Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Feature Inventory Feature Inventory for the Beaver Hills HA Development Plan

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Using This Chapter HA Field Staff This chapter provides the background knowledge required to provide accurate, meaningful HA services in the Beaver Hills. As time passes, they will be able to further develop the content of this chapter to reflect new information as it becomes available and new initiatives of PPA and its collaborators.

HA Head Office Staff and PPA Regional Staff This comprehensive, up-to-date overview of resources will also benefit managers and planners.

Others 2.1 Partner groups and agencies, volunteers, other collaborators, teachers and interested members of the public may also benefit from this chapter.

EcoLeaders Interpretation and Environmental Education Chapter 2 Feature Inventory

Contents: Feature Inventory Introduction … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.11 General Description … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.11 Location … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.11 Sidebar: A Time of Ice … … … … … … … … … … … 2.12 Geology … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.13 Significance … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.13 Bedrock … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.13 The Landscape Before the Glaciers Came … … … … … … … … … … 2.13 The Land Before the Ice Sheet … … … … … … … … … … … 2.13 Science of Scenery … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.13 Glacial Geomorphology … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.14 Depositional Landforms … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.14 Ground Moraine … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.14 Hummocky (Disintegration) Moraine … … … … … … … … … … 2.15 Prairie Doughnuts … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.15 A Mysterious Outcrops … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.15 Traces of Meltwater … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.16 Stream Trenches … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.16 Spillways … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.16 Melt-out Landforms … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.17 Kettles … … … … … … … Pages… … … … … … … 2.17 Lakes … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.17 How the Beaver HillsSample Were Formed … … … … … … … … … … … 2.17 Origin Theories of Common Landforms … … … … … … … … … … 2.18 The “Let-Down” Theory … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.18 The “Slump-In” Theory … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.19 The “Squeeze-Up” Hypothesis … … … … … … … … … … … 2.19 Joint Responsibility … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.20 Climate … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.21 Current Climate Highlights … … … … … … … … … … … 2.21 Don’t Like the Climate? Wait a While—Climate Change Through History … … … 2.21 Key Climactic Events … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.21 The End of the Ice Age … … … … … … … … … … … 2.21 The Medieval Warm Period … … … … … … … … … … 2.21 The Little Ice Age … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.21 The 1860s and Today … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.21 Future Climate … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.21 Climate Change Studies at Ministik Lakes Bird Sanctuary … … … … … … 2.22 More Weather Uncertainty … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.22 Potential Effects on Beaver Hills … … … … … … … … … … … 2.22 Hydrology … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.23 2.3 Habitat Classification … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.24 Sidebar: The Alberta Natural Heritage Information Centre (ANHIC) … … … 2.25 The Dry Mixedwood Subregion … … … … … … … … … … … 2.26 EcoLeaders Interpretation and Environmental Education Beaver Hills Heritage Appreciation Development Plan

Vegetation … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.27 Forest Succession … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.27 Trembling Aspen … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.27 Sidebar: Aspen As a Controller of Climate … … … … … … … 2.27 Wildlife In Boreal Forests … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.28 Birds … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.28 Mammals … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.29 Sidebar: Declining Leopard Frogs … … … … … … … … … 2.30 Amphibians and Reptiles … … … … … … … … … … … 2.30 Central Aspen Parkland Subregion … … … … … … … … … … … 2.31 Subregions … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.32 Wildlife in Aspen Parkland … … … … … … … … … … … 2.33 Habitats of the Beaver Hills … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.34 Terrestrial Habitats … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.34 Forests … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.34 Aspen Forests … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.34 Aspen–Balsam Poplar Forests … … … … … … … … … … 2.34 Balsam Poplar Forests … … … … … … … … … … … 2.34 Mixed Forest … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.34 White Spruce Forest … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.34 Non-Forest Habitats … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.35 Grasslands and Dry Shrublands … … … … … … … … … … 2.35 Beaver Shrublands … … … Pages… … … … … … … … … 2.35 Weed Disclimaxes … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.35 SampleSidebar: Swimmer’s Itch—A Duck’s Reply to Duck Hunting … … … … 2.35 Aquatic Habitats … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.35 Lakes … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.35 Key Lakes of the Region … … … … … … … … … … … 2.35 Shallow Lakes … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.35 Vulnerable Habitat … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.35 Trends … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.36 Location … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.37 Bird Species … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.37 Sidebar: Lake Sweet Lake … … … … … … … … … … 2.37 Location … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.37 Bird Species … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.37 Ponds and Sloughs … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.38 The Prairie Pothole Region … … … … … … … … … … … 2.38 The Moraine’s Duck Factory … … … … … … … … … … … 2.38 Wetlands … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.39 Swamps … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.39 Meadows and Marshes … … … … … … … … … … … 2.39 Sidebar: A Summary of the Regional Importance of the Beaver Hills … … … 2.40 Peatlands … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.40 2.4 Important Natural Processes in the Beaver Hills … … … … … … … … … 2.41 Forest Insects and Disease … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.41

EcoLeaders Interpretation and Environmental Education Chapter 2 Feature Inventory

Beaver Colonies … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.42 Sidebar: Observable Behaviour … … … … … … … … … 2.43 Sidebar: Beaver Basics … … … … … … … … … … … 2.43 Fire … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.44 History … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.45 Land Use Prior to Euro-Canadian Settlement … … … … … … … … … 2.45 European Contact and Beyond … … … … … … … … … … … 2.45 Sidebar: Information Gold Mine … … … … … … … … … 2.45 Early European History … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.46 Settlement … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.46 Railway Development … … … … … … … … … … … 2.47 Present Day … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.47 Conservation History … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.47 Conservation Easements … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.48 The Beaver Hills Initiative … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.49 Recreation History … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.49 Waskahegan Trail … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.49 Important Provincial Protected Areas and Designated Areas … … … … … … … 2.51 Key PPAs … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.51 Minor PPAs … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.51 Protected Areas Managed by Other Provincial Agency … … … … … … … 2.51 Environmentally Significant Areas … … … …Pages … … … … … … 2.51 Designations … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.51 Key Sites ManagedSample by Alberta Parks and Protected Areas … … … … … … 2.51 Provincial Parks … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.51 Recreation Areas … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.51 Environmentally Significant Areas in Alberta … … … … … … … 2.52 Natural Areas … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.52 Heritage Rangelands … … … … … … … … … … … 2.53 Other Important Designations … … … … … … … … … … … 2.53 Environmentally Significant Areas … … … … … … … … … 2.53 Game Bird Sanctuary … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.53 Cooking Lake–Blackfoot Grazing, Wildlife and Provincial Grazing Area (CL–BGWPRA) … … 2.55 Background … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.55 Recreation Facilities … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.55 Grazing Facilities … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.55 Habitats … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.55 Terrestrial Habitats … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.55 Cattle … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.56 Biology of Cattle … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.56 Sidebar: Cattle Facts … … … … … … … … … … … 2.57 Sidebar: Cattle Breeds Seen on the Grazing Reserve … … … … … … 2.57 Aquatic Habitats … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.57 2.5 Lakes … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.57 Ponds … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.58

EcoLeaders Interpretation and Environmental Education Beaver Hills Heritage Appreciation Development Plan

Aquatic Plant Communities … … … … … … … … … … … 2.58 Aquatic Animal Communities … … … … … … … … … … … 2.58 HA Assets … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.59 Natural Features … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.59 Great Blue Heron Nesting Colony … … … … … … … … … … 2.59 Major Lakes Ponds and Sloughs … … … … … … … … … … … 2.59 Remnant Old-growth White Spruce Groves … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.59 Trails … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.60 Self-Guided Interpretive Trail Brochures … … … … … … … … … 2.66 Built Features … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.67 Heritage Interpretation Centre … … … … … … … … … … … 2.67 Staff Office … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.67 Kiosks at Staging Areas … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.67 Historic Line Cabin … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.68 Original Forest Ranger House … … … … … … … … … … … 2.68 Sorting Corral … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.68 Backcountry Trail Shelters … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.69 Picnic Shelters … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.69 Trail Signs … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.70 Management … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.70 History … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.75 Conservation History … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.75 History of Grazing … … … … Pages… … … … … … … … … 2.75 Miquelon Lake Provincial Park … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.77 BackgroundSample … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.77 Access … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.77 Water and Watershed … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.77 Lakes … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.77 Water Quality … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.79 Habitats … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.80 Aspen Forest … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.80 White Spruce Forest … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.80 Disturbed Grasslands … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.80 Ponds and Marshes … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.81 Lakes … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.81 Wildlife … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.81 HA Assets … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.83 Natural Features … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.83 Zones … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.83 Trails … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.83 Lakes … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.85 Gull Island … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.85 Sidebar: Gull Basics … … … … … … … … … … … 2.85 2.6 Kettles … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.86 Built Features … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.87 General Comments … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.87

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Visitor Centre … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.87 Interpretive Exhibits … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.87 Info Centre/Park Office … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.87 Picnic Shelters … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.87 Amphitheatre … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.87 Self-Guided Interpretive Materials … … … … … … … … … … … 2.88 Family Adventure Packs … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.88 Miquelon Trail Contest … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.88 Information/Orientation Brochures … … … … … … … … … … 2.88 Park Newspaper … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.88 Interpretation/Information Signs … … … … … … … … … … 2.89 Grebe Pond … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.89 Information Cubes … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.90 Recreation Features … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.91 Fishing … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.91 Swimming and Boating … … … … … … … … … … … 2.91 Recreation Equipment … … … … … … … … … … … 2.91 Sidebar: The Naming of Miquelon Lake … … … … … … … … 2.91 History … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.91 Settlement … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.91 History of Resource Management … … … … … … … … … … 2.91 Prescribed Fire … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.92 Management … … … … … … … …Pages … … … … … … 2.92 Background … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.95 Beaverhill Lake Natural AreaSample and Heritage Rangeland … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.95 Designations … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.95 Physical Features … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.97 Habitats … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.97 Shoreline Habitats … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.97 Sidebar: Beaverhill Lake—A RAMSAR Site … … … … … … … 2.98 Sidebar: Highlights of Birding at Beaverhill Lake … … … … … … 2.98 Terrestrial Habitats … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.98 The Flyway Connection … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.98 Other Birds … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.99 Mammals … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.99 Minor PPA Protected Areas … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.100 Natural Areas … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.100 Antler Lake Island Natural Area … … … … … … … … … … … 2.100 Antler Lake Island Natural Area … … … … … … … … … … … 2.101 Hastings Lake Islands Natural Area … … … … … … … … … … … 2.102 North Cooking Lake Natural Area … … … … … … … … … … … 2.103 Parkland Natural Area … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.105 The Old Edmonton Trail … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.106 2.7 Sherwood Park Natural Area … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.106 Other Areas of Importance … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.109

