Community Highlight: Friends of Wascana Marsh

1. How and when did you form your group? 

Friends of Wascana Marsh (Friends) was created in 2003 in advance of the “Big Dig” project which was slated to deepen Wascana Lake. The group was formed with the general purpose of protecting Wascana Marsh and lobbying for conservation efforts to be taken during the Big Dig project. The project, under the direction of the City of Regina, contracted companies to drain the lake, remove 1.3 million cubic meters of material, and refill the lake. Minimizing general ecological and shoreline damage was our focus during this time. 

2. What are your principal activities and why do you believe they’re important? 

Our mandate continues to focus on the general conservation of Wascana Marsh and the protection of its species, as well as the promotion, use, and exploration of the marsh area. Today, most of our principal activities revolve around education and promotion of the marsh, specifically the Habitat Conservation Area. 

Over the past few years, we have participated in multiple festivals such as the Cathedral Arts Fest and Summer Bash. We have also partnered with other nature-focused groups in Regina to co-host and participate in smaller events. In these settings we provide educational material through posters, pamphlets, and expertise. When possible, we attempt to bring the marsh to life wherever we go by offering activities such as mobile pond dipping (water samples are collected from the marsh and returned) and bug catching/viewing. These activities are used to educate children and adults alike on biodiversity within the marsh and surrounding area. 

We have continued to organize and be involved in school days in which the Habitat Conservation Area is used as an outdoor classroom for a day in the spring. The Provincial Capital Commission’s (PCC) in-house ecologists assist us in taking multiple primary classes through various nature-focused activities. 

Friends has organized and led multiple shoreline garbage clean-ups over the past few years with other local businesses and organizations in Regina. 

3. What have been your successes to date? 

Friends’ first major success came with our involvement in the Big Dig in 2003 by ensuring the City of Regina minimized the disruption to the Wascana ecology and shoreline. Over almost 20 years, we have successfully completed several projects of our own and supported many other organizations through various partnerships. In recent years some notable successes include supporting the Wascana Turtle Program, researching and lobbying for the implementation of black-marginated loosestrife beetles by the PCC and the City of Regina to deal with the purple loosestrife (invasive species) population, helping with the organization and operation of the City Nature Challenge in Regina, and operating small-group guided tours though the Habitat Conservation Area during the Covid pandemic. We are currently sponsoring the Regina Urban Wildlife Project to support the research of urban wildlife corridors and biodiversity monitoring in Regina. 

4. What would you like to achieve in future? 

Although no specific projects are planned, Friends continues to work towards the promotion of knowledge and community education along with respectful usage of Wascana Marsh. The Habitat Conservation Area and the broader marsh area have been a hidden gem within the City of Regina; we believe that we have a duty to promote urban ecological exploration and conservation of such a wonderful setting. 

5. Are there volunteer opportunities with your organization? If so, please describe them and indicate how people can contact you. 

We are always looking to broaden our volunteer base in order to run effective and engaging activities such as festival participation and guided tours. As we eventually get through the pandemic, many volunteer opportunities will arise. We suggest that anyone who is interested consider becoming a member of Friends of Wascana Marsh or joining our board. Our annual AGM is typically held in late January each year (January 20, 2022) with an open invitation to anyone to attend. We also welcome new members throughout the year so anyone interested is encouraged to check us out at any time. If you want to join us or simply want more information, email us at friendsofwascanamarsh@gmail.com 

You can follow the activities of Friends of Wascana Marsh on both Facebook and Twitter. 

Photo credit: Friends of Wascana Marsh

Endangered Species - What Can I Do To Help?

It can be really discouraging to read about birds, reptiles, or animals that are threatened with extinction. We want to help, but what can we do as individuals with no formal training or resources? We did some research and spoke with Melissa Ranalli, Species at Risk Manager, Nature Saskatchewan, and found some helpful information. 

1. Habitat Enhancement

Habitat loss or degradation is almost always one of the reasons a species is at risk. Any efforts you take to create a wildlife-friendly habitat on your property will be hugely beneficial. Add a pond or water feature, install nest or bat boxes, or plant wildflowers. Each of these actions will help a variety of different creatures. 

Swallows: Swallows are in rapid decline. If you find them nesting under your eaves, don’t stop them. You’ll be grateful when you see how many insects they can eat in just a few hours. 

Bats: Do you have a bat house in your garden? By monitoring and uploading the results to iNaturalist, you can provide valuable information about the best bat house design. 

Insects: Insects are particularly valuable as they are the primary food source for so many reptiles, amphibians, birds, and even some animals. They’ll really appreciate it if you keep your yard on the wild side. Don’t rake the leaves in autumn. Don’t mow the grass in early spring. Build an insect hotel. Leave a pile of detritus in an out-of-the-way corner. You’ll be creating cozy spots where insects can live and over-winter. 

You’ll gain lots of information and probably native seeds and plants by joining the Butterflyway Project in your local community, which encourages individuals and families to plant pollinator-friendly gardens. 

Dead Trees & Fallen Logs: We tend to remove dead trees or fallen branches from our private and municipal properties, but they play a vital role in maintaining biodiversity. From 10-40% of birds and mammals nest and raise their young in holes in trees. By maintaining multi-age ecosystems, we’re providing a habitat for birds, insects, and animals as well as maintaining the nutrient cycle. 

Pesticide-free: The pesticides and herbicides that you spray on your grass and lawn are poisons and will also harm insects, birds, and other wildlife that eat sprayed vegetation. 

Clean Up Litter: Removing litter from shorelines and other natural areas protects wildlife from hazards (such as ducks getting tangled in fishing line) and the soil and water from contaminants (cigarette butts leach toxic chemicals).

