EcoSask News, June 22, 2021

This Week’s Highlights 

Help weed and mulch the 200 fruit-bearing trees and shrubs on the east side of the river between the Circle Drive and train bridges from 1-4 pm, Saturday, June 26. Tools will be provided. Contact Jordan for additional information (306-380-9565, jrs260@usask.ca). 

Want to reduce your carbon footprint? Switch from videoconferencing to voice-only online meetings and you’ll reduce your environmental impact by 96%. [Anthropocene] 

Upcoming Events 

Have your say on the City of Saskatoon’s Green Infrastructure Strategy at a virtual workshop from 1-3 pm, June 24, or 7-9:30 pm, June 29. Or you can complete an online survey from now until July 4. 

Nature Conservancy of Canada is hosting a webinar on tackling invasive species from 11:30 am-12:30 pm, June 24. 

City of Regina residents can dispose of hazardous waste from 4-7 pm on Friday, 9 am-4 pm, Saturday, and 9 am-4 pm, Sunday, June 25-27. 

EnviroCollective Regina will be holding an online meeting from 7-9 pm, June 28.

Looking Ahead 

Enjoy art classes in a natural setting at Ness Creek from July 26-29.

 

Local News 

“In a province that’s home to nearly half of Canada’s arable land . . . the impact of farming operations on downstream water bodies is huge. . . . a careful balance has to be struck between the vital economic necessities of farming and protecting the environment for the future” [Saskatoon StarPhoenix] 

Find out more about the prairies with games and activities from the Native Plant Society of Saskatchewan, including an interactive game, a field guide to the plants and animals living on the prairies, and field activities. 

What a Good Idea! 

E-scooter fees will partially fund a $2 million program to add 3 miles of protected bike lanes in downtown Miami. [Planetizen] 

The online shopping boom calls for new urban freight options to reduce emissions, air pollution, and traffic congestion. Here are 10 proven options as well as 4 new ones. [Pembina Institute] 

Ten Bold Ideas: Accelerating Climate Action in the 2020s offers some intriguing ideas, such as a repair workshop on every main street, menu flipping, and real golf. [Possible] 

Over 100 wildflower meadows, funded by the municipalities, have been planted in Germany’s largest cities over the past 3 years. Their goal is to protect Germany’s wild bees, more than half of which are endangered or on the verge of extinction. [The Guardian] 

A colony of rare orchids, thought to be extinct in the UK, has been discovered in the rooftop garden of a London bank, demonstrating that green infrastructure can protect and maintain biodiversity. [The Guardian] 

We Can Do Better! 

Cascades: Creating a Sustainable Health System in a Climate Crisis wants to engage the health care community in climate action and is hosting a listening tour, starting July 7. [Centre for Sustainable Health Systems] 

A proposed lithium mine in Nevada highlights a dilemma facing green tech: it’s still reliant on extractive industries. Opponents “assert that the mining industry is simply greenwashing old practices and exploiting the political climate that favors green energy, while using the laws that have enabled dispossession and destroyed environments for over a century.” [Earth Island Journal] 

“Peatlands, such as fens, bogs, marshes and swamps, cover just 3% of the Earth’s total land surface, yet store over one-third of the planet’s soil carbon.” They’re drying out or being destroyed, and that’s a problem. [The Conversation] 

If you’re looking for hard economic data to support climate action, check out The economics of climate change: no action not an option, which states, “The world economy could be 10% smaller if the 2050 net-zero emissions and Paris Agreement targets on climate change are not met.” [Swiss Re Institute] 

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 subscribe by email (top right corner).

Nature Companion, a free nature app/website for Canada's 4 western provinces

From Ranches to Classrooms: The Native Plant Society of Saskatchewan

The Native Plant Society of Saskatchewan prides itself on tackling as many issues related to native plants as possible. You’ll find them in the field, in the classroom, and interacting with as many plant lovers as possible. 

“When Covid hit in March 2020, the vast majority of our funding had expired,” says Chet Neufeld, Executive Director. “I had no idea if our future funding would be cancelled, so I spent the next two months writing funding proposals in case our regular funding sources didn’t work out.” As it turned out, most of the regular grants were renewed with greater flexibility given the delay and the change in normal procedures. In addition, three quarters of the additional proposals were awarded so the Society’s cash flow in 2020 was the best they’d ever had. Many of the projects were for up to three years. 

The Native Plant Society of Saskatchewan has two full-time staff: Chet Neufeld and Hilary Pinchbeck, who is the program coordinator. Hilary is responsible for delivering the Rare Plants & Ranchers program. She also looks after lots of the fieldwork for other projects in the southwest of the province as this is where she lives. Contractors are hired to assist with the fieldwork. 

Fieldwork 

The NPSS staff and contractors took advantage of a dry spell in late summer to get out in the field. “We were out until the third week in September when it got too dry,” Chet says, “And we were out every day for as many days as possible.” 

Nashlyn Pasture is a former PFRA pasture that is now managed by Environment and Climate Change Canada. NPSS was hired to conduct range health assessments and plant species at risk surveys of the 250-square-kilometre site. It was all hands on deck as they placed a frame on the ground and recorded what was growing within that ¼ metre square space. They did this 10 times in every 150-metre transect, examining a total of 520 plots. The assessment followed a standard format to serve as a reference for future assessments. 

As Nashlyn Pasture is a remote site with limited accommodation, and because the pandemic posed certain complications, NPSS could only hire two contractors, but they worked flat out. “Strict Covid protocol and one trailer per person meant they were able to maintain their own bubbles with radio communication and Garmin communication devices overcoming the isolation,” Chet says. 

