JUNE 2016 Editor: CONTENTS Ian Urquhart JUNE 2016 • VOL. 24, NO. 3 Graphic Design: Keystroke Design & Production Inc. Doug Wournell B Des, ANSCAD Features Association News Printing: Colour printing and process by 4 Walking Among Ancient Giants: 28 Twenty-five Years and Counting: Topline Printing Preserving the Riches of Dinosaur AWA’s Climb and Run for Provincial Park Wilderness 7 Memorable McClelland Lake Wetlands Wilderness Watch 11 Finding Wilderness in the Stars 30 Updates 15 Trail Rehabilitation in the Castle Printed on FSC Events Certified Paper 17 Don’t Give Up the Ghost: An AWA Summer Hike 31 Summer Events 20 Adventurous Play in Forest School ALBERTA WILDERNESS Meatball, the Castle, and Alberta’s 22 ASSOCIATION “Modern Take” on Provincial Parks “Defending Wild Alberta through 24 Environmental Education: Awareness and Action” Gareth Thomson, Alberta Council for Environmental Education Alberta Wilderness Association is a charitable non-government 26 Conservation Corner: The Boy and organization dedicated to the the Adze completion of a protected areas donation, call 403-283-2025 or Cover Photo contribute online at AlbertaWilderness.ca. James Tweedie’s photo from his kayak on Waterton Lake. Wild Lands Advocate is published bi- Magnificent. Serene. monthly, 6 times a year, by Alberta Wilderness Association. The opinions expressed by the authors in this publication are not necessarily those of AWA. The editor reserves the right to edit, reject or withdraw articles and letters submitted. Please direct questions and comments to: 403-283-2025 • [email protected] Featured Artist: Michael Mott Subscriptions to the WLA are $30 per year. To subscribe, call 403-283-2025 Michael was born in London England in 1948 and emigrated to Canada in or see AlbertaWilderness.ca. 1967. Michael is basically self-taught in the watercolour medium. Michael has been involved with the arts community in one way or another since coming to Edmonton in 1968. He worked for the University of Alberta Fine Arts department as a technician in Sculpture from 1968 to 1977. In 1992 Michael picked up a watercolour brush and has been painting in this medium ever since. Michael’s favourite place to paint is Banff National Park’s Johnston Canyon with its many waterfalls. Encounters with the open spaces and big skies of the Alberta prairie also have captured his imagination. Michael’s work can be found in many private collections. He currently lives on an acreage overlooking Lake Wabumun where he enjoys his other passion – sailing. If you would like to contact Michael about his work please send him an email at 455-12 ST NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1Y9 [email protected] 403-283-2025 Toll-free 1-866-313-0713 www.AlbertaWilderness.ca [email protected] AWA respects the privacy of members. Lists are not sold or traded in any manner. AWA is a federally registered charity and functions through member and donor support. Tax-deductible donations may be made to AWA at 455-12 ST NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1Y9. Ph: 403-283-2025 Fax: 403-270-2743 E-mail: [email protected] www.AlbertaWilderness.ca ISSN 1192-6287 Too Many Places to Experience, Too Little Time? It’s that time of the year again. It’s the time Esther Bogorov is up next as she introduc- ards of our natural heritage. Lea Komaromi most likely to find us out and about in search es you to a modern form of wilderness that’s writes about what children may learn about of enjoyment in Alberta’s many landscapes. as old as the universe itself – the stars and nature and themselves in forestry school; Much of this issue of Wild Lands Advocate is dark sky preserves. Esther offers us at least Esther Bogorov interviews Gareth Thomson dedicated to why we care so deeply for what as many lessons in her article as there are of Alberta’s Council on Environmental Ed- happens to the portions of the natural world planets and meteor showers waiting to be ucation about the mandate and activities of that surround us. observed in the night sky this summer. that organization; finally, Niki Wilson tells Andrea Johancsik first takes us on a trip Joanna Skrajny looks at one of the recre- us how important the wilderness is to the to Dinosaur Provincial Park, one of the four ation issues – trail rehabilitation – that the transformation of her son Dylan from being UNESCO World Heritage sites we are bless- government tried to address in the aftermath a little boy to becoming a young man. ed to have in Alberta. Andrea shares some of of the 2013 floods. AWA doesn’t dispute the Finally, regular readers of the Advocate the experiences she had while working as a need to rehabilitate trails but Joanna’s article know I haven’t been