 

Farms & Acreages: If you live on a rural property, you have a fantastic opportunity to protect and maintain the wildlife that share your land. Nature Saskatchewan offers 5 stewardship programs that engage rural landowners in conserving habitat to protect species at risk. 

You can also make sure any water running through your property isn’t contaminated and take steps to prevent run-off and erosion. One couple whose homes fronts onto a lake stopped weeding their shoreline last year and have noticed that they have far more wildlife – beavers, killdeer, and turtles. 

Katie and Aaron Suek of the Restoring 71 Project believe that acreages are a missed opportunity as they have so much potential for positioning the protection and restoration of natural areas as a convenience rather than an added effort. “It’s so much less work and you’ll see so much more wildlife if you let it go wild,” Katie says. 

The Native Plant Society of Saskatchewan offers a guide to acreage living that you may find useful.

 

2. Species Reintroduction 

It can be tempting to attempt to reintroduce a wild creature such as a frog or lizard onto your property, but it’s risky. The habitat may be wrong or it may be the wrong species for your particular area (for example, there are several different varieties of northern leopard frog). A more effective approach is to volunteer or donate to support a professional reintroduction project. 

Volunteer: If your primary interest is plants, why not volunteer with the Native Plant Society of Saskatchewan and help pull out invasive species or plant native plants along roadsides? Volunteers with the Nature Conservancy of Canada help with tree planting, reducing barriers and hazards to wildlife, installing nest boxes, and many other projects. There have been opportunities in the past to assist with wildlife reintroduction projects at Grasslands National Park. 

Donate: Conservation projects are always looking for additional funds and would welcome your support. Here are just a couple of local programs. 

The Calgary Zoo’s conservation research team is using science to sustain threatened wildlife. They are breeding whooping cranes, northern leopard frogs, swift foxes, and various other species for reintroduction into the wild. 

The Saskatchewan Burrowing Owl Interpretive Centre offers displays and educational programs to promote the conservation of this endangered owl and its habitat. A similar program in British Columbia, the Burrowing Owl Conservation Society of British Columbia, has a captive breeding program and creates and maintains a system of artificial burrows for released owls. 

Organizations such as the Nature Conservancy of Canada play an important role in preserving and restoring ecologically significant areas by planting trees, restoring wetlands, and removing invasive species and wildlife hazards. They offer a variety of volunteering, donation, and legacy options.

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).

Community Highlight: Saskatchewan Alliance for Water Sustainability

1. How and when did you form your group? 

The Saskatchewan Alliance for Water Sustainability (SAWS) is a grassroots, not-for-profit, volunteer organization made up of members from Last Mountain Lake Stewardship Group (LMLSG), the Calling Lakes Ecomuseum (CLEM), and other concerned citizens. 

The LMLSG was formed in 2002 to steward and monitor the health of Last Mountain Lake water while sustaining the resources for the communities that depend on them. 

CLEM is a grassroots arm of the United Nations and works very closely with the Regional Centre of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development - Saskatchewan. CLEM believes in protecting the Qu’Appelle Valley’s Calling Lakes using the UN’s 17 goals for sustainable development. 

SAWS was formed on Oct 20, 2017, in response to the Saskatchewan Government giving the green light for the Quill Lakes Watershed Association #14 to drain highly saline water from the Kutawagan-Pel lakes area in the Quill Lakes basin into Last Mountain Lake without an environmental impact assessment. This project, called the Common Ground Drainage Channel Diversion Project (CGDCDP), was the first step in a much larger drainage project that would drain water from the Quill Lakes watershed, 200 kilometres north of Regina, into the Qu’Appelle lakes and river system and eventually into Manitoba, courtesy of the Assiniboine River. 

We have learned from the Universities of Regina and Saskatchewan that the transfer of salt-rich water from the Quill Lakes into Last Mountain Lake could have serious consequences for water quality in the Qu’Appelle River system. The additional salt and nutrients entering Last Mountain Lake would have a negative effect on fish and wildlife habitat, especially in the Last Mountain Lake National Wildlife Area, a federally protected Ramsar site. The proposed volume of water flowing downstream would cause erosion and high-water levels in the smaller lakes in the Lower Qu’Appelle watershed. Further, the chemical composition of salt in the Quill Lakes is far different from that in Last Mountain Lake and would present a contaminant to game fish in the Qu’Appelle lakes and a human health hazard. Without an environmental impact assessment, we will not know the damage until it is too late. 

2. What are your principal activities and why do you believe they’re important? 

We focus on creating awareness about wetlands and the negative impacts that drainage has without a wetland conservation policy. According to the Water Security Agency’s own reports, high water levels in the Quill Lakes are the result of high rain events and agricultural drainage. Despite committing to do so in 2017, the Agency has not closed any of the illegal drainage. 

Our goal is to work with others to implement long-term solutions for the Quill Lakes high water levels that will benefit all stakeholders and protect the environment. We focus on educating the public and stakeholders, creating a conversation, and advocating for sustainable water management and conservation. 

Our activities are important because people do not understand the importance of wetlands. Wetlands provide all kinds of benefits from flood and drought protection, to filtering contaminants and nutrients from our water, to providing habitat for fish and wildlife including pollinators, to fighting climate change. 

