Tuesday 30 July 2019

EcoSask News, July 30, 2019

Purple prairie clover

Upcoming Events
Planet in Peril, Aug. 1, 8, 15 (Regina)
The Regina International Film Festival is showing 3 films by Edward Burtynsky on the human influence on the earth: Manufactured Landscapes at 7 pm, Aug. 1; Watermark at 7 pm, Aug. 8; and Anthropocene at 7 pm, Aug. 15. There will be a panel discussion following the film on Aug. 15.

Get Wild, Aug. 7 (Saskatoon)
Meet and learn about animals that have ended up at Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation from 2:30-3:30 pm, Aug. 7, at the Round Prairie Branch Library.

What’s in your Water, Aug 9 (Osler)
Join the South Saskatchewan Watershed Stewards from 2-3 pm, Aug. 9, at Osler Library to sample water and find out why it’s important to keep our watersheds healthy.

Looking Ahead
Bats then Beers, Aug. 16-17 (Last Mountain Lake)
Join the Saskatchewan chapter of The Wildlife Society at Last Mountain Lake Regional Park Aug. 16-17 as they go looking for bats and enjoy local beer.

Fish Id, Aug. 18 (Echo Lake)
Nature Regina is offering a fish identification workshop from 9 am-3:30 pm, Aug. 18.

Outdoor Adventures for Kids 
Nature Baby, Sept. 10-Oct. 29 (Saskatoon)
Wildernook Fresh Air Learning invites 6-18 month olds and their mobilizers to participate in Nature Baby from 11:15 am-12:45 pm, Tuesdays, Sept. 10 to Oct. 29.

Nature Grandparenting, Sept. 12-Oct. 17 (Saskatoon) 
Grandparents and their 3-5 year olds are invited to participate in Nature Grandparenting from 9:30-10:40 am, Thursdays, Sept. 12 to Oct. 17.

Early Fall Tiny Ones, Sept. 13-Oct. 25 (Saskatoon) 
Timbernook Saskatoon invites caregivers with 1½-4 year olds to enjoy outdoor adventures on Fridays from 9:30-11:30 am, Sept. 13-Oct. 25.

Early Fall Little Wild Ones, Sept. 13-Oct. 25 (Saskatoon) 
Timbernook Saskatoon invites 4-7 year olds who aren’t in school or are home schooling to participate in their forest program on Fridays from 1-4 pm, Sept. 13-Oct. 25.

Purple prairie clover

Saskatoon Nature Society
Golden Eagles 
Aug. 8, 8 am – Nature Walk at Schmeiser’s Acreage
Aug. 15, 8 am – Shorebirds
Retirees and partners who are interested in birds and the natural world are invited to participate.

Other Saskatoon Nature Society Field Trips 
Aug. 7, 6:45-8:15 pm – Prairie Wildflower & Tree Hike
Everyone is welcome. Check the Saskatoon Nature Society’s website for full details and updated information.

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

In the News
Meewasin Valley Authority is looking for volunteers to put up marker tags to make it easier for wildlife to see fences at Saskatoon’s Northeast Swale. Contact Renny Grilz if you’re interested.

Saskatoon residents are invited to complete a short survey on green infrastructure priorities. The deadline is Aug. 6.

The City of Regina plans to install brighter lighting in Victoria Park to help people feel safer. Are they also taking into consideration the effect of light pollution on plants, animals, and the night sky?

Thousands of people, minimal waste at Saskatoon’s Food Truck Wars.

Women are dominating the deconstruction industry: “Instead of focusing on trendy plastic straw bans, they are recycling whole houses.”

“ ‘Conserving the diversity in our soils may be the most effective health intervention we can ever make.’ . . . by getting your hands dirty planting trees or building soil erosion control structures — you are not only conserving biodiversity, you are also inoculating yourself with microbes that you yourself may need.”

Ikea’s new store in Greenwich, UK, combines solar, geothermal, orchards, rainwater harvesting, and much more.

Could large-scale biogas systems be the next big thing in green energy?

These photographs of urban trees are heartbreaking, “but in almost every photo, there is hope in the sense that the trees and topiary are still emerging through the cracks, taking back the land, or not necessarily playing by man’s rules due to their inherent qualities of being wild.”

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

You can follow EcoFriendly Sask by liking us on Facebook, following us on Twitter, or by email (top right corner).

