River Valley News needs your Support
Kyle Schole photo
You and another 2,500+ people receive our free e-newsletter River Valley News. In 6 years, this newsletter has grown from a publication whose first issue was sent to 300 society members, to a weekly distribution sent to 2,542 Edmontonians.
Though we are a completely volunteer run organization, we need $250 monthly to pay for distribution of River Valley News, our website, and to keep our social media feeds up to date. Our bank account is very low and we need your donation ASAP to pay the bills. Donate now at https://www.edmontonrivervalley.org/donate
Our communication outreach is vital to NSRVCS and plays a key role in our work. It helped us in our successful campaign to create Big Island Provincial Park. It informs people of our current initiative to create a National Urban Park. It highlights our work with the City of Edmonton on enhanced protection of our river valley and ravine system.
Your support is critical to continuing publication of the River Valley News and our communication outreach. We know you are committed to our work to conserve, protect and preserve Edmonton’s river valley for future generations. Thank you for your financial support! https://www.edmontonrivervalley.org/
Drone part of land conservation fieldwork and surveys
Edmonton & Area Land Trust (EALT) has added a drone to help in its conservation work. For every new piece of land it secures, EALT conducts fieldwork and surveys to collect information about the species and habitat. This process now includes a drone to capture information from the sky.
Assessing prospective lands to conserve involves securement visits to collect data that can be used for a baseline documentation report as well as funding applications to granting bodies such as the Alberta Land Trust. These visits require surveying the land to assess vegetation communities, human disturbance, observe wildlife, and more.
Wildlife cameras and recording devices such as audio recording units (ARUs) are often placed there for the summer to collect further information. The combination of in-person visits and technology allows for as much data to be collected as possible. The drone allows EALT to survey harder to reach areas, capture photos, and monitor its own conservation lands in new ways.
The drone was made possible by RBC’s Tech for Nature grant, which also supported EALT to purchase more wildlife cameras and ARUs. https://www.ealt.ca/blog/october-field-notes-2023
Plains bison may be key in helping the prairie hold onto water
Plains bison have an ingrained capacity to boost biodiversity. An adult bison eats about 11kg of grass a day. The prairie grasses adapted to their foraging. Vegetation across the plains uses the nutrients in their dung. Birds pluck their fur from bushes to insulate their nests.
Bison also literally shape the land. They roll in the dust and create indentations known as wallows that hold water after rainstorms. After the bison move on, insects flourish in these pools and become a feast for birds and small mammals. Pronghorn antelope survive by following their tracks through deep winter snows.
Although rivers and streams cover less than 2% of the prairie, they are crucial refuges for its wildlife. Hila Shamon's research shows increase in vegetation and bird diversity on creeks where bison have replaced cattle. She also found more deer and elk.
Other studies show that year-round, low-density grazing by bison is associated with more variety in woody vegetation heights and more native plant diversity in riparian areas than seasonal grazing by cattle. Well-vegetated creeks are the prairie's lifeblood.
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20231102-why-grazing-bisoncould-be-good-for-the-planet
Farmer markets resilient throughout Edmonton’s history
Farmer markets provide important access to local food and horticultural products. In 1900, eight years after Edmonton first became a town, the Edmonton Public Market opened. In 1903, the market moved to Market Square, now the site of the Stanley A. Milner library.
The goods available at the market ranged from coal to more familiar market goods like vegetables and meat. The market expanded beyond a place of local commerce to become a local gathering place. While it was open every day of the week except for Sunday, the market was at its most bustling on Saturdays, shoppers purchased ingredients for their Sunday suppers and prepared for the week ahead.
In 1916 the city built an all-weather structure to house the market, and in 1933 an annex was added in which six permanent stalls were housed. This success continued until the end of the 1940s. Through politically and economically challenging times, Edmontonians remained invested in the success of their market.
An emphasis on progress and modernisation throughout the 1950s and ‘60s meant hard times for the City Market. Edmonton’s focus shifted from local to international, and a quaint farmers’ market located so close to City Hall was seen as an embarrassment. https://citymuseumedmonton.ca/2014/10/03/the-city-market/
Urban green space can help local wildlife deal with climate change
Colleen emailed “That was a brilliant framing of the climate change study for application to Edmonton; thank you. I enjoyed the post about J.J. Belanger as well. But what a worrisome story about the attack at Louise McKinney Park. I appreciate the fact-based emphasis of that article, without sensationalism or invocation of the broader inner-city issues at play. I so enjoy the synthetic, succinct writing and breadth of interesting stories and information in the newsletter.”
River valley assault in Louise McKinney Park creates fear and questions
Mark comments “Thanks for another interesting newsletter. Your article sharing Lucy's experience of assault in Louise McKinney Park was disturbing, but my sadness turned to anger when I read the police response to attacks of this nature. Their advice does nothing to address safety in public spaces.
Looking over our shoulder, walking in groups, and carrying a whistle doesn't make us safe when attackers have weapons or can simply prowl in larger groups. Heightened awareness only creates a culture where fear becomes normalized. Only when we address the root cause of the attack can we create a safer society.
It was their fourth tip that really made me mad - the suggestion that we carry concealed weapons. Meagre attempts at self-protection promote vigilantism and will take us down a dark road. Only when we care for one another enough to address the root cause of extreme behaviour will we achieve a safe society.”
Development proposal along Whitemud ravine ridge between Grandview and Landsdowne
Carole writes “Is the Whitemud ravine considered part of the river valley conservation area? If so, is your group aware of the West240 proposal to develop along the ridge of the ravine between Grandview and Landsdowne. I thought that there were restrictions in place to protect our ravines and river valley from erosion caused by commercial and residential development above the valleys along the ridges. I am appalled by the proposal for development by the West240 group.”
Untitled by Eugene Uhuad, Digital Photograph at Clareview Community Recreation Centre.
https://www.edmontonarts.ca/public-art/untitled-4
Comment or contribution
Please note that articles may not reflect the position of NSRVCS. River Valley News is meant to be a clearinghouse for the wide variety of opinions and ideas about Edmonton’s River Valley. Email river valley photos, event information, comments, or questions to nsrivervalley@gmail.com