Tuesday 7 April 2015

EcoSask News, April 7, 2015

farm machinery

Upcoming Events
Walk for Wildlife, Apr. 8
The Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative is hosting a Walk for Wildlife at noon on April 8. Meet at the front door of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine for a round-trip walk of approximately one hour.

Dragonflies and Damselflies, Apr. 16
David Halstead will present a talk entitled In Pursuit of Dragonflies and Damselflies at 7:30 pm, Apr. 16, Room 103, Physics Building, as part of the Saskatoon Nature Society’s monthly programming.

Grasslands, Apr. 16
Public Pastures-Public Interest (PPPI) will be screening Ian Toews’ documentary, Grasslands, at 7 pm, Apr. 16, at the Frances Morrison Library. After the screening, Trevor Herriot will provide an update on the state of the province’s grassland ecosystems and the work of PPPI. Candace Savage will lead the following discussion.

PermaSask AGM & Grasslands, Apr. 16
Join PermaSask on April 16 for their AGM and the screening of Grasslands at the Frances Morrison Library.

prairie crocus

Field Trips
Young Naturalists
Apr. 27, 6:30 pm – Crocus Hike
May 3, 12-3 pm – Pike Lake Field Trip
Space is limited; register early to avoid disappointment.

Golden Eagles
Apr. 16, 8 am – Bluebird Trip

Other Nature Society Field Trips
Apr. 18, 2-4 pm – Crocus Hike to Peturrson’s Ravine
Check the Saskatoon Nature Society’s website for full details (e.g. some trips require rubber boots, others will be cancelled if the weather is bad).

A complete list of upcoming events can be found on the EcoFriendly Sask Calendar

News
Carbon Capture & Sequestration: A Financial Analysis 
Saskatchewan Community Wind has published a financial analysis of the Boundary Dam Carbon Capture and Sequestration facility outside Estevan. Their findings demonstrate that the project generates losses in excess of $1 billion for Saskatchewan’s electricity consumers while providing a below-cost source of carbon dioxide to increase oil production from the aging Weyburn Oil Field.

Sage Grouse and Cattle
A former Bureau of Land Management biologist who has studied sage grouse for many years reports that cattle remain the biggest enemy of sage grouse as they affect them at every stage of their life history.

Birds, Bats & Wind Turbines
Domestic house cats kill 200 billions birds a year. Wind turbines kill less than 24,000 and there are a number of strategies that reduce the risk.

Agricultural Plastics
The biggest source of plastic waste is agricultural plastics. Experts estimate that US agriculture uses about a billion pounds annually.

EcoSask News is a weekly round-up of local news and events. Email us if you have items you would like us to include.

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