Looking Ahead: Cities in the Next Decade

With over 80% of the Canadian population now living in urban areas, how we design, build, and live in our cities has a significant impact on the environment. Cities can lead the way in addressing climate change or lag behind. We’ve found a number of reports and examples of how cities can successfully address climate change. 

A Changing Climate 

“The climate determines almost everything about how we design, build, and live in our cities. The streets and sidewalks, businesses and homes, parking lots and public transit that we use every day have been created to suit our climate. Now, with our climate changing, we need to re-think important aspects of how we live our urban lives.” [Canadian Cities and Climate Change, Climate Atlas of Canada] 

The Prairie Climate Centre’s interdisciplinary team are climate change storytellers. They’ve developed Building a Climate-Resilient City, a set of 9 reports on how we can set about building climate-resilient cities. Specifically addressing the concerns of Calgary and Edmonton, the reports cover economics and finance, agriculture and food security, urban ecosystems, transformational adaptation, transportation infrastructure, water supply and sanitation systems, electricity and information and communication technology infrastructure, the built environment, and disaster preparedness and emergency management. In addition to providing an overview of the issues, the reports share ideas and approaches that can be implemented immediately to bring about meaningful climate action in the face of a changing climate. 

Nature-based Solutions 

The Green Communities Guide from Alberta’s Land Stewardship Centre is designed to help communities plan and implement nature-based solutions and strategies to conserve water, protect water quality, preserve agricultural land, and protect critical open spaces and wildlife habitat. Nature-based solutions are actions designed to protect, manage, and restore natural ecosystems in ways that benefit both humans and biodiversity as a whole. The online guide outlines the benefits of nature-based solutions for communities, businesses, and nature, providing case studies and tools to assist with financing, recommended practices, and other practical considerations. 

Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, England, has introduced far-reaching plans to green his city. They include: 

• Rewilding parks and other green spaces through reintroducing lost species, rewiggling streams, creating pocket parks, and setting up nest boxes; 
• Rain gardens, trees, and a reduction of impermeable paving to reduce flash flooding; and 
• Living roofs and walls. 

An Urban Greening Factor will be part of all new developments. 

“The Urban Greening Factor (UGF) formula, inspired by the Swedish city of Malmö’s ‘green points’ system, scores each part of a development’s plan – including street-level areas, balconies and roofs – from 0 to 1, with trees, planters and green roofs earning high scores, while paving slabs and barren rooftops receive no score. Central government has also set out plans in the Environment Act 2021 to make developments deliver an uplift to biodiversity, which will require a 10% ‘biodiversity net gain’.”

In 2020 46.5% of Singapore’s land was covered in green space, with a tree canopy percentage of almost 30%. One of the greenest cities in the world, it has over 300 km of green corridors as part of the city state’s Park Connector Network. 

Tackling GHG Emissions 

As part of France’s massive Climat et Résilience bill, property owners are now expected to notify potential buyers of the home’s energy rating. Landlords will be unable to raise the rent on poorly insulated buildings and, by 2025, they will be unable to rent them out. 

Berlin-based activists are pushing hard to eliminate private vehicles in a 55-square mile area of the city centre. There are also plans to reintroduce the tram network and expand the subway system. Ghent’s city centre has been designated a low-emission zone, strictly limiting the number of cars driving through the downtown core. Oslo has removed all on-street parking from its city centre.

 

France plans to ban short-haul flights where a 2.5 hour train journey could be provided as an alternative. Both environmentalists and industry experts say it’s not enough. Too many train journeys are under 2.5 hours and the highest emissions come from long-haul flights. 

Working Together 

What may feel challenging or impossible on our own becomes doable when we band together. 

Transition Streets, a Transition Network program, brings neighbours together to implement simple household changes building community and addressing environmental issues. The 7-session handbook “empowers neighbors to improve household energy efficiency, reduce waste and water use, explore transportation options, and eat healthy, local food.” 

A network of cities, regions, and countries, have pledged to work towards producing everything they consume by 2054 as part of the Fab City Global Initiative. Canadian participants include Montreal and Bas-St.-Laurent. Local projects explore small batch design and production, open source data and technology, and novel materials, processes, and applications. 

“Addressing the regional environmental contamination and global ecological footprints associated with modern urbanisation is a historic challenge. On the positive side, it is in cities that dynamic, new ideas are often generated. In the face of the planetary emergency that is upon us, the challenge is to utilise this creativity to rethink cities as regenerative, environmentally beneficial systems, linking the wellbeing of individual urban citizens with humanity’s collective interest in the health of our home planet. Only by mainstreaming renewable energy resources and by protecting and continuously regenerating the ecosystems and soils from which they draw their sustenance can cities become a viable, long-term home for humanity.” [A New Age, Herbert Girardet, in a special issue of Resurgence & Ecologist dedicated to cities]

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 subscribing by email (top right corner).