NPSS was also awarded funding to develop an invasive species strategy for the South of the Divide region (SOD). SOD covers 15,000 square kilometres of southwestern Saskatchewan and the project includes many different elements. “There’s very little data on invasive species in this area, so we hope to fill a void,” Chet says. “We want to work cohesively with the ranchers and other stakeholders to address invasive species and alleviate their impact on native species at risk.” Chet says there are some very large ranches in this area. “We want local adoption of the proposed strategy,” Chet explains. “We want it to be a working document rather than just another shelved report.” 

Future work will involve bringing in sheep to graze on a site invaded by leafy spurge. “It’s a riparian area,” Chet says, “so we wanted to take a conservative approach.” NPSS has also established an iNaturalist project for SOD so anyone doing invasive species work in the area, now or in the future, will be able to add to the results. 

The Native Plant Society is working with the Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure to establish a pollinator planting. They have planted a wildflower seed blend in an area that had already been seeded to native grass on Highway 5 near Saskatoon. NPSS will be calling on volunteers to help bolster the number of native plants and increase density by planting some seedlings. “We can space volunteers out if Covid restrictions are still in place,” Chet explains. 

Educational Programs 

The Rare Plants and Ranchers program has been running for over 10 years and is the Society’s largest, longest-running project. NPSS works with the ranchers to help them manage their land to protect native species at risk and prevent invasive species. Over 133,000 acres of native Saskatchewan prairie are enrolled in the program. 

The Native Plants in the Classroom program provides teachers with free printed resources, online games and lesson plans, and Zoom calls so students can talk to a biologist and ask questions. “Going virtual has been an asset,” Chet says. NPSS also provides advice, plants, and seeds to schools that want to establish a native plant teaching garden. Native plants support native pollinators and students are encouraged to keep a nature journal of new pollinator species that show up once they’ve planted native seeds. 

Annual Conference 

The Native Plant Society shifted to a virtual format for their annual conference this year and was pleased with the results. The focus was on Nature to the Rescue and focused on things you can do in your local area. “Sandra Walker’s presentation was unique,” Chet says. “She live-streamed from her kitchen to show us how to cook cattail pollen biscuits, and while they baked she answered questions and described her foraging adventures.” The presentations from the 2021 conference are available on YouTube. Chet says they’re exploring some kind of hybrid system for future conferences with presentations live-streamed or recorded to post at a later date. 

Volunteers 

“We can always use volunteers,” Chet says. “You can get your hands dirty outdoors or prepare seed packets from your own home. Critical thinkers are invaluable for reviewing reports and spreadsheets.” If you’re interested, call or email Chet and he’ll find an opportunity that matches your interests.

Photo Credits

Creek - Hilary Pinchbeck

Assessment - Chet Neufeld

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).

Early-Flowering Trees and Shrubs on the Canadian Prairies

They may not be as showy as crocuses or violets, but trees have flowers too. You just have to look a little closer. 

Aspen 

Aspen prefer cold regions with cool summers (it grows at higher elevations in warmer regions). Trembling Aspen is found throughout Canada and the United States. It’s a slender tree (20-80 ft tall) with heart-shaped leaves that turn yellow in the fall. The leaf stem is flat and set at a 90-degree angle to the leaf, causing them to tremble in even a gentle breeze. Aspen has greenish-white bark with dark ridges on older trees. 

Male and female flowers are found on separate trees, appearing before the leaves. The catkins resemble soft caterpillars dangling from the twigs. The male flowers appear first, releasing pollen into the air. The female catkins turn green and form capsules that later release loose cottony seeds. 

Did you know? Trembling Aspen's roots send up shoots or suckers and can form large stands of up to 100 acres of identical trees or clones. Individual trunks die, but the roots can live on for hundreds or even thousands of years.

 

Balsam Poplar 

Balsam Poplar is a slender tree with a straight trunk and a narrow crown (65-100 ft tall). The leaves are shiny and dark green with a pointed tip. It’s often found in floodplains as it grows best in moist, rich soil with plenty of sunlight. 

Long catkins (3 in) on the male trees are the first to appear in the spring, followed by large, sticky leaf buds that smell of balsam. Balsam Poplar, Aspen, and Cottonwood are members of the same family, which explains why they all produce similar loose cottony seeds. 

Did you know? Bees sometimes use Balsam Poplar's resin to disinfect their hives.

 

Birch 

Birch (20-70 ft) is common in the temperate and boreal forests of Canada. It has triangular green leaves with serrated edges that turn yellow and then fall in autumn. The bark on mature trees is white and peels in paper-like strips. 

Both male and female catkins appear on the same tree, before or at the same time as the leaves. The male flowers dangle from the twigs, while the female flowers are upright and inconspicuous. When the female flower matures, it releases winged seeds. 

Did you know? Birch syrup can be made from the sap of the tree. It’s been described as tasting of caramel with a hint of spiciness.

 

Willow 

More than 100 species of Willow are native to North America. Willows have long, narrow leaves and thrive in moist soil. Black Willow is North America’s largest native willow (10-60 ft tall). It's a fast-growing tree with several trunks growing out from the root and an open crown. Peachleaf Willow is a medium-sized tree (35-40 ft) and usually has a single trunk. 

Male and female flowers are found on separate trees, appearing in early spring just before the leaves. Male flowers are longer and fall from the tree once they've released their pollen. 

Did you know? Young willow branches are very flexible and can be used to make baskets, fences, or other objects.

 

Wolf-Willow 

Wolf-willow flowers in late May/June, later than the other trees mentioned but merits inclusion because it has such a distinctive musky-sweet scent. Wolf-willow is a small shrub (under 7 ft) with silver oval leaves and small yellow flowers that mature into silvery berries. Despite its name, it isn’t a willow at all but belongs to the oleaster (wild olive) family. 

Did you know? Indigenous peoples of North America used the large, yellow-striped seeds to make necklaces and the fibrous bark can be twisted to make rope. 

Nature Companion 

You’ll find lots more information about trees and shrubs on EcoFriendly Sask’s Nature Companion, an entry-level nature app for Canada’s four western provinces. 