Thursday 25 July 2019

The Art of the Urban Wild

mural

“Can we learn to look more thoughtfully, and therefore see more fully the natural vibrancy that is all around us in cities? And also along the way see what vibrancy our cities may be lacking? It is a vibrancy that weaves—or should weave—together nature and people and built form in ways that make cities rich—rich in biodiversity, human society, sustainability, resilience, and livability.” (David Maddox, Imaging the Urban Wild)

Over 80% of Canadians live in urban centres and our focus tends to be on the built environment, but our towns and cities are constructed on and in the natural environment. The juxtaposition of natural and man-made can be dramatic, but there are also opportunities for integrating the two, for appreciating our wild neighbours and our living architecture.

Juxtaposition
“Why is it that we call ourselves human and all other living things nature?” (Patrick M. Lydon)

contrast of garden & mall

The juxtaposition of natural areas and the built environment can shock and yet the distinction is entirely artificial. The challenge is to integrate the natural and the built environment in ways that respect the value and needs of all urban residents.

Integration
“It is the wilderness come back again, a lagoon with our city reflected in its eye.” (Spirit of Place: Great Blue Heron, William Stafford)

great blue heron

Mike Houck is the Executive Director of the Urban Greenspaces Institute in Portland, Oregon, and has been promoting urban wildlife refuges since 1982. He fought hard to protect the Heron Pointe Wetland.

“I was paddling my kayak around Ross Island in downtown Portland and was blown away by the juxtaposition of the Great Blue Heron colony on the downstream tip of Ross Island with the new condominium towers at South Waterfront, Portland’s newest neighborhood on the west bank of the Willamette. . . . after two years of planning the Willamette River Greenway, the residents of the condos can now actually observe Bald Eagle picking young herons out of their nests. Not for the squeamish, perhaps, but pretty damn impressive in the heart of downtown Portland.” (Mike Houck)

Wild Neighbours
“Most of us will never see a polar bear, will never see a lion. Modern day society is so disconnected from nature. Urban wildlife provides a bridge to that gap.” (Bertie Gregory)

Skunk

Our wild neighbours are a source of both joy and frustration. We delight in watching flocks of bohemian waxwings descend on a mountain ash and devour the berries, but we’re less pleased when Canada geese make a mess of our parks.

Toronto residents have a love/hate relationship with urban raccoons. The raccoons topple garbage bins and enter homes in search of food. Over half of Toronto residents are in favour of euthanizing them to reduce the population. And, yet, those same residents erected a memorial shrine complete with cards, photographs, and flowers for a dead raccoon that lay on the sidewalk for over 12 hours. 

New York City’s Parks Department has launched an ad campaign recognizing raccoons as true New Yorkers - intelligent and always looking for the best real estate.

Shared Lives
“Three bows, three cucks. I bow back.
Are we friends for fat and kitten kibble?
Did I help you through last winter,
you with short tail feathers?” (Shorty, the Crow, Tricia Knoll)

Untitled

Living Architecture
“In a quest to live ecologically 
a man seeks to know nature 
in different ways 
To know a tree as he knows a good friend 
living, growing, sensing 
renders betrayal of the tree improbable 
Can we meet a tree 
as we would another human? 
Well, of course 
we can” (Patrick Lydon)

Untitled

Do you have a favorite tree, one that you’ve watched grow and develop, enjoyed the scent of lime blossoms in the spring or the bright yellow leaves in the fall? Trees are living architecture and play an important role in shaping our neighbourhoods. The avenue of elm trees along Spadina Crescent in Saskatoon is admired by all who drive by. The SOS Elms Coalition invites residents to follow their tree tour showcasing some of the oldest and largest trees in Saskatoon.

Art Imitates Life and Life Imitates Art
There are times when art imitates life and when life imitates art. Here are two examples.

Hanging jellyfish sculpture


beavers at work

Tuesday 23 July 2019

EcoSask News, July 23, 2019

Moose mother and calf

Upcoming Events
Summertime Social at Radiance Cohousing, July 27 (Saskatoon)
Find out about cohousing, passive houses, solar panels, electric cars, and more at Radiance Cohousing’s Summertime Social from 12-5 pm, July 27.

Nocturnal Animals, July 29 (Prince Albert)
Find out what animals are out at night during drop-in story time at Prince Albert’s John M. Cuelenaere Library at 2 pm, July 29.

For the Birds, July 31 (Gravelbourg)
Kids are invited to learn about birds and build a birdhouse from 3-4 pm, July 31, at Gravelbourg Public Library.