EcoSask News, November 30, 2021

Upcoming Events 

One School One Farm is planning an online talk on carbon sequestration in shelterbelt trees at 7 pm, Dec. 7. 

Gardening at USask is offering the following online classes. All classes begin at 7 pm. 

Dec. 9 – Birds in Winter 

Dec. 12 – Insects in Your Garden: An Introduction to Beetles 

There will be a presentation on Saskatchewan’s woodland caribou at the 7:30 pm, Dec. 9, online meeting of the Saskatoon Nature Society. 

Martensville families are invited to make lanterns and take a walk to light up the night with Wildernook Fresh Air Learning at 5, 6:30 & 8 pm, Dec. 12. 

Full details on all events can be found on the EcoFriendly Sask Calendar 

Across the West

The “Trudeau government needs to clarify its competing objectives, with goals to reduce algae blooms while ramping up agricultural production, which will increase nutrient runoff … ‘Lake Winnipeg won’t wait and we need to get on with restoring (its) health.’” [Winnipeg Free Press] 

The Nature Conservancy of Canada has acquired 646 hectares of grasslands and wetlands located along the eastern shoreline of Chaplin Lake, the second-largest salt lake in Canada. During spring and fall migrations, thousands of shorebirds use Chaplin Lake and the surrounding grasslands to refuel or nest. [Toronto Star] 

“More than 70% of boreal woodland caribou herds in Canada are in decline, and recent analysis suggests that provincial exemptions allowing forestry and oil and gas activities in critical habitat have accelerated the trend.” [Pembina Institute] 

Farming the Future: Agriculture and climate change on the Canadian Prairies - a report on improving climate resilience while supporting local livelihoods. [International Institute for Sustainable Development] 

A “Victoria-based photographer and activist has spent much of the past 15 years searching for and photographing some of Canada's biggest, oldest trees … Most of the trees that Watt finds are slated to be cut down.” [CBC]

 

Neighbourhood Planning 

“To create a circular and regenerative future, we should be looking at our neighbourhoods as fertile grounds of change, not merely as consumers of change decided elsewhere … Because the kind of transformative change needed doesn’t happen abstractly – out there – it happens here, in our houses, our offices, our streets, our river catchments, our institutions. And critically, change happens in our own ways of thinking and being … We need to be alert to context and not ask ‘what will work, generically?’ but ‘what will work and be right for this place and contribute to the bigger picture?’” [RSA] 

Durham Region’s green building practices are expected to “reduce greenhouse gas emissions, build infrastructure that is resilient to future climate change and create a healthier environment for residents.” [DurhamRegion.com] 

Choices 

“Economists recognize that congestion reflects underpricing: driving is so cheap that it becomes inevitable. You can have free roads or you can have free-flowing traffic but it is economically infeasible to have both.” [Planetizen] 

6 ways to make your flights greener and ecologically friendly. [Hand Luggage Only] 

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

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 subscribing by email (top right corner). 

Wildlife Protection on Urban Roads and Highways

Roads are inherently dangerous places for wildlife, whether it’s a female turtle heading to its nesting ground, a fox out hunting, or a mule deer trying to reach the river for a drink of water. 

Threats to Wildlife from Transportation Networks 

Transportation networks create 4 main risks for wildlife: 

1. Loss of life 

2. Loss of habitat, including habitat degradation and fragmentation 

3. Loss of access to critical resources (e.g. nesting sites, water, migratory routes) 

4. Loss of population integrity as herds are sub-divided into smaller groups, increasing the risk of local extinction 

In addition, roads create a new and dangerous habitat where snakes choose to bask in the sun, predators feed on roadkill, and turtles nest in the gravel roadsides. Roads also increase human access to wildlife habitat, raising the risk of poaching, dumping, and other illegal activities. 

Determining Risk and the Need for Wildlife Road Mitigation 

There are a number of factors that need to be considered when planning a road or seeking to mitigate roadkill in a specific area. First and foremost, is the road necessary? Extra roads do not reduce traffic congestion. To effectively address climate change, the focus must be on moving away from a reliance on cars. If the road is absolutely essential, it should be carefully planned, keeping in mind the needs of non-human and human animals. 

1. What is the conservation value of the surrounding habitat? Is the area of particular natural importance (e.g. patch of remnant prairie, wetlands)? 

2. Does the surrounding area shelter threatened or endangered species (e.g. badgers or a sharp-tailed grouse lek)? 

3. How many wildlife live in the surrounding area? Is it home to large herds of deer, a significant breeding ground for frogs, or a rest spot for migrating birds? 

