Blue Jay, Vol.45, Issue 4
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WILDLIFE '87: GAINING MOMENTUM P.S. TAYLOR, 1714 Prince of Wales Avenue, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. S7K 3E5 Environment Minister Tom McMillan Wildlife '87 aims were to recognize the designated 1987 “a year of wildlife con¬ importance of wildlife conservation in servation in Canada." It was to mark 100 Canada, to increase public awareness of years since the establishment, by Sir John our wildlife heritage, to establish new con¬ A. MacDonald on 8 June 1887, of the first servation projects, to protect and set aside bird sanctuary in Canada at Last Mountain important wild areas and to involve Lake, Saskatchewan. Although the idea of people young and old in conservation dedicating the year to wildlife was en¬ projects. dorsed by provincial and territorial wildlife ministers, it was the non¬ Wildlife '87 Newsletters recorded the government conservation groups which events. Two new naturalist clubs were took the initiative and played a lead role formed in New Brunswick in January. in making "Wildlife '87" a success. The Symposia on Bear-People Conflicts, Nor¬ Canadian Nature Federation coordinated thern Forest Owls, the Fraser River and communicated with participating Estuary, Canada's Wetlands Ecology and groups across Canada. In February 1986, Conservation, and Workshops on Bird a national committee chaired by Joy Finlay Banding, and Urban Natural Areas were of Edmonton began to bring attention to held. Bald Eagle and Peregrine Falcon the many conservation efforts planned for release projects were undertaken. The Boy 1987. Scouts were awarded the World Conser- Award presentation to Wildlife '87 Chairperson Joy Finlay by Prince Philip Bob Lane 192 Blue Jay vation Badge. Newfoundland voted for delegates from 60 nations. The 16th An¬ Black Spruce and the Puffin as their pro¬ nual Canadian Nature Federation meeting vincial tree and bird and British Colum¬ was held in Saskatoon. In the fall were the bia selected the Steller's Jay as their pro¬ annual meetings of the Canadian Parks vincial bird. There were Owl Howls, Bird and Wilderness Society and the Whoop¬ Fairs, Decoy Carving Competitions, Bir- ing Crane Conservation Association. dathons, Amphibian Hunts, Slide Com¬ Delegates from all these meetings visited petitions, and Park Weekends. Hamilton, Last Mountain Lake. Finally, the Second Ontario hosted the Coote's Paradise International Muskox Symposium was Wildlife Festival. Several books were held in Saskatoon in October. published including the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas, a Wildlife '87 Teacher's At Last Mountain Lake a number of pro¬ Manual and Our Wildlife Heritage - a cen¬ jects were completed by the Canadian tury of use and management in B.C. Wildlife Service and cooperators for im¬ proved wildlife management and public The first Wildlife Reserve protected information. In cooperation with Ducks under the Wildlife '87 Program was 64 Unlimited Canada, two dykes were con¬ hectares of aspen parkland east of Edmon¬ structed on Lanigan Creek, at the north ton. This was soon followed by seven new end of the main Basin. This will provide Ecological Reserves in Alberta and six permanent, extensive shallow marsh and Wilderness Areas in British Columbia. wet meadow habitats in areas which were Nova Scotia published its first Wildlife formerly flooded only in years of very high Policy and tabled a new Wildlife Act. New water levels. West of the lake a large elec¬ Brunswick designated a Nature Reserve tric pump was installed to provide water protecting the habitat of 17 species of or¬ to an alkali basin which in recent years chids. The Canadian commitment to the has often been dry. Both projects will Ramsar Convention was increased by manage water to provide marsh habitat for listing 11 new wetlands of International waterfowl, cranes, shorebirds and other Importance. wildlife. These are a few examples from over 160 A Public Information Centre was com¬ projects listed in the Wildlife '87 National pleted adjacent to the headquarters at the Calendar of Events by 10 May 1987. lake. In this kiosk are displays on the history, wildlife, habitats and management In July two new National Parks agree¬ programs of the area and information on ments were signed — one for Lyell Island Last Mountain Lake including a bird and part of southern Queen Charlotte checklist. An Auto Tape Tour, recently Islands, British Columbia, the second for revised, is available from the Area part of the Bruce Peninsula, Ontario. Dur¬ Manager. It takes one to several hours to ing the Parks Canada centennial year, drive the 14 km loop to view wildlife and 1985, not one new park was established! conservation programs while listening to In the fall of 1986 Environment Minister the tape recorded messages. There are McMillan had announced terms for also two self-guided nature trails, the establishing the Ellesmere Island Park Grassland Trail featuring a buffalo rubbing reserve and declared Polar Bear Pass on stone, and the Wetland Trail with a marsh Bathurst Island, N.W.T., as a National boardwalk. An observation tower is now Wildlife Area. located 1 km east of the Information Cen¬ tre. From this tower the spectacular sight Saskatchewan hosted several national of thousands of geese, cranes, ducks and and international conferences in 1987. At other birds moving on an autumn even¬ the Ramsar Conference in Regina were ing between feeding and roosting areas 45(4). December 1987 193 Presentation to Prince Philip of Robert Bateman painting of pelicans at Last Mountain fa^e Bob Lane 194 Blue Jay An historic day for Last Mountain Lake was 5 June 1987. An Agreement between Canada and Saskatchewan was signed to establish Last Mountain Lake as a National Wildlife Area, nearly 100 years after the site was first designated a sanctuary. After the signing a centennial plaque showing the original sanctuary lands was unveiled. His Royal Highness, The Prince Philip witnessed and gave his approval to the agreement drawing attention to wildlife conservation in Canada. An Environment Canada award was presented to Joy Finlay for her dedicated work for Wildlife '87, and a painting of “White Pelicans at Last Signing the agreement for Last Mountain Mountain Lake" by Robert Bateman was Lake National Wildlife Area Bob Lane given to Prince Philip. Proceeds from a limited edition of prints of the painting will go toward World Wildlife Fund conserva¬ tion programs. provides an insight into the importance of Last Mountain Lake as a staging area for What has beem accomplished by migrating birds. Wildlife '87? Although those who have struggled long towards establishment of A Centennial Display on Last Mountain a Grasslands National Park were deeply Lake was developed by the Canadian disappointed to see no final agreement Wildlife Service in conjunction with the between Saskatchewan and Canada, J.G. Diefenbaker Centre (University of many other conservation projects were Saskatchewan, Saskatoon). This display successfully completed. Most important of depicts wildlife conservation at locai, na¬ all, the need to work together for conser¬ tional and international levels and is filled vation became even more apparent as a with photos and historic information. The result of this year. The Gaining Momen¬ tour of Saskatchewan centres by this tum theme, suggesting that the work of travelling centennial display will continue wildlife conservation has just begun and into 1988. will go on beyond 1987, was well chosen. Plaque commemorating creation of the Last Mountain Lake National Wildlife Area Bob Lane 45(4). December 1987 195 .