NSRVCS News - October 9, 2020

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October 9, 2020

Edmontonians want river valley protected
This past Tuesday, Council began its Public Hearing on Epcor’s request to rezone 99 acres of river valley parkland from Metropolitan Recreation Zone to a Direct Development Control zoning that will allow development of the site to a major utility consisting of a solar power plant with 45,000 solar panels that will generate 10 MW of electrical power.

Due to the number of speakers, the public hearing will continue next week. Our society opposes this industrialization of the river valley. The owl photo was taken at the location yesterday. If you are concerned, send your comments to City Council before 1.30 pm next Tuesday at council@edmonton.ca or 311@edmonton.ca

An opinion piece states the city’s own ecological planners criticized Epcor’s environmental assessment. Their review predicts “significant, long-term, adverse impacts on wildlife” in an area that has been “identified provincially as a key wildlife and biodiversity zone, regional biodiversity corridor, and core biodiversity area.”

Culturally, this land is irreplaceable. Epcor’s archaeological survey discovered over 20,000 cultural objects, some dating back to 9,000 years ago, making it the oldest known cultural site in the Edmonton area. How do we know, as Councillor Aaron Paquette asked last summer, that this land is not worthy of UNESCO cultural heritage status like Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump?

The great thing about solar panels is that they can go anywhere. And they do not need to destroy land. They can go on rooftops or in brownfields, thereby intensifying our land use and maximizing carbon sequestration, all while leaving habitat alone. Read Kristine Kowalchuk’s opinion piece at https://edmontonjournal.com/opinion/columnists/opinion-edmontonians-want-river-valley-protected

Fall foliage to get a boost as city looks to add 2M trees
For many Edmontonians, fall is the prettiest time of year, thanks in part to the city's efforts in maintaining its urban forest. "There are 12.8 million trees in the city of Edmonton all together; about 380,000 of those trees are on boulevards and parks," says Grove Darren Grove, supervisor of the city's natural areas.

An estimated 5.8 million trees live in natural areas like the river valley-ravines system, with the remainder on private property. Now the city is hoping to add another two million trees to its streets and parks, Grove says.

Much will depend on the city's budget, Grove says, but he expects a blend of ash, elms, oaks, maples and other ornamental trees would be planted in parks and green spaces, while more natural areas would be planted with poplar, spruce and pine.

Many of those natural areas are seeing significantly more use from people enjoying Edmonton's wooded areas during the COVID-19 pandemic, Grove says. Watch a beautiful video at https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/trees-edmonton-darren-grove-adriene-lamb-fall-1.5745778

How to raise your own bird to eat for Thanksgiving
City statistics show there are 311 registered hens kept by Edmontonians. You can apply to keep up to 6 hens in your backyard, through the City’s Urban Hens Program.

Permits are not issued from November to March, but applicants are welcome to go through the Development Permit Approval process and start building their chicken coops and runs prior to being approved. They will then be able to obtain their hens until the spring,

The program requirements suggest chickens are in charge of the program as there is a lengthy to do list. Applicants must complete an urban hen keeping course, notify their neighbours prior to application, obtain a Provincial premise ID, submit a site plan location and dimensions of the chicken coop and run, and apply for an urban garden permit and residential electrical permit if they plan on hardwiring electrical into their coop.

Learn about Edmonton’s Urban Hens Program at https://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/initiatives_innovation/food_and_agriculture/urban-hens-project.aspx

Basics of bird migration
Geese winging their way south in wrinkled V-shaped flocks is perhaps the classic picture of migration, the annual, large-scale movement of birds between their summer breeding homes and their winter nonbreeding grounds. Of the more than 650 species of North American breeding birds, more than half are migratory.

Birds that nest in the Northern Hemisphere tend to migrate northward in the spring to take advantage of burgeoning insect populations, budding plants, and an abundance of nesting locations. As winter approaches and the availability of insects and other food drops, the birds move south again. Escaping the cold is a motivating factor but many species, including hummingbirds, can withstand freezing temperatures if an adequate supply of food is available.

Migrating birds can cover thousands of miles in their annual travels, often traveling the same course year after year with little deviation. First-year birds often make their very first migration on their own. Somehow, they can find their winter home despite never having seen it before and return the following spring to where they were born.