Our education and communication activities include: 

• Hosting public meetings within our communities to inform residents of how wetland drainage contributes to the pollution of our lakes and rivers. 
• Producing monthly newsletters that keeps residents up to date on our progress and current news. 
• Promoting the development of a round table made up of all stakeholders, including scientists, to develop solutions for the Quill Lakes flooding. The Water Security Agency declined to establish one. 
• Organizing meetings with the Water Security Agency and its Minister to present solutions and discuss WSA’s proposed plans on regulating agricultural drainage. 
• Contacting provincial government officials and stakeholders requesting they develop a wetland policy for this province. 
• Producing media releases and responding to interviews. 
• Creating a SAWS website that provides a history of our communication documents and events. 
• Maintaining a Facebook page to increase awareness that allows for public discussion. Posts include valuable facts and initiatives on how we can improve water quality, conserve wetlands and our natural environment, show the benefits of wetland protection, and provide news and invitations to webinars and other current events. 
• Connecting with universities, scientists, and other non-profit groups. 
• Attending and helping the Citizens Environmental Alliance organize its annual farmland drainage conferences and workshops. 

3. What have been your success to date? 

Our efforts supported the halting of the Quill Lakes Drainage Project without an environmental impact assessment. We gave our support to the judicial review application filed by the Pasqua First Nation (PFN) against the Minister of Environment and Quill Lakes Watershed Association. On January 22, 2018, the drainage plan was withdrawn and any future project cannot proceed without an environmental impact assessment unless PFN, LMLSG, CLEM, Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation, and the public are first notified and given the opportunity for a full written hearing. 

We have created a positive presence in our communities and have gained their interest and support in efforts to protect water and the environment. Our success is due to our grassroots approach of meeting with the communities, providing science from Saskatchewan universities, and being open and transparent about the process. 

4. What would you like to achieve in future? 

Saskatchewan is the only province in Canada that does not have a wetland conservation policy. This lack of regulation is negatively impacting our economy, our communities, and the environment. We would like to see a wetland conservation policy similar to Alberta or Manitoba’s adopted by summer 2022 that provides adequate mitigation when drainage occurs with negative impacts such as downstream flooding, nutrient loading that leads to algae blooms in our lakes, loss of habitat, and the loss of climate change resiliency. 

We would also like to see the Water Security Agency become much more transparent, notifying the public when and where they are licensing drainage projects and providing quality information and alerts for our lakes in an easy-to-use online format. 

5. If you could have 3 wishes for improving your community, what would they be? 

#1 Working together is our only hope for a sustainable future. Partnership is #17 of the United Nations’ goals of sustainable development. 

#2 A Saskatchewan Wetland Conservation Policy building the protection of wetlands into all developments including agriculture, municipalities, recreation, and industry will benefit all Saskatchewan residents. We need natural infrastructure like wetlands to build adaptation and resiliency and to ensure business and environmental success for this province (UN goal #13). 

#3 We need leadership from the Federal and Provincial governments on water management that is based on science and climate change data rather than politics. 

6. Are there volunteer opportunities with your organization? If so, please describe them and indicate how people can contact you. 

We welcome volunteers and ensure volunteer success by working to their strengths. We encourage those with the following skills to reach out to us - writers, artists, scientists, IT experts, and industry expertise (agriculture, potash, fishing etc.). We can be contacted at saskaws@gmail.com

Photo credits: LMLSG (water sampling on Last Mountain Lake), SAWS (boy playing), CLEM (PowWow Parade)

Edited to correct full title of SAWS and a few other details - late afternoon, November 18, 2021

See Also

We're Losing Our Wetlands - And That's a Big Problem

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).

Community Highlight: Public Pastures – Public Interest

1. How and when did you form your group? 

Public Pastures – Public Interest (PPPI) was formed in late 2012 in response to the federal government’s announcement that the PFRA program was being dissolved. This meant that the native prairie pastures scattered across Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Manitoba were to be returned to provincial jurisdiction and potentially developed and sold. PPPI was born at a meeting of pasture stakeholders, people who made regular use of these publicly owned pastures – managers, patrons who grazed cattle on the pastures, hunters, birdwatchers, artists, First Nations, and other citizens for whom these community pastures are a central part of their homeland. We were united in our commitment to preserving these grasslands, both their biodiverse health and their public ownership. Although the PFRA has been dissolved and the lands returned to provincial jurisdiction, they are still publicly owned and PPPI has evolved to advocate for native prairie grasslands and ecosystems more widely. Our mission is now to “Retain and conserve publicly-owned grasslands and advocate for the conservation and protection of all Saskatchewan’s prairie ecosystems.” 

2. What are your principal activities and why do you believe they’re important? 

Our activities in the service of these old-growth grasslands are varied but serve four main goals: to retain public ownership, to manage the lands to protect ecosystem health and respect the needs of all people who use and care about them, to enhance community appreciation for and knowledge of these natural treasures, and to engage in research to document the past, present, and possible futures of the grasslands. 

Grasslands are one of the most endangered and least protected biomes on earth, and in Saskatchewan more than 90% of our original grasslands have been lost to development. Sadly, we continue to lose native grasslands as well as wetlands and bush throughout the province, leading to the rapid decline of several species at risk, severely hampering our ability to mitigate and adapt to climate change, and damaging our treaty obligations to Indigenous people. 

To influence policies and decisions relevant to the grasslands, we spearhead letter-writing campaigns to all levels of governments, meet with government officials, hold news conferences, and sponsor educational grassland tours and film events. We also circulate lists of suggested issues and questions to discuss with candidates during municipal, provincial, and federal election campaigns to bring grassland preservation issues to the attention of voters and politicians. 

