River Valley News - July 14, 2022

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July 14, 2022

Lichens are excellent biological indicators
Lichens are everywhere, unsung, and awesome. Among their many virtues, lichens are excellent biological indicators, sensitive to habitat alteration, climate change, and air quality. How lichens are faring can reveal changes in habitat or environmental factors and give insight into how other groups that are more difficult to survey might be impacted.

Lichenologist Dr. Diane Haughland says, "Lichens have so much to tell us, but we have to know what we’re looking at. Lichens have historically been overlooked and understudied, so a big part of our work is rectifying that."

Diane and other collaborators moved closer to this goal with the publication of “Getting to know our biomonitor neighbours: urban lichens and allied fungi of Edmonton.” One of the first studies of its kind in North America, it covers 114 lichen species detected across Edmonton, including 12 new to Alberta, 2 new to North America, and 5 completely new to science.

Learn more by listening to a CBC Edmonton Radio interview with Diane at
https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-17-edmonton-am/clip/15923339-community-roots-lichen

Cooking Lake the summer place to be for early Edmontonians
With its cool breeze, Cooking Lake took off as a summer lake destination in 1909 when the Grand Trunk Pacific Line passed along its north shore. Day trippers came out from Edmonton on the morning train east, alighting at the small station of Cooking Lake. Part of the day’s fun was crossing the lake on the motor launch Daisy Girl that operated as a taxi to White Sand Beach on the south side at Ministik, where children built sandcastles before the evening return trip.

By 1916 many Edmontonians had cabins at Cooking Lake. A taxi service was available from the city and motorists increasingly ventured out for the day. More facilities and accommodations were built on the lake shore, which had a graded “lake promenade.” Lunch could be enjoyed at Mrs. McMenomy’s “high class restaurant,” and canoes and row boats hired by the hour.

Larger motor launches were evident on the lake in the 1920s and soon sea planes were landing on its waters, even before a seaplane base was built in 1935. The Cooking Lake Sea Plane Base was used recreationally, as well as by bush pilots returning from the north.

While other lakes around Edmonton enticed vacationers, Cooking Lake remained popular into the 1960s. Water levels and water quality at Cooking Lake have always fluctuated and sailors and swimmers became disenchanted during the 1970s. Read more at https://albertashistoricplaces.com/2014/08/21/when-it-was-cookin-hot/

Wondering where to bike, walk or take your dog this weekend
River Valley Alliance has created a series of Trek the Trails information guides for the Edmonton Metropolitan river valley that includes Devon, Parkland County, Edmonton, Strathcona County, Sturgeon County and Fort Saskatchewan.

The guides are a mix of short and long routes for beginners or those seeking more of a challenge. All are designed to help you easily explore different sections of the river valley. Information is provided on where to park and how to get to the location; whether bikes and dogs are allowed; condition, difficulty, and length of the trail; route information; as well as maps and photos.

From personal experience, I can attest to the quality of these information guides, having used them to walk all these trails. Trek the Trails is at https://rivervalley.ab.ca/trekthetrails/

Celebrating River Relationships
Edmonton River Valley Conservation Coalition and Swim Drink Fish are hosting an evening in the park to celebrate the natural diversity of Edmonton’s river valley and promote connection to nature within our local community. The event will be Wednesday, August 3 from 5:00 to 8:00 PM, at the Solar Gazebo, 9231-100 Avenue NW in Edmonton.

There will be a series of interactive displays by local community members and groups who strive to strengthen our connection to nature. The event is an opportunity for active participation. Enjoy snacks and refreshments, a water park, and a solar gazebo while deepening your understanding of water and wildlife in Edmonton's river valley.

Regardless of where you are in your nature literacy journey, you are welcome to attend. The event is free, made possible by a TD Parks People Grant, but you are asked to register your attendance at https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/celebrating-river-relationships-edmonton-ab-tickets-377361206527

Comment or contribution
Please note that articles may not reflect the position of NSRVCS. River Valley News is meant to be a clearinghouse for the wide variety of opinions and ideas about Edmonton’s River Valley.

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

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

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July 8, 2022

River Valley News - July 7, 2022

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July 8, 2022

Big Island Provincial Park online survey open until August 21
The Government of Alberta has launched public, stakeholder and Indigenous engagement on a proposal to establish Big Island Provincial Park along the North Saskatchewan River Valley in the southwest corner of the City of Edmonton.

Our society has had a catalytic and ongoing role in this initiative. We raised the idea with Mayor Don Iveson in early 2016 and in September 2017 City Council approved a recommendation that the Mayor write to the relevant provincial ministers indicating the City’s interest in the development of an Urban Regional Provincial Park.