much of a fan of the park interpreter there. What can you expect points out that this need could be execut- activities the provincial government seems to see if you look through this window into ed more effectively than has so far been the intent on allowing in the Castle parks. Ac- the Cretaceous period, a period that ended case. This is certainly the case in the Castle cording to the government’s website it’s a mere 65.5 million years ago. Her general and Joanna offers some needed constructive as intent on allowing OHVs, recreational message that protection of rare landforms criticism of how the province’s trail rehabili- hunting, and other abominations in those and education/enjoyment can coexist is vital tation program is being implemented. parks now as it was when we were served and the Alberta government should be con- If you haven’t yet taken advantage of the “full protection” for the Castle promise gratulated for striving to strike this balance. AWA’s hikes program you really should do last fall. Meatball, my English bulldog, has Carolyn Campbell next takes you hun- so. That’s the theme I try to develop in my had enough of my complaining and urges dreds of kilometres to the north to tell you account of going on AWA’s Ghost View ridge me to join her in embracing what the Alber- about one of her memorable outdoor expe- hike last June. It was a very enjoyable expe- ta government calls its “modern take on the riences as a member of AWA’s team – canoe- rience – one that I’ve been very pleased to provincial park class.” See what she has to ing in McClelland Lake. Carolyn’s story is a introduce to my family since I roamed that say and let me know if you’re as convinced bittersweet one. Many pleasures – such as area for the first time. by her argument as I am. camping by a rare sinkhole lake, exploring The future of public support for protecting Until August then…get out and enjoy re- the wetland complex’s stunning patterned Alberta’s landscapes and the creatures who sponsibly some of the natural delights our fen, and discovering pitcher plants – were depend on them hinges vitally on what we province has to offer. to be experienced in this special part of Al- teach our children about nature. Three piec- -Ian Urquhart, Editor berta’s boreal forest. They were tempered es in this issue explore giving our children though by the designs of oil sands miners and grandchildren the experiences they who, through the Fort Hills project, plan to need to treasure nature and to become stew- start operating an open-pit bitumen mine in the last quarter of 2017. PHOTO: © C. WEARMOUTH Walking Among Ancient Giants: Preserving the Riches of Dinosaur Provincial Park By Andrea Johancsik, AWA Conservation Specialist n the distance, a child cries out: ment in North America, they’re only acces- served them for fossiliza- “I found a bone! I found a bone!” sible where erosion has swept away some tion. Unique chemical conditions in surface I I catch myself thinking that our surface rock. Alberta’s environment in the water slowly transformed once-living ma- young visitor to Dinosaur Provincial Park late Cretaceous (145.5 to 65.5 million years terial into rock. Millions of years later after instead probably found a piece of bone- ago) was more like Vancouver’s wet temper- the last ice age and long after the terrestri- shaped sandstone. I’m guiding two dozen ate forest, full of braided streams and rich al dinosaur extinction, continental glaciers people through the park and I’m trying in vegetation. When the creatures died from retreated and uncovered late Cretaceous to listen in all directions to manage my the dog-eat-do—er... dinosaur-eat-dinosaur sedimentary rock. Now, the Red Deer Riv- tour. I hastily postpone trying to explain world, some were quickly buried in wet, er Valley opens a window into that geologic 76 million years of local geological history oxygen-free sediment where their bodies time by revealing fossils from dinosaurs and to a very curious parent in three sentenc- were not eaten or decomposed; this pre- other creatures. es or less – not an easy task. “I’ll be right As I suspected, my young guest found back I say apologetically as more screams only an oddly shaped piece of sandstone. echo in the sandstone valley. “ANDREA!” But on a tour at Dinosaur Provincial Park, “Com’ere!” “I found a bone!” it would only be a matter of minutes before Dinosaurs spark our imaginations and di- I would run over and respond, “yes, that’s nosaur fossils are one of the most exciting a fossil!” discoveries for children and adults alike. During my summer as an interpreter, I Protecting an unparalleled was able to live that excitement every day fossil resource through guided tours.