Once again, the Kerry Wood Nature Centre is taking part in Bower Place's Red & White Night charity shopping event this year. On the evening of November 22nd, the mall will only be open to people who have bought tickets to the event. It's a great way to do some Christmas shopping without fighting the crowds.

Charities receive a percentage of all the tickets they sell, so we ask that if you are interested in going, please pick up your tickets from us at the Nature Centre, or call 403-346-2010. Thanks in advance!

New Exhibit Update

As of today, our thirty year old permanent displays have been closed down and will be dismantled to prepare for the construction of new displays. The building itself, including the Bookstore, Theatre, and Discovery Room, will still be open, and of course the Gaetz Lakes Sanctuary is always available for quiet nature observation.

Our new displays are scheduled to open October 31st, 2015. Watch this space, Facebook, and Twitter for updates on construction progress!

Our summer team

Yes, that was our summer staff for Kerry Wood Nature Centre and Fort Normandeau that you may have seen taking pictures (and, um, doing performance art) around the park system today. Looks like a great team this year, and I think we're all raring to go...

Concern, Care, and Communication

Here at the Nature Centre we recognise that we are extremely fortunate to work adjacent to 300 acres of stunningly beautiful, natural habitat. We also recognise that the students at the local schools, and our neighbours in surrounding neighbourhoods share in this good fortune.

Imagine if you as a kid, had access to a place like the Gaetz Lakes Sanctuary. There are cool, dark forests; wide-open, bright grasslands; and of course the two lakes. All of these habitats work together to provide food, shelter, and habitat for the plants and animals that share them. You would have access to a place that has the ability to be either peaceful and serene, or vibrant and dramatic. It is a place that is good for nature, good for the community, good for the soul.

We take our stewardship of the Gaetz Lakes Sanctuary extremely seriously. We are charged with ensuring that the environments remain healthy, that the plants and animals are free to live their lives with minimal interference, and that the activities that take place in the Sanctuary are complementary to its well-being. We also strive to get as many people as possible outside and in nature.

We also want to ensure that as many people, of all ages, from all walks of life have the chance to enjoy the Sanctuary. We want people walking the trails. We want people using the viewing decks and the bird blind. We want people taking pictures, recording sounds, drawing and painting what they see, and immersing themselves in the experience of being in nature.

Over the past week one of our structures, the south viewing deck located behind Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive Highschool, was extensively vandalised. Beginning on Monday April 20, graffiti began to appear. We started photo-documenting the damage and posted the images to Facebook and Twitter; being very careful to not jump to conclusions about who may or may not be creating the damage. On Thursday morning April 23 we installed a motion-detecting, wildlife camera in a tree, overlooking the south viewing deck. At that time we again documented the existing graffiti.

On Friday, April 24 we took down the camera, documented the new graffiti that appeared while it was in place, and went back to the Nature Centre to look at the images. What we saw was a number of groups of teenagers, on the viewing deck, during school hours. These groups of people were the only people recorded on the deck during the period when new vandalism appeared. When we zoomed in on the images we saw scenes of people stashing things under the deck - we have since recovered a pipe used to smoke marijuana - and scenes of people using these items to smoke something, on the deck. Again, all during hours that school is in session.

On Monday of this week, we met with the LTCHS administration team to show them the images and try to work a solution to this problem. One of our larger concerns - and theirs - was that kids have been recorded breaking the law and then returning to class under the influence of an illicit substance. The Thurber team identified the people in the images as Thurber students, agreed that this was a serious issue, and that these actions, combined with the vandalism showed that the school wasn't being a good neighbour. Sadly the actions of a few kids were making 1700 students, their teachers, and the administration look really bad.

We left the meeting with assurances from the admin team that they would deal with the issue appropriately, have meeting with the students who were recorded on the deck, and set some ground rules for what students can and cannot do during school hours.

Please understand, this isn't about the Nature Centre staff trying to get people in trouble. We deliberately decided not to release the images we recorded, to the public. We don't want to shame people publicly, or have anybody take it upon themselves to deliver reprisals. This is about keeping the Gaetz Lakes Sanctuary as a place where everybody can go to enjoy nature. Preschool children from our preschool and the two neighbouring preschools use the Sanctuary during school hours. Seniors walk the trails during the day. We want all our visitors to use the Sanctuary appropriately and not put other users in an comfortable, dangerous, or adversarial position.