4. Will the road impact wildlife corridors and habitat connectivity? For example, will the road inhibit animals heading to a river for water? Will it cut across traditional migratory routes? 

5. What is the current or potential mortality rate? For existing roads, this can be estimated from roadkill and accident reports. For proposed roads, studies of current wildlife population sizes and movement patterns will provide valuable information. 

6. What are the costs entailed in providing or not providing wildlife road mitigation? An underpass or wildlife bridge may appear prohibitively expensive until it is compared to the expenses and human deaths incurred due to wildlife road collisions.

 

Urban Road Considerations 

Roads through or in the vicinity of urban areas involve high traffic volumes and require special consideration even if they do not appear to be ecologically important areas. A study of highway mortalities in southern Alberta showed that road sections close to urban centres were at greatest risk of animal vehicle collisions due to “high traffic volume and abundant deer populations.” 

The risk of collisions can vary significantly for different species. One British study of roadkill along an urban-rural spectrum speculated that “the variation in road kill risk might be attributed to animals developing avoidance behaviours.” However, in urban settings, these adaptations may be offset by “other behavioural changes that are common in urban populations, for example, increased boldness and habituation, including longer response times to threats, such as oncoming vehicles, which could increase roadkill risk.” 

The British study also looked at the significance of urban green spaces but found it difficult to determine their impact. On the one hand, parks may increase the urban wildlife population and encourage species that wouldn’t normally be found in an urban setting. On the other hand, they may provide urban wildlife which have limited home ranges with a low-risk habitat where they can move around without needing to navigate roads. 

Minimizing the Risk of Collisions 

The Wildlife Roadsharing Resource Centre provides an overview of steps that can be taken to avoid animal-vehicle collisions and assesses their effectiveness. 

1. Physically separate animals from the roadway 

Wildlife crossings, combined with exclusion fencing, are the most effective means of reducing wildlife collisions. Fencing in isolation is a barrier to wildlife movement and, unless the fencing is extensive, can lead to clusters of collisions at either end of the fencing. 

2. Influence Driver Behaviour 

Public education can be useful to remind drivers of peak collision times and the optimal way to respond to a potential collision, but it must be accurate and evidence-based. Setting lower speed limits has not proven to be effective, but road designs that encourage a reduction in speed appear to work, although there are mixed results depending on the type of traffic calming measures used. It’s not yet clear whether different animals are attracted to or withdraw from roadway lighting. 

3. Reduce wildlife population size 

To be effective, more than 50% of a population needs to be culled. The public looks more favourably on relocation, but there is a low survival rate for animals that have been relocated and, if not relocated far enough away, the animals will return to their original home. Sterilization is not always effective and can be expensive. It is not permitted along Canadian highways. 

4. Influence animal behaviour 

None of these methods appeared to be effective.

 

Improving Road Design 

Studies of existing roadway mitigation initiatives provide helpful advice for future projects. 

1.Build roads near the edges of habitat as opposed to directly through them to reduce fragmentation and the need for crossings 

2. Modify infrastructure and roadside borders to avoid trapping animals or hindering movement 

3. Map light-sensitive areas (e.g. wetlands with breeding amphibians) to inform the installation (or non-installation) of lighting 

4.Install noise barriers to minimize disturbance of neighbouring natural areas 

5. Improve the surface of underpasses and shorten the length of culverts to make it easier for animals to use them 

6. Plan ahead for the long-term maintenance of fencing and eco-passages and ensure that they will not interfere with snow clearing and other road maintenance activities 

7. Consult experts with prior experience 

Importance of Wildlife Advocates 

Public education plays an important role in mitigating wildlife fatalities. Miistakis Institute held workshops with members of the public about wildlife-vehicle collisions and found that participants emphasized human safety over wildlife connectivity. “However, roads may have a significant impact on wildlife via direct mortality or avoidance behavior by species sensitive to road disturbance. Thus, ensuring safe passage of wildlife across roads is an important strategy for maintaining biodiversity and protecting species at risk. Public education and science-policy translation regarding the need for investments in mitigation in support of biodiversity and species-at-risk recovery planning is urgently needed.” 

Collaboration and information sharing across specialties can prove valuable. “Improving the way wildlife/road interactions are managed in Ontario has been championed by the Ontario Road Ecology Group (OREG), a not-for-profit organization that protects biodiversity from the threats of roads by facilitating partnerships among government and non-government agencies dedicated to resolving road ecology issues through research, policy, and stewardship.”

 

If you are concerned about road construction in Saskatoon, be sure to join forces with the Northeast Swale Watchers.

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 subscribing by email (top right corner).

EcoSask News, August 31, 2021

Upcoming Events 

EMTF-SK is offering an online presentation on hydrogen fuel technologies from 7:30-9:15 am, Sept. 1. 

