River Valley News - July 25/24

Aphids leaving sticky stuff on cars and sidewalks

Miriam Valdes-Carletti photo

Aphids feed on the sap from trees and other plants, and the by-product of that has recently left some Edmonton neighbourhoods feeling a little tacky. "Their excrement is what we call honeydew," arborist Felix Reichel said. "When there's a really large population, they just go ham and everything gets sticky."

Streets with older trees, like elms, are more likely to see large aphid populations. While the insects are more active in the spring, Reichel said the recent heat is helping the population boom. That's thanks to a prolific reproduction rate, said Mike Jenkins, a senior scientist with the City of Edmonton.

Healthy trees are not generally at risk from aphid activity, but Jenkins said the little green bugs can stress or damage smaller garden plants in large numbers. To keep them under control, Jenkins and Reichel recommend releasing a few ladybugs, a main predator for aphids, or spraying plants down with water to knock the aphids off.

As for the honeydew, it's harmless to humans, so the best strategy is to hit the car wash. "In terms of aphids and trees, they're usually not really considered a pest except for the amount of honeydew that they're producing," Jenkins said. https://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/they-just-go-ham-how-a-small-insect-is-leaving-a-big-mess-in-some-edmonton-neighbourhoods-1.6962970

Edmonton river valley trails being recorded by alien

Darryl Learie photo

One of Edmonton’s main contributors to Google Street View is a man who dresses up as an alien. In 2016, Darryl Learie started as a local guide for Google Maps. Over the years, he has taken over 7,500 photos and 1,300 videos which have garnered millions of views.

“I really enjoy walking long distances. I really enjoy photography and videography,” said Learie. “It was a way to feature some of my amateur photography, and I really love nature, that’s why I really focus my efforts on my home city of Edmonton.” Last year, Learie started recording 360 degree videos for Google Street View.

He wanted to make his work a little bit more interesting, and unique, so he started wearing an alien mask while recording his walks. Since last year, he has recorded more than 86 kilometers of trails and parks and published 91 blue lines, a third of them dressed as the NASA alien. https://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/edmonton-man-contributes-thousands-of-photos-to-google-while-dressed-as-an-alien-1.6964832

Dara Ojo a bug photographer

Dara Ojo photo

Bored while living in China during the earliest COVID-19 restrictions, Edmonton photographer Dara Ojo began photographing birds. When a friend suggested he search for even smaller subjects, Dara found a whole new "world." "Most of the time bugs do have character. They look like they're smiling sometimes; they look like they are grumpy sometimes," he said.

The mayfly and damselfly are his favourites to shoot in Canada, but crop spiders in China represent the start of the 33-year-old's macro photography journey, and treehoppers in Costa Rica have been an all-time favourite. Dara says followers have thanked him for opening their eyes to the beauty of some of Earth's smallest creatures.

"It makes me feel accomplished because that's exactly why I'm doing it. When people see the beauty, they end up conserving it. They don't just step, squash." He encourages other potential photographers to explore their interest. "You don't have to have what I have to start. When I started, I used to bring this can with kitchen rolls to make my own diffuser.” https://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/bugs-over-bears-alta-photographer-zooms-in-on-tiniest-creatures-1.6960161

Edmonton podcast Canadian History Ehx podcast a hit

Stony Plain's Craig Baird has been making the Canadian History Ehx podcast since 2018. To date, Baird’s hit history show has produced more than 550 episodes exploring Canada's history. Craig talks about the amount of research that goes into these stories and where his passion for Canadiana got sparked. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/edmonton-region-podcaster-makes-a-hit-out-of-canada-s-history-1.7266103?

Four Seasons in Silver Heights Peony Garden by Oksana Movchan, Bonnie Doon LRT stop

https://www.edmontonarts.ca/public-art/four-seasons-in-silver-heights-peony-garden

Comment or Contributions

Please note articles may not reflect the position of NSRVCS. River Valley News is meant to be a clearinghouse for the variety of opinions and ideas about Edmonton’s River Valley.

Email river valley photos, event information, comments, or questions to nsrivervalley@gmail.com

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River Valley News - July 18/24

Firefly season underway in Edmonton area

David Bloom photo

According to naturalist John Acorn, to see fireflies wait until June and then travel outside of the city. “Fireflies in this part of the world, in Alberta, are found either in marshy situations, shallow wetlands with a lot of tall grasses and sedges, or in mature poplar forests, usually north of Edmonton.”

A type of beetle, fireflies use a chemical reaction in their abdomen to create their flickering light. “They light up to attract mates,” said Acorn. “The males will blink and the females will blink in response and that’s how they find each other at night.”

Acorn believes that despite the replacement of traditional wetland habitats with urban stormwater ponds within the city, there is still a healthy Alberta firefly population, especially where more traditional marshlands have been retained, such as in Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park north of the city or in the Clifford E. Lee Nature Sanctuary near Devon.