EcoLeaders Interpretation and Environmental Education Beaver Hills Heritage Appreciation Development Plan

Ministik Lakes Game Bird Sanctuary … … … … … … … … … … 2.109 History of the Site … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.110 Waterfowl Production … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.111 Other Wildlife … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.111 Trails … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.112 Snowmobile and Equestrian Trails … … … … … … … … … … 2.113 Significance of Ministik Lakes Game Bird Sanctuary … … … … … … … 2.114 Management … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.114 Other Ongoing Research … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.115 Environmentally Significant Areas … … … … … … … … … … … 2.116 Big Hay Lake … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.116 Cooking Lake … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.117 Hastings Lake … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.118 Appendix 1: Main Plant Associations of The CL–BGWPRA … … … … … … … 2.121

Figures: Figure 2.1: The protected areas and environmentally significant areas of the Beaver Hills … … 2.10 Figure 2.2: Surface geology of the Beaver Hills … … … … … … … … … 2.11 Figure 2.3: Bedrock formations … … … … … … … … … … … 2.12 Figure 2.4: Ground moraine east of Beaverhill Lake … … … … … … … … 2.14 Figure 2.5: Hummocky moraine … … …Pages … … … … … … … … 2.15 Figure 2.6: Melt-out landform: Miquelon Lake … … … … … … … … … 2.16 Figure 2.7Sample Melt-out landform: kettle … … … … … … … … … … … 2.16 Figure 2.8 Formation of hummocky moraine as the glacier retreated … … … … … 2.17 Figure 2.9: Steps in the slump-in theory … … … … … … … … … … 2.19 Figure 2.10: Steps in the squeeze-up theory … … … … … … … … … 2.20 Figure 2.11: Drainage pattern of the Beaver Hills … … … … … … … … 2.23 Figure 2.12: Natural regions of Alberta … … … … … … … … … … 2.24 Figure 2.13: Red squirrel on white spruce … … … … … … … … … … 2.29 Figure 2.14: Wood frog … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.32 Figure 2.15: Porcupine … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.33 Figure 2.16: Aspen forest … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.34 Figure 2.17: Balsam poplar … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.34 Figure 2.18: Mixed forest … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.34 Figure 2.19: White spruce forest … … … … … … … … … … … 2.34 Figure 2.20: Beaver shrubland … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.34 Figure 2.21: Major lakes in the Beaver Hills … … … … … … … … … 2.36 Figure 2.22: Migrating snow geese at Beaverhill Lake … … … … … … … … 2.38 Figure 2.23: Prairie Pothole region … … … … … … … … … … … 2.38 Figure 2.24: Female mallard with her brood … … … … … … … … … 2.38 Figure 2.25: Forest tent caterpillar, a major defoliator of aspen … … … … … … 2.41 Figure 2.26: Beaver pond and lodge … … … … … … … … … … … 2.42 2.8 Figure 2.27: Beaver swimming … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.42 Figure 2.28: Beaver trail … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.42

EcoLeaders Interpretation and Environmental Education Chapter 2 Feature Inventory

Figure 2.29: Beaver dam … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.42 Figure 2.30: Signs of beaver activity … … … … … … … … … … … 2.42 Figure 2.31: Site of ground fire at Elk Island National Park May 2004 … … … … … 2.44 Figure 2.32: Grand Trunk locomotive #1 … … … … … … … … … … 2.47 Figure 2.33: Map: Waskahegan Trails … … … … … … … … … … 2.48 Figure 2.34: Map: The Beaver Hills showing main PPAs, Game Bird Sanctuaries and ESAs …2.50 Figure 2.35: Map: Cooking Lake–Blackfoot Grazing, Wildlife and Provincial Recreation Area 2.54 Figure 2.36: Island on Islet Lake: a refuge of old-growth white spruce … … … … … 2.56 Figure 2.37: Range cattle … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.56 Figure 2.38: Blackfoot Lake … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.57 Figure 2.39: Pond beside White-tail Trail … … … … … … … … … … 2.58 Figure 2.40: Tiger salamander … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.58 Figure 2.41: Trails in CL–BGWPRA … … … … … … … … … … … 2.62 Figure 2.42: Information kiosk at Waskahegan Staging Area … … … … … … … 2.67 Figure 2.43 Old line rider’s cabin … … … … … … … … … … … 2.68 Figure 2.44: Sorting Corral … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.68 Figure 2.45: Picnic shelter at Waskehegan Staging Area … … … … … … … 2.69 Figure 2.46: Wildlife information sign … … … … … … … … … … 2.70 Figure 2.47: Map Miquelon Lake Provincial Park … … … … … … … … 2.78 Figure 2.48: Shore of Miquelon Lake 3 … … … … … … … … … … 2.79 Figure 2.49: Dense forest understory … … … … … … … … … … 2.80 Figure 2.50: Map: Hiking trails in Miquelon Lake Provincial Park … … … … … … 2.84 Figure 2.51: Large information sign at Grebe Pond … …Pages … … … … … … 2.89 Figure 2.52: Two other interpretive signs at Grebe Pond … … … … … … … 2.89 Figure 2.53: Three facesSample of an Information Cube … … … … … … … … 2.90 Figure 2.54: Canvasback … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.99 Figure 2.55: American Coot … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.99 Figure 2.56: Map: Location of Antler Lake Natural Area … … … … … … … 2.100 Figure 2.57: Map: Location of Edgar T. Jones Natural Area … … … … … … … 2.101 Figure 2.58: Map: Location of Hastings Lake Islands Natural Area … … … … … 2.102 Figure 2.59: Map: Location of North Cooking Lake Natural Area … … … … … 2.103 Figure 2.60: Sloughs and wetlands of North Cooking Lake Natural Area … … … … 2.104 Figure 2.61: Map: Location of Parkland Natural Area … … … … … … … … 2.105 Figure 2.62: Several large slough are located on the edges of Parkland Natural Area … … … 2.105 Figure 2.63: Map: Location of Sherwood Park Natural Area … … … … … … … 2.106 Figure 2.64: Wildlife viewing platform … … … … … … … … … … 2.107 Figure 2.65: Interpretive kiosk near trailhead … … … … … … … … … 2.107 Figure 2.66: Map: Ministik Lakes Game Bird Sanctuary … … … … … … … 2.108 Figure 2.67: Mallard nest … … … … … … … … … … … … 2.111 Figure 2.68: Snow geese resting on pasture … … … … … … … … … … 2.111 Figure 2.69: Map: Snowmobile Trails at Ministik … … … … … … … … 2.112 Figure 2.70: Map: Agricultural land use at Ministik Lakes Game Bird Sanctuary … … … 2.114 Figure 2.71: Entrance gate to the University of Alberta field station … … … … … 2.115 Figure 2.72: Map: Cooking Lake Environmentally Sensitive Area … … … … … … 2.117 2.9 Figure 2.73: Map: Hastings Lake Environmentally Sensitive Area … … … … … … 2.109

EcoLeaders Interpretation and Environmental Education Beaver Hills Heritage Appreciation Development Plan

Figure 2.1: Enhanced satellite image showing the protected areas and environmentally significant areas of the Beaver Hills.

Special Thanks to Alberta Natural Heritage Information Centre (ANHIC) for this image.

Image compiled by Duke Pages Sample

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EcoLeaders Interpretation and Environmental Education Chapter 2 Feature Inventory

areas identified by the Alberta Natural Heritage Introduction Information Centre (ANHIC). This chapter reviews the key natural, cultural and historical features of the Beaver Hills. It looks at the This information is required to provide accurate, Beaver Hills in general and then it covers the key meaningful HA services in the Beaver Hills. protected areas managed by the province of Alberta as well as the main environmentally significant

longitudes 112° 40’ and 130° 45’ west. Its oval shape General Description encompasses an area of approximately 2,850 to 3,100 square kilometers (1,100 to 1,200 square miles), with Location the long axis trending NNE–SSW (see Figures 2.1 The Cooking Lake Moraine (Beaver Hills) was and 2.2). It is composed of two units of till. The exact formed by the Laurentide Ice Sheet advancing into times of ice advance into the area are uncertain and it central Alberta. The moraine is the product of is not clear whether the two till units were deposited physical processes at work in a stagnating mass of during two closely spaced advances or two quite ice. Located about five miles east of Edmonton, it distinct advances. is between latitudes 53° 00’ and 53° 46’ north and

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Figure 2.2 Surface Geology of the Beaver Hills Map from Surficial Geology of Edmonton NTS 83H, Alberta Research Council 1968.

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EcoLeaders Interpretation and Environmental Education Chapter 2 Feature Inventory Geology The Landscape Before the Glaciers Came Because the continental glacier bulldozed through Significance the original landscape, most details of the original To effectively interpret the Cooking Lake Moraine landscape have been obliterated. However, geologists and why the Beaver Hills exist, it is important to have been able to deduce the general pattern of understand the geological history of the region. drainage systems. In this part of Alberta, this means the history of glaciation. The geomorphology of the moraine is the result of the coming and then the disintegration The Land Before the Ice Sheet of the glacial ice sheets of the Wisconsin glaciation To the west of the Cooking Lake divide, surface period. This involved complex processes that can water drained from the west to north-west into only be inferred from studying the landscape’s the preglacial North Saskatchewan River valley. structure, which can be difficult as many of the Although it did not occupy the same channel as it geological features are difficult to see. The area’s does today, it did flow through the same general area. geology is a story of the formation and persistence of East of the divide, in the area around Cooking and the moraine in the landscape of central Alberta. The Hastings lakes, there was a 200 foot deep trough landscape formed at that time has and continues to running roughly west to east. This channel carried interact with the climate, hydrology and ecology of most of the surface drainage of the upland eastwards, this unique landscape. into the preglacial Athabasca River to the north-east. Two shallower channels, which now contain Ministik Bedrock Lake and Joseph and Oliver lakes, contained rivers The Beaver Hills area was an upland underlain by flowing to the northeast. upper Cretaceous bedrock. The bedrock consists of three marine formations (see Figure 2.3). Listed in Pages order of increasing age these are: • Edmonton Formation Science of Scenery SampleAccording to the Dictionary of Geology, - sandstone, mudstone, shale, ironstone and coal beds geomorphology is the science of scenery. Other - overlies the other two formations geologists give it a more pedestrian definition—the - forms a distinct scarp in a north-west study of landforms. to south-east direction in a line from The Beaver Hills are a hotbed of glacial Lamont to the north-western shore of geomorphological features—evidence that this Beaverhill Lake landscape has changed. Several key features and - scarp marks the boundary between the processes are discussed below. bumpy hummocky landscape of the moraine and the smoother, flatter ground moraine landscape of the surrounding The Effects of Glaciation plain Like most of Alberta, the Cooking Lake Moraine • Bearpaw Formation area was glaciated during Wisconsin period (see A - silty-shale and clay rich sandstone Time of Ice) by a continental glacier which advanced - overlies the Belly River Formation in a south-westerly direction from central Keewatin • Belly River Formation in Nunuvut. The glacier’s maximum thickness was - sandstone, siltstone and mudstone about 2.6 km or one mile. In many areas, this heavy, moving mass of ice pushed and ground its way down The Cooking Lake Moraine is located on a rise of to the soft sedimentary bedrock of the region. land where the local bedrock is slightly higher than the surrounding plain. This rise, the Cooking Lake divide, is responsible for capturing the large block 2.13 of retreating glacial ice sheet that generated the knob and kettle landscape of the area.

