News: City of Saskatoon seeks community input on wetlands policy
Hot off the press, this community announcement arrived this morning. It is for a good (and important) cause so I am posting it here for your information. The City of Saskatoon (City) is seeking input on a new planning initiative that will establish a framework for the identification, preservation, and management of wetlands in the City’s future growth areas. The Wetland Policy will ensure that impacts to wetlands are an important consideration in any future development decisions within Saskatoon. Saskatoon is growing and with that comes pressure on the natural environment. Saskatoon and the...
Read MoreCanadian Parks and Wilderness Society – 50 years of caring for the wilderness
A celebratory news The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) is launching a special ‘Week for the Wild’ from October 21-26, 2013 to celebrate the 50th anniversary as Canada’s leading national voice for parks and wilderness. CPAWS 50th Anniversary Cocktail Reception – October 23, 2013 As part of these celebrations, CPAWS will host a cocktail reception at the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa on October 23rd from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., featuring the presentation of the prestigious Harkin Conservation Award to this year’s recipients. The Harkin Award honours individuals who have...
Read MoreCanada Parks Day & State of Canada’s Parks report
It was Canada’s Parks Day this weekend. This is an annual event where thousands of Canadians participate in educational and family-oriented events. Activities are organized in national parks, national historic sites, provincial parks, territorial parks and in community and regional parks across the country. Canada’s Parks Day is usually celebrated on the third Saturday in July of every year. Another, related event is the annual release of a report by the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) on the ecological health and status of our parks, both federal and provincial....
Read MoreArticle about PFRA community pastures by Laura Stewart
Saskatchewan singer, song-writer and author Laura Stewart wrote a passionate and reflective article about the PFRA community pastures for the latest edition of Briarpatch magazine. A few of my images were used to illustrate the story. Here are a few excerpts from the article titled A voice for the grasslands: The struggle for an endangered prairie ecosystem. “My first such assignment (.. survey of plant species..) in a PFRA pasture was 15 years ago. So powerful and overwhelming was that meeting with vastness and vibrant prairie life that the sensations come back to me at...
Read MoreHorse in pasture with sagebrush, Val Marie PFRA Community Pasture
I spent several hours photographing a group on horses near the Val Marie PFRA community pasture headquarters. This horse decided to run through a field of sagebrush to catch up with his buddies. Val Marie PFRA is the largest community pasture in Saskatchewan, containing over 41,256 hectares (101,946 acres) of magnificent native prairie. Frenchman River flows through the pasture, with rugged valley slopes adding to it’s photographic appeal. Together with the adjacent Beaver Valley PFRA pasture, there are over 200,000 acres (80,000 hectares) of un-interrupted native prairie. Something...
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