Looking Ahead
Nature Playcare Duo, Sept. 11-Dec. 13 (Saskatoon)
3-5 year olds in Saskatoon can enjoy 2 adventurous afternoons a week with Nature Playcare Duo from 1-3 pm on Wednesdays and Fridays, Sept. 11-Dec. 13.

SERWC AGM, Sept. 20-22 (Saskatoon)
The Western Canada chapter of the Society for Ecological Restoration will be holding their annual general meeting in Saskatoon from Sept. 20-22.

Lake Winnipeg: Where Waters Meet, Sep. 30-Oct. 2 (Gimli)
Partners FOR the Saskatchewan River Basin will hold their annual conference from Sept. 30 to Oct. 2 in Gimli.

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

juvenile moose

In the News
The City of Prince Albert is developing a master plan to guide future management of Little Red River Park and is asking for public feedback in an online survey before Sept. 6.

Wildlife biologists are studying what bats live in Prince Albert National Park and how to better protect them.

Gabriel Housing Corporation, a Métis low-income housing provider in Regina, is going solar to reduce costs to tenants.

Social housing can be attractive, affordable, and built to passive house standards – here’s a great example in Norwich, UK.

Stand up for the environment in the upcoming federal election.

 Zoos: “We still keep animals for our pleasure. In my opinion, it’s a strange thing, and it reflects our position as people that we still don’t care that much about nature and animals.”

Fireworks are beautiful, but are they worth the cost to the environment? 

Bioplastics are still plastics. Just because some of them are made from plants or have the potential to biodegrade under limited conditions, they can’t be touted as “planet-safe.”

Making the fossil fuel world strange and negative in our thoughts, speech and labels is part of pursuing the transformation that we need to stave off the worst implications of climate change.”

Clownfish can only hatch in the dark – yet another victim of light pollution.

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

You can follow EcoFriendly Sask by liking us on Facebook, following us on Twitter, or by email (top right corner).

Tuesday 16 July 2019

EcoSask News, July 16, 2019

mushrooms

Upcoming Events
Change the Debate on CBC, July 17 (Regina, Saskatoon) 
Regina and Saskatoon are joining a nation-wide rally to urge the CBC to host a debate on climate issues during the upcoming federal election. Meet in front of the CBC studio at 6 pm, July 17, in both Regina and Saskatoon.

YXE Talks Trash, July 23 (Saskatoon) 
City of Saskatoon is inviting businesses and organizations to share their ideas on recycling and organics policies and programs from 7 am-8 pm, July 23.

Farmland Drainage, July 24 (Saskatoon) 
Jeff Olson will speak on Farmland Drainage: A Looming Environmental Crisis at 7 pm, July 24, as part of the National Farmers Union Region 6 convention. The public is welcome.

Busy Bees, Please!, July 24 (Gravelbourg) 
Kids are invited to build a bee bath from 3-4 pm, July 24, at Gravelbourg Public Library.

Go Science Program, July 25 (Springside) 
Join the Saskatchewan Science Centre in Springside for a nature/science program for kids from 1-4 pm, July 25.

Snakes, July 26 (Cypress Hills) 
Join bull snake researcher, Noah Johnson, for a presentation on Saskatchewan snakes at 7:30 pm, July 26, Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park.

mushroom

Looking Ahead
Putting Beavers to Work, Oct. 23 & 24 (Calgary) 
A two-day seminar in Calgary on Oct. 23 & 24 will look at beavers’ role in watershed resiliency and restoration through both talks and a coexistence tools demonstration.

Agricultural Drainage & the Environment, Nov. 6 (Regina) 
The Citizens Environmental Alliance and its partners are hosting a one-day conference on agricultural drainage and the environment on Nov. 6 in Regina. Topics include carbon and habitat loss, enforcement and compliance, and water quality. For more information, contact Jeff Olson at cea.sask.2018@gmail.com

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

In the News
Do you live in the Saskatoon neighbourhoods of Aspen Ridge, Silverspring, or Evergreen? If so, help the City of Saskatoon in its land use planning by completing a survey on the value of the Northeast Swale.

“People can’t see noise, but if you were to kind of visualize it, it’s like if everybody was throwing candy wrappers out here as they were driving by with those modified mufflers.”

What if we could heat our home by burning our trash?

“We organised a conference for 570 people without using plastic. Here’s how it went.”

Pop-up parks can increase biodiversity, especially if you include organic materials and lots of plants.

San Francisco's coyote families: a wildlife soap opera.

San Francisco residents have launched a campaign to install 1000 drinking fountains.

An online course explores the captivating behaviour and creative genius of crows.