Library of Things, Saskatoon, will be open for pick-ups by reservation from the back door in the alley from 1-4 pm, Sept. 4. 

Looking Ahead 

SaskOutdoors is offering a virtual Project Wild training from Sept. 13-Oct. 4. 

Nature Saskatchewan is hosting its fall meet in Moose Jaw on Sept. 18. 

The Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Areas Inc. has planned a number of activities during National Forest Week from Sept. 18-26. 

Full event details are provided on the EcoFriendly Sask Calendar 

Agriculture 

“Diversifying landscapes . . . could conserve nature and help to boost food production . . . landscapes with increased diversity typically produced around 17 to 18 bushels more per acre, of corn and wheat” [Anthropocene] 

A study of Alberta’s Bow River Basin shows that many farmers who adopt modern irrigation systems expand their operations, leading to increased agricultural water demand and potential water shortages. [Science Direct] 

Housing 

“What if the most American symbol of unsustainable consumption isn’t the automobile, but the air conditioner?” [Vox] 

As a result of the pandemic, Americans want larger homes, farther apart, with greater distance to schools and stores – despite the fact that urban sprawl fails to address climate change. [Planetizen] 

Low-rise, high-density cities have a lower carbon impact than high-rise, high-density cities as high-rises use more materials and need to be built further apart. [npj Urban Sustainability]

 

Cohabiting with Wildlife 

Letter from an urban deer: “Don’t fret if you see us on your lawns. Rewilding is not just about letting a few species run free far away from human civilization. It’s about allowing our world to cross over into your world.” [High Country News] 

A UK study has found that LED streetlights cause worse light pollution resulting in fewer insect pollinators than traditional sodium bulbs. But that doesn’t have to be the case. “LEDs are dimmable, can be linked to motion sensors and can have cheap filters fitted to screen out blue light.” [The Guardian] 

Did you know? The width of the banded woolly bear caterpillar's red band is said to predict the severity of the coming winter, but this isn't the case. The red band lengthens as the caterpillar matures, while wetter weather lengthens the black bands. [Nature Companion, a free nature app for Canada’s 4 western provinces] 

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 subscribing by email (top right corner).

EcoSask News, August 10, 2021

Upcoming Events 

Kids ages 8-9 (9 am-12:15 pm) and 10-12 (1:30-4:45 pm) can join a forest adventure in Little Red River Park, Prince Albert, on Aug. 12. Neighbourhood bus pickups are available. 

SaskOutdoors is hosting a family paddle from 1-3 pm, Aug. 20, on Wascana Lake, Regina. Canoe rentals are available. 

All events are listed on the EcoFriendly Sask Calendar

More Fun for Kids 

Registration is now open for Nature Regina’s Get Outside Kids Club for 6-13 year olds. Sign-up is for the first 4 sessions on either Tuesdays or Thursdays. 

Project Noah has launched a free nature program for school classes with lessons on chipmunks, owls, spiders, animal tracks, camouflage, and orchids. You’ll find additional nature and environmental programs for children and youth listed on the EcoFriendly Sask website. 

Local News 

Prairie cities aren’t constrained by mountains or coastlines, which encourages lower-density neighbourhoods with large single-family homes and bungalow-style condos. But land isn’t the only issue. Lower-density neighbourhoods, as proposed by a number of Regina City Councillors, require more costly infrastructure (roads, sewer and water, etc.) and maintain a culture of car dependency. [Prairie Dog] 

“The interdependence of people, plants, and pollinators” – urban gardening initiatives in Saskatoon [Sask Dispatch]

 

Age Matters 

“Our tidy-minded forestry and our habit of treating trees as interchangeable are devastating to wildlife. ‘Replacing’ an old tree is no more meaningful than replacing an old master. The same applies to all ecosystems. When a trawler ploughs through biological structures on the seabed, they can take hundreds of years to fully recover. When a river is dredged and straightened, it becomes, by comparison to what it once was, an empty shell.” [The Guardian] 

It’s not enough to plant a million trees. You also need to take care of them and plant them in the right places. [Bloomberg City Lab] 

Our Common Future 

A landmark court victory for a BC First Nation sets an important precedent in defining “full and informed consent” and in recognizing First Nations as independent governments when negotiating with industry and other parties. But these actions may not be sufficient to ensure long-term sustainability: “We should be asking what is really needed and by whom, which development projects are beneficial in the long-term and whether projects that are totally dependent on the market demand should be approved. These are big challenges, and to properly address them it is necessary to question how we live, what we want or need, and how we envision our common future. The way in which we conceive development is a matter of mindset; how we frame and make sense of it can be changed if we challenge what the current society deems to be essential.” [The Conversation] 

