We were contacted about restoration work at Nose Hill. Alberta Native Plant Rescue has some native grasses they’ve rescued from development sites around Calgary and can plant them out. Past stewardship projects were in Fish Creek Park and Cochrane area. Native species are popular but are at increasing risk from invasive species (weeds) and land development. This Volunteer Group gathers a variety of native grasses and rare plants, then safely relocates them. Some are rough fescue grass, the Prairie sage, blanket flower, blazing star, yarrow, and more. When the native grassland restoration project involves sharing seedlings with the public, participants should bring clean tools and be dressed appropriately.
This year’s World Migratory Bird Day theme, Shared Spaces: Creating Bird-friendly Cities and Communities, highlights the urgent need for urban planning and protecting birds. It’s time to rally our community and Calgary is certified as bird friendly. Saturday, May 10 marks peak spring migration in Canada. Every action counts to help save bird lives. https://www.birdday.ca/.
Nature Alberta is the coordinator of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) for Habitat Stewardship, enlisting community and government support. National partners include Birds Canada and Nature Canada. The program was initiated in the 1980s by BirdLife International. Nature Alberta is responsible for recruiting volunteer caretakers who collect bird data; they conduct at least one bird count per year (preferably during migration) and submit the results to eBird Canada. Some other duties are conducting site assessments, restoring habitat, raising awareness, and advocacy efforts. There are currently over 600 IBAs across Canada, including 48 in Alberta all viewable on a Google map. An online directory tracks locations, birds, habitats, threats, and conservation issues. You can access the database, interactive maps, desktop tools, and downloadable PDF maps at https://naturealberta.ca/habitat-stewardship/.
