Shed Some Light

In order to raise money for a new, energy-efficient lighting system for the Kerry Wood Nature Centre's Marjorie Wood Gallery, we are hosting the Shed Some Light fundraiser on November 12th, 2010 from 7 - 10 pm.

The fundraiser will feature wine, cheese, hors d'oeuvres, and entertainment. In addition, there will be a silent auction and an art sale, with all sale pieces going for $25. It's a perfect chance to bring home some local art for the holidays.

Local artists will be joining us for the evening to discuss their creative process.

Tickets for the event are $20 + GST, and are available at the Nature Centre. For more information visit our website or call us at 403-346-2010.

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If you are a local artist and would be interested in donating art for the fundraiser or if you would like to donate something for the silent auction, please give Andrea a call at 403-346-2010 ext 119.

Chrismas Light Exchange

Today marks the start of this year's Christmas light exchange, and we're already seeing big demand. Offered in partnership with the City of Red Deer Electric Light and Power Department and Environmental Initiatives Division, the exchange gives you the opportunity to recycle your old incandescent lights by trading them for more energy-efficient LEDs.

Bring your old lights to the Nature Centre, and for every two strings of old-style lights you'll receive a string of LED lights.

Our thanks to London Drugs, this year's light supplier.

For more information, call the Kerry Wood Nature Centre at 403-346-2010.

Eco-Forum Information

The Nature Centre/Red Deer River Naturalists Eco-forum for the Mayoral and Council candidates has been confirmed for October 13, 7:00 - 9:30 p.m. at Ecole Secondaire Notre Dame Highschool.

In order to have people prepped (both the candidates and the citizens) for what will be a unique evening, we are making a package available to anyone who wants it. The package contains an itinerary, plan for the forum and topic themes that will be on the table for discussion. Click here to to go to the "What's New" page on our website, where you will find the package download.

New Tools, to Serve You Better

We just took delivery of four new Discovery Carts. These carts were custom-made by the Central Alberta Woodworkers Guild. Each cart will have a theme and will hold props, games and activities relating to theme.

Each weekend interpreters will set up one or more carts in the Discovery Room. You'll be able to self-guide you and your kids through the activities, take activity packs outside or, have an interpreter lead you through some natural history. At the end of the weekend, the carts will roll under the counter in the Discovery Room; leaving the room clear for Nature Nursery.

Our thanks to Chuck, Denis and Guy for their hard work in building the carts, and to Kaley for her great design.

Watch for the carts to begin duty, this fall in the Discovery Room at the Kerry Wood Nature Centre.

Add your voice to the Municipal Election

The Red Deer Municipal Election is October 18, 2010. In order to give the Mayoral and Council candidates a chance to address the environmental concerns of the citizens of Red Deer, the Kerry Wood Nature Centre and the Red Deer River Naturalists are co-presenting an all-candidates forum on the environment.

The forum will be held Wednesday, October 13 from 7:00 pm – 9:30pm, in the gathering area at Ecole Secondaire Notre Dame Highschool.

In advance of the forum, we want to hear from you. If you have an environment-themed question you'd like to ask the candidates, please email it to Todd.Nivens@waskasoopark.ca.

The questions will be grouped by theme and then from the submissions, five will be chosen and sent to the candidates ahead of the forum. On the evening of the forum, the candidates will select (in a blind draw) one of the five questions to answer.

There will be questions from the floor as the last part of the forum.

All questions must be submitted by Wednesday, September 22, 2010, 5:00 pm.

If you have any questions about the forum, please phone the Nature Centre at 403-346-2010 x106.

Todd

Never underestimate the power of a potted plant...

With today's emphasis on reducing packaging waste, 100-mile diets, supporting local food producers and such, it's easy to think that bringing your own bags to the Farmer's Market or looking for local labels at the grocery store is the only way to go. Not true, my friends. Local food can be closer than you think: it's in your own backyard, literally.

If you have a green thumb, or even if you don't, container gardening is a convenient, easy way to bring local food home. With just a few pots, some seeds or starter plants and a little TLC you can have fresh, organic veggies at your doorstep and on your table with a minimum of work. In our effort to lead by example, and with the blessing of the powers that be, we here at the Nature Centre decided to see what could be grown in a too-overgrown-and-awkward-for-a-proper-garden space.

In our 6 x 9 feet of "useable" space, we put in a 2 1/2 x 4 1/2 foot raised bed and three tire planters. Two of the tires wound up not being planted due to time constraints, the third had both a zucchini and pole beans in it. In our raised bed, we had a salad garden. We planted 2 tomato plants, radishes, multiplier onions, basil, carrots and lettuce. The garden was largely neglected, due to summer being one of our busiest seasons, but it held it's own. The basil was large and smelled fantastic, the tomatoes put out lots of blooms (but unfortunately, not many tomatoes as was the case for a lot of gardens this year), the radishes worked to protect the carrots and lettuce and the onions were crisp and spicy. The zucchini and pole beans grew very large, very fast, then put out flowers and left it at that. (I had the same thing happen in my garden this year- lots of zucchini flowers but no zucchini squash. Strange.)