The UK’s Food Forest Project has been established to help communities to plant food forests – growing food for the local community and providing food and habitats for wildlife.

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

You can follow EcoFriendly Sask by liking us on Facebook, following us on Twitter, or by email (top right corner).

Tuesday 9 July 2019

EcoSask News, July 9, 2019

Bald eagle

Upcoming Events
Grassroots Voices, July 8-11 (Saskatoon)
Join Saskatoon’s climate justice community in Kiwanis Park from Monday to Thursday evening, July 8-11, to let the premiers know that you’re concerned about the climate crisis, the Trans Mountain pipeline, the transition to fossil fuels, and the response to the MMIWG Commission report.

The Natural World, July 11-Aug. 8(Eastend)
Kids can enjoy activities involving the natural world from 10 am-12 pm, every Thursday morning, from July 11 to Aug. 8 at the Eastend Public Library.

The Natural World, July 12-Aug. 16 (Maple Creek)
Kids can enjoy activities involving the natural world from 2-4 pm, every Friday afternoon, from July 11 to Aug. 16 at the Maple Creek Public Library.

Falconry, July 14 (Saskatoon)
Join Wild Birds Unlimited for a visit to Drs. Lynn and Rhonda Oliphant’s 2019 brood of falcons at 6:30 pm, July 14. Carpooling is available.

All About Water, July 17 (Gravelbourg)
Kids can learn about water conservation and watersheds from 3-4 pm, July 17, at Gravelbourg Public Library.

Garden Patch Bioblitz, July 17 (Saskatoon)
Learn about biodiversity and identify plants and insects with members of the Saskatoon Nature Society at the Saskatoon Food Bank & Learning Centre’s Garden Patch from 5:30-7:30 pm, July 17.

Butcher Birds, July 18 (Val Marie)
There will be a presentation on butcher birds and the Stewards of Saskatchewan at 7 pm, July 18, in Val Marie.

Going Zero Waste, July 18 (Regina)
Find out how to go zero-waste and minimize your impact on the environment from 7-8 pm, July 18, at the Regent Place Branch Library.

Bald eagle (juvenile)

Saskatoon Nature Society Field Trips
Saskatoon Young Naturalists
July 17, 11 am-1 pm – Butterfly Field Trip
Sept. 28 – Sandhill Crane field trip
Space is limited; register early to avoid disappointment.

Golden Eagles
July 18, 8 am – Stuglin Acreage & Gardens
Retirees and partners who are interested in birds and the natural world are invited to participate.

Other Saskatoon Nature Society Field Trips 
July 13, 8 am-8 pm – Ponass Lake IBA
July 27 – Shorebird Trip
Everyone is welcome. Check the Saskatoon Nature Society’s website for full details and updated information.

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

In the News
Public Pastures Public Interest has made a video showing the impact of a solution potash mine on the environment. “The well sites cover 14 acres, stripping off the soil and plant cover, leveling the land into a sterile gravel and sand-scape. The pipelines or “flow lines” cut a 100 metre swath of disturbed land connecting well sites to the plant. New roads are built much wider than one would think necessary, introducing noxious weeds. Dust and noise from heavy equipment and trucks fills the air; municipal roads degrade and in spring duck cannons fire off every few minutes to keep waterfowl from lighting on toxic wastewater ponds. The land becomes for all purposes an industrial zone. Is this what the people of Sedley and Vibank want for their land when the Province gives its blessing to Rio Tinto for Project Albany? Will the surface lease income justify the loss of beauty and quiet in the landscape?” 

SaskEnergy has announced a $650 rebate for the purchase and installation of a new high-efficiency furnace between Aug. 1 and November.

Natural gas production is a failing business model and can’t compete with renewables.

Wetlands packed with soaking wet layers of peat can act as a fire break to stop wildfires from spreading.

We walk less, but we die more. Pedestrian deaths increased by 51% in the United States from 2009-2018. In Europe, they declined by 36%.

Take Bugs 101, a free online entomology course, and take away a new appreciation for the diversity and importance of insects to human society.

We've all benefited from China's rare earth minerals in our high-tech products. Should we help pay for clean-up?

Sustainable transport options – stop, share, switch.

The new leftwing economics wants to see the redistribution of economic power so that it is held by everyone – how a network of thinkers is transforming capitalism.

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

You can follow EcoFriendly Sask by liking us on Facebook, following us on Twitter, or by email (top right corner).