PPPI monitors government attempts to privatize our public lands, bringing these actions to public attention and working to prevent them. We consult with companies planning developments on native grasslands, such as windfarms, potash mines, and landfills to help them minimize the damage to fragile ecosystems, and we help local communities organize to respond to such proposals. We also combine our efforts with other conservation groups such as Nature Canada, Nature Saskatchewan, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, Ducks Unlimited Canada, Citizens Environmental Alliance, Saskatchewan Alliance for Water Sustainability, the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations, Saskatchewan Environmental Society, the National Farmers Union, Heritage Saskatchewan, South of the Divide Conservation Action Program, the Prairie Conservation Action Plan, and, of course, EcoFriendly Sask. We are members of consultation groups such as the recently formed National Grasslands Taskforce and the Transboundary Grassland Partnership. 

3. What have been your successes to date? 

With respect to our initial goals to protect the now-former PFRA pastures, the province agreed to three conditions: 1) only patrons could buy the pastures and any sales would include a conservation easement, 2) no breaking, drainage, or clearing would be allowed, and 3) pastures were to be operated as wholes and not subleased to individual patrons. To our knowledge, no former provincial or federal pastures have been sold. In 2019-2020, Environment and Climate Change Canada arranged to operate three former PFRA community pastures in southwestern Saskatchewan (Govenlock, Nashlyn, & Battle Creek), resulting in 80,155 hectares of land becoming the Prairie Pastures Conservation Area, with habitat technicians monitoring species at risk. 

We were key contributors to Saskatchewan’s provincial guidelines on the siting of wind energy projects, and our advocacy made sure that native grassland would be clearly indicated in the avoidance zone requirements. 

Our actions related to specific development projects have prevented the destruction of several areas of native prairie. For instance, a proposed windfarm on native grassland near Chaplin Lake was prevented as was a golf course proposed for grassland within the White Butte Provincial Recreation Area. We facilitated public critique of the siting of a potash mine near Sedley, leading to stricter environmental mitigation requirements. We helped inform the community and company about problems with a planned landfill at Avonlea on a privately owned piece of native prairie next to the Caledonia-Elmsthorpe Community Pasture, and the project was halted. 

PPPI is a supporter of the Treaty Land Sharing Network, which connects Saskatchewan farmers with Indigenous people to support treaty rights by providing safe access to farmlands for activities such as foraging, hunting, and ceremonies. 

In a broader sense, our proudest accomplishment is in knowing that we have helped to get native grassland onto the agendas of national and regional conservation organizations and governments at all levels. Canadians are beginning to understand that native grasslands are rare and precious places worthy of protection and good stewardship. 

4. What would you like to achieve in future? 

Saskatchewan needs a complete inventory of its remaining grasslands in order to most effectively direct conservation efforts to keep public control of these natural resources and to include these areas in nature-based climate solutions which are becoming increasingly central to international plans to mitigate and adapt to climate change. 

Grazers, such as bison or cattle, are essential for healthy grassland ecosystems. Thus, efforts to support a sustainable livestock grazing industry, operating with best rangeland management practices, are increasingly important as farmers and ranchers struggle to cope with the challenges of climate change. 

We hope to increase public appreciation for, and thus motivation to protect, the multiple wonders and value of our native grasslands. Native landscapes, which means grasslands in the prairies, provide solutions to so many problems, including carbon sequestration, air and water filtration, flood and drought protection, and human health issues and disparities. 

5. If you could have 3 wishes for improving your community, what would they be? 

Stronger relationships with Indigenous conservation groups and projects, 

More public appreciation of the value of grasslands for carbon sequestration and biodiversity, and 

Better policies to support grassland preservation. 

6. Are there volunteer opportunities with your organization? 

If so, please describe them and indicate how people can contact you. We welcome volunteers from across the province to contribute to these prairie conservation efforts. Volunteers can take part in actions of their own communities, as in the consultations for specific windfarm, mining, and landfill projects. Volunteers can also introduce people to the beauties of their local landscape by organizing tours and events sponsored by PPPI. We need as many “eyes on the land” as possible to help monitor the health and state of public grasslands and parkland and proposed sales and cultivation of these lands. We also need volunteer help to achieve a better social media presence. To contact PPPI, please email public4pastures@gmail.com 

See Also: 

Living Prairie Museum: A Glimpse into our History 

From Ranches to Classrooms: The Native Plant Society of Saskatchewan 

It’s Okay to Go Wild! The Restoring 71 Project 

Community Highlight: Nature Saskatchewan 

Photo Credit: Trevor Herriot 

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).

Water Rangers: Testing the Quality of Canada's Water

Many Canadians spend their summers at the lake, while others relish riverside walks or paddle boarding. We tend to assume that our waters are clean and healthy – but are they? According to the World Wildlife Fund’s 2017 Watershed Reports, we lack data on the water quality of 100 out of 167 of our watersheds. Of the ones that have been tested, 42 out of 67 are rated Poor or Fair. 

Getting Started 

In 2014, Kat Kavanagh was staying at her family’s lakefront cottage and went out with her father when he did his regular test for water quality. Her father had accumulated 10 years’ worth of data, but the lab results were hard to understand and there was no easy way to compare and share the information. Kat was determined to develop a public data-sharing platform, so she and a team of other web designers and developers took her idea and a team to the Aquahacking challenge in 2015. They won: Water Rangers was underway. 

Once the platform was in place, the organization took a look at the water testing kits that were currently on the market. They were dismayed to discover the kits were very expensive and difficult to use. Water Rangers went on to design and distribute their own kit to people in Canada and beyond so they could collect and share community data on the Water Rangers’ free, open platform. 

Water Testing Kit 

Water Rangers test kits can be purchased online and are also being distributed for use in a variety of grant-funded projects. Some groups are testing for changes over time while others, such as a group monitoring mining activity in New Brunswick, have a particular concern and want data so they can hold authorities responsible. 

