Conservation Blog
Scanning for Life Forms
Using Environmental DNA to Identify Species, Science Fiction Becomes Reality
By Jay White, M.Sc., P.Biol.
Shall We Gather at the River?
Irrigation and the Future of Southern Alberta’s Rivers
BY LORNE FITCH
In the heat dome and severe low flows of 2021, our canoe left smears of colour on several barely submerged boulders of one of Alberta’s prairie rivers. These low water levels had me reflecting on the recent scheme by southern Alberta’s irrigation sector to expand irrigated acreage. I thought of the old hymn, “Shall we Gather at the River.”
Read More
Making Citizen Science Count
BY RICHARD SCHNEIDER
As naturalists, we love to watch wildlife, but if we want wild species to remain viable we need to actively contribute to their conservation.
Chinese Mystery Snails in Alberta
Non-native Chinese mystery snail (Cipangopaludina chinensis), first introduced to North America in the 1890s through food markets in San Francisco, was officially sighted in McGregor Lake Reservoir, near the village of Milo in southern Alberta in 2019.
Read More
Sand and Gravel Operations Putting Natural Ecosytems at Risk
The Red Deer River Naturalists Society are concerned that sand and gravel operations in Alberta are increasingly putting Alberta’s natural ecosystems at risk and is calling on the government to resolve deficiencies in the management of these operations.
Read More
Trails Act Heading in the Wrong Direction
The UCP government has proposed legislation to govern trails on public land in Alberta.
Read More
Space: A Frontier No Longer?
BY LORNE FITCH
Outer space may still be a frontier, but the space we call wilderness is getting increasingly crowded. The refrain I hear, from people who remember the Eastern Slopes from a previous era, echoes Yogi Berra’s enigmatic statement that “No one goes there, it’s too crowded.” I know I’m reluctant to visit there now, based on my memories of a place much quieter, with less traffic and fewer people.
Read More
What Happened to the Northern Leopard Frog?
BY LAURA SOUTHWELL
The northern leopard frog is an iconic amphibian, likely the very image that comes to mind when you hear the word “frog.” This once ubiquitous resident of prairie wetlands has faced an ongoing struggle against a changing and increasingly human-centric environment.
Deadly Highway: Road and Rail Fatalities are Decimating Jasper Park’s Wildlife
BY DICK DEKKER
Protected from hunting year-round, Jasper’s elk have lost their fear of humans, and tend to concentrate along highways and in the townsite. There are two main reasons for this: they are attracted by grassy clearings, and there are fewer wolves here than in the backcountry. However, the elk’s anti-predator strategy of staying near human habituation increases the risk of colliding with vehicles and trains.
Read More
Wolverines and coyotes competing for space in Rocky Mountains: New research reveals how industrial disturbances contribute to at-risk wolverine declines
For every unit increase in linear features, wolverines and coyotes were 3 times more likely to co-occur.
Read More