Steph Weizenbach - Nature Alberta

ALMS 2022 Annual Conference

22 July 2022

Sept 28 & 29
St. Albert

Kingfishers: Keeping a Watchful Eye on the Water

22 July 2022

BY MARGOT HERVIEUX

If you spend time along rivers or small lakes this summer, you may be lucky enough to spot a kingfisher. There are many kinds of kingfishers in other parts of the world but in Canada we only have one species: the belted kingfisher.

The Implications of Shifting Baselines on Nature Conservation

22 July 2022

BY LU CARBYN

Ecosystems change over time without any tampering by humankind. Human impacts, however, have caused massive changes over a short period of time that have resulted in serious environmental concerns, including loss of biodiversity.1 We are all aware of the global issues of habitat loss and wildlife extinction around the world, which call for intervention and leadership from governments, academics, and researchers. However, we do not need to look so far as the destruction of tropical forests of Brazil or Borneo; we can see these issues right here in Alberta.

Death by “Data Deficient”: The Disappearance of Wolverines in Alberta’s Eastern Slopes

22 July 2022

BY GILLIAN CHOW-FRASER

Olaus Murie once wrote, “I wonder if there is another inhabitant of northern wilderness that so excites the imagination.”1 The species he was referring to? None other than the wolverine.

More than 60 years later, the same thought ran through my mind as I tracked through the foothills of Alberta’s Rocky Mountains. Would this be the day? Would I be able to catch even a brief glimpse of a wolverine’s bushy tail in the distance?

Jaw-Dropping Bird – The Common Nighthawk

21 July 2022

BY DORIS MAY & STEPH WEIZENBACH

Feel the Noise
BOOM! The first time I heard this loud, unnerving sound, it reverberated through the ravine where my prairie home lies nestled along a meandering creek. The sound was ominous, like a sound effect you might expect in a tense scene from a Jurassic Park movie.

The Ronald Lake Wood Bison Herd: Observations From Their Home

21 July 2022

BY GARRETT RAWLEIGH & LEE HECKER

When people think of bison, they often picture the vast herds of plains bison that once roamed the Great Plains of North America. These massive herds, and the story of their demise, are well known. But how many people are familiar with their larger northern cousin?

How Geology Affects Wildlife Distribution — From Eroding Mountains to Glacial Rivers

21 July 2022

BY DALE LECKIE

The distribution of plants and animals in Alberta is closely tied to the landscapes in which they live. Though there are some generalists, like coyotes, most species are adapted to specific landscape types. The development of these landscapes is in turn intimately related to Alberta’s geological history, together with ongoing geological processes. Here we will explore several important examples, including eroding mountain peaks, glaciated landscapes, deeply entrenched river valleys, and arid interior plains located in the rain shadow of the mountains.