EcoLeaders Interpretation and Environmental Education Beaver Hills Heritage Appreciation Development Plan

Meltwater Lakes Glacial Geomorphology According to most researchers (e.g., St. Ongehe 1970), Every region in the world today where glaciers and the retreat of the glacier from central Alberta was ice masses are stagnating presents first hand evidence geologically speaking almost instantaneous. Vegetation to support the idea knob and kettle landscapes are (aspen, willow and buffaloberry) took hold shortly after the retreat. formed by the melting of stagnating (non-moving ice sheets). The melting glacier released huge amounts of water and as the natural drainage of region is northeasterly and the The geomorphology of the Cooking Lake Moraine/ glacier retreated in that same direction, meltwater was Beaver Hills has changed little since its formation. dammed up in front of the glacier producing a series of A major reason for its lack of change is the poor large (many hundreds of square kilometers), relatively development of surface drainage. There are no short-lived lakes. As the glacier melted back, these lakes major rivers in the area that could have carved and mover north-eastward, following the ice-face, finding rearranged the landscape. constantly new and lower outlets. One lake—Lake Edmonton—at one time reached the edge of the Therefore, the landscape of the moraine is very Cooking Lake Moraine and extended to the west. similar to that which was left by the retreating glacier The old lake bed is generally fairly flat and covered over 10,000 years ago. by fine sedimentary deposits, but in places like the Cooking Lake Moraine, the lake bed has a very The Beaver Hills possesses excellent-examples of rough topography, a function both of conditions many types of glacial landforms. However, many of sedimentation in the lake and of the topography of these are not immediately discernible from the of the underlying materials. Lake Edmonton was ground. Some are only distinctive when seen on drained finally by the North Saskatchewan River aerial photographs. Emerson (1977) has divided these in the altithermal period (in the mid-Holocene— land-forms into three groups: approximately 4,000-8,000 years ago—when the climate • depositional of the area was much warmer and drier than at present). • erosional The sequence of meltwater lakes formed as the glacier Pages• melt-out retreated is shown in the set of diagrams. The sequence represents a periodSample of about 2,000 years. Depositional Landforms Ground Moraine Ground moraine was deposited at the base of a slowly moving continental ice sheet. Emerson (1977) defines this landscape as the flat landscape that surrounds the Cooking Lake moraine. It generally has a rise or fall of less than one metre (ten feet) Figure 2.4: from the top of a hummock (hill) to the bottom of Ground adjacent depressions. As well, the distance between Moraine hummocks is greater than thirty-seven metres (40 east of yards). Beaverhill The Cooking Lake Moraine is surrounded by ground Lake moraine. Beaverhill and Lake, Miquelon Lake 1 are located in ground moraine terrain. There is also an island of ground moraine south and east of Joseph Lake (located in the southwest corner of Ministik Lakes Game Bird Sanctuary. A second smaller island of ground moraine can be found south of Big Hay Lake. 2.14

EcoLeaders Interpretation and Environmental Education Chapter 2 Feature Inventory

Hummocky (Disintegration) Moraine Prairie Doughnuts Most geographers call this landform knob and kettle Of all the landforms related to ice-disintegration in topography. It is a combination of many different the Cooking Lake Moraine, prairie mounds are the landforms which developed as functions of the most common. They are sometimes referred to as physical properties of a unique disintegrating ice prairie doughnuts, because of their appearance when sheet (see Formation of Glacial Features below). In viewed from above. Typical mounds have: his study of the area, Emerson (1977) divided the • a circular shape landscape into three divisions: • a basal diameter of approximately ninety metres (300 feet) Low Hummocky Disintegration Moraine • a central depression, the rims of which are Similar to ground moraine but slightly taller about four and one half metres (15 feet) hummocks and more of them above the surrounding land • vertical relief variation between 0 and one - frequently has thin layer of pond metre (0–10 feet) sediment formed soon after the glacier • distance between adjacent hummock tops retreated (the original ponds having long being less than thirty-seven metres (40 dried up) yards) Less typically, some Cooking Lake Moraine prairie Medium Hummocky Disintegration Moraine doughnuts are not completely circular. • vertical relief variation between one and There is a field of prairie mounds/doughnuts located three metres (10–30 feet) to the west of Miquelon Lake 1, just south of the • distance between adjacent hummock tops boundary of Miquelon Lake Provincial Park. The being less than thirty-seven metres (40 density of prairie mounds varies from place to place. yards) Highest densities tend to occur near the edges of the High Hummocky Disintegration Moraine moraine. Lowest densities are found in the centre • vertical relief variation over three metres and towardPages the north east. (>30 feet) • distance between Sampleadjacent hummock tops A Mysterious Outcrops being less than thirty-seven metres (40 Emerson (1977) located several outcrops. He yards) indicated that there is some debate in geological The Cooking Lake Moraine contains all three types circles as to whether the outcrops are truly part distributed randomly. of the bedrock or whether they form part of an extremely large erratic rafted in on glacial ice from the Grand Rapids Formation of the Fort McMurray area. Analyses of the microfauna fossils embedded in the rocks support the idea that the outcrops are part of a huge erratic—a rock raft of approximately twenty square kilometers (eight square miles).

Figure 2.5: Hummocky Moraine Note the typical knob (ridge in background) and kettle (pond 2.15 in foreground) topography

EcoLeaders Interpretation and Environmental Education Chapter 2 Feature Inventory

Melt-out Landforms How the Beaver Hills Were These landform features were formed by the direct melting of ice blocks either on or below the surface Formed of the ground. There is a significant difference between the landscape of the haphazard bumpy knob and kettle landscape of the Cooking Lake Moraine and that Kettles of the adjacent, relatively flat ground moraine. The These features, also called sloughs, range from large reason for the difference is that the ground moraine puddles to small lakes which partially fill inter- was deposited by the active, retreating main ice sheet. hummock depressions (see facing page). They were This ice was moving under two influences. formed as ice blocks imbedded in the till melted during the last stages of ice stagnation. They are The first was a movement forward as the active ice typically between 18 to 20 meters in diameter (20 to flowed from its thicker centre in Keewatin like slow- 30 yards) with depths between less than 1.5 metres motion blob of jelly slowly flattening as it oozes (five feet) and greater than 5.8 metres (nineteen feet). across a plate. The active ice was like a conveyor belt moving a steady stream of rocks and debris south- Lakes westward (see Sidebar: A Time of Ice). The lakes (see facing page) in the region were formed The second influence on the main ice sheet was either by the melting of very large blocks of ice or heat. The climate was changing as warm weather by the blocking of streams and rivers by ice and till patterns were moving in from the south, melting the debris. glacier faster than it was moving southward. As a result, the retreating ice face was an ever-shortening conveyor-belt dropping a fairly even load of till across its retreating front, resulting in a smooth, even landscape. Pages In contrast, landscapes formed by disintegrating stagnant, stranded ice sheets are much more rugged. SampleThis is how the Beaver Hills were formed (see Figure 2.7). Figure 2.8: Formation of hummocky and ground moraine as the glacier retreated Crevasses Glacier 1. Intact Glacier

2. Stagnant ice remains Debris accumulates on ice surface as it melts Stagnant Ice Glacier Block Breaks from main sheet Stagnant ice breaks up into smaller blocks

Glacier 3. Glacier Continues to Retreat Knob and Kettle landscape Ground Moraine—flat or gently rolling 4. Today 2.17

EcoLeaders Interpretation and Environmental Education Beaver Hills Heritage Appreciation Development Plan

Origin Theories for Common Landforms Most geologists agree that the lumpy landscape of the Beaver Hills was formed when a huge sheet of ice, approximately the size of the present moraine, became separated from the main face of the moving glacier as it retreated to the northeast. This block sat stationary and slowly disintegrated. A. Emerson in his 1977 M.Sc. thesis, The surfical geology of the Cooking Lake Moraine, east-central Alberta, Canada, described and illustrated the major theories explaining the formations of key landforms in the Beaver Hills. Much of the information below is from his study. The exact mechanism by which the bumpy knob and kettle terrain was formed by the melting ice has been a subject of much thought, discussion and debate. The main current theories are discussed below.