See Also 

Conifers of Western Canada 

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).

Conifers of Western Canada

Most coniferous trees keep their foliage all year round, adding a welcome touch of green to a snowy winter landscape. We tend to use the terms conifer and evergreen interchangeably, but that’s incorrect. Some conifers lose their needles in the fall, while some evergreens don’t bear cones – hence, they aren’t conifers. 

Conifers are gymnosperms and were some of the earliest trees to appear on the planet. Unlike angiosperms, gymnosperms do not flower and their seeds are not protected by a fruit. Contrast this with cherry or oak trees, which flower in the spring and produce fruit (cherries and acorns) later in the year. Gymnosperm seeds are naked and attached to the scales of cones. 

Unlike deciduous trees that have broad leaves they lose every fall, the leaves on conifers are usually short and shaped like needles. You may not think they shed their needles, but they do. The needles on larches and tamaracks turn yellow and drop from the tree every fall. Other conifers only lose a few of their needles every 3-5 years, usually in the fall. As the trees shed older needles, the inner parts of the tree will be less dense than the outer parts of the tree where there has been new growth. 

The wood of conifer trees is softer than the wood of deciduous trees and they often have fragrant, sappy bark. The roots, stems, leaves, and cones contain resin ducts that secrete a sticky material. Conifers use the pitch or resin to seal wounds and areas where they have shed bark or branches. As with so many natural materials, humans have been able to benefit, using the resin to caulk wooden sailing ships and to produce turpentine. 

Conifers are much more common in cooler temperate and boreal areas, such as Western Canada, but they exhibit greater diversity in warmer areas, such as tropical mountains, where the winters aren’t as harsh and the summers longer and less dry. 

There are four main groups of conifers in Western Canada: fir, pine, spruce, and larch. 

Fir 

Fir trees are shaped like cones with a wide base tapering to a narrow crown. They have soft, flat needles with two white stripes on the underside. The needles are attached directly to the branch. The scales fall off the cones every fall, leaving behind an erect central stem. 

Balsam Fir is found in forests as well as urban areas. It is a tall (60-70 ft) narrow tree tapering to a skinny point. Its short (1 in) flat needles curve upwards, as do the barrel-shaped, greyish-brown cones. Balsam fir may not be able to re-establish itself after a fire as it loses all its seeds every year, unlike other conifers that retain cones from one year to the next. 

Pine 

Pine trees have small clusters of long, narrow needles. They shed their needles more frequently (every 3 years) than spruce or fir (4-5 years), so they usually appear thinner and less dense. Some pines retain their cones for many years. Pines are important commercially for both lumber and pulp as they grow quickly and can be planted close together. Pines have two sorts of cones – small ones attached to new shoots that produce large quantities of pollen in the spring and larger, woody, seed-bearing cones. You can find both old and new cones on pine and spruce trees as they don’t fall off immediately. 

Jack Pine (15-65 ft) is the most widely distributed tree in Canada and is common in Canada’s boreal forest. It grows well in poor soil and is short, gnarled, and crooked when growing in shallow, rocky soil. Jack Pine has short needles in bunches of two that are spread apart in a V. The cones point forward along the branch or curl around it. Most Jack Pine cones are sealed with a special resin and only open to release their seeds during a forest fire or in very hot sunlight. 

Lodgepole Pine grows well in the foothills and Rocky Mountains of western North America. It can also be found in the Cypress Hills of Saskatchewan and Alberta. They are one of the first trees to appear after a fire. The needles are paired and often twisted, forming dense clusters at the ends of branches. The cones are small and egg-shaped with prickles at the tip. The cones grow in small clusters, either at right angles to the branch or facing back towards the trunk. In the spring, look for clusters of reddish-green male pollen cones at the tips of the branches. The pollen is so abundant it can be seen in patches on lakes or forming a yellow line marking the water level on rocks along the shore. 

Whitebark Pine is found in the western mountain ranges of Canada and the United States. It can live for more than 500 years. 

Spruce 

Spruce trees (60-100 ft) have a cone-shaped silhouette and prefer moist forested sites and mountainous areas. Four-sided needles are arranged in a spiral around the stem and are attached to small pegs that remain behind after the needles drop. Spruce needles are shorter than pine needles and grow on all sides of the branch, unlike fir where the branches look flat as the needles only grow on two sides of the branch. The cones hang downwards and can usually be found at the top of the tree. 

Black and White Spruce are found in Canada and the northern United States. Black Spruce is usually found near water or marshy areas and is narrow with very little foliage except in a clump at the top of the tree. White Spruce prefers upland areas with well-drained soil. It is broader and shaped like a pyramid. Engelmann Spruce is found in the western mountains of Canada and the United States. Sitka Spruce has stiff, sharp needles and is found in a narrow band along the northwest coast of North America. 

Larch 

Larch are slender trees with straight, tapering trunks and soft, feathery needles that turn a brilliant yellow in the fall before dropping to the ground. They are native to cooler, northern areas, such as the boreal forests and mountainous regions of Canada and Russia. 

Western Larch is found in moist locations on northern mountain slopes and valley bottoms. Tamarack, also known as Eastern Larch, is found across Canada and in the northeastern United States and is shorter than Western Larch. 

Tamarack is a thin, medium-sized tree (50-65 ft) with reddish-brown bark that becomes scaly as the tree ages. It is often found alongside Black Spruce in bogs or marshes or on cool, moist, north-facing slopes. The greenish-blue needles are 5-7 inches long and grow in clusters of 15-25. Both male and female cones may appear on the same branch. Male cones look like small mounds of yellow or brown pollen sacs. The female cones resemble pine cones. When mature, the female cones are brown, .4-.8 in long, on short curved stalks. Tamarack can tolerate very cold temperatures and can be found at the edge of the tundra on the Arctic tree line. The name comes from an Algonquin word meaning wood used for snowshoes. 