The secrets of their amazing navigational skills are not fully understood, partly because birds combine several different types of senses when they navigate. Birds can get compass information from the sun, the stars, and by sensing the earth’s magnetic field. They also get information from the position of the setting sun and from landmarks seen during the day. There’s even evidence that sense of smell plays a role, at least for homing pigeons. Read more at https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/the-basics-how-why-and-where-of-bird-migration

Newsletter sign up and contributions
Know someone who would enjoy receiving this weekly newsletter? You can sign up for this newsletter at https://www.edmontonrivervalley.org/

If you have a photo, news, an event, volunteer or employment opportunity involving Edmonton’s river valley and would like to see it in this newsletter, please email the material 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/

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October 5, 2020

NSRVCS News - October 5, 2020

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October 5, 2020

Eco benefits of our urban forest webinar
While you might know that the City of Edmonton keeps track of public trees and their value to Edmonton, did you know that there is also a map that residents can add to? All these trees added together make up Edmonton's urban forest and serve to benefit our city in a variety of ways.

Guest presenters from the City’s Urban Forestry department will present on the YEG Tree Map via a free webinar on October 8 at 6:30pm. You will learn how this tool calculates eco-benefits of trees and how residents can add private trees to this mapping inventory. This webinar will conclude with Q&A time.

As this is an online event, anyone can register even if you do not live in Edmonton. Registration and more info at https://tomorrowfoundation.ca/projects/community-science/october-8-webinar-yeg-tree-map-calculating-eco-benefits-of-our-urban-forest/

Epcor industrial project has no place in the river valley
A contentious solar farm proposed for Edmonton’s river valley remains a topic of division as it returns to city councillors for a vote Tuesday https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/epcors-contentious-river-valley-solar-farm-proposal-back-before-city-council-tuesday

But many environmental advocates remain unconvinced. Jim Rickett, with Save Gold Bar Park Alliance, said the changes proposed are minor and don’t prove the project essential for the river valley. Solar projects are a positive, Rickett argued, but not when in turn they are detrimental to wildlife and the surrounding environment.

Studies determined the project would have negative impacts to wildlife in the area with a reduction in habitat by 19.7 hectares. It is also expected to reduce connectivity for wildlife and increase the risk of death or injury as a result of bird collisions into the solar panels as well as entrapment.

“We’ve only got one river valley. It’s unique and it provides environmental protection and recreation opportunities. I think there’s a huge appetite and belief from citizens that as the city grows we need more publicly-accessible parkland, not less, and that’s why I believe that it continues to be extremely important to Edmontonians to protect the river valley,” Rickett said. “I feel I can say with extreme confidence that the majority of citizens don’t believe industrial projects in our river valley are best for our city or our citizens and we’re all waiting to see if council will vote in that regard.”

Stephen Madsen, president of the North Saskatchewan River Valley Conservation Society, said his main issue is with the rezoning of the land itself from a recreation and environmental protection zone. He argued that industrial projects, such as the solar farm, have no place in that type of area.

“In order to preserve the river valley, you need all aspects of the river valley. It’s not just the river at the boundary, you need the wetlands, you need the parts that approach it and you need to keep that open for your animals and the plant life,” he said. “The question is, is that the best place for the solar panels? We’re a big fan of green energy, but why there?”

If you also are concerned, send your comments to City Council at council@edmonton.ca or 311@edmonton.ca

Why dogs should be kept out of some natural areas
There are 61,912 dogs licenced by the City of Edmonton, of which 12% are not spayed or neutered. While many places welcome dogs, visitors to local conservation area Bunchberry Meadows are being asked to please respect site rules and leave their canine friends at home.

The Bunchberry Meadows Conservation Area is privately owned and managed by the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) and the Edmonton & Area Land Trust. The conservation area protects habitat and provides the public with a place to hike, cross-country ski, snowshoe and connect with nature.

Dogs can help to spread invasive plants into protected areas, and along with frightening the wildlife, they can also chase birds and trampling vegetation. Even something as simple as marking their scent on the trails is enough to deter some wildlife from using the site.

There are plenty of off-leash areas in Edmonton and nearby communities that provide a controlled environment for dogs to exercise, socialize and bond with their owners. More info on Bunchberry Meadows at
https://www.natureconservancy.ca/en/where-we-work/alberta/stories/keep-bunchberry-dog-free.html?utm_campaign=LEAFLET_0820&utm_source=eblast&utm_medium=email&utm_content=AB2

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September 25, 2020

NSRVCS News - September 25, 2020

Guest User

September 25, 2020

If you can’t travel widely, travel deeply
People aren’t travelling much these days. What if the pandemic leaves in its wake a world of overbearing government surveillance, and the political and economic woes mean travel is out of reach for all but the wealthiest or most powerful few?