The proposed provincial park will be managed cooperatively by the Alberta government, Enoch Cree Nation, and the City of Edmonton. This tri-party partnership approach is a unique model for park development that brings a diversity of voices to the table to help shape the proposed park vision. This approach allows the three governments to co-create a space that is welcoming and inclusive for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous visitors.

The proposed designation of the Big Island site as a provincial park will provide protection for the sensitive river valley ecosystem, including its wildlife corridor and habitat; help to manage and develop recreation and tourism opportunities; provide cultural exchange and storytelling opportunities; and enhance community connections to the river valley. More information, including a map, fact sheets, and online survey at https://www.alberta.ca/big-island-provincial-park-engagement.aspx

Sedges important to the ecology of Edmonton’s wetlands
Sedge is a plant that tends to go unnoticed by those visiting Edmonton’s natural areas. This is partly because sedge does not have eye-catching flowers, and because it is most prevalent in wet areas that are not always easily accessible.

While sedges appear similar to grasses, they are in a different plant family. There is one characteristic of the sedge family that can be used to differentiate it from grasses, and it is best remembered with the phrase “sedges have edges.” If you feel the stem of a sedge plant you will notice it is triangular and has sharp edges, while grasses have a round stem.

Sedges are important to the ecology of Edmonton’s wetlands. Their spreading roots provide erosion control by stabilizing streambanks and provide an environment for the growth of micro-organisms that clean the water of pollutants. The underwater portion of the leaves and stems of sedges provide a habitat for invertebrates, which in turn feed larger organisms, including fish.

Photos (run your cursor over the photos to learn the names of the various sedges) and more at
https://natureedmonton.wordpress.com/2013/08/03/sedges-have-edges/

Singer and writer come together to tell a story of Edmonton artistically
The third artist pair to take up residence at the Yorath House Artist Studio Placement are Jody Shenkarek and Thea Bowering. During their joint residency at Yorath House, they will begin a long talked-about collaboration that blends Jody’s music with Thea’s storytelling.

Jody Shenkarek is a singer and songwriter, currently leading the band Jody Shenkarek and Hot Kindlin’, and has shared the stage with many local and touring artists over her 30 years in music. She is a member of the Edmonton Potters Guild, a pinhole photography enthusiast and artist, and an accomplished vegetarian chef and former owner of Café Mosaics.

Primarily a fiction writer, Thea Bowering also works in several forms of creative nonfiction. Much of her work is an experimental hybrid of both fiction and nonfiction. She explores the relationship between walking and writing, and themes of memory and trauma, technologization of culture, environment, and intergenerational conflict. Her collection of short fiction Love at Last Sight (NeWest Press, 2013) won the Alberta Book Publishing Award, Trade Fiction Book of the Year in 2014 and was longlisted for the Alberta Readers’ Choice Award.

Jody and Thea have come together to tell a story of the city artistically. On long walks and talks "they will record the sounds of the trails and river, as well as their unfolding ideas about place and nature within the city, their shared history in Edmonton, memory and loss, aging, and finding hope and purpose in this current difficult moment. The long-term goal is to develop and record the material towards an album accompanied by a book of stories and photos." More at
https://yegarts.tumblr.com/post/687229217658863616/yorath-house-studio-residency-meet-the-artists

How the City takes a bite out of mosquitoes
Raquel writes “Bti (bacillus thuringiensis israelensis) as used by the city of Edmonton takes out the base of the food chain. The loss of the base of the food chain kills insect eating birds, dragonflies, beetles, spiders, bats, amphibians, and fish. Researchers Carsten Bruhle and Brigitte Poulin found a 50% drop in dragonflies in areas treated with Bti, a 57% drop in spiders, and a 64% loss in beetles.

Germany does not allow use of Bti and other biocides in natural areas. As we are in the middle of a biodiversity and climate crisis, we need to be respectful and realistic about our relationships with mosquitos. Dress properly and protect you own body on mosquito heavy days. Rejoice when you encounter them and celebrate healthy wetlands and biodiversity!”

Eco-Indigenous gardening guide available for free
Judith emailed “I must take issue with the Eco-Indigenous gardening guide. This is a poorly prepared document in terms of the plants suggested and the encouragement of wild foraging in our River Valley! Harvesting and foraging in Edmonton Parkland including the River Valley and Ravine Systems is Illegal - City of Edmonton Bylaw 2202.

The lack of botanical nomenclature leads to much confusion and misleading information. Advocating picking any mushrooms at all can be extremely dangerous and a disclaimer of “Some mushrooms can be toxic...” is not enough information or warning. Mushroom picking should be left to those who know what they’re doing, not the likes of you or me who have no idea which are safe to eat.