The kits provide valuable information about water temperature, conductivity, pH, alkalinity, hardness, dissolved oxygen, and water clarity. Different species have different temperature and dissolved oxygen requirements, and many species such as fish, frogs and insects can’t survive without oxygen. Similarly, many species can only survive if the pH is within a certain range. The kits also measure the water’s ability to conduct an electrical current. “Higher conductivity means there are more dissolved ions in the water, which is usually associated with more pollution.” 

Graduate students at Carleton University compared the results from the Water Rangers’ kit with those obtained using a professional probe and determined the kits were very accurate and provided reliable data. 

The kits have some limitations. Tests for toxicity are not included in the kits as they are really expensive. However, participants are encouraged to take photographs, which provide a graphic record of dead fish or algae bloom. Drinking water quality must be tested in a lab, but some of the tests in the kit, such as high conductivity or low dissolved oxygen, do alert you to a potential problem. 

Participants can add their data to an open-source platform so anyone who is interested can check the water quality in their area or compare results with other areas and over time. One of the organization’s goals is to increase its capacity to share its results with researchers and decision-makers. 

Testing water quality on a regular basis benefits participants personally as they spend more time outdoors and visit new locations. They also share what they’ve learned about water and the importance of protecting the environment with their friends and families. 

Large Projects in Ontario & Saskatchewan 

Water Rangers is currently involved in two large water-testing projects. In partnership with Canadian Freshwater Alliance and the Government of Ontario’s Great Lakes Local Action Fund, volunteers in the Lake Erie watershed are using the Water Rangers kits to test their local water bodies on a monthly basis from April to October 2021. Volunteers will also help with shoreline clean-ups, plant trees and wildflowers, and learn about local wildlife. 

Dr. Kerri Finlay started a water monitoring project at the University of Regina with volunteers at 2 lakes in 2017 and 6 in 2018. Once she learned about Water Rangers, she reached out and began a partnership that would expand the program. 43 volunteers are testing water across Saskatchewan this summer, from the Qu’Appelle Valley to Emma Lake. Many of the volunteers have cottages or visit the lakes frequently, so they’re being encouraged to test frequently. The results are uploaded to the Water Rangers’ database and will also be shared on the Gordon Foundation’s DataStream. Long-term goals include expanding the testing to more remote sites that are visited less often, improving communication back to volunteers, and adding to the kit so users can test for nutrients in the water. Over time, they hope to verify the reliability of community-based water monitoring programs and enhance collaboration between citizen and professional stakeholders to inform policies and decisions that affect our lakes, rivers, and streams. 

Additional Activities 

Other organizations share the Water Rangers’ belief in the value of monitoring water quality. The Gordon Foundation’s DataStream is an online platform for sharing information about freshwater health. They are currently uploading water testing results from the Mackenzie Basin, the Atlantic provinces, Lake Winnipeg, and, starting in fall 2021, the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence region. 

In British Columbia, the Environment Ministry has established Algae Watch, relying on volunteers to contribute information to help the government obtain a better understanding of when and where algae blooms are happening around the province. Water Rangers hope to be able to test for algae blooms in future. Algae blooms have significant side effects on human and animal health and they are starting to appear in places such as Lake Superior where they never happened in the past. 

Dr. Elaine Ho-Tassone led the creation of a community-based water quality monitoring program at Garden River First Nation. Water Rangers test kits were used by community members to collect nearly a thousand data points over the pilot program in 2021, which (coupled with benthic surveys and, soon, E. coli testing) provides some of the most current and comprehensive data compiled in the area of the St. Marys River Area of Concern. Now, three other First Nations across the binational Area of Concern - including one in the United States - are interested in coordinating the collection of community data using Water Rangers test kits and/or their online open data app. This project's data were also part of the October 2021 launch of Gordon Foundation's Great Lakes DataStream platform.

Water First is a charitable organization addressing water issues faced by Indigenous communities. They have been using the Water Rangers test kits in their Indigenous school program. 

Acknowledgements 

Emelia Duguay, Sustainable Development Coordinator, Water Rangers, and Erin Ennis, Summer Student Coordinator – Citizen Science Project, University of Regina in partnership with Water Rangers, graciously provided a wealth of information about the work their organizations are doing – thank you!

Further information and clarification (see above) was provided by Dr. Elaine Ho-Tassone in November 2021.

Photo credits: Water Rangers

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).

Community Highlights: Nature Saskatchewan

1. How and when did you start Nature Saskatchewan? 

Nature Saskatchewan began as the Saskatchewan Natural History Society in 1949. In the beginning it was simply a society of amateur naturalists sharing their observations and experiences in nature. The Blue Jay was the beginning of the society and is still distributed to members on a quarterly basis. Nature Saskatchewan first sought to promote the conservation of our natural resources by appealing to its members to practise conservation and by lobbying governments and their agencies on behalf of our natural resources of every nature and kind. 

Much later, in the 1980s, the Society took a further step. It began to support research studies into the status of endangered or threatened species such as the swift fox, prairie rattlesnake, burrowing owl, piping plover, etc. Over the years, Nature Saskatchewan has grown to employ several full and part-time employees and is well respected as a voice for nature in Saskatchewan. 

2. What are Nature Saskatchewan's principal activities and why do you believe they’re important? 

Through several programs, Nature Saskatchewan works towards its mission of “We engage and inspire people to appreciate, learn about and conserve Saskatchewan's natural environment.” With over 600 members and 8 full-time staff as well as several seasonal staff, Nature Saskatchewan offers programs and services that provide knowledge and experiences for those who have a love for nature. 