Sunday 7 July 2019

Saskatchewan Contributes to a Green New Deal for Canada

pool surrounded by greenery

In February 2019, two Democratic members of the US House of Representatives introduced a Green New Deal resolution. The plan incorporated “a massive program of investments in clean-energy jobs and infrastructure, meant to transform not just the energy sector, but the entire economy. It is meant both to decarbonize the economy and to make it fairer and more just.” The proposal has generated interest worldwide, responding to a common concern that governments are not doing enough to address the climate emergency and social injustice.

In Canada, a coalition of concerned citizens and organizations decided to instigate a Green New Deal for Canada. The coalition invited Canadians to sign a Pact for a Green New Deal, which “demands we cut emissions in half by 2030, protect critical cultural and biological diversity, create a million jobs, and address the multiple crises we face through a holistic and far reaching plan that respects the constitutionally enshrined and internationally recognized rights of Indigenous peoples.”

The coalition went on to invite communities across Canada to hold town hall meetings to develop and refine the plan for a Green New Deal. Over 150 events involving more than 7,000 people were held in communities across Canada in May 2018.

Saskatchewan hosted 3 town hall meetings in Prince Albert, Regina, and Saskatoon, all of which were very well attended.

Prince Albert
Nancy Carswell, Council of Canadians – Prince Albert Chapter, reports that they were very pleased with the turnout in Prince Albert.

On a national level, Prince Albert participants wanted to hold corporations accountable for pollution and regulate automakers to achieve higher sustainability standards. They recommended that the government improve building standards, invest in renewable public transportation, ban single-use plastics, end uranium extraction, and legislate earth-friendly and healthy food production (e.g. eliminate pesticides, restrict hormones, limit distances food can travel). Participants supported proportional representation, a national basic annual income, universal pharmacare and dental care, as well as a national housing first policy offering cooperative, low-carbon affordable green housing, especially for Indigenous communities.

On a local level, participants focused on personal initiatives. These included travelling less and avoiding use of cars, investing in solar and wind energy, shopping locally and supporting farmers’ markets, participating in climate justice activism, voting for candidates who are committed to the environment, working in solidarity with Indigenous people, and embracing and becoming an advocate for diverse communities.

moss and leaves

Regina
Jim Elliott, Council of Canadians – Regina Chapter, says there was a mix of local, provincial, and national issues raised at their town hall meeting. These ranged from stopping construction on flood plains to eliminating urban sprawl and tax havens for the rich, and abolishing the Indian Act. There were lots of ideas on energy conservation, ending oil and gas subsidies, and achieving renewable quicker.

Jim says, “What was rewarding was the breadth of thought from cultural industries to housing, education, water, agriculture, welcoming refugees, and listening to children and elders.”

Saskatoon
Dianne Rhodes, a member of Climate Justice Saskatoon, was one of the organizers of Saskatoon’s town hall meeting.

Federal concerns included transportation (need for better bike lanes, electric cars, and green electricity sources); keeping air, water, and soil clean; the federal election as an opportunity to move things forward; and reconciliation. Participants wanted to work with unions to find green jobs for workers on pipelines and in extractive industries. They felt it was important to work together and to counteract what the public is hearing from the extractive industries.

The discussion on community initiatives focused on personal, individual actions such as composting, talking to family and friends about what’s going on, retrofitting homes, gardening, spending time outdoors, and learning more about nature.

waterfall

National Compilation
Each group forwarded the local feedback for compilation into a national plan. Responses were then sorted into categories with the following areas emerging as key priorities:

Economy and Government: a legally binding climate target keeping global warming to 1.5°C; a green jobs plan ensuring fossil fuel workers and affected community members receive the training and support needed to guarantee good, dignified work; increased unionization and implementation of workers’ rights; and personal and public subsidies for greener technology.

Green Infrastructure: massive public investments in the infrastructure to build a 100% renewable energy economy, sustainable public transportation, and prioritization of local renewable energy creation.

Social Justice: justice and equity for marginalized communities, free post-secondary education, full access to quality public services, permanent resident status and family unity for refugees and immigrants, and payment of Canada’s share of the climate debt of southern countries impacted by practices and decisions in Canada and of corporations operating abroad.

Fossil Fuels: freeze all new projects, develop a plan to phase out fossil fuels and move to 100% renewable energy by 2040, and eliminate fossil fuel subsidies from provincial and federal governments.

Biodiversity & Nature: grant personhood protection to forests and bodies of water, create an environmental bill of rights, stop dumping waste into bodies of water, greater protection for critical biodiversity and natural areas, and protection of at least 30% of land and waters by 2030.