“They’re mostly little predators feeding on other small creatures. They’re also very bad tasting,” said Acorn, adding that fireflies are one insect he has not personally tried eating. “They have a distinctive look that protects them from being eaten by birds and so on, because they produce ridiculously obnoxious chemicals that make them bad tasting.” https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/finding-edmontons-elusive-firefly-population

Animal licensing and control bylaw survey asks about roaming cats

Colleen, one of our readers, informed us that the city is in the process of renewing its 20-year-old animal licensing and control bylaw. The City is seeking public feedback on the bylaw renewal, which aims to promote responsible pet ownership and ensure safe, healthy neighbourhoods.

Colleen emailed that many people do not know that roaming cats are the second leading cause of the decline of bird populations. She wrote that bird lovers should let the city know that we value birds and recognize the critical role they play in sustaining a healthy environment. She states it is time to tell the city that it is not okay for cats to be allowed to roam freely and unsupervised.

The city survey identifies three types of roaming cats; owned cats, community cats and feral cats and asks questions such as “Should pet owners be responsible for preventing their cats from roaming on private property?”

The survey includes questions about dogs, rabbits, bees, lizards, snakes and other creatures. The bylaw survey, which closes on August 11, is at https://cityofedmonton.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1TVLKf79yN35glE

Sacred Heart Church of the First Peoples origin dates to 1911

Sacred Heart’s origin dates to 1911, when it formed as an off shoot of the French language Church of Immaculate Conception. Immaculate Conception “was bursting at the seams,” and church officials made the decision to reserve it for Francophone Catholics only.

Reverend Father Pilon, a pastor from Fort Saskatchewan, was responsible for “pushing forward the scheme of providing the English-speaking congregation with a church of their own.” His “flock” purchased a city lot on Kinistino Avenue (96 Street) opposite from Immaculate Conception, and commissioned Hardie & Martland Architects to draft a design.

Construction began on May 15, 1912 and the new Sacred Heart Catholic church opened to parishioners on Christmas Day 1913, financed through the sale of its pews. The building cost its congregation an estimated $50,000. It was officially consecrated on May 10th, 1914.

Although Sacred Heart was primarily an Anglo-Saxon parish, it welcomed others and became “an incubator for immigrant groups to form their own Catholic congregations. Over the years, parishes representing Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Croatian, and Ethiopian communities got their start here.” Several significant Catholic parishes, like Santa Maria Goretti, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Our Lady of Fatima, and the Nativity of Mary, can all trace their lineage back to Sacred Heart.

In later years, Sacred Heart slowly fostered a significant Indigenous membership, reflecting the shifting demographics of the McCauley community. Officials understood this, and through Fathers Gary LaBoucane and Gilles Gauthier’s devotion, the parish became recognized by the Archdiocese as Sacred Heart Church of the First Peoples, Edmonton’s “First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Parish,” in October 1991.

https://www.forgottenedmonton.com/blog/sacred-heart-roman-catholic-church

Fruit trees on City of Edmonton property ripe for picking

Hubert writes “I believe Edmonton's River Valley Bylaw expressly forbids harvesting in the river valley. Edmonton Native Plant Society has always warned that harvesting is not permitted. Maybe there is a difference what can be done on City maintained areas, like boulevard trees and "parks", on one hand and wild river valley areas, on the other. I think it would be worthwhile to clarify this.”

Patsy emailed “My first concern was that it would allow harvesting in the river valley, which I believe to be unsustainable, but then when I clicked on the link all I could access was a database, no explicit policy statement, and after scrolling down it seemed to apply to tableland boulevards and parks, not the river valley. However, I couldn't be sure. Does it apply to the river valley?” 

mikikwan by Duane Linklater, INIW River Lot 11. Concrete reproduction of a 9,000-year-old buffalo bone hide scraper from the archives of the Royal Alberta Museum. https://www.edmontonarts.ca/public-art/mikikwan

Comment or Contributions

Please note articles may not reflect the position of NSRVCS. River Valley News is meant to be a clearinghouse for the variety of opinions and ideas about Edmonton’s River Valley.

Email river valley photos, event information, comments, or questions to nsrivervalley@gmail.com

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River Valley News - July 11/24

Mill Creek outdoor pool reopens

Rose Tinka photo

Mill Creek outdoor pool reopened on July 8. The pool closed in 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It remained closed to comply with new Alberta pool standards. Rehabilitation and maintenance began in August 2022, extending the pool’s lifespan and improving accessibility and safety for users. 

In the early 20th century, there were not that many options for Edmontonians to swim. Ponds and lakes around the town were deemed unsuitable for bathing or swimming, and it was noted “the river, as past experience has proven, is very dangerous.” In 1917, a makeshift pool was temporarily created by damming up Mill Creek.