“Urban walkable real estate is dramatically under supplied in relationship to demand. . . Sixty percent of Americans polled by the National Association of Realtors say they want to live within walking distance of places to work, shop and recreate. Only 10 percent want to be located in homes that only have access to other houses.” [Governing] 

Water-Smart 

4 universally applicable tips for building a water-smart city [Bloomberg City Lab] 

From toilet to tap – water-poor cities in the US explore water reuse strategies [Ensia] 

Individuals and communities in Alberta are being encouraged to take water monitoring into their own hands by looking for insects in rivers. [The Narwahl]

 

Books 

We Have a Dream: Meet 30 Young Indigenous People and People of Colour Protecting the Planet by Mya-Rose Craig is a book for young adults with one page per activist describing what they do and what motivates them. [The Earthbound Report] 

Regeneration: Ending the Climate Crisis in One Generation by Paul Hawken “is a what- and how-to-do-it-book and website. It is about action and connection so that anyone on any level of agency can see exactly what they can do about climate challenges and solutions.” [The Tyee] 

Did you know? Bur Oak can resist forest fires thanks to its very thick bark. It can also tolerate drought as it has very deep roots 

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

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 subscribing by email (top right corner).

EcoSask News, August 3, 2021

Upcoming Events 

Join CPAWS-SK in inventorying species in the boreal forest pre- and post-fire on Aug. 8 and 10 from 5:30-8 pm. 

SK-PCAP is hosting an online webinar about research into where bats hibernate in Saskatchewan at noon, Aug. 10. 

Passive House Canada is hosting an online conversation with Harold Orr, passive house pioneer, at 10 am (SK), Aug. 11. 

Golden Eagles, a sub-group of the Saskatoon Nature Society, will be holding a variety of events on Thursdays in August. 

Aug. 12 - Fall shorebirds 

Aug. 19 - Pike Lake area 

Aug. 26 - Petrofka Orchard & Crooked Trees 

All events are listed on the EcoFriendly Sask Calendar

 

Back to the Future 

"Like the stone lined canals in Kyoto, the terraced rice fields of Java allowing for millennia of continuous rice growing, the sandstone aqueducts of Italy still able to transport water after two millennia, the ancient Greek amphitheater still in use for plays and concerts, the cobblestone streets of Copenhagen that haven’t been resurfaced in five hundred years, we need to go back to thinking about our infrastructure not in terms of five year plans and technical efficiency, but in long term sustainability. If a bridge cannot be built that will last a thousand years, why build it? Why not build one that will last, even if it will be a less efficient or more expensive in the short run?" [Wrath of Gnon] 

Regina is a dusty ghost town; the legislature has moved north of La Ronge where water still flows in the Cumberland River system. The main characters are close to developing a genetic cross of wheat and perennial native grass. As Canada confronts drought and wildfires, Dry, Barbara Sapergia’s futuristic novel published in 2005 rings true today. [book review, Niche] 

Urban Planning 

Re-thinking the 15-minute city – not as an entity created with stopwatches timing how long it takes us to get from one location to another but as places with streets where people gather and enjoy themselves. [Governing] 

Prairie Life 

The Government of Manitoba is asking its residents for feedback on a proposed water management policy. How could we adapt it for use in Saskatchewan? [Government of Manitoba] 

Fossil-fuel exporting countries could see a loss of jobs as a result of a switch to renewable energy but could more than make up for it by emphasizing renewables manufacturing. [Anthropocene] 

Biodiversity 

Is it time to put the brakes on beekeeping? “Campaigns encouraging people to save bees have resulted in an unsustainable proliferation in urban beekeeping. This approach only saves one species of bee, the honeybee, with no regard for how honeybees interact with other, native species.” [The Guardian] 

Firefly flashes – the ins and outs of how they create light and why. [Scientific American] 

Did you know? Goldenrod doesn't cause hay fever as the pollen is slightly sticky and can't blow on the wind. 

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 subscribing by email (top right corner).

EcoSask News, June 29, 2021

This Week’s Highlights 

Nature Conservancy of Canada – Saskatchewan is hosting a webinar at 6:30 pm, July 6, on the importance of dark skies as well as tips and tricks for stargazing and nighttime photography. 

Lone trees make it easier for birds and bees to navigate farmlands, providing shelter, food, and places to land. [The Conversation] 

Upcoming Events 

Saskatoon Nature Society has two upcoming field trips to look for orchids on July 1 and butterflies on July 3. 

Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas will be holding bio blitzes every Sunday at 2 pm from July 4-Sept. 26.

There will be a free online workshop on food forest design from 10:30 am-1:30 pm, July 6. 

Find out how time and weather influence Saskatchewan’s largest snake in a noon-hour webinar on July 8 with SK-PCAP. 

Local News 

The Water Security Agency has received a failing grade from the Provincial Auditor for failing to regulate wetland drainage. For further information, read the Citizens Environmental Alliance's newsletter.