To learn more about trees in Western Canada, check out EcoFriendly Sask’s Nature Companion, a free nature app for Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia.

EcoSask News, March 10, 2020

Upcoming Events 
Reducing Oil & Gas Sector Emissions, Mar. 10 (Regina) 
There will be a panel discussion on reducing GHG emissions in the oil and gas sector from 1:30-3 pm, Mar. 10, in Regina (video connection in Saskatoon).

Grasslands & Breeding Birds, Mar. 16 (Regina) 
Join Nature Regina for a screening of Guardians of the Grasslands and an update on the SK Breeding Bird Atlas project from 7:30-9 pm, Mar. 16.

Learn to Camp, Mar. 16 (Saskatoon) 
Parks Canada will provide an introduction to basic camping skills from 6:30-8:30 pm, Mar. 16.

Prairie’s Got the Goods Week, Mar. 16-20 (webinars) 
Saskatchewan’s Prairie Conservation Action Plan has organized a full schedule of activities from Mar. 16-20 for Prairie’s Got the Goods Week. These include noon-hour webinars on the role of prairie lakes, wetlands, or dugouts as carbon sources or sinks on Mar. 17 and on the value of bees on Mar. 18.

Beyond Climate, Mar. 17 (Regina) 
Attend a screening of Beyond Climate followed by a climate café from 7-9:30 pm, Mar. 17.

Genetic Diversity & Food Security, Mar. 17 (Saskatoon) 
Dr. Axel Diederichsen and Cathy Holtslander will discuss cultivating genetic diversity for food security at 7 pm, Mar. 17, as part of the Saskatchewan Environmental Society’s Sustainable Speaker Series.

Natural Places, Mar. 19 (Saskatoon) 
Enjoy great photographs and discover new places to explore at Saskatoon Nature Society’s members’ film night at 7:30 pm, Mar. 19.

Prairie Butterflies, Mar. 20 (webinar) 
There will be a webinar on prairie butterflies at risk at noon, Mar. 20.

Looking Ahead
Beginner Bird Id, Mar. 26 (Saskatoon) 
Learn the basics of bird identification and the major bird families from 7-9 pm, Mar. 26, in Saskatoon.

Waste ReForum, Apr. 1-3 (Regina) 
Waste ReForum, to be held Apr. 1-3 in Regina, will consider how waste reduction will change going forward—from robotics to circular processes.

Repair Cafés
Three communities are holding repair cafés in the next two weeks:
Mar. 15, 12-2 pm - Repair Café - Moose Jaw
Mar. 21, 1-4 pm - Get Ready for Spring - Repair Café Prince Albert
Mar. 21, 10 am- 4 pm - Repair Café Swift Current

Saskatoon Nature Society Field Trips
Mar. 15, 2-3:30 pm – City Park Bird Walk
Mar. 22, 2-3:30 pm – Montgomery Place Bird Walk
Mar. 28, 9 am-2 pm – Bluebird 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 Saskatchewan
The information boards from the Feb. 26 Saskatoon Freeway come-and-go event are now available online as is a survey to provide feedback (before Mar. 13).

Women in conservation: Sarah Schmid, CPAWS-SK

From Information to Action
“Ending sprawl is a tough conversation. . . . It challenges a lot of entrenched interests and requires a new vision of what a home looks like, as well as a new vision of what development jobs can be. But we really have no choice if we want our kids to have a fighting chance at a livable future.”

The Congestion Con – a report on why more lanes and more money equals more traffic.

Four cheap (boring) transportation solutions that really work.

Two solutions for preventing insect decline: 1. Shield, dim, or turn off lights 2. Give them space.

The glut of cheap natural gas from fracking has sparked an explosion in new plastics infrastructure. “The environmental cost to society of consumer plastic products and packaging was over $139 billion in 2015. . . . Without a dramatic change in course . . . that annual figure will soar to $209 billion by 2025.”

A new publication, Ecological Solutions and Evidence, is designed “to encourage sharing of work, lessons learned, and research between practitioners and scientists.” 

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).

Saskatchewan's Snakes

So many people are terrified of snakes, and yet they are amazing creatures. We hope we can turn your fear into awe.

Snakes, with their flexible skulls and long bodies, are very different from lizards, their closest relatives. Scientists believe that the first snakes both swam like eels and burrowed like worms. The prehistoric South American Titanoboa was 50 feet long and may have weighed as much as a ton. It’s assumed that it preyed on equally huge crocodiles.

None of Saskatchewan’s snakes are anywhere near as large, but they are still a pretty interesting bunch.

Prairie Rattlesnake
Prairie Rattlesnakes are Saskatchewan’s only venomous snake. They immobilize their prey (rodents, lizards) with a toxic venom before swallowing them whole. Digesting their food makes rattlesnakes sluggish, so they normally hide out for a couple of days after eating.

Each time the rattlesnake sheds its skin, a ring is added at the end of its tail. The rings knock together and make a rattling noise.

The Prairie Rattlesnake carries her eggs inside her body and gives birth to live young as an adaptation to the harsh prairie environment.

Rattlesnakes have a thick body with a triangular head and are 1-8 feet long. The scales usually form a dark geometrical pattern on a light background. They are found in southern British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan; however, the majority live in the deserts of the American southwest and northern Mexico. Arizona has 13 species of rattlesnake, more than any other area in North America.

Garter Snake
Garter Snakes are long and thin and usually have 3 stripes on their back. Garter snakes can be found right across Canada, including the Northwest Territories, but there are none in Newfoundland. Plains Garter Snake live throughout southern Saskatchewan and are often found close to water where they can find frogs and toads to eat. Red-sided Garter Snakes are famous in Saskatchewan for their large mating balls. Wandering Garter Snake are technically terrestial, but they love to swim and eat fish.