We are not in a position to comment on the announcement from Thurber admin. We appreciate them taking the situation seriously and attempting to assist us in solving this issue. If you would like to help us, please talk to your kids, to your friends and family, and to us about how best to enjoy the natural jewel that sits in the heart of our community.

And if you have any sandpaper, give us a call. We have some clean-up work to do.

All the best
The Kerry Wood Nature Centre team

Spring thoughts turning to gardening

Now that spring is struggling its way through again, like many of you we're thinking of gardens -- in this case, the Busby Legacy Gardens at the Allen Bungalow across the parking lot from the Nature Centre. Two years ago we started recreating gardens at the Bungalow, but we're still looking to add new plants and maintain what's there.

To help raise money for the Gardens we're once again selling leaves for $1. Come down to the Centre and purchase a leaf, and all money raised stays in our gardening fund.

If you'd be interested in sponsoring the Gardens by purchasing a plant or other garden items, contact Darlene at 403-346-2010 ext 120, or e-mail darlene.kranenborg@waskasoopark.ca.

Come build a bird house

Looking out our back door

Here are a few quick shots from outside our back door on this fine afternoon. That latest snowfall is melting fast, and Imagination Grove is starting to look ready for some spring fun. See you there!

An interesting visitor

This Varied Thrush was photographed by Anna Robertson at their home east of Red Deer. Jim says that there is a reported sighting south of their home/east of Innisfail as well.

Varied Thrushes are fairly early migrators, but they're rare visitors to our area. In Alberta they're more usually found in damp-ish conifer forest in the mountains.

If the body shape looks familiar, it's because our more usual Robin is also a thrush.

For more information, check out the Varied Thrush page at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. It's a great site for loads of bird information.

Looking for a wedding venue?

Come have your say on our new exhibits

Some of you may already know that work has begun on the designs for our upcoming new permanent exhibits. Well, we now have a final draft and will be holding an open house preview on March 9, 2015 from 4:30 pm to 8 pm. It's your chance to come down, have a look at the drawings, and let us know what you think. Everyone's welcome!

Here's the City's press release for more information.

Seen in the Sanctuary:

 I took advantage of the nice weather to get out on the Dr George Trail to see what's up at the moment. Some things were neat:

Deer trail through the trees

Moose trail on the bird blind. I wonder how ticked she was when she realised that it's a dead end.

 Some things, though, didn't make me as happy:

Human use of deer trail

Snowshoe tracks amongst the animal tracks on the West Lake

Boreal Chickadee obviously used to being hand-fed. Thanks to the visitor who's name I didn't get for assisting me with this picture!

We ask our visitors to please remember that there are rules in a wildlife sanctuary, and in a heavily-used urban sanctuary those rules become especially important. Enjoy your walk, but try to stay on the existing (human) trails rather than making your own.

Also, if you notice people feeding wildlife in the sanctuary, please let our staff know.

We're Hiring

Kerry Wood Nature Centre

Open Competition:
Visitor Services Staff

The Waskasoo Environmental Education Society, a non-profit charitable society which operates the Waskasoo Park Interpretive Program on contract for The City of Red Deer, has one or two part-time positions available for the coming summer for Information Attendants.

Based at Red Deer's Kerry Wood Nature Centre, the successful applicant(s) will provide natural history and tourist information to the general public and deliver interactive programs to the public. The position also entails operating the building when other staff are away, retail sales work, light clerical duties (word processing, poster-making etc.), assisting the Park Interpreters with their programming, and related duties such as program preparation/cleanup and building & animal maintenance.

Essential Qualifications:

·     Excellent public communication skills and experience / love for working with the public (including children);

·      A good working knowledge of the natural history & ecosystems of Central Alberta

·      An excellent knowledge of the sights, attractions, major events, roads, and parks of Red Deer, including the bike trails of Waskasoo Park;

·      Current first aid / C.P.R. certificates;

·      A valid driver's permit and reliable transportation;

·      A neat appearance and the willingness to wear the Park uniform, and to abide by the Normandeau Society’s smoking and other policies;

·      Willingness and ability to stay the entire term of this position;

·      Willingness and ability to work most weekends and evenings;

·      Good health: some lifting is required;

·      Good organizational skills and the ability to plan your schedule and workload;

·      Reliable and trustworthy, punctual and conscientious;

Desirable Qualities:

·         Post-secondary schooling in western Canadian natural history, biological sciences education, or interpretation;

·      Retail sales experience;

·      Experience in art or graphic design;

·      Experience with computers (Windows environment) and basic word-processing, spreadsheets, database and desktop publishing; experience working on a computer network;

·      Basic knowledge of the human history of central Alberta.

