NSRVCS News - October 14, 2021

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October 14, 2021

Where solar energy is a conservation loss
This title begins a 5-page article in the Summer 2021 edition of the Alberta Wilderness Association Journal. The photo of Epcor’s solar power plant construction in the river valley was taken by Eric Gormley on Thanksgiving weekend.

Our society’s position is green energy should not be produced at the expense of Edmonton’s ribbon of green. This project should not have been approved.

The AWA Journal article highlights the work of the Edmonton River Valley Conservation Coalition which filed for judicial review of City Council’s October 2020 decision. The judicial review of Council’s decision will occur November 19.

The grounds for the case arise from a June 2019 Council motion. The first part of that motion required additional engagement activities with the Enoch Cree First Nation. The second part of the motion is the focus of the judicial review application.

It asked for the “work and reporting necessary to allow Council to fully consider whether the location within the River Valley should be deemed essential by Council.” The Coalition thinks Council simply ignored the findings of the work and never did what the motion required, deeming that the project was essential in its river valley location. Read the article, beginning on page 18, at https://albertawilderness.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Advocate-Summer-2021-Web.pdf

Alder Flycatcher banded in river valley
The Alder Flycatcher is a rather indistinct olive-green bird with bold wingbars and a distinctive, raspy song of free-beer! They thrive in open settings such as bogs and beaver ponds, where they sit on high perches and forage for insects by flying out from tree perches to take them from leaf surfaces or midair.

Prey include wasps, beetles, flies, butterflies and caterpillars, and grasshoppers. Wintering birds may include fruit in their diet. Alder Flycatchers build an untidy and bulky cup nest of coarse grass. The nest usually has “streamers’ of moss, cattail, and grass hanging from the bottom or the rim of the nest.

The Alder Flycatcher breeds farther north than any other member of the tyrant flycatcher family. It nests as far north as the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska. Little is known about their wintering habitat, since it is difficult to differentiate Alder, Willow, and other Empidonax flycatchers without hearing their songs.

It ranks 12th in the number of bird species banded at Lady Flower Gardens in northeast Edmonton. Learn more at https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Alder_Flycatcher/id

Edmonton park named after this artist
Paul Kane was a largely self-taught artist known for his paintings of Aboriginal peoples and landscapes, which were based on sketches he made during his travels. The photo is his painting of Fort Edmonton. A park in the Oliver neighbourhood is named after him.

Beginning in 1846, with the approval of the Hudson’s Bay Company, he travelled by canoe, York boat, horse, and on foot across the prairies, the subarctic, and mountains with fur-trade brigades or with hired local guides.

Kane’s mission to record the life of Aboriginal peoples was in line with the Victorian imperialist belief that they were all but certain to vanish in the face of relentless encroachment by Western civilization.

He was the first and only artist in Canada to embark on a pictorial and literary project featuring the Country’s Aboriginal peoples, using the medium of portraiture in a time before the dominance of photography. See more at https://www.aci-iac.ca/art-books/paul-kane/key-works/

Trail south of 167 Avenue temporarily closed for geotechnical testing
The shared-use path south of 167 Avenue, along the west side of the North Saskatchewan River, will be closed for geotechnical testing from October 15 to October 22, between the hours of 7am to 9pm Monday through Saturday and 9am to 7pm on Sunday.

Boreholes will be drilled along the trail to gather information required for the construction of the Edmonton-Strathcona County Footbridge, which is anticipated to start in the summer of 2022. All holes will be restored after the testing is complete.

Borehole drilling will also occur in the Strathcona County Riverside Nature Trail site during this timeline. No trail closures are planned. All holes will be restored after the testing is complete. Up to date information at www.edmonton.ca/edmontonstrathconafootbridge

Saskatchewan Glacier and York boat articles
Mark writes “I much enjoy your weekly report, but you may have a couple of errors in last week's newsletter. First, the implication that the Saskatchewan Glacier is the only glacier that feeds our river. The Mistaya, Howse, and Brazeau rivers (Editor note - which feed into the North Saskatchewan River) all have glaciers in their headwaters.

Second, that the York boat brigades went east in the fall and returned the next spring. My understanding is that they went east or down river in the spring and returned in fall.