The Nature Conservancy of Canada’s Asquith site is now open to the public and has a mowed trail with interpretive signs provided with the support of the Saskatoon Nature Society. 

Cindy Wright’s watercolours portraying the importance of bees in our society will be on display at Handmade House in Saskatoon from June 28-Aug. 21.

 

Light Pollution 

“Fireflies use their bioluminescence to flirt in the dark. . . . Under artificial light, males flash about half as often, while females rarely, if ever, flash back.” You can help by installing motion detectors, timers and shielding to ensure that light goes only where people need it, when they need it; keeping lights as dim as possible; and opting for monochrome red LEDs. [The Conversation] 

Office buildings that leave their lights on overnight pose a serious risk for migrating birds. A research team studied one building and estimated that turning off half the lights could reduce bird deaths by 11 times in the spring and 6 times in the fall. [Anthropocene] 

Do you wonder why some birds visit your backyard and not others? Many common species avoid noisy areas and even more will stay away when there is both noise and light pollution. [SciTech] 

Municipal Climate Action 

Miistakis Institute in Alberta has produced the following free, downloadable research reports to assist municipalities in addressing climate action: 

Roadside Management for Pollinator Habitat in Alberta 

Environmental Reserves and Environmental Reserve Easements 

Paying for Conservation: Municipal Powers to Generate Revenue for Conservation 

Did You Know? 

Wales plans to freeze road construction projects and focus on maintaining existing roads in a bid to reduce its carbon emissions. [Planetizen]

Project Noah is a site for photographers and naturalists. Share your photos, learn from the experts and take advantage of educational videos, lesson plans, and outdoor learning activities. [Project Noah]

Just for Fun 

How and what do you feed 2,700 animals on a daily basis? Take a look behind the scenes at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo. [Smithsonian Magazine]

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).

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

EcoSask News, June 15, 2021

This Week’s Highlights 

Canadian swallow populations are in rapid decline. Home and farm owners can make a difference by not removing or damaging nests [Nature Canada] 

A film tour of the proposed peat-mine site in northern Saskatchewan will be followed by a discussion and question period from 7:30-8:30 pm, June 15. 

Upcoming Events 

Protecting, better managing, and restoring Canada’s wetlands (including peatlands), grasslands, and forests can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. To learn more, register for a webinar at 10 am, June 16. 

The City of Saskatoon will be reporting on the natural areas screening that was completed as part of planning for the University Heights 3 development online from 7-8:30 pm, June 21. This area includes both Swales as well as various other remnants of native prairie. 

Michael Nemeth will discuss lessons learned from Saskatoon’s Radiance Cohousing in a Passive House Canada webinar from 10 am-12 pm, June 25. 

Urban Development 

“CPAWS-SK remains engaged in urban and near-urban conservation discussions and will continue to broaden our engagement at a local, regional, and national level to ensure the opportunities for and values of urban conservation are shared and prioritized. . . . We must find new ways to encourage and incentivize our municipalities and governments to see the merit – economic included – of protecting our most valued habitats and species in perpetuity and providing these landscapes with the necessary buffers and connectivity for both flora and fauna to thrive” [CPAWS-Sask] 

Food Production 

Emissions from food production have been underestimated for decades. A new study shows that, taken as a whole, the food system generates 20-40% of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide [Inside Climate News] 

Competing interests: Louisiana farmers, the majority of whom lease their land, support state legislation to block solar projects from receiving industrial tax credit [Planetizen]

 

Activism 

“I wish that everyone who said they believed in angels would actually believe in insects” is the first line of Jay Griffiths’ book Why Rebel? . . . Here, then, the causes for rebellion: survival and awe, beauty and necessity, grace and grief” [book review, Earthbound Report] 

“We need a new language to communicate about the climate crisis and justice — one that embraces creativity and culture. . . . My activism is no longer rooted in fear or anger, but in love: a love for the people, humanity, and the planet, and love will always be greater than fear. There also has to be a place for fun in the climate justice movement if we’re going to pick ourselves up and keep going after every setback” [op-ed, Teen Vogue] 

Protecting Wildlife 

For pronghorn and mule deer, fences can change migration routes and cause death or injury. Removing or replacing fences is expensive, hence a software package illustrating the most problematic sections [The Revelator] 

Check out these online resources on gardening for birds [Nature Canada] 

The pileated woodpecker – a regal presence with a maniacal call [Wild Life] 

Did you know? New mule deer mothers usually give birth to a single spotted fawn, while older mothers usually have twins [Nature Companion] 

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).

EcoSask News, June 1, 2021

This Week’s Highlights 

SaskPower is holding online conversations on June 9 & 16 to consult with the public on its long-term power strategy. You can register for morning or afternoon sessions. 