We had a bountiful harvest out of this little garden despite this year's awkward growing season. Take a look at the pictures- they speak for themselves. Everything but the carrots has been harvested now that the frost has come and it's time for the garden to rest. I'm already looking forward to next year.

Bookstore at the market

Bookstore Bob will have books, some bird seed and other items from the bookstore at the Farmers' Markets in Lacombe this Friday, Sep 3 and in Red Deer this Saturday, Sep 4. Friday and Saturday are the last times the bookstore will be at the outdoor markets this year.
Drop by and say "hello " to Bob

New Books and Bird Seed Info

New Books-bird feeders

The bookstore has a great inventory of bird feeders in stock. It also has a good supply of bird seed at really good prices. Our sources tell us bird seed prices will go up about 20% by November. For sure, we'll stick to our current prices until November 1.
New Books for Children;
1. I Found a Dead Bird by Jan Thornhill ; it answers the question for children, " why do things have to die."-$12.95 readability ages 9-13
2. - WHY? The best ever answer book about nature? price 12.95 ages 5-11
3. This is my Planet The Kids’ Guide to Global Warming $12.95

In this intelligent, comprehensive look at global
warming, Jan Thornhill gives a young audience the
tools to understand the crisis and empowers readers
to take action in their own lives. This Is My Planet
answers basic questions about how our planet works
and takes an in-depth look at how climate change is
affecting different environments and people around
the world.
Without shying away from facts, This Is My Planet
offers hope, showing where action can make a
difference, and evidence of the amazing resilience of the earth.
Readability ages 9-13.

4. Not Your Typical Book About the Environment by Elin Kelsery, $12.95
Readability ages 9-12. Talks about a world where hope is possible and so much is sustainable-food, energy, cities ,even happiness.

Seen in the Nature Centre

I know I usually post Sanctuary photos, but this particular bit of wildlife somehow made it inside and has made a beautiful web just below a fluorescent light fixture. I suspect that she'll find another place to go soon, because while the web is beautiful it's in a pretty ineffective place. Give it another day or two and I'd imagine that she'll have eaten the web (the ultimate in recycling) and moved on.

This orb-weaver is known as a Jewel Spider or Jewelled Araneus (Araneus gemmoides), and it's one of the largest spiders to be found in Alberta. The one in the photo was a pretty modest size, but female Jewel Spiders can get large enough to arouse a lot of curiosity -- or sometimes fear -- in people who don't realise that we even have spiders that size here.

A few years ago I wrote a more detailed post (with a clearer picture) on Jewel Spiders. If you'd like more information, it can be found here. And if you're worried about finding such large spiders near your home, just remember that they are shy, very rarely bite, and the bite's not serious for humans. And considering the important role they play in the environment as insect predators, finding a few of their webs up in slightly weird places isn't a bad thing.

Edible Mushrooms

Edible Mushroom Presentation, Sunday, August 22, 2010 -200pm at the Kerry Wood Nature Centre. Join Mike McNaughton as he describes some of the savoury mushrooms found in Central Alberta. Free admission; you may bring your samples to show and to be identified.
For more information call Bob at 403 346 2010

Seen in the Sanctuary

Ducks on West Gaetz Lake

Asters along the Dr George Trail

Mating Damselflies

... and lots of mosquitoes. Please remember to bring insect repellent if you're planning to go for a walk!

In the Wildflower Garden

Visitors to the Nature Centre may have noticed a small green space next to the staff parking lot driveway. This is our wildflower garden, and the members of the Red Deer & District Garden Club put a lot of effort into planning and maintaining it.

The garden is home to many native and wild species of flowering plants, and the colours and scents you find there are constantly changing throughout the growing season. We encourage our visitors to follow the short gravel path through the garden to have a closer look at the flowers and the activity they create. As I noticed today, the garden is a very popular place with many important insect pollinators, a few of which you'll see in the photos below.

These are just a sampling of what's currently flowering in the garden. Why not come down to the Centre and check out the garden for yourself?

As always, click on the photos to see larger versions:

 Columbine

 Fleabane and Harebell

Gaillardia

Goldenrod and Police Car Moth

Monarda (Bergamot) and bee

Prickly Pear Cactus (not technically in the wildflower garden -- closer to the building -- but definitely worth a look when they're in flower)

Sunflower

Yarrow

The Sun has Set on Westerner Days

For this year at least.

We would like to thank all the volunteers who came out at 6:00 & 8:00 Friday morning to mix pancake batter, flip pancakes, grill sausage, setup, clean and take down tables, make coffee, take money, sell raffle tickets and the other innumerable jobs require to pull off a pancake breakfast. By the end of the morning our staff and volunteer team had served breakfast to 529 people.

Once again London Drugs went above and beyond with their support for Red Deer's non-profit community. Their Westerner pancake breakfasts (five days in a row) not only supports the Nature Centre but also the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the Central Alberta Women's Emergency Shelter, Red Deer Search and Rescue and the Red Deer Food Bank.