One of the largest programs is Stewards of Saskatchewan (SOS). SOS is a suite of five voluntary stewardship programs that engage rural landowners and land managers in conserving habitat in southern Saskatchewan to benefit species at risk, ecosystem health, and people. The goals of the programs are to conserve habitat, raise awareness and provide support to agricultural producers, enhance prairie habitat for species at risk, and search for and monitor target species at risk populations. While the focus is on the targeted species, the programs ultimately benefit many other prairie species and their habitats. 

Nature Saskatchewan also manages the Last Mountain Bird Observatory (LMBO). LMBO is the only migration monitoring station in the province and, in 1992, joined the Canadian Migration Monitoring Network (CMMN). 

Each program has a specific focus, whether it be education, research, or engagement with nature. No matter the pathway, the vision of Humanity in Harmony with Nature is always at the forefront. Each program is important to helping us move towards this vision. 

3. What were your successes (big or small) in 2020? 

Of course, 2020 was a challenging year. The Covid-19 pandemic forced us to consider how to deliver the same message while still adhering to public health orders. Most of our programming was moved online or adapted in some way. People needed nature in 2020 more than ever and the engagement we had with the public proved that. We held events such as Nature Trivia nights and Migratory Bird celebrations online and people joined us from all over Saskatchewan and even from neighbouring provinces. We were able to support people exploring nature in a safe way and that was certainly a success during a trying year. 

4. What would you like to achieve in 2021? 

 2021 will be focused on balance. Of course the return to in-person events and interactions is exciting; however, the connections we have made online with people further away have been valuable. Each program has some exciting work being done and we look forward to continuing to work towards conservation goals in Saskatchewan. 

5. If you could have 1 wish for improving your community (in relation to this program), what would it be? 

One main wish is for everyone to feel connected to nature in some way and to understand their impact on the natural environment. This doesn’t need to be extreme but simply appreciating a bird that lands near you or looking closer at nature while out for a walk is important. The saying, “You won’t save what you don’t love,” holds very true. We hope that people start seeing the true wonder of nature and start learning about it. Then perhaps they will do what they can to help conserve it. 

6. Are there volunteer opportunities with your program? If so, please describe them and indicate how people can contact you. 

We do offer volunteer opportunities and depending on experience and interest we can find a fit for most people. We are always looking for event volunteers and for people wanting to help with office tasks such as creating social media content. We are currently looking for volunteers with video editing experience. If you are interested in volunteering with Nature Saskatchewan, please fill out the volunteer application form. 

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, July 27, 2021

This Week’s Highlights 

With gratitude for the lifelong contributions of Stuart Houston, 1927-2021 [Bridges, Saskatoon StarPhoenix] 

Science magazine has published a special edition on plastics. Articles include The plastic eaters, Achieving a circular bioeconomy for plastics, and Toward polymer upcycling – adding value and tackling circularity. [Science] 

Upcoming Events 

Learn to orienteer with Nature Regina from 10-11:30 am or 10:30 am-noon, Aug. 2. 

South of the Divide Conservation Action Program (SODCAP) will be holding its annual general meeting on Aug. 9 in Frontier. 

All events are listed on the EcoFriendly Sask Calendar. 

Energy 

Greenland has suspended all new oil and gas exploration. Government officials said they believe the "price of oil extraction is too high," citing both economic considerations and the fight against climate change. [CBS News] 

Storing excess renewable energy in batteries and releasing it when needed is more effective with collective, neighbourhood battery storage. [Anthropocene] 

Conservation Needs & Successes 

Loss of habitat deprives woodland caribou of safety from predators, food, and safe nursing grounds and leads to increased competition and disease. [CPAWS-SK] 

A conservation agreement with Nature Conservancy and Ducks Unlimited of Canada will protect over 3000 acres in the Moose Mountain Natural Area. The landowners have agreed not to subdivide, develop the property, drain the wetlands, or harvest the trees. [Discover Weyburn]

That’s Amazing 

7 incredible moths - from one species that drinks the tears of birds to another that lives in the fur of sloths. [Smithsonian Magazine] 

Did you know? In very hot climates adult killdeer shade their eggs at midday and may soak their belly feathers to help cool the eggs. 

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).

Community Highlights: Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas

1. How and when did you form your group? 

The non-profit Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc. was created to preserve and restore the 326-acre Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area and the George Genereux Urban Regional Park in compliance with the City Council decision that these areas “be preserved in perpetuity.” Situated on the western edge of the city, the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area and George Genereux Urban Regional Park are unique natural semi-wilderness habitats of great biodiversity. They are areas of all-season mixed woodland beauty with special geological, geographical, and historical elements, including Paleo-Indian and First Nations heritage. 

These man-made forests on the prairies are the only remaining portions of a 1970s City Plan to create a greenbelt around Saskatoon and were planted in response to the Green Survival program promoted in the US and Canada at that time. The afforestation area’s 50th birthday will be celebrated in 2022. We often remember City Manager Murray Totland’s words, “What would Saskatoon look like if it grew to half a million people?” and then we need to consider, “What do we want it to look like?” Greenspaces are not only nature-based solutions for climate action, but they promote health and wellness and support biodiversity and ecosystems. 

The Friends became an official environmental charity in October 2019 and received provincial non-profit incorporation in August 2019. Before that the Stewards and Stakeholders of the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area volunteers were a loosely knit group of people meeting regularly to conduct afforestation area clean-ups and speak before City of Saskatoon council and committee meetings. 