“Environmentalism emerged from the 1960s as a movement to save the natural world. Now it seems to have been appropriated to describe the fight to save industrial civilisation — life as we know it.” 

Upcoming Events 

Margret Asmuss will provide an overview of climate impacts and action in Saskatchewan at 6:30 pm, June 3, online. 

City of Saskatoon residents can dispose of household hazardous waste from 9 am to 3:30 pm on June 6. 

There will be a noon-hour webinar on bats on June 8 as part of the Native Prairie Speaker Series. 

The Provincial Association of Resort Communities of Saskatchewan is hosting a webinar with Jo Jozsa discussing zoning bylaws to protect lakes at 7 pm, June 9. 

Project WILD and Flying WILD will be combined in a one-day virtual workshop on June 10. 

City Life

Form follows fuel: “From the earliest known archeological remains to the trends of the 21st century, the availability of energy has shaped architecture. That’s a perspective that deserves exploring, especially since the energy constraints imposed by climate change now present ‘the toughest challenge the world of architecture has ever faced’.” [book review] 

Canadian cities tend to sprawl – and sprawl costs money, time, and energy. What if we moved away from that model to the “20-minute city” where everything you need (work, grocery store, coffee shop) is within 20 minutes? “Touted benefits include better air quality, a healthier population, higher property values and lower transportation costs for those who can eschew an automobile. . . . Making cities more walkable involves creating a more compact footprint, where more businesses are built near existing homes. But it also means building housing near existing businesses, such as stores and restaurants.”

Canmore, AB, has grown from a small coal-mining community to a large bustling tourist destination. Residents are now struggling to reconcile tourism development with climate, transportation, and housing goals, as well as protection of an important wildlife corridor. A group of residents hopes to purchase a piece of land to create a permanent conservation area and affordable housing. 

 

We Can Do Better 

Smokescreen: Debunking Wildfire Myths to Save Our Forests and Our Climate by Chad T. Hanson explains why wildfire are beneficial, the role fire-burned trees play in maintaining biodiversity, and the need to focus on home fire safety and defensible space as opposed to back-country vegetation management. [book review] 

Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are used in air conditioning and refrigeration systems and are “hundreds to thousands of times more potent than carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere”. Refrigeration systems in supermarkets aren’t air-tight, so they lose 25% of their refrigerant every year – “that amounts to emissions equivalent to more than 12 million cars driving for a year”. There are alternatives, as demonstrated by a New York City grocery store, but no easy answers. [podcast & transcript] 

Arbor Week 

Five easy ways to keep our trees happy. 

There are four main groups of conifers on the Canadian Prairies: fir, pine, spruce, and larch. 

SOS Trees pairs advocacy with education.

Did you know? Female Spotted Sandpipers mate with up to 5 males, leaving the males to incubate the eggs and feed the young [Nature Companion is downloadable directly from its website] 

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).

EcoSask News, May 11, 2021

This Week’s Highlights 

The Provincial Association of Resort Communities of Saskatchewan is hosting a series of webinars on water, including one on the rights of nature at 7 pm, May 19. 

Natures Wild Neighbours Society invites you to upload your nature-inspired art, photography, writing, video, or music entry before June 1, 2021, for a chance to win some wild prizes (full contest details). 

Upcoming Events 

Permaculture Saskatchewan is holding its annual general meeting online at 7 pm, May 17. 

Join Nature Regina from 7-8:30 pm, May 17, for a presentation on the Suzuki Foundation’s Butterflyway Project. Several Nature Regina members have been selected to be Butterflyway rangers. 

There will be a virtual panel discussion on climate risk disclosure and Saskatchewan business from 12-1:30 pm, May 18. Register early to avoid disappointment. 

For Our Kids Saskatchewan will share information and ideas for climate action from 7-8:30 pm, May 20, online. 

SaskOutdoors is offering a Paddle Canada Lake Canoe course in Saskatoon from May 22-24. 

Looking Ahead 

The Society for Range Management – Prairie Parkland Chapter is holding a hands-on/virtual learning workshop on May 26-27 entitled Back to the Field: Discovering the Dunes in Dundurn: Range Health and Rare Plants. 

SaskOutdoors is hosting a remote first aid workshop near Saskatoon on June 5-6. 

Local News 

The public is invited to complete an online survey between May 12 and June 2 on the City of Saskatoon's proposed Renewable Energy Strategy that will inventory, analyze, and prioritize renewable energy options in Saskatoon based on their financial, environmental, and social impacts.

A grade 7 class from Lac La Ronge Indian Band has collected over 20,000 signatures calling on the government to reject a proposal to mine peat moss near La Ronge. 