Hognose Snake
Hognose Snakes are short (2-4 feet) and stout. Their colour and pattern are extremely variable. Western Hognose Snake will play possum and pretend they are dead as a way to deter predators. You’ll find them in sandy areas where it’s easier for them to dig in the dirt using their upturned, pointed snout.

Hognose Snakes eat rodents and lizards, although Eastern Hognose specialize in eating toads.

Bullsnake
The Bullsnake is the prairies’ biggest snake. It is 3-8 feet long and can weigh as much as 5 pounds. Despite being so large, they are very calm and are unlikely to bite or attack humans. Bullsnakes have a large head, large eyes, and a narrow neck. They are light brown to yellow with a cream-coloured belly and dark blotches on their back and sides. An enlarged nose shield helps them to burrow in the sand.

Bullsnakes squeeze their prey to death. They particularly like to eat gophers and mice, so you are lucky if you have them on your farm.

Bullsnakes spend up to 90% of their time in underground dens, although they spend so much time sunning themselves during the summer that they can develop skin cancer.

If you see a Bullsnake (dead or alive), especially in southwest Saskatchewan, email the Royal Saskatchewan Museum at snakes@royalsaskmuseum.ca to contribute to a current research project.

Smooth Greensnake
Smooth Green Snakes are a bright emerald green colour with a creamy white or yellowish belly. They are often found in grassy areas where their colouring provides excellent camouflage. Smooth green snakes mostly eat insects, which they detect through smell, sight, and vibrations. They spend their winters in ant hills.

Eastern Yellow-bellied Racer
Eastern Yellow-bellied Racers are long, smooth-scaled, and quick moving. They have a yellow belly and olive-coloured scales on their back. They live in mixed-grass prairie and sagebrush thickets where they can hide from predators. The species is threatened and very rare.

Eastern Yellow-bellied Racers don't bask in the sun like other snakes. They are always on the move, hunting for grasshoppers with their heads up.

Northern Red-bellied Snake
The Northern Red-bellied Snake is as thin as a pencil! Look for it in the Qu’Appelle area. It is the only Canadian snake with a bright red belly. Red-bellied snakes can be found in forest clearings and grassy areas where there is plenty of ground cover such as logs and rocks.

Red-bellied snakes are nocturnal and help to control garden pests, such as slugs, worms, snails, and insects.

 

Did You Know?
Snakes can swallow food larger than their head. Their jaw bones are not attached at the front and only loosely connected to their skull so they can open their mouths very wide and each side of the jaw can move independently. The snake gradually walks each side of its jaws over the prey until it can be swallowed.

Snakes taste and smell the world using their tongues. Thanks to their forked tongue, they can tell which direction the scent is coming from.

Large-bodied snakes such as Bullsnakes, Yellow-bellied Racers, and Rattlesnakes appear to be completely dependent on major river valleys. Find out more in this presentation by Ray Poulin, Royal Saskatchewan Museum.

Saskatchewan has the highest snake diversity in the Canadian Prairies.

Snakes play an important role in controlling rodent populations. They also serve as a food source for other wildlife, such as hawks, owls, mink, skunks, and herons.

What Can You Do? 
Conserve native prairie habitat and river valleys. Like many species, snakes depend on native grasslands for their home.

Give snakes a break. Don’t kill or harass snakes. They are afraid of people and will only defend themselves.

Keep an eye out for snakes. Snakes will be crossing roads, especially in the spring and fall. Be particularly careful when you are driving in areas known to have snakes to avoid running them over.

Our thanks to the Saskatchewan Prairie Conservation Action Plan for assisting us in preparing this article. The Saskatchewan Prairie Conservation Action Plan (SK PCAP) Partnership brings together 30 agencies and organizations representing producers, industry, provincial & federal governments, environmental non-government organizations, research and educational institutions working towards a common vision of prairie and species at risk conservation in Saskatchewan. They produce a variety of communications materials to improve public understanding of native prairie and species at risk. 

You can follow EcoFriendly Sask by liking us on Facebook, following us on Twitter, or by email (top right corner). A full list of upcoming events can be found on the EcoFriendly Sask Calendar

Nature Companion, a Comprehensive Nature App for Canada's Four Western Provinces

See Also

Saskatchewan Frogs and Toads

Claire Bullaro: Zoos are for Education

As a child growing up in Philadelphia, Claire Bullaro was always interested in animals and had lots of pets. “Our family had hamsters, dogs, fish, and budgies, but the snake was mine alone.” One of her fondest memories is of entering a competition on the radio and winning a free entry to the Philadelphia Zoo. Claire’s love of animals and zoos has remained a constant throughout her life. Claire’s husband shared her interest in animals and, whenever the family travelled, they would visit the local zoo.

Claire’s interest in zoos extends beyond personal interest. With a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and a Master’s degree in Zoology, she has always been keenly interested in education and conservation. “Zoos should be for educating people about animals,” she explains. “Otherwise you’re just torturing animals for human entertainment when they could be in the wild.”

Saskatoon Zoo Society 
Shortly after Claire and her family moved to Saskatoon, the local zoo, which had been very small, obtained all the animals from the Golden Gate Animal Farm when it closed. Claire heard that some local people were planning to start a non-profit zoo society. Claire’s husband joined the board initially but Claire soon followed once their children were a bit older. She has been on the board almost non-stop for the past 40 years and has served as president three times.

The Saskatoon Zoo Society’s role has evolved over the years as has its relationship with the zoo’s management team. In the early days, the Society wasn’t very active. The volunteers would meet with classes and youth groups and share information about the zoo animals. “We had no facility,” Claire explains. “We would meet up in the parking lot and take them on a tour of the zoo.” Jerry Haigh, a wildlife vet who had worked in Africa, was another of the volunteers and he was able to provide some artifacts to help stimulate discussion.