Plastics: develop alternatives to single-use plastics, legislate curtailment of excessive packaging, and end boil water advisories in Indigenous communities.

Democracy: end corporate lobbying and introduce proportional representation. Indigenous Sovereignty: full recognition of Indigenous title and rights.

Moving Ahead
The town hall meetings were an initial step towards uniting, developing a voice, and obtaining a green new deal. National organizers are recommending continued discussions and further coalition-building, particularly with groups that are not traditionally included in environmental discussions.

Plans are in place nationally to hold 100 non-partisan, all-candidate debates on the environment prior to the federal election.

Both Prince Albert and Regina are planning follow-up meetings.

Saskatoon is planning a full-day event on September 20 as part of the global Climate Strike initiative. All local groups will be invited to participate. “We want it to be a big, family-friendly day of coming together and sharing information,” Dianne says.

Climate Justice Saskatoon is following Regina’s lead and has initiated a petition encouraging the City of Saskatoon to become a blue dot community in support of the right to a healthy environment. The Council of Canadians’ Prince Albert chapter has been working on a similar initiative with a specific focus on water.

To get involved, contact one of the following organizations: 
Council of Canadians – Prince Albert Chapter
Council of Canadians – Regina Chapter
EnviroCollective
Climate Justice Saskatoon

Tuesday 2 July 2019

EcoSask News, July 2, 2019

black bear

E. O. Wilson’s most fervent dream: “That somehow we have as a value, a human value, that we not destroy but we protect and study and understand and love the environment that was our birthplace.”

Upcoming Events
Seeds & Plants, July 3 (Churchbridge) 
Learn how to plant seeds plus reading and activities from 2-3 pm, July 3, at Churchbridge Public Library.

Pasqua Nature Conservancy Hike, July 4 (Fort Qu’Appelle) 
The Fort Qu’Appelle Nature Society is planning a nature hike in the Nature Conservancy Pasqua land on July 4. Meet at the train station at 7:30 am to car pool. The hike will last from 8-11 am.

The Natural World, July 6 (Prince Albert) 
Join the Saskatchewan Science Centre for a nature/science program for kids from 9 am-12 pm, July 6.

Hidden Valley Wildflowers, July 6 (Regina) 
Join Nature Regina in looking for wildflowers from 8 am-12 pm, July 6, as they hike their Hidden Valley sanctuary.

Household Hazardous Waste, July 7 (Saskatoon) 
You can dispose of household hazardous waste at City of Saskatoon’s Civic Operations Centre from 9 am–3:30 pm, July 7.

AB Greater Sage-grouse Recovery Program, July 9 (webinar) 
Joel Nicholson, Senior Wildlife Biologist with AB Environment and Parks, will discuss Alberta’s greater sage-grouse recovery program in a noon-hour webinar on July 9.

Composting Workshop, July 11 (Saskatoon) 
Join Saskatoon’s compost coaches for a workshop on composting and low-waste strategies from 7-9 pm, July 11.

black bear eating weeds

Looking Ahead
Wanted – Volunteers, Aug. 25 (Regina) 
Friends of Wascana Marsh are looking for volunteers with a nature/biology background to help them set up a booth, host activities such as pond dipping, and offer guided tours at Harbour Landing’s Summer Bash on Aug. 25. Email friendsofwascanamarsh@gmail.com if you’re interested.

Putting Beavers to Work, Oct. 23 & 24 (Calgary) 
A two-day seminar in Calgary on Oct. 23 & 24 will look at beavers’ role in watershed resiliency and restoration through both talks and a coexistence tools demonstration.

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

In the News
The Endangered Grasslands Alliance has made it easy to express your concerns about the perimeter highway running through the Northeast Swale by emailing your letter to local and provincial politicians directly from their website.

The Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities will be working with First Nations Power Authority and the U of S School of Environment and Sustainability to develop better wind and solar power systems for rural communities.

Federal and provincial government funding will support transition away from coal in Saskatchewan’s mining communities.

Local theatre group tries to promote hope and change in all-ages play about climate change.

Take your car to a self-service car wash – you’ll save water and avoid runoff pollution.

Raymond, AB plans to go solar for all its municipal energy needs – from heating buildings to streetlights.

Growth is pointless in a mature economy. We should be looking for “qualitative improvement rather than economic enlargement.”

A female Arctic fox travelled more than 3500 km from Norway to Canada in just 76 days.

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

You can follow EcoFriendly Sask by liking us on Facebook, following us on Twitter, or by email (top right corner).