2. What are your principal activities and why do you believe they’re important? 

We believe this project can be part of an effective long-term strategy to focus our vision of living together on the land in the spirit of Witaskêwin. In a significant way this project allows the past to meet the present and future. The rich geological, historical, natural, and cultural heritage of the areas honours where we have been. Science, conservation, and hands-on learning about the land, the environment, and sustainability ensure our future. “In the end, we will conserve only what we love. We will love only what we understand. We will understand only what we are taught.” (Baba Dioum) 

Richard St. Barbe Baker said it best when he adopted the African Kikyuyu word Twahmwe meaning “all as one” or “pull together” as the slogan for the International Tree Foundation when he initiated the Watu wa Miti Forest Guardians who had three missions: 

1. Plant ten trees, seedlings, or seeds each year. 

2. Do a good deed every day. 

3. Care for trees everywhere. 

3. What were your successes (big or small) in 2020? 

We worked with University of Saskatchewan classes, engaged in virtual tours, education and awareness campaigns, and supported the “Take it Outside” City of Saskatoon program during COVID, promoting the use of about 475 acres of greenwoods for social distancing with seating and bird stations in the forest. 

We were very grateful to Paul Hanley and Robert White, who personally knew Richard St. Barbe Baker, for increasing public awareness of the great humanitarian efforts achieved worldwide by Baker. 

We appreciate the volunteers who come out to document flora and fauna on the iNaturalist app (individually or during bio-blitzes) to assist the City of Saskatoon and the Meewasin Valley Authority develop their ecological assessment, which will lead to the Master Plan for the afforestation areas in conjunction with the Blairmore Sector development plan. 

On June 5, 2021, World Environment Day, an amazing team of volunteers removed 9,860 kg of trash from George Genereux Park. In the spring, we removed a make-shift log structure which had started to fall down and could have harmed both people and the nearby ecosystem. 

In the past few years, the Friends have organized community volunteer clean-ups removing over 21,790 kg of trash from George Genereux Urban Regional Park and over 38,300 kg of illegally dumped materials from the two afforestation areas. This has made the areas safe for public enjoyment and a variety of recreational and educational user activities. 

4. What would you like to achieve in 2021? 

The afforestation areas have received $100,000 of federal funding to build barriers to stop motorized vehicles from entering and dumping garbage. We will also be installing identification signage, conducting ecological surveys and bio-blitzes to identify significant species and landscape features, and holding garbage clean-ups and educational programming. 

With this Government of Canada funding, it is hoped that environmental protection programming can take place in healthy green spaces. Classes can take part in bio-blitzes; families can engage in nature walks; wedding parties can come out for photographic sessions; and folks can come out and gaze at the meteor showers. 

We look forward to working with our partner, SOS Trees, on climate action activities the Friends will be undertaking. 

5. If you could have 3 wishes for improving your community, what would they be? 

1. To welcome to both afforestation areas those users who appreciate the value of these hidden treasures – man-made mixed woodland oases on the prairies. Benefits are community development, user health and wellness, alongside fabulous all-season nature sightseeing at both the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area and the 148-acre George Genereux Urban Regional Park. Everyone is welcome to join the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas and recognize the true treasure and value of the afforestation areas, which have great potential. (https://stbarbebaker.wordpress.com, friendsofafforestation@gmail.com, 306.380.5368) 

2. That people recognize the importance and value of EcoFriendly Sask and their invaluable service to green groups and the environment of Saskatoon and area. Thank you for your funding support and for all that you do, because EcoFriendly Sask is a mentor and provides role models for improving the community in Saskatoon. 

3. “It is fitting that the afforestation area named after Richard St Barbe Baker, arguably the first global conservationist, be protected and become a site where the public can see the rich biodiversity resulting from planting trees in what was a summer fallow field in 1972.” (Robert White, Masters in Science in Ecology, Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc.) 

Photo Credits: #1 Vivian Allan, #2 Shwetha Gopinath, #3 Julia Adamson

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 Rescue Society of Saskatchewan

In 2006, a group of wildlife rehabilitation professionals established a provincial wildlife rescue association. Animals were being picked up unnecessarily and the rehabbers wanted to stop that happening by establishing a telephone hotline to provide members of the public with advice on what to do about an injured or possibly abandoned animal.

From its humble beginnings, the Wildlife Rescue Society of Saskatchewan has expanded unimaginably. Calls in the last two years have doubled with just under 5,000 calls in 2020. There were days last summer when they received 50 calls in a single day. Bonnie Dell, president of WRSOS, was monitoring the hotline one day this spring and noted 20 major calls involving a beaver, a grey horned owl, a saw-whet owl, a moose, and a goose. 

It’s not just members of the public who are calling in. It’s also municipalities and provincial wildlife conservation officers. “It’s really a community service,” explains Bonnie. “If it weren’t for us, there would be no one to call.” And all this work is being done by volunteers, with help from students in the summer. Here’s how it works. 

Obtaining Help for an Injured or Abandoned Wild Animal 

If you’re concerned about a wild animal, a good place to start looking for help is on the WRSOS website. Wildlife 911 provides detailed information about what to do in a wide variety of different situations, from a bat in the attic to a bird that is unable to fly. The website also provides tips on when to call the hotline (e.g., the animal is bleeding or a dead parent is lying nearby). 

Volunteers answer calls on the WRSOS hotline (306-242-7177) 12 hours a day, 365 days a year. Leave a message and your call will be answered immediately. “You’ll rarely wait more than 10-15 minutes for a call back,” Bonnie says. 

Volunteers have received training and can assist you in deciding what needs to be done. The Society has over 150 volunteers from every part of the province who go out of their way to capture and transport sick or injured animals. It’s a huge undertaking as the need is often urgent. Some volunteers are driving up to 10,000 km a year. 

Rescued animals are taken to a designated veterinary clinic or to a licensed wildlife rehabilitation professional. The veterinary clinics generously provide their services free of charge as do the wildlife rehabbers. It can still be an expensive proposition with some animals requiring surgery while others are over-wintered and eat enormous amounts of food. 