Comment or contribution
If you have a comment, concern, or question, contact us at nsrivervalley@gmail.com Please also email us river valley photos or event information. Your friends, neighbours and colleagues can sign up for this newsletter on our web site.

Sincerely yours,
Harvey Voogd
North Saskatchewan River Valley Conservation Society
780.691.1712

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October 7, 2021

NSRVCS News - October 07, 2021

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October 7, 2021

Why leaves change colour in autumn
The vivid, often simple colors on the outside are the products of the complex chemistry of growth inside a leaf. Take the yellows and oranges, the dominant colors of aspen, ash, birch and some oaks, these colors come from compounds called carotenoids (also responsible for the color of carrots) which are present in the leaf during the growing season.

The green chlorophyll, the workhorse of photosynthesis, dominates and covers up those carotenoids in summer. As the days grow shorter and the temperatures cool, chlorophyll degrades and goes from green to colorless, allowing the oranges and the yellows to show up.

Trees with gorgeous scarlet, crimson, and ruby fall leaves have another reason for their colour. Red pigments are not present in the leaf during summer. Trees that turn red produce this pigment, called anthocyanin, in the autumn. These pigments play a key role in readying the tree for the next spring.

Researchers discovered that anthocyanins act as a sunscreen, protecting leaves from bright seasonal light when it is cold outside. Other researchers have discovered that the sun screening effect protects leaves from too much light, which can interfere with late-season transport of nutrients from the leaf back to the twigs, something trees do as a conservation mechanism. Learn more at https://www.farmersalmanac.com/chemistry-fall-color-19160

Climate change threatens city water source
Warmer temperatures this year had a lasting effect on the glacier that feeds Edmonton’s water supply.

The Saskatchewan Glacier terminus saw 10 metres of thinning this year, said Brian Menounos, Canada Research Chair in glacier change. It is also the glacier that feeds the North Saskatchewan River, Edmonton’s sole source of drinking water.

Matthew Chernos, a Calgary-based hydrologist and consultant, said the high alpine glaciers feeding Alberta’s river systems act as natural reservoirs. While the North Saskatchewan River is mostly made up of rainwater and snow melt by the time it reaches Edmonton, glacier melt is a big part of the river flow in July and August, when the glacier’s winter snowpack has melted away

The scientists were quick to note that fading glaciers also threaten sensitive aquatic ecosystems that rely on cooler water to stay healthy, and the irrigation demands of the agriculture industry. Read more at https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/bad-year-for-the-glaciers-climate-change-threatens-glacier-behind-edmontons-water-source

This deer hide used to make buckskin leather
White-tailed deer are an integral part of a healthy Albertan ecosystem, feeding on plants and serving as prey for many species. They get their name from their tail which has a white underside. When alarmed, they hold their tail upright, exposing the white, as they bound away.

In Alberta, the rut, or mating season, occurs in November. Males spar with rivals, battling each other with their antlers. Fawns are born in early June. Does hide their fawn in tall grass or shrubs when they are first born, to keep them safe from predators. The doe returns every few hours to feed and move the fawn.

Deer are notorious for foraging continuously along the same pathway, so deer trails are well worn and easy to spot. Deer have scent glands between the two parts of their hooves, and on their legs. These scent glands are used to communicate with other deer. Learn more at https://www.ealt.ca/species-spotlight-list/deer

York boat important to fur trade transportation
It is not known how much timber was harvested by early settlers. We can only speculate by paying attention to the variety of uses to which timber was put. York boats, riverboats, gold dredges, ferries and barges were all built at Edmonton on the river flats.

Artist Paul Kane noted in 1846 “40 or 50 men…their employment chiefly is building boats, sawing timber, which they raft down the river from 90 miles higher.” He was fascinated by the prodigious effort needed to keep a supply of York boats.

Kane wrote they are “building the boats, about thirty feet long and six feet beam, which go as far as York Factory, and are found more convenient for carrying goods on the Saskatchewan. . .more than one-half of the boats built here never return. This system requires them to keep constantly building.”

It was a long and perilous river journey from Fort Edmonton to Hudson Bay. Some boats were lost to rough water. Most likely many boats were not sea-worthy after being subjected to the harsh winter elements at the bay. Fur-laden boats left Fort Edmonton each fall and crews could not return with the next year’s trade goods until the following late spring.