The “Let-Down” Theory This theory describes the process of the formation of landforms from the melting of a non-moving ice Pagesformation. Stages in the “let-down” hypothesis include: • early stages of ice melting on the upper Sample surface of the ice block leaves random distributions of rocky debris over the surface of the stagnating ice sheet • differential rates of melting below this uneven cover take place - areas with a thin cover of rocky debris melt quicker than exposed ice as sunlight heats the darker rocks - light coloured ice reflects the sunlight energy and melts slower than ice with a thin coating of debris - thick covers of debris insulate the ice and slows down melting • pits form in the surface the ice as the warmed rocky debris melts the ice around it • other surface material slumps into the pits under gravity • soon these pits contain a thick layer of debris which now insulates the ice below it As a result of the interaction of surface debris and melting ice, the disintegrating ice sheet melts at 2.18 varying rates. As the ice melts, the rocky debris is shifted as it rolls off high points and falls into pits. Eventually, when the ice melts down to the

EcoLeaders Interpretation and Environmental Education Chapter 2 Feature Inventory underlying bedrock, the burden of debris that had The “Squeeze-Up” Hypothesis been imbedded into the glacial ice has been shifted This theory involves the squeezing up of a semi- into a random landscape of small hills and ridges. liquified slurry of meltwater and till materials from under the ice sheet, upward into crevasses (see Figure The “Slump-In” Theory 2.8). This material would be under tremendous This theory explains the formation of ridges and pressure from the weight of tons of ice. Emerson prairie mounds. The process includes the following (1977) reported that this process could produce linear steps (see Figure 2.7): ridges and also prairie mounds. • melting of the ice sheet is accentuated along joints and crevasses which eventually open up to the underlying bedrock • the ice is rich in debris (rocks, gravel, sand and silt) which slumps off the surface into the crevasses, building up to form either - a mound of debris at the bottom of a hole - or a ridge at the base of a linear crevasse • ice on either side of the mound or ridge melts leaving the slumped in debris as a free- standing land-form - this model predicts that in many mounds there would be a small central lake, which explains the central depression in prairie mounds

Figure 2.9: Steps in the Slump-In Theory Pages Sample 1. Surface debris is carried into crevaces

2. More debris accumulates, a central pond forms

3. Glacier Continues to Retreat

4. Today 2.19

EcoLeaders Interpretation and Environmental Education Beaver Hills Heritage Appreciation Development Plan

Joint Responsibility Based on his field observations of the Cooking Lake Moraine, Emerson (1977) concluded that the let-down, squeeze-up and slump-in processes were jointly responsible to varying degrees in the development of the landforms of the Beaver Hills. He ranked the process in the above order of most important to least important in forming the topography of the Cooking Lake Moraine. These processes together formed the hummocky topography known today as the Cooking Lake Moraine or Beaver Hills.

Figure 2.10: Steps in the “Squeeze-Up” Theory

1. Debris Step 1 accumulates as ice melts, crevasses form.

2. Crevasses widen as melting Pages continues. Debris falls in from above Step 3 and liquefiedSample debris is squeezed in from below.

Step 3

3. and 4. Mounds grow in size as glacier melts Step 4

Step 5 5. Today 2.20

EcoLeaders Interpretation and Environmental Education Beaver Hills Heritage Appreciation Development Plan

Dry Mixedwood Subregion

PagesThe Dry Mixedwood Subregion, with a total area of 100,647.48 square km, is Alberta’s second largest Sample subregion. It is located on level to undulating terrain. Surfical materials are mostly till (ground moraine and hummocky moraine) with some areas of dunes and sandy outwash plain. The subregion is part of the Boreal Forest Ecoregion and is divided into three parts: • in the northwest centered around much of the Peace River Valley • along the northern and western edge of the Central Aspen Parkland subregion • the Beaver Hills - this area is often referred to as a disjunct portion of the subregion This is Not Aspen Parkland In the past many people and reports have referred to the Cooking Lake Moraine and the Beaver Hills landscape as aspen parkland. The Dry Mixedwood Subregion and aspen parkland share many characteristics, but, the Dry Mixedwood is part of the boreal forest and is slightly moister and has a higher percentage of conifers, especially white 2.26 spruce.

EcoLeaders Interpretation and Environmental Education Chapter 2 Feature Inventory

Vegetation Trembling Aspen The Dry Mixedwood Subregion is transitional Trembling aspen gets its name from its leaves which between the Central Aspen Parkland and Central tremble in the breeze because of air pressure on their Mixedwood subregions so there are community flattened leafstalks and leaves. types common to all three. The differences are Trembling aspen is a short-lived, rapidly growing tree largely in the proportion of specific vegetation types that has a distinctive white trunk with black or gray and other landscape features. The Alberta Natural patches. The bark is white, smooth, and has a slightly Heritage Information Centre identifies the dominant chalky appearance. The male and female flowers are trees of the Dry Mixedwood subregion as: borne on separate trees and are arranged in hanging • aspen catkins. The leaves are ovate to round, but pointed at - an important species in all three the apex. Leaves are shiny green above and dull green subregions, occurring in both pure and underneath. mixed stands Trembling aspen is found in many different habitats and • balsam poplar on a variety of soil types. - frequently occurs with aspen especially This species grows singly or in multi-stemmed clones on moister sites in depressions and along over 111° of longitude and 48° of latitude for the widest streams distribution of any native tree species in North America. The range extends from Newfoundland and Labrador west across Canada along the northern limit of trees to Forest Succession the northwest and southeast through Yukon and British White spruce and, eventually in some areas, balsam Columbia into the western United States. fir can increase or replace aspen and balsam poplar The tree’s root system is extensive, and may encompass as stand dominants. However, frequent fire seldom large areas, even when above ground vegetation is permits this to occur and pure deciduous stands are relatively sparse. Lateral roots may extend more than common in much of the southern part of the Dry thirty metres into adjacent open areas. Lateral roots Mixedwood Subregion. Older stands in protected occur in thePages top metre of soil, but vertical sinker roots sites, such as islands, may have significant amounts of may extend to depths of two metres or more. Lateral white spruce and balsam fir. roots are able to sucker and produce new stems after fire Sampleor other disturbance. Pioneers Found Lots of Spruce Although individual stems are relatively short-lived, White spruce was the dominant tree in the Beaver clones are not, and may survive for hundreds or even Hills when the first European explorers and pioneers thousands of years. (Some aspen clones in the USA’s arrived. Lumbering and fires in the early 1900s have Great Basin are at least 8,000 years old. It is suggested resulted in a complete successional change with that a very few clones may have originated in the apsen as the dominant tree and only a few spruce Pliocene and survived 1,000,000 years or more by remaining. suckering).

More than Aspen and Spruce Mixedwood forests generally contain a mosaic of deciduous and coniferous patches with species typical of each occurring through the stand. Paper birch may occur in these forests as well. Aspen As a Controller of Climate The Alberta Natural Heritage Information Centre Recent research results from the Boreal Ecosystem- indicates that upland aspen forests contain a diverse Atmosphere Study (BOREAS), in Saskatchewan and understory that may include: Manitoba, showed that during the summer, aspen • low-bush cranberry forests release nearly twice as much water vapour but • beaked hazel only about half as much heat into the atmosphere • prickly rose compared with adjacent coniferous forests. Aspen forests thus appear to be acting as “giant humidifiers” • red-osier dogwood on the landscape. It is therefore not just a question of • bluejoint grass how climate change may affect our forests. Changes 2.27 • wild sarsaparilla in our forests will also affect the rate at which climate • dewberry change occurs.

EcoLeaders Interpretation and Environmental Education Chapter 2 Feature Inventory

Central Aspen Parkland Subregion

Aspen Parkland According Pagesto the World Wildlife Fund The importance of aspen parkland to the Beaver (www.worldwildlife.org/wildworld/profiles/ Hills is that it is the habitatSample that surrounds the terrestrial/na/na0802_full.html), the Aspen Parkland region. and Forests ecoregion represents the most extensive boreal-grassland transition in the world. The Central Plains region of Canada encompasses much of the land area of the prairie provinces, With the exception of some small fingers that extend from the central and western portions of southern into the USA, aspen parkland is found only in the Manitoba, to the lower half of Saskatchewan, to most Canadian west. In Alberta it represents about 12% of Alberta, and a small part of northeastern British of province’s area (37, 000 square kilometres). It is Columbia. The total area is about 114.9 million a transition zone or ecotone between the cooler, hectares, or 12% of Canada’s area (State of Canada’s moister boreal forest to the north and the warmer, Environment 1996). The region is divided into two dryer grasslands to the south. Before extensive zones: the prairie ecozone to the south, composed settlement occurred in this area the aspen groves mostly of agricultural cropland and grasslands; and were in a constant seesaw battle with grasslands the forested boreal plains ecozone to the north. The for territory—aspen expanding into the grassland two ecozones converge in a unique transition zone during moist years and the grassland, aided by fires, consisting mostly of aspen parkland, where the expanding into the forest during dry years. southern prairie gradually gives way to tree cover. The soils here are glacial till overlain by organic Habitat Loss and Degradation deposits that formed under a grass and tree vegetative The World Wildlife Fund estimates that less than complex. 10% of the natural aspen parkland in this region remains intact. Of the 90% disturbed, most has been This region is a subtle mosaic of aspen woodlands, converted to agricultural cropland or to grazing. A fescue grasslands, shrublands and wetlands on gently key reason for this habitat loss is the high fertility 2.31 rolling landscape. of dark, rich chernozemic soils and relative ease of clearing the land for agriculture.

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Habitats of the Beaver Hills

Figure 2.16: Aspen Forest Terrestrial Habitats The following descriptions are based on vegetation surveys of the CL–BGWPRA. This area was taken as typical of the entire Beaver Hills. A key feature is that there are a wide variety of habitats scatted throughout the Beaver Hills. See Appendix 1 for more details on the main plant associations of the CL–BGWPRA. Forests Figure 2.17: Aspen Forests Balsam This is the most common forest type in the area on Poplar well-drained ridge tops and mid-slopes with the characteristic plants include beaked hazelnut, prickly rose, and bunchberry.