How do we fully inhabit a particular place, in my case, this northern city, hunched frozen for half the year, consuming outsize amounts of energy to keep the lines open, the water and power flowing?

If our scope of movement narrows, we could go deeper. For one thing, we can walk the river valley. Thanks to the years-long efforts of the River Valley Alliance, there is a network of trails threading the valley from Devon to Fort Saskatchewan. And for the past three years, a group of friends has walked this path together as the Camino Edmonton, named for Spain’s famous pilgrim’s trail, Camino de Santiago.

Read more of Anna Marie Sewell’s meditation at https://www.ualberta.ca/newtrail/ideas/what-if-here-is-all-we-have.html

Rain leads to more landslides, erosion in river valley
"Significant rainfall in 2019 and 2020 has contributed to a greater number of new landslide hazards and trail erosion throughout Edmonton," said city spokesperson Debi Winwood. Several high-water events in the North Saskatchewan River also damaged trails, she added.

According to the city's river valley trail cautions and closures map as of Friday afternoon, there were 29 sections of trail that are under construction, permanently or temporarily closed, or where caution is advised.

Some trails have reopening dates on the horizon; the paved path behind Old Timers Cabin is scheduled to reopen at the end of the summer and re-routing work in Tiger Goldstick Park has an end date of December. Others are listed as temporary closures but have no end date. Trails with more severe damage could be closed for months, if not longer.

Despite this year's environmental obstacles, there is good news for trail users Winwood says the city is working to improve its trail system by repairing and maintaining its existing river valley paths. The city is also adding stairways and other trail connections to make the river valley more accessible. Learn more at https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/rain-leads-more-landslides-erosion-edmonton-river-valley-1.5729085

Epcor proposal threatens 99 acres of river valley parkland
City Council at a Public Hearing on October 6 will decide on a proposal by Epcor to rezone 99 acres of river valley land to allow for the construction of a solar power facility. Our society supports the growth of renewable green energy, but not in Edmonton’s Ribbon of Green.

The City Plan which was just adopted by Edmonton City Council on September 14, states “Our growth should drive climate resilience ahead and strengthen our natural systems. As a livable city, development and sustainability must be allies, not competitors. To lighten our collective footprint, Greener As We Grow is a commitment to use growth as a catalyst for good design and conscientious decisions.

Greener As We Grow puts Edmontonians at the forefront of two important trends for our region—continuing to develop a healthy city while also paying attention to what will surely be one of the great challenges of our future: protecting and enhancing our land, air, water and biodiversity.”

A key cornerstone of Edmonton’s biodiversity is our River Valley and its ravines, which for almost 100 years have conscientiously been deindustrialized, assembled as a park, and become a critical wildlife corridor and natural areas biodiversity zone. Former gravel pits, garbage dumps and industrial sites like coal mines have been closed.

Renewable green energy can be extremely harmful if it is in an inappropriate location. We believe Epcor’s proposed solar facility is in the wrong place, is a reindustrialization of the river valley and will have a negative impact on flora and fauna. Edmonton has one river valley. This location is not essential for a solar power plant and neither present Edmontonians nor future generations can afford the permanent loss of 99 acres of park land.

If you also are concerned, send your comments to City Council at council@edmonton.ca or 311@edmonton.ca

Conservation lands and climate change
Mitigating the effects of climate change may seem like an insurmountable goal and the solutions seem beyond humankind’s ability to overcome. Though there are many pieces to solving this puzzle, one effective strategy we have is to conserve intact natural areas. Protected areas like Edmonton’s river valley play an important role in mitigating the effects of climate change.

Protecting our local natural areas ensures that our grasslands, forests, and wetlands maintain their ecosystem functions and continue to provide ecosystem services that we rely on. Rising temperatures and drier conditions increase the frequency and severity of disastrous weather events like floods, droughts, wildfires, and severe storms. Our regional ecosystems help protect against severe weather events such as floods and droughts by holding and releasing moisture.

Natural areas contain forests, native grasslands and wetlands that help absorb and store carbon, known as carbon sequestration, which removes carbon dioxide from Earth’s atmosphere. An interconnected network of diverse protected conservation lands maintains biodiversity, provides a refuge for wildlife, and supports long-term ecological resiliency.

Natural spaces also provide opportunities for people to experience the mental and physical health benefits of spending time in nature. Experiencing nature with one another and within our community allows us to maintain collective hope and resiliency in mitigating and adapting to climate change and take local action. Learn more at https://www.ealt.ca/blog/conservation-lands-and-climate-change