In the mid-1980s, a change in management led to a much more active role for the Saskatoon Zoo Society. Management asked the Zoo Society to start up a gift shop and food concession and Society members could enter the zoo for free. The City also provided some funding for educational programs.

With an annual budget of $400-500,000, the Society was in a position to hire staff and expand their educational program. They hired three educators, all with teaching degrees. The current educators have all been with the Zoo Society for over 20 years. “They’re terrific,” Claire says. “They’re amazing with the kids and full of ideas. I just wish we had enough money to pay them based on their education and years of experience.”

The Zoo Society’s educational programming has proven to be extremely popular. “When word gets out that someone will take you on a tour and talk about things, the requests start accumulating,” Claire says. Some programs, such as the summer camps, are fully booked on the first day of registration. Claire is delighted with the response. “I love the idea of educating people,” she says. “Reaching kids is really important and often they pass the information along to adults.”

Claire’s Dream Zoo
Claire’s many years of experience have left her with a clear idea of what she would like to see in a zoo. Rather than trying to house as many exotic species as possible, Claire believes the emphasis should be on local animals. “We had a group of kids visit the zoo. They lived on a reserve, but they had never seen a live moose,” Claire says. “There are city kids who’ve never seen pronghorn, or great-horned owls, or eagles. The grasslands of the Great Plains are the most degraded habitat in North America. This is something you can teach people about in a zoo.”

Good signage, Claire believes, is key. “You need to do more than display the name of the animal,” Claire says. “You want to give visitors a sense of what the animals is like in its real habitat, how it interacts with other animals, and its importance to the ecosystem.” She uses prairie dogs as an example, noting that by eating the local grasses they help to reseed the prairies and their tunnels provide a home and shelter for snakes, burrowing owls, and black-footed ferrets (now extinct in Saskatchewan). Comparisons with animals that live in similar ecosystems are also valuable. “It would be cool to compare dingoes with coyotes,” Claire says.

The Zoo Society’s current educational program extends from pre-school to high school. In a dream zoo, Claire would like to see weekend and adult programming added to the mix. A group of educational animals that were used to being handled and didn’t need to be in quarantine would be extremely valuable so that children could actually see and interact with the animals.

Ideally, the educational animals would include one or two examples each of birds, reptiles, insects, and mammals. “It would be important to go beyond animals that children can see in a pet store,” Claire says. “It would be wonderful to have Saskatchewan species, such as a skunk, a burrowing owl, and a raptor.”

Claire’s dream zoo would not only talk about conservation, it would also undertake conservation projects, similar to the work being done at other zoos to help restore black-footed ferrets, swift fox, and amphibians to the wild.

Giving Back to Her Community 
Claire Bullaro’s activities extend beyond the Saskatoon Zoo Society. She is also on the board of Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation, Saskatoon Parrot Rescue, Friends of the Forestry Farm House, and the Saskatoon Heritage Society – not to mention maintaining the Saskatoon Nature Society’s mailing list and membership in a church committee.

Photo Credits: with parrot, Claire Bullaro; group photos, Greg Fenty

Further Information 
Zoos in the 21st Century
Profile of Saskatoon Zoo Society, 2011

EcoSask News, March 12, 2019

Upcoming Events
Ferruginous Hawks, Mar. 13 (webinar)
Janet Ng will offer a noon-hour webinar on ferruginous hawks on Mar. 13 as part of SK-PCAP’s Native Prairie Speaker Series.

Standing Rock vs Dakota Access Pipeline, Mar. 13 (Saskatoon) & Mar. 14 (Regina)
Nick Estes, author of Our History is the Future: Standing Rock vs the Dakota Access Pipeline & the Long Tradition of Indigenous Resistance, will be speaking in Saskatoon at 12:30 and 7 pm, Mar. 13, and in Regina at 7 pm, Mar. 14.

Care & Pruning of Trees, Mar. 14 (Regina)
Find out how to care for your trees at the Regent Place branch of the Regina Public Library from 7:30-8:30 pm, Mar. 14.

Essence, Mar. 14 (Saskatoon)
Essence, a film about Ness Creek, is premiering at 7 pm, Mar. 14, in Saskatoon.

Repair Café, Mar. 16 (Prince Albert) 
Share and learn skills to repair things at Repair Café Prince Albert from 1-4 pm, Mar. 16.

Project Wet, Mar. 16 (Regina)
SaskOutdoors is hosting a Project Wet workshop for K-12 teachers in Regina from 9:30 am-3:30 pm, Mar. 16.

Ecological Literacy for Adults, Mar. 16 (Saskatoon)
Lichen Nature is offering an ecological literacy event to help people connect with nature from 10 am-2:30 pm, Mar. 16.

Flying Ambassador, Mar. 16 (Saskatoon) 
USask’s Wild and Exotic Animal Medicine Society will be bringing one of their animals to Wild Birds Unlimited from 1-3 pm, Mar. 16.

Prairie’s Got the Goods Week, Mar. 17-23 (Saskatchewan)
Enjoy daily webinars during PCAP-SK’s Prairie’s Got the Goods Week from Mar. 17-23. Topics include Prairie Wetlands: A Case Study of the Smith Creek Drainage Basin and Native Grassland and its Importance to Grassland Songbirds.

Bumble Bee Pathogens, Mar. 18 (Regina)
Kirsten Palmier will discuss bumble bee pathogens from 7:30-9:30 pm, at the Mar. 18 meeting of Nature Regina.

Bird ID for Novice Birders, Mar. 18 (Saskatoon)
The Saskatoon Nature Society and the SK Breeding Bird Atlas are offering a free two-hour workshop on the basics of bird identification from 7-9 pm, Mar. 18.

Indigenous Renewable Connections, Mar. 20 (Saskatoon)
Indigenous employees, students and businesses along with renewable energy employers and industry are invited to make connections and build relationships at the Workforce Connex event at the U of S, Mar. 20 from 8:30 am-4:30 pm.