Aspen–Balsam Poplar Forests This is a common variant of moist slopes, slope bases and wetland margins; red-osier dogwood and low- Figure 2.18: bush cranberry are characteristic. Mixed forest Pages Sample Balsam Poplar Forests This is a variant of the above in which aspen is sparse or absent. Balsam poplar forests are restricted to imperfectly to moderately well-drained slope bases, creek valleys, and wetland margins; the shrub layer is usually lush. High-bush cranberry often replaces Figure 2.19: low-bush cranberry in these forests. White spruce forest Mixed Forest This is a mixture of aspen, balsam poplar, and white spruce. It may also include paper birch or Alaska birch; Characteristic plants are wild red raspberry, dewberry, beaked hazelnut, red-osier dogwood and low-bush cranberry. Successional status varies from Figure 2.20: mature to old-growth. Beaver shrubland White Spruce Forest This is a rare type that once dominated the Beaver Hills. Fires at the turn of the 20th century destroyed most of spruce stands. Spruce forest exists only 2.34 in small patches, often on sites with lower fire probabilities such as islands. Feather mosses are typical. EcoLeaders Interpretation and Environmental Education Chapter 2 Feature Inventory

Non-Forest Habitats Aquatic Habitats Grasslands and Dry Shrublands Lakes There are few natural occurrences of these habitats. Lakes and ponds are a major feature of the knob and They are found on the driest slopes, with the kettle topography of much of the Beaver Hills. characteristic dominants Kentucky bluegrass, slender wheatgrass, prairie sagewort, northern bedstraw, Key Lakes of the Region Canada wild rye, saskatoon, or chokecherry. The principal chain of lakes in the Beaver Hills run from Miquelon at the upper end (elevation 2,502 Beaver Shrublands metres) to Beaverhill at the lower end at an elevation This is a transitional shrub community dependent of 2,192 metres. The main lakes of the region are on beaver activities found on slopes near beaver shown in the map on the following page. They ponds with the characteristic prickly rose, wild include: red raspberry, purple peavine, accompanied by • Antler Lake • Astotin Lake buckbrush, beaked hazelnut, saskatoon, chokecherry, • Beaverhill Lake • Big Hay Lake Bebb’s willow, and bluejoint reedgrass. Succession • Cooking Lake • Flyingshot Lake to deciduous forest takes place in the absence of • Hastings Lake • Joseph Lake beavers. • Ministik Lake • Miquelon Lake • Oster Lake • Tawayik Lake Weed Disclimaxes • Wanison Lake These are disturbance communities characterized by exotic (non-native), invasive weeds such as Shallow Lakes dandelion, white clover, Kentucky and Canada Almost all the lakes in the Beaver Hills are very bluegrass, smooth brome, timothy, Canada thistle, shallow, for example the Miquelon Lakes and Beaverhill LakePages have maximum depths between smooth perennial sow thistle, wild red raspberry, slender wheatgrass, and in wetter areas, bluejoint two and four metres. Sunlight penetrates through reedgrass, tickle grass, CanadaSample thistle, silverweed, the water to the lake bottom where its energy is duckweed, and nodding beggarticks. converted to heat and directly warms the nutrient- rich water. Consequently these lakes are a living soup of nutritious algae, microbes, freshwater crustaceans and aquatic insects. This makes the lakes perfect migration diners for thousands of water birds. Kemper (1975) indicated Swimmer’s Itch—A Duck’s Reply to Duck that the main value of the larger lakes is as migration Hunting stops for waterfowl (ducks geese and swans) and Swimmer’s itch is a patchy red pinpoint skin rash wading birds (e.g., sandpipers and plovers). Every associated with itching on the parts of the body that year, tens of thousands of migrating birds stop at have been in the water. It is usually not severe. After the these lakes to rest and feed. More than 270 species of initial transient itching it disappears without treatment. birds have been identified at Beaverhill Lake. The itching occurs within 48 hours and may last up to seven days. The major, although not the only, cause of The lakes of the region are important breeding swimmer’s itch are flat-worm parasites (trematodes) of habitat for many aquatic birds. Sidebar: Lake Sweet aquatic/migrating birds. Lake lists the species identified by the Alberta Natural Heritage Information Centre to have The life cycles of these parasites involve snails as the first host and aquatic birds or some mammals as the breeding colonies associated with the lakes of the final host. Beaver Hills. The larval parasite called a “cercaria” is released from Vulnerable Habitat the snails and causes skin irritation when it mistakenly The shallowness of the lakes in the region make penetrates a person’s skin rather than it rightful 2.35 host, usually a duck. Swimmer’s itch occurs in both them vulnerable to drought and drainage activities freshwater and in the marine coastal environments. by landowners. Even short one-year droughts can

EcoLeaders Interpretation and Environmental Education Beaver Hills Heritage Appreciation Development Plan

result in large-scale shrinking of lakes and adjacent wetlands. This can result in significant depletion of food supplies for migrating waterfowl. In some dry years, the huge flocks do not stop to feed and rest.

Trends Lowering Lake Levels Kemper (1975) indicates that reliable information on lake levels in the Beaver Hills exists from 1966 to the present for most lakes and from 1957 to the present for Cooking Lake. Kemper (1975) provided approximate earlier levels reconstructed from various

Figure 2.21: Major Lakes of the Beaver Hills

Pages Sample

2.36

EcoLeaders Interpretation and Environmental Education Chapter 2 Feature Inventory sources to as far back as 1916. His findings include: - rate of decline on Cooking Lake averaged • with the exception of Hastings Lake, the about 2. 4 inches per year average decline in lake levels between 1900 - relative rates of water level decline among and 1974 was about 10 feet lakes was directly related to their height • the rate of the decline for the larger lakes above sea level with Hastings Lake being was calculated and appears to be relatively the exception constant for various intervals

Lake Sweet Lake Historically, the lakes of the Beaver Hills have been important breeding areas for water birds. The Alberta Natural Heritage Information Centre has over 23 listings of bird nesting colonies in and around the lakes situated in the moraine (Note: Trumpeter Swans were not mentioned by the ANHIC). The key listings are documented below. Location Bird Species Location Bird Species Astotin • Red-necked Grebe Cooking • Eared Grebe Lake, Elk Lake • Red-necked Grebe Island N.P. • Western Grebe Astotin • Black-crowned Night Heron Gambling • Great Blue Heron Lake, • Double-crested Cormorant Lake, island Lamont • Great Blue Heron Hastings • American White Pelican Island, Elk Lake, SW • Double-crested Cormorant Island N.P. island • Great Blue Heron Beaverhill • American White Pelican Hastings • Red-necked Grebe Lake, NE • California Gull Lake • Western Grebe part of small • Double-crested Cormorant Islet Lake, • Great Blue Heron island • Ring-billed Gull island Beaverhill • American White Pelican Islet Lake Pages• Red-necked Grebe Lake, small • California Gull Joseph Lake, • American White Pelican island • Double-crestedSample Cormorant island • California Gull • Herring Gull • Double-crested Cormorant • Ring-billed Gull Ministik • Black Tern Beaverhill • American White Pelican Lake Lake • Black Tern Miquelon • American White Pelican ( • Black-crowned Night Heron Lakes, • California Gull • California Gull biggest • Great Blue Heron • Common Tern island • Ring-billed Gull • Double-crested Cormorant • California Gull • Eared Grebe Mosse Lake, • Great Blue Heron • Forster’s Tern Elk Island • Great Blue Heron N.P. • Herring Gull Oliver • Common Tern • Ring-billed Gull Lake, • Western Grebe east end Beaverhill • Black-crowned Night Heron Oster Lake, • Great Blue Heron Lake, N • Great Blue Heron Elk Island • Red-necked Grebe part, island N.P. Beaverhill • Black Tern Paul Lake, • Great Blue Heron Lake • Eared Grebe islands, Elk Beaverhill • California Gull Island N.P. Lake, island • Forster’s Tern Trappers • Eared Grebe • Ring-billed Gull Lake, Elk Beaverhill • Common Tern Island N.P. Lake, NE Wanisan • Black Tern, 2.37 end Lake • Eared Grebe • Red-necked Grebe

EcoLeaders Interpretation and Environmental Education Beaver Hills Heritage Appreciation Development Plan

Figure 2.22: Since 1975, the trend of lower lake levels has Migrating continued. At the time of writing, the levels of many snow geese major lakes is at an all-time low. Reasons for these at Beaverhill recent declines seem to be a combination of drought Lake. and increased water use by a growing human population in the region. Declining Water Bird Populations Kemper (1975) speculated that the declining water levels of the lakes has resulted in reduced populations of waterbirds that depend on these water bodies. Recent observations at the Beaverhill bird observatory support his theory.

Ponds and Sloughs The Prairie Pothole Region The Beaver Hills are part of the prairie pothole region (see Figure 2:16). This 300,000 square mile region is known as the duck factory. It produces over half of the continent’s waterfowl. It also provides the most productive breeding habitat in North America for hundreds of other migratory bird species. The Canadian portion of the Prairie Figure 2.23: PagesPothole Region (PPR) is located in the prairie Prairie Pothole ecozone and parts of the boreal plains ecozone. Region Sample Before European settlement, the PPR contained approximately 25 million wetlands, or an average of about 83 per square mile; a density unmatched anywhere in North America. Complexes of wetlands with varying levels of water permanence developed in low areas as runoff from precipitation occurred. Human settlement of the pothole region began in the late 19th century, and while it was mostly completed by the mid-20th century, some areas (e.g., the Beaver Hills) are still being settled. According to Ducks Unlimited, intensive agriculture Figure 2.24: and settlement has resulted in the draining of A female many potholes and sloughs drainage systems has mallard with substantially reduced the numbers resulting in the her brood loss of up to 50 per cent of wetlands in the PPR. The Moraine’s Duck Factory According to Kemper (1975), most of the ducks which breed in the Beaver Hills are concentrated in the smaller wetlands and ponds which abound 2.38 in the moraine and adjacent agricultural areas. He recorded the numbers of breeding pairs of ducks in three habitat groups; wooded, wood-pasture and

EcoLeaders Interpretation and Environmental Education Beaver Hills Heritage Appreciation Development Plan

Beaver Colonies Beaver colonies can be found at many of the lakes and ponds in the Beaver Hills. Beaver have one litter of 2–6 kits per year. The availability and quality of food affects the size of the litter. Each established

Figure 2.26: Beaver pond and lodge

Figure 2.27: Beaver swimming on beaver colony consists of adult parents, adolescents the surface and this year’s kits. The total number of beavers in a Pagescolony is typically six to twelve beavers. The lodge Figure 2.28: must be located close to a food supply—usually an Beaver trail Sample aspen grove. (foreground) Once a beaver reaches the age of two it usually leaves and beaver the colony to find a mate and establish a colony of channel its own. As beaver populations expand, uninhabited (background) ponds can become hard Figure 2.29: to find. Young Beaver dam beavers may travel up to

Figure 2.30: Signs of beaver activity; shrubland in foreground is an old cutting area, the steep slope in the background is where the colony has recently harvested aspen.