However, it was evident that a more permanent option was needed. The outdoor pool first opened on June 22, 1953. The Edmonton Journal noted the $150,000 project in the Mill Creek Ravine would create a large central pool and “a separate diving tank, a wading pool and a large sundeck.”

Many aspects of the rehabilitation may go unnoticed. Work done “below the surface” includes the installation of anti-entrapment drains and upgrading and replacing the filtration, disinfection, mechanical and electrical systems to ensure Mill Creek outdoor pool aligns with current building codes and health and safety standards. 

https://edmonton.taproot.news/briefs/2022/06/22/a-moment-in-history-june-22-1953

Indigenous connections to Sundew conservation land

This conservation land in in Westlock County is one of 17 natural areas the Edmonton & Area Land Trust has secured in the Edmonton region. Sundew is within Treaty 6 territory and Otipemisiwak Métis Government District 11. It is in the traditional territory of many Indigenous peoples, namely the Nêhiyawak (Cree), Otipemisiwak/Métis and Nakoda. 

Sundew lies south of the hamlets of Tawatinaw and Nestow, which both have Nehiyawewin (Cree) names. Tawatinaw means river which divides the two hills, and Nestow is Nehiyawewin for brother-in-law. Sundew is close to the 100-mile portage, which was built in 1876 by the Hudson’s Bay Company. It was a popular fur trade route.

Métis Elder Billy Loutit famously made the 100-mile-long journey along the trail in 16 hours on foot. He traveled from Athabasca landing to Fort Edmonton, seeking aid for a large flood in Athabasca. Some accounts say he arrived at the same time as a man on horseback, sent from 80 miles away.

The Pembina River is just a five-minute drive from Sundew. It’s one of the major waterways within central Alberta that was used for trading and traveling by many different nations. The word Pembina means “high bush cranberry.” It is believed to be a French interpretation of the Nehiyawewin word “nîpiminâna” or the Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe) “niibiminaa,” an earlier form of “aniibimin.”

High bush cranberry can be used in pemmican, which has been a staple of many different nations when traveling long distances. https://www.ealt.ca/sundew

Fruit trees on City of Edmonton property ripe for picking

Patrick Kyle photo

Residents are welcome to harvest from fruit trees and bushes on City of Edmonton property. The city’s Edible Fruit Tree database includes crabapple, acorn, chokecherry, cherry, plum, pear, apple, saskatoon, walnut, and more.

Pickers must ensure no damage or harm is caused to the tree including broken branches, pruning or removal of any woody materials. You are also responsible for your own safety while harvesting, as well as misidentification of berries and use of products from harvested.

The city warns of exposure to residue of chemicals such as pesticides, herbicides or other chemicals from the environment or soil that may be present on or in the fruit, as a result of over-spray from either public or private property. It is best to wash the fruit thoroughly before consumption.

https://data.edmonton.ca/Environmental-Services/Edible-Fruit-Trees/h4ti-be2n

Big Lake part of Edmonton river valley and ravine system

Did you know that land in Edmonton along Big Lake is legally part of Edmonton’s River Valley and Ravine system? What is referred to as Big Lake Reach is part of the North Saskatchewan River Valley Area Redevelopment Plan which serves to guide the protection and enhancement of natural and built assets within YEG's North Saskatchewan River Valley and Ravine System.

As part of Edmonton’s most important natural asset, Big Lake Reach, along with ravines and the river, provides essential ecosystem services, including, but not limited to, supporting biodiversity, providing clean soil, air, and water, supporting flood protection and mitigation, providing food and medicines, providing carbon sequestration and storage, and supporting urban climate regulation.

The River Valley and Ravine System also serves as a key ecological and movement corridor that provides critical habitat for a wide range of plant and animal species that live in and move through the city.

Big Lake is recognized as a globally significant Important Bird Area for its abundant and diverse bird populations, especially waterfowl and shorebirds. It supports large nesting grounds and many migratory waterfowl and shorebirds. More than 220 species of birds have been sighted at the lake. https://www.edmonton.ca/sites/default/files/public-files/Draft-RiverValley-AreaRedevelopmentPlan.pdf?cb=1720226085

Wild Life by Brandon Vickerd, Quarters Armature

https://www.edmontonarts.ca/public-art/wild-life

Comment or Contributions

Please note articles may not reflect the position of NSRVCS. River Valley News is meant to be a clearinghouse for the variety of opinions and ideas about Edmonton’s River Valley.

Email river valley photos, event information, comments, or questions to nsrivervalley@gmail.com

Forward this link to anyone you think may want to sign up for this newsletter https://www.edmontonrivervalley.org/newsletter-signup