Westerner Parade and Pancake Breakfast

It's Westerner Week this week.

We had a great time at the parade today. Our float was extremely well-received by the attendees and Kathryn's decoration design looked great. Thanks to Kathryn, April and Carrie for their hard work in getting everything stuck to the boat and truck.

Pancakes!!!

This Friday - July 23 - is our pancake breakfast fundraiser. The amazing team at London Drugs hosts five days of pancake breakfasts during Westerner Week with all the proceeds going to five local charities. You can get your breakfast of pancakes, sausage, coffee and juice for $3/person, until 11:00 am.

Watch for photos from the breakfast, next week.

New look

Regular readers will notice that our blog is looking a bit different these days. We're hoping that this new template will be easier to read, and should also blend better with the look of our website.

There may be a few more changes or additions in the next few days, but I think that I've got the basic look down now. Feel free to share your opinion of the new style in the comments section.

The view from the deck

As Todd mentioned yesterday, the recent rains have raised the water level in the Gaetz Lakes considerably. Here are a few photos that I took today from the bird blind on the West Lake:

The boardwalk to the deck

Looking back towards the Nature Centre

West Gaetz Lake

And... our deck-munching porcupine has returned. It must be a tasty piece of wood, because the silly animal has quite a walk to make to get to it.

Work, work, work...

Brief introduction!
Todd invited me to join in on all the blogging super fantasticness that goes on around here... careful what you wish for, my friend!

My name is Andrea, and I have had the pleasure of working for Waskasoo Environmental Education Society since November of 2008. Prior to that, I was at home with the kidlets (now 7 and 4... and a half!) and working part time for the City of Red Deer (which I continue to do in my, ahem, down time). My work keeps me busy here, and with a job title such as Executive Assistant/ Occupational Health and Safety/ Human Resources / Special Projects one could only guess as to why. From doing safety audits to interviewing potential staff to writing grants, updating the website and curating the Marjorie Wood Gallery, it's unlike any other job I've ever had... and I don't think I'd have it any other way.

Windy and Wet - Exercise Caution

If you've been in Central Alberta over the past three days or so, you've been experiencing massive rainfall and very high winds. This kind of sustained activity has created some potentially unstable situations both in the Sanctuary and in other natural spaces throughout the region.

We know of five trees that have fallen down, and a couple more that are potentially a hazard, within the Sancutary. There has also been some slumping of the bank on the east side of the Sanctuary; reported to us by some regular visitors. We have notified the City about these hazards. Their crews will come in and rectify the problems.

In the meantime, please exercise caution when walking through the Gaetz Lakes Sanctuary, and any other heavily-wooded areas of Waskasoo Park.

The positive of all this rain we've been having, is that the water levels in both of the Sanctuary lakes are up to levels we've not seen in five years. The new viewing blind is well and truly out over the lake, giving you up close and personal views of the waterfowl, muskrats, insects and other critters that make the lake their home.

Identify Edible Mushrooms

The Friends of the Kerry Wood Nature Centre will be sponsoring a program on Edible Mushrooms found in the area. It will be hosted by mycologist, Mike McNaughton.
Date: Sunday, August 22
Place : Kerry Wood Nature Centre
Time: 1:30pm-3:00pm
Admission; Free, everyone welcome
Mike will make a power point presentation on mushrooms, have samples and have a question/answer session.

Attendees are welcome to bring their mushroom samples for Mike to identify.
For further information or books about mushrooms, contact Bob at the Nature Centre
Telephone 403 346 2010

Raft Tour Info

Hello everyone. We've been getting a lot of calls about raft tours and when they're going to start, so to get some more information out there and all of us on the same page, here is a post about it.

The river has been very high this year. With all of the rain, we've spent the last couple of weeks watching the water level go up and up and up. This has, in effect, put a delay on the start of our rafting season as we felt that there were some safety issues directly connected to the higher water levels.

Thankfully, the river seems to be falling (slowly, but maybe that's just my perception because I'm anxious to get going). We'll be watching the levels closely, and when we feel that the river is at a level where we could take a group out safely and enjoyably, the raft tours will begin. Watch for information in the papers, posters about town, or call the Nature Centre at 403-346-2010 to get the latest updates on raft tours.

Thank you for your patience as we wait out the last of the high water. Unfortunately with this kind of activity, Mother Nature gets the final say.

When we do start the tours, they will be running Thursday evenings from 5 to 8 p.m. and Saturday afternoons from 1 to 4 p.m. The cost is $35+gst/members and $40+gst/non-members with 40 lbs being the minimum safe weight for kids. We can take a maximum of 12 people per tour. We will have a shuttle service available (meet beforehand and shuttle out to starting point) and a wiener roast follows every tour. Private tours on alternate days are also available. All raft tours are weather and river condition dependant: someone will call you before your tour if bad weather or poor river conditions are possibly threatening. Call the Nature Centre for more info or to book your spot.

Until next time...