Looking Ahead
Basic Wildlife Rehab. Course, Apr. 6-7 (Saskatoon)
Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation is hosting a two-day introduction to wildlife rehabilitation on Apr. 6 & 7 in Saskatoon.

Passive House Planning Package, Apr. 11-13 (Saskatoon)
This course, being offered in Saskatoon from Apr. 11-13, provides step-by-step instruction for using the PHPP energy modelling software, which is essential for designing a Passive House building.

Birding with Jared, May 26 (Regina) 
Join Jared Clarke on a birding bus tour with experienced guides from 8 am-4 pm, May 26. Pickups in Regina and Balgonie. Proceeds to the Milestone NDP Constituency Association.

Saskatoon Nature Society Field Trips 
Mar. 16, 7:45-10 pm – Saw-whet owling near Pike Lake
Mar. 30, 9:15 am-2 pm – Bluebird trip
Everyone is welcome. Check the Saskatoon Nature Society’s NEW website for full details and updated information.

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

In the News
Environment Canada and the Department of Defence are working together to protect natural areas on military bases.

"It’s not about how old the trees are, it’s about how long there’s been a forest on that site. Studying lichen that can only be found in a particular site will help determine the age and biodiversity of a forest."

We are the Ark - “it’s up to each of us to re-wild our world, piece by piece until we have a patchwork quilt of sanctuaries that wraps its way around the globe.”

Vancouver Park Board looks into more humane pest control methods.

4 pairs of lovely legs - 9 of the world's most beautiful spiders.

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).

EcoSask News, February 26, 2019

Upcoming Events
Enviro Collective Regina, Feb. 28 (Regina) 
The Regina Enviro Collective is meeting from 7-9 pm, Feb. 28.

Carbon Sequestration on the Prairies, Feb. 28 (webinar) 
Sean Chuan, ARECA, will present a webinar on carbon sequestration on the Prairies at noon, Feb. 28.

Water Conservation, Feb. 28 (Regina) 
Join the Regina Horticultural Society for a discussion on irrigation and water conservation from 7-8:30 pm, Feb. 28.

SK Species at Risk, Feb. 28 (Saskatoon)
Greg Fenty will discuss the alarming decline in the number of Saskatchewan songbirds and other species at Wild Birds Unlimited at 7 pm, Feb. 28.

Contaminant Levels in Arctic Shorebirds, Mar. 1 (Saskatoon)
Katelyn Luff and Ella Lunny will discuss contaminant levels in Arctic shorebirds at 3:30 pm, Mar. 1, as part of the WildEcol seminar series at the U of S.

Wascana Park in Winter, Mar. 2 (Regina) 
Join Nature Regina on their Wascana Park field trip from 9 am-noon, Mar. 2.

Judicial Review, Mar. 5 (webinar) 
Learn about the basics of judicial review of government processes and decision-making from Charles Hatt, a staff lawyer at Ecojustice, from 1-2 pm EST, Mar. 5.

Smarter Science, Better Buildings, Mar. 5-22 (Moose Jaw) 
Grade 7 students and the general public are invited to view the Smarter Science, Better Buildings exhibit at the Moose Jaw Western Development Museum March 5-22.

Species at Risk Farm Program, Mar. 6 (Assiniboia, Weyburn)
Heather Peat Hamm will discuss the species at risk farm program at 1 pm, Mar. 6, in Assiniboia and at 7 pm, Mar. 6, in Weyburn.

City of Saskatoon Climate Change Update, Mar. 6 (Saskatoon) 
Kristin Bruce and Hilary Carlson will share a climate change update for the City of Saskatoon at the Mar. 6 meeting of the Energy Management Task Force.

Swift Current Creek Watershed Stewards AGM, Mar. 7 (Swift Current) 
Everyone is welcome to attend the annual meeting of the Swift Current Creek Watershed Stewards at 1 pm, Mar. 7.

Looking Ahead
Balancing Self-Care & Community Care, Mar. 11 (Saskatoon) 
The Saskatoon Enviro Collective is hosting a potluck supper and discussion about the balance and interplay between self-care and community care from 6:30-9:30 pm, Mar. 11. Register early as spots are limited.

Winter Camping Workshop, Mar. 19 (Regina) 
Learn some tips and tricks for camping in below zero temperatures from 5:30-8 pm, Mar. 19.

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

In the News
Hundreds of pounds of food waste are being turned into valuable compost at the University of Saskatchewan.

Cities need to consider the overall urban forest, not just individual trees: "Debates over infill often focus on highly visible local impacts, such as local vehicle trips and tree losses, but ignore the much larger traffic impacts and habitat losses that would result from more urban fringe development."

"Our habitual way of dealing with Mother Nature assumes that we talk and she listens, full stop, end of sentence. That habit hasn’t worked well, to say the least, and the further we push it, the more disastrous the results are likely to be. What we need to recognize, rather, is that we’re engaged in a conversation with the old broad. We said 'pollution,' she quipped 'zebra mussels;' we said 'internal combustion engines,' and she smiled and said 'coastal flooding.' We can listen to her responses and learn from them—or not, and find out the hard way what else she has to say."

"It has become a habit to walk my yard the way I walk in forests, with senses wide open to wonder."

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).

Wildlife, Land, and People

It’s a hefty tome, but we’re intrigued by the premise behind Donald G. Wetherell’s book, Wildlife, Land, and People: A Century of Change in Prairie Canada. The book examines the relationships people have had with wild animals on the Canadian prairies between 1870 and 1960. 

Here are just a few excerpts from the Introduction. If you’re interested in environmental history and the changing, complex relationships between humans and non-humans, you can order the book from your library or bookstore. 