Urban Transit 

Take a close look at all the different modes of urban transit and there’s one that stands head and shoulders above all the others in terms of environmental impact – cycling. “We need more bikes generally and more e-bikes specifically on the road, which means your city needs to invest in bike-lane infrastructure to make people safe and comfortable on two wheels.” 

The City of Orlando is rewarding its citizens for walking, cycling, and taking public transit. 

Energy 

An Alberta farmer is taking abandoned oil well sites and transforming them into solar farms. “Farmers get new lease revenues, counties get taxes lost from abandoned wells and presto energy transition.” 

“Anyone doing home renovations or a new build should take time to ensure their electrical grid is equipped to handle an electric-vehicle charging station.” 

“Creepy Crawlies” 

Pesticides are killing the earthworms, beetles, ants, and other soil-dwelling invertebrates that are critical to maintaining healthy soils. 

“Spiders need our help, and we may need to overcome our biases and fears to make that happen.” Spiders have “enormous ecological value as food for birds and other animals. They’re also important to people, both as predators of pest species and as inspiration for medicines and engineering.” 

Did you know? Grass Spider are also called Funnel Weaver Spider as they construct a flat, horizontal web across the grass or around buildings with a funnel on one side where they hide. The web isn't sticky, but it slows down any insects (usually flying ones) that try to cross it. The spider then rushes out from where it is hiding to grab its prey. (Nature Companion)

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). 

EcoSask News, May 4, 2021

This Week’s Highlights 

Ann Coxworth will discuss small model nuclear reactors from 7-8:30 pm, May 11, online, as part of the Sustainability Speakers series. 

As part of a growing trend, major tech companies are “teaming with oil giants to use automation, AI, and big data services to enhance oil exploration, extraction, and production.” 

Upcoming Events 

There will be a noon-hour webinar on greater sage-grouse and grassland songbirds on May 11 as part of the Native Prairie Speaker Series. 

Nature Regina is hosting an online Get Outside Kids’ Club from 1:30-2:30 pm, May 12. 

Learn how you can create a nature refuge in your own backyard in Gardening with Native Plants, a digital NatureCity Conversation from 7-9 pm, May 12. 

The annual RCE Saskatchewan Education for Sustainable Development Recognition event will be held online from 9 am-noon, May 12. 

The Wildlife Rescue Society of Saskatchewan is holding a virtual annual general meeting at 2 pm, May 16. 

Saskatoon Nature Society Field Trips 

Saskatoon Young Naturalists 

May 26-July – Mary Houston Bluebird Trail 

July 14, 1 pm – Mid-week Butterflies 

Aug. 11, 1 pm – Mid-week Butterflies 

Space is limited; register early to avoid disappointment. 

Golden Eagles 

May 6, 8 am – Waterfowl at Porter Lake 

May 13, 8 am – Clavet Area Birding 

Retirees and partners who are interested in birds and the natural world are invited to participate. 

Other Saskatoon Nature Society Field Trips 

May 8, 2:30-3:30 pm, Waterfowl Viewing on the River 

May 9, 7-8 am – MVA Trail Birding 

May 15, 1:30-4:30 pm – Birding Trip to Proctor Lake 

Field trips are currently for members only, so sign up now. Advance registration is required. 

Local News 

Humboldt Lake cannot support fish as it “has a phosphate concentration that is 6 to 10 times higher than what is considered to be a healthy lake” due to treated wastewater and agriculture and industry. 

La Ronge Library is now sharing seeds as well as books. 

Environmental Racism 

Urban inequality affects wildlife as well as people. “To Schell, the solution is to design cities that work for all people and animals. Coyotes may not be the most welcome neighbors, but Schell says they maintain balance in our ecosystems. Carving out green spaces for both humans and wildlife to enjoy can foster the biodiversity we need to draw down carbon, cool our cities, and keep our air and water clean.” 

Many racialized and low-income communities have borne the brunt of polluting industries and other environmental hazards. Federal Bill C-230 is an important first step in addressing who is affected the most by climate change and its impacts.

 

The Future of Coal 

Shutting down Germany’s lignite coal mines requires citizen engagement – both miners and climate activists. 

The steel industry, reliant on coal for centuries, is looking at alternatives. A University of Calgary professor believes “the expansion of metallurgical-coal mining in Alberta is an example of the province ‘chasing the next thing that’s going to die.’” 

Urban Biodiversity 

Dutch citizens are working hard to protect bees – and so far it’s working. Check out their bee hotels, bee-friendly roof-garden bus stops, and honey highway. 

An international roundtable shares ideas for increasing urban biodiversity – from mandating the using of native plants in public landscapes to a manual on conserving biodiversity in urban subdivisions, developing a shared vision among public and private stakeholders, and celebrating Green Capitals of Biodiversity. 

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

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).