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EcoLeaders Interpretation and Environmental Education Chapter 2 Feature Inventory

Cooking Lake–Blackfoot Grazing, Wildlife and Provincial Grazing Area (CL–BGWPRA)

Background Grazing FacilitiesPages There are approximately 4,060 ha of improved fenced The Cooking Lake–Blackfoot Grazing, Wildlife and pastures divided into seven fields to accommodate Provincial Recreation AreaSample (CL–BGWPRA) was domestic grazing. designated as a provincial recreation area in 1988. It encompasses about 9,930 ha, including some 4,060 ha An Environmentally Significant Area of fenced pastures. It contains extensive uplands of The ANHIC has listed the CL–BGWPRA as a native aspen, balsam poplar, and Mixedwood forests, provincially significant ESA that protects some of trails, ponds, and small lakes. The CL–BGWPRA the most intact Dry Mixedwood habitat remaining in is adjacent to Elk Island National Park. These two Alberta. properties represent the largest contiguous protected landscape in the Beaver Hills. Recreation Facilities Habitats • four staging areas that provide: - parking Terrestrial Habitats - picnic facilities • 170 km of maintained trails and The CL–BGWPRA contains all the habitats of the backcountry shelters. The trails are used for: dry mixedwood and central parkland subregions - hiking described in for the region. As well the site contains - cycling extensive areas of fenced pasture land (approximately - horseback riding one third of the recreation area) which have a - cross-country skiing high proportion of exotic plant species including - snowmobiling domesticated pasture grasses and exotic weeds. - dogsledding See Appendix 1 for more details on the main plant associations of the CL–BGWPRA. 2.55

EcoLeaders Interpretation and Environmental Education Beaver Hills Heritage Appreciation Development Plan

Figure 2.36: Old Forest Patches as Revealed by Alberta The island in Vegetation Inventory Islet Lake in the Timoney and Robinson (1998) indicated that the CL–BGWPRA overwhelming majority of vegetation patches in has some large the CL–BGWPRA originated after 1900. Many of old growth those patches originated in the 1920s, re-growing white spruce after widespread fires. They found fourteen that escaped patches that existed in or before 1900: the fires of the • 13 were black spruce-dominated wetlands early 1900s. • 12 originated circa 1900 • all 14 of the oldest forest patches occupy sites that discourage fire spread—e.g., bogs and the island in Islet Lake • most of the oldest dated forests in the CL– BGWPRA are in the Neon—Arrowhead Lakes area • the white spruce forest on the island in Islet Lake originated circa 1889 • the oldest dated patch is a black spruce - white spruce forest between Round and Burn Lakes ~ 1890

Cattle Between May and October, visitors will probably see Figure 2.37: cattle. Both beef and dairy cattle are to be found in Range cattle Pages the recreation area but beef cattle are more common. Though domesticated these animals should be Sample treated with the same respect as wildlife. They are large animals and can move with surprising speed and agility. Bulls are especially aggressive and may charge. Cattle Terminology: • Bulls: - male cattle -distinguished by their large shoulders and comparatively narrow hips • Steers: - castrated male cattle, generally smaller than bulls • Heifers: - young females under two years old • Cows: - females over two years old Biology of Cattle Because cattle are self sufficient and naturally gregarious, they will stay together as a herd and can be left unattended in areas where there are suitable grasses. A single range rider can provide the necessary care and supervision of all the cattle in the area. Most cattle eat about 4 kg of forage per 45 kg 2.56 of live weight per day. A cow eats its own weight in one month. They also must drink 45 litres of water per day.

EcoLeaders Interpretation and Environmental Education Chapter 2 Feature Inventory

Built Features Kiosks at Staging Areas Each of the four staging areas Figure 2.42: Information Heritage Interpretation Centre has a three-faced information providing information about Kiosk at the site and listing current Waskahegan regulations. Staging Area

The CL–BGWPRA has a small visitor centre, the Cooking Lake-Blackfoot Millennium Heritage Interpretive Centre. The centre is located near the entrance of the Waskehegan Staging Area, adjacent to the staff office building. It is run by the Friends of Cooking Lake-Blackfoot Society, a non-profit charitable society that works as a partner with the CL–BGWPRA. The building was the original administration office. Exhibits are based on an interpretive plan developed Pages for the society in 2000. Current exhibits feature earlySample settlement history and local natural history through a series of well- designed dioramas, satellite images, taxidermy mounts, artifact displays and brochures. Books on local subjects and regional field guides are also available for purchase.

Staff Office The CL–BGWPRA staff office is located adjacent to the visitor centre, near the entrance Each kiosk is located in a prominent location of the Waskehegan Staging Area. It is a converted adjacent to staging area picnic shelter and parking lot. residential house with a main reception area, kitchen, several offices, washrooms and a large basement At the time of writing, funds had been donated to meeting room. CL–BGWPRA to upgrade and replace the kiosk signs in all four staging areas. The basement meeting room could be used as an indoor activity and lunch room for school and other groups.

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Figure 2.43: Historic Line Cabin Old line rider’s The Blackfoot Grazing Association has relocated an cabin original range rider line cabin from a remote area of the grazing reserve to a location adjacent to the road to the Central Staging Area. It is close to the sorting corral in Holding Field A. The grazing association plans to restore the old log structure and open it to the public as an interpretive site.

Original Forest Ranger House The house was built in 1912, during W.H. Stephens tenure, and is located on property adjacent to the southwest corner of CL-BGWPRA. The Bailey family were the first to occupy it.

Figure 2.44: Sorting Corral

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Sorting Corral This circular, multi-gate corral is located adjacent to the access road to the Central Staging Area. The corral looks like an old wagon wheel lying flat on the ground. The outer rim is a circular enclosure where a large number of cattle can walk round and round. Inside this enclosure, like the spokes of the wheel, are numerous radial fences separating a large number of pie-slice shaped pens. Each one of these pens has a gate that opens into the circular outer walkway. Each gate is designed so that when it is fully open, a cow walking in the outer circle is forced into that pie-slice pen. At the end of the summer grazing season range cattle are herded into the outer circular walkway. They are a mixture of cattle owned by various members of the 2.68 grazing association. Each owner has marked his cattle with a distinctive brand or ear-tag. When he see’s one of his cows walking by, he opens the gate to his pie- EcoLeaders Interpretation and Environmental Education Chapter 2 Feature Inventory

Miquelon Lake Provincial Park

red-listed piping plover.

Background AccessPages Miquelon Lake Provincial Park is located 65 The park is accessible via paved roads; Highway kilometres southeast of Edmonton,Sample on the edge of 21 and Secondary Road 623. The park is highly the Beaver Hills, one of the last remaining aspen accessible to local, regional and provincial residents parkland corridors in east central Alberta. The park and visitors, being centrally located in the province is 882 hectares in size and lies within the County of and within an hour’s drive from Edmonton. Camrose. Miquelon Lake has been used for recreation by local residents since the turn of the century, especially Water and Watershed after a railway line was established between Camrose and Tofield in 1909. The nearby hamlet of Kingman Lakes became known as the “Gateway to Miquelon”. The shallow, salty Miquelon Lakes lie on the The park has an trail system (for walking, cycling southern edge of the Beaver Hills. The lakes were and cross-country skiing) including: once part of a considerably larger lake that receded • ten kilometres of natural surface trails that leaving three isolated basins. These are locally take visitors into the natural areas of the referred to as “the Miquelon Lakes”, with the largest park, basin being Miquelon Lake 3. The park is located • four kilometres of paved/gravel circulation between the east shore of Miquelon Lake 3 and the trails which provide access to park facilities west shore of the Miquelon Lake 2. Miquelon Lake 1 is located south of the park’s boundaries. All three The park’s trail system links to a regional trail, the lakes are migratory bird sanctuaries. Miquelon Lake Waskahegan Trail. 2 is a particularly important waterfowl staging area. An Environmentally Significant Area The Miquelon Lakes are strongly influenced by 2.77 The ANHIC has listed the park as a nationally fluctuating water levels: significant ESA that provides nesting habitat for the • levels increased and declined in the late EcoLeaders Interpretation and Environmental Education Beaver Hills Heritage Appreciation Development Plan

Figure 2.47: Miquelon Lake Provincial Park

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1800s Physical Dimensions of • heavy rains in 1900 and 1901 restored all the Miquelon Lake 3 lakes in the Beaver Hills to high levels - the three Miquelon Lakes were joined • Surface area 9 km2 and outflow from the lake probably • Volume 0.02374 km3 occurred • Maximum depth 6 m • after 1902 there has been a slow decline in overall lake levels • Mean depth 2.7 m - at one point the Town of Camrose took • Length of shoreline 19.5 km water from the lake for drinking - perhaps a result of periodic droughts and • Catchment area 35 km2 changes in land use in the area - the lake is spring-fed—it could be that declines in groundwater inflow have contributed to the declining lake levels 2.78 - the ultimate causes for the water level

EcoLeaders Interpretation and Environmental Education Chapter 2 Feature Inventory

declines are not proven River through the moraine, although there is geological evidence that the formerly large lake drained south toward the Battle River.

Water Quality Miquelon Lake 3 All three lakes are fed by surface and sub–surface This lake had a maximum depth of approximately springs which are very high in soda, salts and six metres when the lake was sounded in 1966. Much sulfates. As the water evaporates, it leaves a hard, of the lake is less than 1.5 metres deep, particularly in the western bay. The level of the lake has been regularly recorded since 1972. The lake’s drainage basin is approximately four times larger than the area of the lake. There are no permanent inlet streams into Miquelon Lake 3 and there has been no surface outflow for more than 50 years. In the late 1920s, the outlet creek, which flowed from the most southern of the three Miquelon Lakes, was deepened to divert water for the Town of Camrose water supply. The flow in the diversion ditch ran only approximately three years. The nutrient levels are high but so is salinity in Miquelon Lake 3. Normally, the nutrients would Figure 2.49: Shore of Miquelon Lake 3 support huge algae blooms in summer. However, Note the white salt deposits on the sand. the salt content of the water keeps algae production depressed. The source of salt is likely saline salty, white deposit on shoreline rocks and along the groundwater, but evaporation likely plays a role in beach. This is evident anywhere along the main beach Pages concentrating salts in the lake as well. Phosphorus and west of the campground boat launch. concentrations are high. However, chlorophyll levels Alkaline lakes and sloughsSample are a common feature in Miquelon Lake 3 rank with those of some of the of the region and further south; Miquelon Lake least-productive lakes in the province. is a good example. The salty water precludes It is difficult to establish the trophic category the establishment of fish populations other than of this lake. The high phosphorus and nitrogen stickleback and prevents the growth of all but a concentrations suggest a eutrophic lake, but few salt-tolerant aquatic plants. The vegetation and chlorophyll concentrations and the clarity of the wildlife of the lake will be discussed later in their water suggest that it is mesotrophic. respective sections. Beach Ridges: Miquelon Lake is representative of a large group of As the original Miquelon Lake receded, beach ridges inland saline lakes that are scattered throughout the marking the former lake level were formed. Beach three prairie provinces. ridges tend to be sandier than the moraine ridges • sulfate concentrations are relatively high and show a definite orientation of slope toward the • nutrient concentrations (e.g., phosphorous lake. Plant communities that are developed on beach and nitrogen) are extremely high ridges tend to have sparser herb and shrub layers, One would expect the high nutrient levels to reflecting the low moisture content and salinity of support lush growth of algae and larger water plants. the sandy soil. However, the saline water tends to inhibit the growth of algae and the lake is often very clear. However, in the summer of 2004, Miquelon 3 had several algae blooms that produced a strong, repulsive smell. As stated earlier, there has been no surface outflow 2.79 from Miquelon Lake since the 1920s. Drainage may have once been toward the North Saskatchewan

