Tuesday 16 March 2021

EcoSask News, March 16, 2021

Canada Goose

This Week’s Highlights 
There will be an online discussion on the potential for conservation and restoration of Saskatchewan forests to mitigate against climate breakdown at 7 pm, Mar. 23. 

A climate activist in California has spent 589 days cleaning up a park and is encouraging others to follow his example. "Climate action is a group project," he tweeted. "There will be no hero that will emerge from the fog to save us from ourselves. To preserve this planet, we'll need a billion climate activists." 

Upcoming Events 
Regina residents are invited to a virtual public open house at 7 pm, Mar. 18, for the Foxtail Grove Solar Energy Project, a 10 MW project that will generate enough green electricity to power over 2,600 Saskatchewan households. 

The WildEcol Seminar Series is hosting an online presentation on the research studying contaminants in loons and gulls being undertaken as part of the Boreal Watershed Initiative at 3:30 pm, Mar. 19. 

Join Nature Regina for an online presentation on how you can grow native plants for pollinators in your own yard from 2-3:30 pm, Mar. 20. 

Join the Saskatoon Nature Society on the following outings. Field trips are currently for members only, so sign up now. Advance registration is required.
Mar. 20, 8:30 am-4:30 pm - Gardiner Dam Waterfowl Trip
Mar. 26, 7:30-10 pm - Owling Evening
Mar. 27, 10 am-4 pm - Snowy Owl Trip

Saskatoon Seedy Saturday has gone virtual with online gardening workshops and presentations from Mar. 20-27. 

The Saskatoon Zoo Society is holding a virtual annual general meeting at 1:30 pm, Mar. 21. 

Let’s Talk About Water is hosting an online panel with experts from the industry, research, and non-profit sectors about valuing water at 11 am, Mar. 22. 

The Saskatchewan Chapter of The Wildlife Society is offering an online workshop for members on navigation from 3-6 pm, Mar. 22. 

Blue Gold: World Water Wars will be screened in Regina at 7 pm, Mar. 22. 

The film, Addicted to Plastic, will be shown in Regina at 7 pm, Mar. 24. 

Public Pasture - Public Interest will be holding its AGM online from 7-9 pm, Mar. 24.

Regina Public Library is hosting an online talk on starting to compost at 7 pm, Mar. 25. 

The Moose Jaw River Watershed Stewards will discuss biosecurity and invasive species online at noon, Mar. 25, as part of PCAP-SK’s Native Prairie Speaker Series. 

Find out about Climate West, a regional hub for climate services, at a noon-hour, Mar. 25, presentation hosted by Partners FOR the Saskatchewan River Basin. 

Local News 
The City of Saskatoon is reviewing speed limits in residential neighbourhoods. The survey is open until April 30. 

A USask research “study hopes to find ways to better manage the wetlands and marginal areas in Saskatchewan fields . . . in order to design effective incentive programs for improving sustainable farm production.” 

The Saskatchewan Orienteering Association has been established to promote and administer orienteering as sport and recreation in Saskatchewan. 

Transportation Options 
“Without the Keystone XL pipeline . . . Canadian oil producers are turning to trains. And using a new technology to help make it more affordable — and less flammable.” 

The demand for materials needed to make batteries for electric cars and other clean technology is driving interest in deep-seabed mining. “One of my greatest fears is that we may start ocean mining because it’s profitable for just a handful of years, and then we nail it with the next gen battery or we get good at doing low-cost e-waste recycling . . . . And then we’ve done irreversible damage in the oceans for three years of profit.” 

Drive-thru fast food chains have become increasingly popular during the pandemic and the trend is expected to continue, reinforcing a reliance on cars over more environmentally friendly forms of transportation. 

A Pembina Institute report looks at the costs, benefits, and uptake on fuel-efficiency technologies in the highway transportation sector.
 
Lodgepole pine

Forests 
“The lodgepole pine’s ability to live in many environments—and to live a long time—gives it a genetic boost that could make it more resilient to climate change than other species.” 

“In western North America, huge swaths of forested areas may become unsuitable for trees owing to climate change.” 

Natural Wonders 
Dismissing all wasps because of a few aggressive ones is kind of like giving up on Mexican food because you don’t like cilantro.” 

EcoFriendly Sask supports Saskatchewan environmental initiatives through an online publication, an events calendar, small grants, and the Nature Companion website/app. 

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


Check out EcoFriendly Sask’s Nature Companion, a free nature app for Canada’s four western provinces