Coastal town of Rovinj at dusk. Istria, Croatia
Rovinj is considered to be one of the most beautiful towns on the Istrian peninsula. It is a popular tourist destination, and still boasts an active fishing industry. It’s history dates back to the Roman times. Rovinj reached the peak of political influence from 13th to 18th century. The old town core has a beautiful set of cobblestone streets and pastel-coloured houses, surrounding an imposing church of St. Euphemia. The church’s bell tower was modelled after the St. Mark’s tower in Venice.
Read MoreNorth Milk River meanders through Sandstone Ranch, Alberta
North Milk River meanders through Sandstone Ranch at dusk, near Del Bonita, Alberta. Sandstone Ranch is jointly managed by the Nature Conservancy of Canada, Alberta Conservation Organization, and the Sandstone Ranch Grazing Co-operative. The 4,100 acre conservation property is located 75 km south of Lethbridge, just north of the Montana border. It protects a unique combination of fescue prairie and a diverse riparian habitat. Sandstone cliffs and hoodoo rock formations along the river edge provide important nesting habitat for prairie raptors. I had an opportunity to spend two days...
Read MoreGreat Sand Hills – sand dune area south of Sceptre
Open sand dune in Great Sand Hills near Sceptre, Saskatchewan. The Great Sand Hills of southwestern Saskatchewan are probably the most ecologically sensitive area in Saskatchewan. The Scepter sand dunes are between 15 to 35 metres high, and are surrounded by a wide expanse of diverse native prairie. They can be reached by a grid road south of Sceptre (about 35 km east of Leader). Grazing in this area is managed by the Sandhill Stockmen’s Association, which took extensive action to educate the public about fragility of sand dunes and associated vegetation. They created a fenced parking...
Read MoreGrasslands National Park – foggy dawn in Frenchman River Valley
Foggy sunrise over Frenchman River Valley and 70 Mile Butte. Grasslands National Park (West Block) This photograph was taken one cold December morning south of Val Marie. I left my car at the Three Sisters Butte parking lot and walked in the dark to reach the edge of Frenchman River Valley south of the 70 Mile Butte. It helped that I scouted this area before and had the hiking route recorded on my GPS unit. Just before sunrise, the sky turned this marvelous colour. Fog in the valley helped isolate the 70 Mile Butte so it appears as an island in the ocean of fog.
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