EcoLeaders Interpretation and Environmental Education Beaver Hills Heritage Appreciation Development Plan

Habitats Miquelon Lake Provincial Park contains hummocky terrain characterized low hills interspersed with numerous lakes, ponds and wetlands. There are five major vegetation communities within the park: • aspen forest • spruce community • disturbed grasslands • ponds and marshes • lake

Aspen Forest This is the major vegetative community of the Park. The aspen stands have well-developed shrub/herb layers. In less well-drained sites, aspen give way to balsam poplar. The shrub and herb layers are similar to the aspen stand but there are more moisture tolerant plants such as willow, wire rush and mints. PagesTrembling aspen, balsam poplar, white spruce and other species of trees historically covered the drainage area, but clearing for agriculture and numerous fires at Sample the turn of the century have reduced the forest cover. Today, natural regrowth has restored much of the native vegetation in the park. The dominant forest is aspen with a thick shrub layer (commonly red-osier dogwood), which is typical of aspen parkland. Groves Figure 2.45: of white spruce still remain, scattered throughout A dense understory of hazel, dogwood and prickly rose the park. Today the park contains no natural fescue under an aspen stand. grassland and may never have in the past. For more detail on aspen forest see page 2.38 earlier in this chapter.

White Spruce Forest Once the dominant tree of the area. Today, white spruce communities are found along ridges where the soil is better drained. The white spruce communities have much sparser herb and shrub layers than the aspen woods and a different species composition. For more detail on white spruce forest see page 2.38 earlier in this chapter.

2.80 Disturbed Grasslands The grasslands in the park have been created by

EcoLeaders Interpretation and Environmental Education Chapter 2 Feature Inventory clear why perch and pike are no longer in the lake, resources and features. but it is likely that occasional winter kills, isolation from population sources, and the lake’s high salinity have all played a part in reducing the survival of the spawn of these species.

Preservation Zone This zone functions to protect land that is HA Assets representative of the dry Mixedwood aspen area The park has a number of natural sites and built and provide special protection to perpetuate values features that are important assets to current or future of natural heritage concern. The Preservation Zone HA programs and services. covers the areas in the north eastern and southeastern quadrants of the park; it contains energy dispositions (gas wells and pipelines) pre-dating the park’s Natural Features Miquelon Lake has a wide variety of natural features that can be used in HA services and programs.

Zones There are three management zones within park. Facility Zone Pages The Facility Zone in Miquelon Lake Provincial Park is managed to allow a variety of recreational activities that are appropriate withinSample a provincial park and are consistent with the goals and objectives of the park. designation that must be honoured. This zone is where the park provides visitor support This zone is managed to allow natural processes to facilities for their enjoyment and convenience. The continue unhindered. Any use of the area must be zone covers the developed portion of the park. consistent with the preservation of natural values This area includes the entrance and access roads, and will be controlled or restricted to protect the parking lots, campground facilities, group camping resource. areas, playgrounds, operational and administrative buildings, day-use facilities, picnic areas and beach. Trails There are still plenty of natural features in these areas The park has a number of nested loop trails through including native plants and wildlife. the knob and kettle terrain between Miquelon Lakes 2 and 3. The nested loop design allows visitors to: Natural Environment Zone • choose the distance that they wish to travel The purpose of this zone is to protect the park’s • select a new combination of loops each time natural resources and features while providing access they come thereby increasing the variety of to trails that bring visitors in closer contact with experiences for repeat visitors nature. The Natural Environment Zone covers parts • understand that by following the loops, they of the undeveloped portions of the park. will return back to their starting place The Natural Environment Zone in Miquelon Lake - this is especially important to boost the Provincial Park is managed to allow outdoor and heritage appreciation activities that are in keeping 2.83 with the protection and maintenance of the park’s natural state. Visitor access the natural areas of the park in a ways that protects the park’s natural EcoLeaders Interpretation and Environmental Education Beaver Hills Heritage Appreciation Development Plan

Figure 2.50: Hiking Trails in Miquelon Lake Provincial Park

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confidence of people who have little experience walking trails. They are more Gull Basics apt to try new trails without the fear of Colonies of Ring-billed and California Gulls, like most becoming lost. other gulls and terns, nest on the ground in colonies and generally on islands. They are highly social and need The trails are open to hikers in the summer and only a tiny nesting territory. Their colonies may contain cross-country skiers and snowshoers in the winter. hundreds, or more often, thousands, of pairs. In 1977, the Miquelon’s Gull Island colony had 10,000 pairs. Gulls do not normally have many natural predators; nesting on islands safeguards their nests from most Trail loops are described below: land predators. However, if water levels decrease during the nesting season so that an island becomes a Beaverhills Interpretive Loop 1.7 km peninsula, or if the water surrounding a nesting colony • access to this loop is from: is not too deep, some land predators may reach the colony. Coyotes, foxes, dogs, raccoons, mink and other - a 0.8 km trail from the parking lot mammals will kill and eat gulls and their eggs if they can adjacent to the baseball diamond get to them. Winged predators like the Great Horned - a short trail from Group Area 1 Owl will attack and kill gulls at night. Chickadee Loop 1.4 km Migrating gulls begin to arrive on the breeding colonies • access to this loop is from the Beaverhill in late March or early April. Interpretive Loop After their arrival the gulls spend nearly a month • loops around several kettles establishing nesting territories, engaging in courtship rituals and building nests out of plant materials (grass Chickadee Loop 1.4 km and twigs), a few feathers and odds and ends. They • access to this loop is from the Beaverhills lay their eggs beginning in early May on the prairies and Deer loops and incubate their clutches of three greenish-brown • skirts around a large kettle splotched eggsPages for approximately 25 to 27 days. Deer Loop 1.2 km Ring-billed and California Gulls are good parents. • access to this loop is from the Chickadee They alternate brooding the eggs and sit on them for more than 59 minutes out of every hour. More than 80 and Ermine loopsSample per cent of their eggs hatch, but many chicks die soon • skirts around a large kettle afterwards. Ring-billed Gulls often raise two chicks to Ermine Loop 1.0 km flying age (5 to 6 weeks), from their original clutch of three eggs. This high reproductive success coupled with • access to this loop is from the Deer and Fox a long life span (about 10 to 15 years) has contributed to loops the recent gull population explosions. Fox Loop 0.9 km The diet of theses gull species is variable. They are • access to this loop is from the Ermine and opportunistic feeders that eat what ever is abundant. Grouse loops They frequent garbage dumps near cities, after a rain • follows the shore of miquelon Lake 2 they seek out earthworms; during farmers’ ploughing and harvesting seasons they feed on insect larvae and Deer Loop 5.8 km mice. At other times of the year they will feed on road • the park’s longest loop kills, flying insects, and the young of other birds— • access to this loop is from the Fox and especially small ducklings. Beaverhills loops According to the Canadian Wildlife Service, Ring-billed • passes several large kettles Gulls are probably the most abundant gull in North America. They are a highly adaptable and opportunistic Lakes bird. The park lies between Miquelon Lakes 2 and 3. This great adaptability and the protected status of the These nutrient rich saline water bodies at one time ring-bill contributed to the tremendous explosion of were major staging areas for migrating water birds. its numbers in the last few decades. The colony on They are still occasional stop-overs for migrating Miquelon Lake 3 grew from 750 pairs in 1968 to over 10,000 pairs in 1977. Current local breeding populations 2.85 flocks. are much reduced due to a long drought. Gull Island EcoLeaders Interpretation and Environmental Education Chapter 2 Feature Inventory

Beaverhill Lake Natural Area and Heritage Rangeland

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Miquelon Lake Provincial Park is a high enforcement Beaverhill Lake is located about 60 km east of park. Large numbers of people come to the park Edmonton, north of Highway 14 and south of from Edmonton and nearby communities to party Highway 16. The lake is situated within the County and let off steam. These activities take place most of Beaver and the County of Lamont. Tofield is the often over weekends, especially holiday long nearest town. weekends such as the May 24th, Victoria Day. The area of Beaverhill Lake as water levels fluctuate. Enforcement staff report that liquor violations Until recently the lake covered about 13,900 hectares and noise after hours are the main issues. Violators of water (see map on following page). Dekker Island are most often in the late teen to late twenties age in the northern portion of the lake, Pelican Island bracket. in the east-centre, and the Natural Area located in One method used in the past to contain the party the southeast combine for the total terrestrial area of crowd is to assign families to two of the park’s camp 18,050 hectares (including both aquatic and terrestrial loops and assign groups that have come to party into areas). a third. This reduces camper conflicts and localizes problems to one area.