“Aboriginal economies and the fur trade had depended on wild animals, but the new prairie farm economy had no such long-term needs. Indeed, its success was predicated upon changes in regional fauna and flora. . . . In part this reflected that most Euro-Canadian settlers did not see wild animals as having intrinsic values, nor did they see any personal gain to be derived from accommodating the region’s existing natural systems.”

“An equally important impact of agriculture was the change that it brought to the land. Whatever the number of wild animals killed, the greatest overall change in animal populations and distribution came because of habitat change. Clearing and breaking the land and dedicating every available acre of land to production devastated the habitat of some species while inadvertently creating new niches for others.”

“Legislation about wildlife was important well beyond its enforcement for it created and shaped standards for public encounters with wildlife and asserted the state’s legal authority over all wild animals. This legislation also validated certain patterns of behaviour towards wild animals, explicitly and implicitly promoted assumptions about the value of individual species, and sustained particular social and political relationships with them, including their treatment as natural resources to be exploited and managed for long-term productivity.”

“Keeping wild animals as pets, watching them in national parks or zoos, visiting museums, and participating in natural history outings and meetings often validated human dominance and use of the natural world. But it is equally evident that, for some people, such activities reflected their curiosity and fascination with wild animals and that watching, studying, and interacting with them revealed the magic of life and provided a connection to the world.”

“Bison, for example, only became nostalgic symbols of the prairie past when they had been confined to zoos and parks and no longer challenged Euro-Canadian agricultural settlement.”

“The history of people’s relationships with wild animals on the Canadian prairies can help us understand that while these relationships have often been sorry ones, more sensitive and respectful models and attitudes have been present all along and can be drawn upon to inform our ongoing interaction with the natural world.”

EcoSask News, March 13, 2018

Upcoming Events
MiEnergy Solar Information Night, Mar. 13 (Saskatoon)
Learn more about solar energy and how it could work for you at MiEnergy’s Solar Information Night from 7-9 pm, Mar. 13.

Climate Change Policy in Canadian Cities, Mar. 15 (Saskatoon/Regina)
Elizabeth Schwartz will discuss what Canadian cities are doing to combat climate change and how to make their actions more effective at a video conference from 3-4 pm, Mar. 15, in Saskatoon and Regina.

Wascana Park Field Trip, Mar. 17 (Regina)
Join Nature Regina and Nature Saskatchewan for a Wascana Park winter field trip from 9 am-12 pm, Mar. 17.

Prairies Got the Goods! Ecological Goods and Services, Mar. 18-24 (SK)
Sign up for webinars sponsored by PCAP-SK to learn more about the ecological goods and services provided by native prairie (carbon storage, habitat for species at risk, etc.) from Mar. 18-24.

Tick Talk, Mar. 19 (Regina)
Join Nature Regina at 7:30 pm, Mar. 19. Phil Curry will discuss the ecology and distribution of ticks while Denise Werker will discuss Lyme disease.

Trevor Herriot, Mar. 20 (Saskatoon)
Trevor Herriot will read and show slides from his latest book, Islands of Grass, featuring the photography of Branimir Gjetvaj, from 7-8:30 pm, Mar. 20, at the Frances Morrison Library.

U of S Sustainability, Mar. 21 (Saskatoon)
Matt Wolsfeld, U of S Office of Sustainability, will talk about university sustainability initiatives at Innovation Place Saskatoon, 11:45 am, Mar. 21.

Cinema Politica, Mar. 21 (Regina)
Cinema Politica is showing the film The Garden, chronicling the struggle of the South Central Farmers in Los Angeles, at 7 pm, Mar. 21.

UR Change Makers, Mar. 22 (Regina)
Kelly Husack will talk about the right to a healthy environment at the U of R Alumni Change Makers’ Forum at 6:30 pm, Mar. 22, in Regina.

World Water Day, Mar. 22 (Prince Albert, Regina)
Watch the film Water Warriors with the Prince Albert chapter of the Council of Canadians at 7 pm at the John M. Cuelenaere Library. Regina is holding an event, including a talk on humanure, at 7 pm at the mâmawêyatitân centre.

Farm the Sun with US, Mar. 22 (Saskatoon)
Join Farm the Sun with US for live music and their ideas about solar panels on University of Saskatchewan land from 11:30-1 pm, Mar. 22.

Environment & Sustainability Careers, Mar. 23 (Saskatoon)
Join alumni working in various parts of the Environment and Sustainability sectors for a panel discussion and mixer from 3:30-7 pm, Mar. 23, at the U of S.

EcoBash, Mar. 24 (Saskatoon) 
The U of S Environmental Studies Students’ Association is hosting an Eco Bash at 8 pm, Mar. 24.

Wildlife Rehab Volunteer Orientation, Mar. 24 (Regina)
Wildlife Rehabilitation Society of Saskatchewan is hosting a volunteer orientation in Regina from 10 am-12 pm, Mar. 24.

Looking Ahead
Transition Training, Mar. 29 (webinar)
An 8-week webinar series starting Mar. 29 will provide you with everything you need to set up and run a community resilience-building initiative.

Protecting Mother Earth Conference, June 28-July 1 (Washington)
The Indigenous Environmental Network is hosting an international gathering on how Indigenous Knowledge can foster climate justice from June 28 to July 1 in Washington state.

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

In the News
The Regina Horticultural Society offers grants for gardening and education projects that enhance the local environment. Deadline for applications is Apr. 1.

“Measuring the energy efficiency of cars and tumble driers, but not of bicycles and clotheslines, makes fast but energy-intensive ways of travel or clothes drying non-negotiable, and marginalises much more sustainable alternatives.”

Under a proposed California law, " tech companies would have to provide consumers with repair guides and access to repair parts. Independent companies would also have access to diagnostic software and tools previously available only to authorized and first-party repair technicians."

Barn owls do a better job of controlling pests than rodenticides.

Walkers benefit from bike lanes.

Bike helmets don’t solve the problem of cars hitting cyclists. 

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).