The volunteer’s role is often demanding. “There are things I’ve seen and done that haunt me,” Bonnie says. “But I also know I’ve saved a lot of suffering that was caused by human activity.” And sometimes, when things work out, volunteers have the ultimate reward of returning a rescued animal to the wild. 

A Job for Professionals 

The individuals who run wildlife rehabilitation facilities are professionals. They’ve received extensive training and are licensed by the provincial government. It may look like an easy task and you may be tempted to look after an injured animal yourself, but it can go very, very wrong. Young rabbits and deer may appear to be abandoned, but their mothers have deliberately left their babies in a safe place while they go off to look for food. Animals can die if you don’t feed them the right food. A moose calf will grow up and no longer fit in your spare room but will have to be euthanized as it’s unfit to return to the wild. One family tried to raise a turkey vulture, then dumped it on the side of the road with a pile of food. The bird had a badly broken wing, was too far gone to be rescued, and had to be euthanized. 

Peaceful Coexistence 

A condo association in Saskatoon kills any wildlife that comes on their property. A farmer who shot a coyote in the winter using lead shot also poisoned two bald eagles who fed on the carcass. Gophers are a keystone species and an important part of the food chain for larger wildlife, and yet municipalities consistently poison them because the burrows may damage lawn mowers. 

“Phone us before reaching for poison or a gun,” Bonnie pleads. “We’ll help you come up with a plan to help you coexist. Everything has a place. We can live with animals in cities, at the lake, and in rural areas.” 

We slaughter coyotes in Saskatchewan, and Bonnie believes it’s got to stop. Coyotes are another keystone species and help maintain a balance in nature. Studies have shown that 88% of their diet is rodents so we should be happy to see them on our farms. And killing a coyote can exacerbate the problem. “If you have a family of coyotes on your land, you won’t have a problem as they’ll teach their young how to coexist,” Bonnie says. “But kill that established family unit and you’ll get newcomers on your land that haven’t learned their boundaries.” 

WRSOS volunteers are currently receiving canid response training from Coyote Watch Canada and expect to be the first province with fully trained volunteers to help Saskatchewan residents coexist with foxes and coyotes. “We have people all over the province who can help you resolve a problem,” Bonnie says. 

Lend a Hand 

The WRSOS welcomes new volunteers and will try and identify a role that individuals are comfortable with. For example, you may be prepared to drive but don’t want to handle animals. Training is provided. Volunteers sign up for 4-hour shifts on either the hotline or wildlife rescue. In the busy summer season, the Society applies for grants so that the phone line can be run by summer students while the volunteers are assigned to wildlife rescue. 

Money as well as time is hugely appreciated. WRSOS relies on donations to cover costs associated with the hotline, summer student wages, rescue equipment, and educational initiatives, so give generously. 

Photo Credits: WRSOS

See Also 

Rita’s Re-Cooperation (2021) 

Wildlife Vet in the Making (2018) 

Wildlife Rehabilitation: Knowledge, Expertise, Hard Work - and Love (2012)

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).

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).

Community Highlight: Saskatoon CarShare Co-operative

1. How and when did you form your group? 

The Saskatoon CarShare Co-operative started in 2014. Beginning with the purchase of one car, the CarShare's fleet of six vehicles is designed to complement our members’ active transportation habits and improve affordable access to vehicle ownership. Working with several partners, we are proud to have been the first 100% solar-powered carshare in Canada. 

2. What are your principal activities and why do you believe they’re important? 

Our principal activities are providing and maintaining a network of vehicles to residents in Saskatchewan's core neighborhoods (and beyond). 

It’s a win for individuals because you save money by not having to own a car. Being a CarShare member helps you save money. A typical car owner spends an average of $6,400 per year. That comes out to about $533 per month or $17.64/day to maintain and operate an efficient vehicle. By making simple changes to integrate walking, biking, busing, and CarSharing into your traveling habits, you can save some serious cash. 

It is a win for the environment, the City of Saskatoon, and our community. For every CarShare vehicle out there, another five cars are taken off the road. That means fewer vehicles need to be driven, fuelled, and maintained. Less vehicles on the road also means less traffic on our streets. 

3. What would you like to achieve in 2021? 

In 2021, we'd like to expand the number of CarShare members, to make being a member even more affordable, and to convince more residents to consider giving up their car (or 2nd car) by using the CarShare to complement their active transportation habits. 

4. If you could have 3 wishes for improving your community, what would they be? 

We would like to see less cars on the road, more people using active transportation and shared transportation modes, and for more people to use CarSharing for any of those times when you simply just need to have your own car! 

5. Are there volunteer opportunities with your organization? If so, please describe them and indicate how people can contact you. 

The CarShare is always looking for volunteers to help expand the use of our CarShare network. 

Board Members: We are always recruiting board members to help with planning, decision-making, and monitoring the performance of the CarShare. 

Vehicle Maintenance: We recruit volunteers to help with regular light vehicle maintenance (including checking on vehicles, cleaning, fueling, and taking vehicles for car washes and servicing). 

Promotions and Engagements: We are looking for help in spreading the word about CarSharing through social media and through member engagement activities. 

You don't have to be a member to volunteer with the CarShare, and volunteering comes with perks like driving credits. If you are interested in volunteering with the CarShare, please email scc.coordinator@gmail.com. 

If you live in Regina, be sure to check out the services provided by the Regina CarShare Co-operative. 

We’re planning to highlight the work of volunteer organizations in our communities on a regular basis over the next year. Do email us if you would like your organization to be profiled on EcoFriendly Sask. 

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

Photo Credit: Saskatoon CarShare Co-operative