Background 2.95 An Environmentally Significant Area The ANHIC has listed the entire Beaverhill Lake as

EcoLeaders Interpretation and Environmental Education Beaver Hills Heritage Appreciation Development Plan

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EcoLeaders Interpretation and Environmental Education Chapter 2 Feature Inventory an ESA of international significance. Key features include:

• the lake is one of the most important bird Beaverhill Lake is located on the eastern edge of habitats in western North America and has the Beaver Hills watershed. To the west are the been designated as a RAMSAR site Beaver Hills, part of the moraine. These hills are 60 • internationally significant water body for to 120 meters higher than the surrounding country. shorebirds and waterfowl, in particular as Beaverhill Lake is a collection basin for the spring a staging area for migratory birds flying to runoff from the snow collected on the higher elevations. ThePages ground moraine beneath Beaverhill and from the Arctic Lake has poor drainage. SampleIn the past, a creek on the north end of the lake made a connection to the North Saskatchewan River. Designations With recent low water levels, the lake has no outlet. Beaverhill Lake Has two PPA protected areas: Numerous creeks feed into Beaverhill Lake. Hastings, • Beaverhill Lake Natural Area Wakinagan, Ross, and Norris Creeks flow into the • Beaverhill Lake Heritage Rangeland west side of the lake. Amisk and Katchemut Creeks For locations of these protected areas see the flow into the south. A man-made drainage system, the map on the facing page. For descriptions of these Kropielnicki Drainage, flows into the southeast. designations see page 2:41. The soils adjacent to Beaverhill Lake are only capable of producing forage crops, and flooding limits all agricultural use. Physical Features Beaverhill Lake is a shallow alkaline lake, reaching a depth of only two to three meters. This depth Habitats fluctuates yearly depending on the amount of precipitation and spring runoff. Variable water levels Shoreline Habitats create a constantly changing shoreline consisting of: The shoreline around the lake varies from straight • mudflats and narrow sandy beaches in the south to muddy • narrow sandy beaches and deeply indented reed-choked bays and rock • dense emergent vegetation strewn points in the north. - primarily cattails and bulrushes 2.97 • summer of 2004: for the first time in local residents’ memories, Beaverhill Lake completely dried up EcoLeaders Interpretation and Environmental Education Beaver Hills Heritage Appreciation Development Plan

The fluctuating lake levels help create marsh and exposed mud shorelines that are important habitats for waterfowl, shorebirds and other land birds. During dry periods the shoreline vegetative zones advance with the receding shoreline. • advancing vegetation provides nesting opportunities for different species of waterfowl and shorebirds • during wet periods, rising lake levels cause the vegetation die back or changes in composition Highlights of Birding at Beaverhill Lake • receding waters expose mudflats increasing During a 1995 spring migration census: feeding opportunities and thereby attract Shorebirds large numbers of shorebirds • 32 species were counted around the lake • according to many long-time residents • numbers reached 50 000 birds at times and local biologists, current drought • 10,000 of each of: conditions have exposed hectares of muddy - Red-necked Phalaropes lake bottom and migrating flocks are not - Pectoral Sandpipers concentrating at the lake in the numbers of - Dowitchers; the recent past • 7,800 Black-bellied Plovers • 7200 Semi-palmated Sandpipers Terrestrial Habitats • 1000 American Avocets. There is a gradient of vegetation types from the A census in 1996 found seven breeding sites of the shore between emergent vegetation, mudflats, sedge endangered Piping Plover. meadows, willow community, and aspen uplands: Pages• the shoreline also is composed of emergent Flywaysbulrushes and cattails Sample • a transition zone into sedges and northern reedgrass occurs further from the shore • grass and encroaching willows occur further Beaverhill Lake—A RAMSAR Site inland The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, • mature trembling aspen and balsam poplar otherwise known as the RAMSAR Convention, designated dominate the forested areas Beaverhill Beaverhill Lake as a RAMSAR lake as a staging area for The forest stands areLake of recent origin. Heavy waterfowl. The Convention is an intergovernmental treaty flooding in the 1920s killed most of the trees, so that provides the framework for international cooperation the forest is about 75 years old. The forest is still in for the conservation of the world’s wetland habitats. transition from willow shrubbery to mature balsam Contracting parties to the Convention undertake to poplar forest and has not yet developed a typical respect four main obligations: “designation of at least forest understory. one wetland for inclusion in the List of Wetlands of International Importance; promotion of the wise use of wetlands within their nation particularly through the The Flyway Connection implementation of wetland conservation and management Beaverhill Lake lies at the convergence of three major policies; consultation with other Contracting Parties about migratory flyways: implementing the obligations arising under the Convention • the Mississippi particularly for those wetlands shared between nations; • the Pacific and establishment of protected wetland areas throughout • the Central their nation.” (Environment Canada, 2000). Designation of Beaverhill Lake as a RAMSAR Site offers 2.98 no legal protection, but management priorities support programs and activities on the site which are consistent with Canada’s obligations under the Convention.

EcoLeaders Interpretation and Environmental Education Beaver Hills Heritage Appreciation Development Plan

Minor PPA Protected Areas destination for naturalists and birdwatchers. William Rowan spent 40 years, beginning in 1921, observing birds and collecting birds at the lake and became a pioneer in research of bird migration. Bird and migration studies continue through the Beaverhill Bird Observatory.

Antler Lake Island Natural Area

PagesCurrent Use Grazing is the principal agricultural land use within Sample the Crown lands subject to lease dispositions. Cattle grazing usually occurs from May to September. Cattle have access to the shoreline for grazing and watering. Existing and potential oil and gas leases are also present in the area. Most are located to the southwest of the lake and they include a License of Occupation

Figure 2.56: Location of Antler Lake NA

Antler Lake Island

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Figure 2.63: Location of Sherwood Park Natural Sherwood Park NA Area

in conserving area for recreation Administrative History: • reserved for wilderness area 1961, as recommended by Public Lands Division inspector • changed to Natural Area 1965 • International Biological Programme site 1969 • holding reservation for Natural Area The Old Edmonton Trail 1979–83 Pages• updated to Protective Notation 1983 The Old Edmonton was the forerunner to the present Yellowhead Highway. It was a cart trail extending over Comments: 1,280 km (800 Samplemiles) from Fort Garry (Winnipeg) to This natural area does not appear to have an Edmonton and beyond. To many historians, it was the infrastructure. No parking or access trails were west’s most famous trail. It had many names. It was also found. referred to as the Carlton Trail, the Old Saskatchewan Trail, the Portage Trail, the trail Old North-West Trail, and Subtype: Education the Hudson’s Bay Trail. Detailed Legal Description: T Between these two central depots of the fur trade brigades • wp 52 Rge 23 W4: SE11, part SW11 (Plan of Red River carts laden with furs traveled carrying trade- 4628 Block 001) goods and provisions. Metis hunters from the Red River often followed the trail westward on their buffalo hunts. Area: 68.350 ha When the North West Mounted Police entered the west Date Established 1971–03–15 in 1874, one column took this route from Fort Ellice to Edmonton. Later it served the first settlers to parts of Key Features: Alberta and Saskatchewan. • gently rolling upland with depressional areas • aspen forest • willow sedge wetlands • 3 km developed hiking trails, parking lot, designation sign • pond ringed by concentric bands of cattails, sedges and willow • much of surrounding land has been cleared 2.106 • Strathcona County has a recreation lease on the site and wishes to include this natural area as part of their Heritage Parkway

EcoLeaders Interpretation and Environmental Education Beaver Hills Heritage Appreciation Development Plan

Figure 2.66: Map of Ministik Lakes Game Bird Sanctuary

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EcoLeaders Interpretation and Environmental Education Chapter 2 Feature Inventory Other Areas of Importance Ministik Lakes Game Bird Sanctuary

Pages landowner within the Counties of Strathcona, Camrose and • 1991 reserved SampleLeduc. The sanctuary is ideal water bird habitat • NA expanded to include lands acquired in encompassing approximately 1,600 wetland basins 1990 comprising about 3,950 ha. The area is dotted with • designated by OC 519/95 (AR 117/95) over 501 permanent or semipermanent slough, ponds and lakes comprising about 2,894 ha of waterways. Comments: This results in a complex mosaic of lakes, ponds, This is the most developed of the area’s natural areas. wetlands and upland forest that supports populations The site has a large parking lot, pit toilet, information of waterfowl, furbearers, upland game and other kiosk, and well developed loop trail that takes hikers wildlife species. through the rolling, knob and kettle terrain, past several sloughs, through aspen and white spruce The sanctuary represents a significant area of stands. Other features include a wildlife viewing nearly untouched natural landscape surrounded by platform, and a plaque identifying a section of the increasing agricultural, industrial and residential Old Edmonton Trail (see sidebar on facing page). development.

An Environmentally Significant Area Site Description The ANHIC has listed the sanctuary as an ESA. Sweet Grass Consultants (1997) list the following Ministik Lakes Game Bird Sanctuary is not a PPA characteristics: administered site. It is managed by the Public Lands Division of Alberta Sustainable Development. The Location: area is also identified as a provincially significant • Twp. 49 to 50–Rge. 21–W4 -includes Oliver-Mandy Lakes ESA NTS Map Sheet: 83H 2.109 natural area. The sanctuary protects 10,876 hectares of forest, lakes and wetlands in typical knob and Municipality: • County of Wetaskiwin; County of Leduc; County of kettle topography of the Beaver Hills. It located

EcoLeaders Interpretation and Environmental Education Beaver Hills Heritage Appreciation Development Plan

Figure 2.70: Agricultural land use of Ministik Lakes Waskehegan Trail Game Bird The Waskehegan Trail passes Sanctuary through the eastern edge of the sanctuary. The trail is open to hikers, skiers and snowmobilers and is closed to cyclists and motorized ATVs.

Management PagesThe area is managed by Alberta Public Lands which is overseen Sample by a Public Advisory Committee. The 1989 management plan’s goal is to encourage the fullest possible consumptive and non- consumptive recreational use of the Ministik Lakes Game Bird Sanctuary to the extent that this is compatible with wildlife management objectives. Significance of Ministik Lakes Game Bird The plan proposes to encourage non-motorized Sanctuary activities such as skiing, hiking, horse riding, Ministik Lakes Bird Sanctuary is an important rearing canoeing, and wildlife observation. To maximize area for ducks, geese and swans. It is an important recreational benefits in a manner which is consistent natural component of the Beaver Hills and along with with wildlife objectives, the plan supports the idea of key PPAs and Elk Island National Park, makes up a core of natural areas that preserve the natural heritage of the the development of recreational facilities (e.g. trails region. and viewpoints) in appropriate areas. Globally-rare birds, including piping plover and The plan encourages motorized recreation American white pelican nest or have nested within the (snowmobiling) if there is sufficient snow cover, sanctuary. Lakes within the sanctuary are important provided that this can be done in a manner which staging areas for tundra swans and other species of is compatible with wildlife objectives and non- waterfowl. motorized recreational activities. It is not clear Finally, the natural landscape of the reserve is a how snowmobile use is to be regulated or its 2.114 laboratory for important regional, national and environmental effects evaluated. international studies of wildlife, forest ecology and climate change. According to the plan, motorized vehicle use during

EcoLeaders Interpretation and Environmental Education