aaron Paquette asked how Prairie Sky determined that their gondola would see 637,000 unique customers per year when Spokane’s sees 70,000. (Prairie Sky couldn’t say how they arrived at that number.) He also wondered what metric they used to determine that their Indigenous consultation was “unprecedented.” (Prairie Sky whispered amongst themselves then replied that this was perhaps “poor word choice.”)
 
Read the complete opinion piece by Kristine Kowalchuk, Chair of the Edmonton River Valley Conservation Coalition, at http://edmontonjournal.com/opinion/columnists/opinion-river-valley-gondola-would-come-at-great-cost

Fulton Creek an example of creek loss
Fulton Creek in eastern Edmonton is an interesting study for showing the gradual process of creek loss. Extensive sections of this creek have been culverted while others remain flowing at the surface. Lower sections of the creek were culverted and filled to build the Capilano Freeway and Capilano Bridge; upper reaches are disappearing to industrial areas. A western tributary has disappeared entirely.
 
Fulton Creek originates in the southeastern section of Edmonton, from the Fulton Marsh in the Maple neighbourhood. It becomes culverted as it enters Weir Industrial Park at 69 Ave near 50 St. After a culverted distance of more than 3 kms, the creek emerges at 98 Ave and Terrace Rd in the Fulton Place neighbourhood and then flows through Fulton Creek Ravine for ¾ of a kilometre before going underground again at the Capilano Freeway and discharges into the North Saskatchewan River.
 
Due to being culverted, the creek's discharge into the river is very minimal and tends to dry up in the summer. Spring melt can cause the creek to overflow, allowing melt water to access the river. Read more at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fulton_Creek_(Alberta) Share river valley event, job posting, or news
If you have a river valley event, job posting, or news that you would like to see published in this newsletter, please send the info to nsrivervalley@gmail.com
 
Sincerely yours,
Harvey Voogd
North Saskatchewan River Valley Conservation Society
780.691.1712
nsrivervalley@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/NSRVCS/
http://www.edmontonrivervalley.org/