Text and information for this piece from Living in the Shed by Billie Milholland https://www.facebook.com/billie.milholland

Fundraiser for solar farm judicial review
Charles writes “As a citizen of Edmonton for fifty years I am glad to see greater awareness of our river valley, and greater use. The conflicts that come with multiple users, like the Epcor solar farm, always need to be presented to the public.

Consider something about the arts and the river valley. Paul Kane, I believe painted the valley but there is a history of artists being inspired by the valley. This time of the year the quality of light in the valley is spectacular.”

Photo by Vanessa Denman who says, “I was surprised and delighted at how crystal clear the water is and how I could see the sandbar.”

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September 30, 2021

NSRVCS News - September 30, 2021

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September 30, 2021

Common loon an iconic Canadian species
This bird’s image is on our $1 currency, which is why we call the coin a loonie. The loon’s wail sounds like a wolf’s howl and is one of the most identifiable bird calls heard around lakes. They have come to symbolize wilderness and solitude and are an important top predator in lake ecosystems.

Loons have 4 distinguished calls: tremolo, yodel, wail, and hoot. Each call has a distinct message. The tremolo is used when it is alarmed, or to announce its presence. The yodel is used by a male loon to announce and defend his territory. The wail is the call and response of the loon world, and hoots are used to keep in contact between parents and chicks or between mates.

Loons eat fish, frogs, crayfish, and other aquatic animals. They spend almost all their time in the water so do not have many predators. Chicks are prey to large carnivorous fish, gulls, crows, and eagles.

Loons have solid bones, unlike other birds, which make them less buoyant and better divers. When diving, they quickly blow air out of their lungs and flatten their feathers, making them super fast and efficient underwater. Learn more at https://www.ealt.ca/species-spotlight-list/common-loon

Fundraiser for solar farm judicial review
The Edmonton River Valley Conservation Coalition has filed a legal challenge against the City of Edmonton’s decision to rezone river valley parkland to permit Epcor to build a 51-acre industrial solar farm adjacent to the E.L. Smith Water Treatment Plant.

Their argument is that the development should not have been approved at the expense of the river valley. The judicial review of City Council’s decision will occur November 19.

On Wednesday, October 20 at 7pm, ERVCC will hold an online fundraiser called Night Out on the North Saskatchewan. The event is by donation, will include a silent auction and all money raised will go to support the court case.

Speakers include Living in the Shed author Billie Milholland, former MP and environmental lawyer Linda Duncan, former Indigenous Relations Consultant for the City of Edmonton Rob Houle, and Wes Olson, bison expert, artist, and former park warden at Elk Island National Park. Tickets at https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/night-out-on-the-north-saskatchewan-2021-tickets-174678487057

YEG urban forest threatened by emerald ash borer
Edmonton has a great urban forest made up of our river valley and boulevard trees. Our valley is one of the largest urban stretches of forest in the world. Boulevard trees have been planted to make our city a nicer place.

A large number of boulevard trees are American Elm and Green Ash trees. While there is no native ash forest in Alberta, approximately 60% of the boulevard trees in Edmonton are green ash. But the ash is threatened by the emerald ash borer, a tremendously damaging invasive pest.

This beetle is harmful for three reasons: 1) it has no effective native enemies in North America, 2) it attacks and kills healthy trees and 3) our ash have very little resistance to it. While woodpeckers will eat the larvae, they are not fast or efficient enough to curtail the spread of established beetle populations. Infested trees usually show dieback or yellowing of their canopies and sucker growth, followed by peeling bark and finally death in as little as 1-3 years.

Because of this, much of our urban forest is at serious risk. If left unchecked, emerald ash borer could cause untold costs to our quality of life and local infrastructure as beetle-damaged trees fall apart with little provocation, damaging houses, vehicles, and citizens alike. Learn more at https://www.edmonton.ca/programs_services/pests/emerald-ash-borer

Virendra emailed “You put together a great newspaper. Lot of my Inbox emails get deleted before those are even opened but I read your News religiously because you gather some of the most interesting information about our city and its river valley and biodiversity. A BIG THANK YOU for continuing to do so.”

Photo by Ria Busink who says “I took this picture in the summer, across the river north of Hawrelak Park, when a vicious thunderstorm was brewing. Love the eery light."