I should also like to point out that many people now feel that our natural areas are their untapped grocery stores or pharmacies. They fail or refuse to even think about their negative impacts on the overall eco-system or to individual plant, animal, bird, and insect species that all rely on every aspect of a healthy habitat. Wild harvesting to collect for things like decorative arrangements, medicinal value, or berries for jam or freezing, can have serious impacts on both the target plant species and the surrounding habitat.”

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June 30, 2022

River Valley News - June 30, 2022

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June 30, 2022

How the City takes a bite out of mosquitoes
What do ponds, eavestroughs, bird baths and patio furniture have in common? According to Mike Jenkins, Pest Management Coordinator with the City of Edmonton, they’re all ground zero for one of summer’s biggest nuisances, the mosquito. The city and mosquito have a storied history.

Developed by researchers at the University of Alberta in 1974, the Mosquito Control Program was one of the first integrated programs in Canada. “Instead of targeting adult mosquitoes with clouds of DDT, researchers targeted the mosquito’s more vulnerable larval stage,” explains Jenkins.

In addition to biological controls, the pest management team is always looking for innovative ways to reduce pests. “You may have noticed an absence of mosquitoes wherever you see dragonflies or bats. This isn’t a coincidence. For example, the dragonfly is a mosquito-eating machine and can eat hundreds each day,” Jenkins explains.

The City’s plan to improve the populations of dragonflies and other mosquito predators includes preserving wetlands and increasing naturalization around Stormwater Management Facilities. Naturalization includes planting native trees and shrubs, and stopping mowing to allow native plants, birds, and other wildlife populations to re-establish themselves. More at https://transforming.edmonton.ca/how-the-city-takes-a-bite-out-of-mosquitoes-an-interview-with-pest-management-coordinator-mike-jenkins/

Eco-Indigenous gardening guide available for free
The Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues has published a gardening guide which provides information needed to plant traditional Indigenous medicines and foods in your home garden at home. It also informs how you can benefit from planting, harvesting, and incorporating these foods and medicines into your diet.

Many traditional Indigenous plant foods are similar to those available in the average supermarket today. These include root vegetables, green vegetables, fruits, wild berries, seeds, nuts, grains, and mushrooms. Indigenous people have also known about nutrients available in algae, lichens, flowers, and bark or inner bark of trees.

Ojibwe people believe that health and wellbeing of the body and mind are vital aspects of wellness and that the Earth, Nimaamaa Aki, provides all the foods and medicines required to be and stay well. Access the gardening guide at https://efcl.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Sustainable-Indigenous-Gardening-Guide.pdf

Lessons from Canadian cities that cherish and protect greenspace
Canadian cities are losing greenspace, a Statistics Canada report shows. A study on urban greenness measured the amount of vegetation in Canada’s 31 most-populated areas. Researchers used satellite images to find how much green vegetation exists in cities.

Areas that appeared green in colour indicating vegetation concentration were classified “green.” The rest were classified “grey,” usually indicating urban development. Research shows an average of 6.6 per cent of the area of Canada’s 31 most-populated cities changed from green to grey from 2001 to 2021.

Winnipeg, Edmonton, Kelowna, Abbotsford, and Vancouver lost the largest proportion of greenspace over the years covered by the study. Edmonton had a 30.6% decrease in proportion of greenery. More at https://www.nationalobserver.com/2022/06/17/news/lessons-canadian-cities-cherish-and-protect-green-space

Best stairs in YEG’s river valley
Whether you like to run stairs, walk up them, or used them for great views, Edmonton’s river valley has a wide variety of stairs. Many of us have our favourite set of stairs, but the consensus is the following three stairs are a step above the rest.

Just off Fox Drive, Grandview Heights Stairs has the most steps, with 254 from top to bottom. While they are long, their grade is comparably gentle, making them good for beginners and endurance enthusiasts alike.

Wolf Willow Stairs, across from Fort Edmonton Park, will have you climbing roughly 200 steps. They are considered the steepest and most challenging stairs in the valley. Due to its downtown location, the 202 steps of the stairs near Royal Glenora Club may be most heavily used in the river valley.

The most frequently used steps of me and my dog are Highland Stairs. More at https://dailyhive.com/edmonton/best-places-to-run-stairs-edmonton

Lady Flower Gardens land conserved in perpetuity
Alan writes “Thanks for putting in the article about Lady Flower Gardens and the Jubilee and Evelyn's Conservation Lands. A number of us worked pretty hard to see that happen, with the creation of the Edmonton and Area Land Trust and all the lobbying and fundraising it took to convince the land trust to take it on. Not an easy ride, to say the least. But it's there now and that's a pretty special place.