Term and Conditions of Employment:

·      Training/work to start immediately.

·      This is a part-time position (weekend days, some evenings);

·      Four positions are available;

·      Accommodation is not provided;

·      Regular evening and weekend work is required.

To Apply:

Apply in writing by ASAP (postings will remain open until suitable candidates are found) to:

Human Resource, Waskasoo Environmental Education Society

6300 - 45th Avenue

Red Deer, AB, T4N 3M4

Fax: 347-2550

e-mail: hr@waskasoopark.ca

Include a résumé outlining related experience and references, and
a brief letter explaining why the position is of interest to you. No phone calls, please.

Imagination Grove -- Opening Soon!

The time's almost here, everyone! And yes, it's definitely worth an exclamation point because we're pretty excited. Imagination Grove, our new outdoor classroom and natural learning space,
 will be officially opening on Monday, October 6, at 1:00 pm. Following one last work-bee on Saturday, everything should be ready for lots of fun and free play. You can find more information on this page, but in the meantime here's a bit of a preview:

Radical Reels - An Action Sports Film Fest

Imagination Grove

Work is well underway for Imagination Grove, the new nature playground here at Kerry Wood Nature Centre. Here's a quick look at what's going on today.

Some of the materials that go into a nature playground

This should be quite the climbing structure

Our new amphitheatre in the works

No more turnstile gate

Things are coming along nicely, with more on the way. Watch for the upcoming announcement of our opening in October. Then be sure to come down and play!

Mushroom Day -- Change of Date

I have a correction to the date for our mushroom evening with Dr. Lou Piening. The program will be moving from Thursday to Friday, September 5th. The time is still 7:00 pm, and everyone is welcome.

Mushroom Day

Are you interested in wild mushrooms? Would you like to know what's edible and what's not? Join us on Thursday, September 4th at 7:00 pm for an exploration of wild mushrooms with mycologist Dr. Lou Piening.

This event is free and open to everyone. Be sure to bring your samples. Hope to see you here!

Seen in the Sanctuary

I got a chance to take the camera and go for a walk this afternoon. Here's a little of what's happening on the Dr George Trail in early August:

The chickadees were all very busy. They always seem to be.

Looks like this little guy is getting ready to cocoon.

I seem to take a lot of photos of duck bottoms...

There's lots of nectaring on the goldenrod right now.

That's a meadowhawk. Appropriately, in the meadow.

It's definitely prime saskatoon season.

Can you spot the face made by these woodpecker holes?

The Sanctuary was a very busy place today, both with the resident animals and all the people that came to visit. Thanks for taking the time to talk to me out there, folks. And remember, if you see one of our staffers out on the trails please don't hesitate to say hi. You never know what we might be able to tell you about recent happenings!

See? We can be found after all!

Surprise sequel to my earlier post...

Big 105 tweeted that they were delivering Slurpees.Of course we tweeted back that we'd like some. The result?

Guess we're findable even with the construction. Thanks for the treat, folks. It's a great day for it!

Find Us

Above the posts on this blog you'll see a tab called Find Us that shows a Google map and gives directions to Kerry Wood Nature Centre.

It's a bit more complicated than that at the moment.

Road construction on 55th Street means that you won't have direct access to the Centre if you're coming from the west. There are a couple of ways to get around this, though. If you're on Gaetz Avenue southbound, continue on until you hit 49th Street (sometimes thought of as Ross Street eastbound). Right now you can get to us via 45th Avenue going past Coronation Park, but if you're concerned about that being blocked by construction or don't know the city very well, continue going east until the next major intersection (40th Avenue) and turn left. 40th Avenue takes a curve and becomes 55th Street. From there, you should be able to get to 45th Avenue (via detour signs, if they've got any short-term blockages). Turn right, and follow 45th Avenue as usual.

Doesn't taking the bike paths sound like a much easier alternative? You can get to us via the South Bank Trail. We have a bike stand and a convenient repair stand as well if you've had any trouble along the way.

Don't forget -- we're still here even if construction makes it harder to get here. We hope to see you soon!