Sierra Club Canada

A friendly reminder that even with snow on the ground, it's so good to get outside! "With increased stress and isolation due to COVID-19, natural areas and the psychological benefits they provide are needed now more than ever, researchers say." https://neurosciencenews.com/wilderness-connection-psychol/

This week is #PolarBearWeek and we are sharing this great video by Dr. Jill Bueddefeld who, through studying polar bear tourism, investigates how we communicate environmental issues to bring about change in how we live our lives. Enjoy! #PolarBearWeek #Manitoba #assiniboinezoo #environmentaleducation

Agriculture and food security are really important and relevant issues in the Prairies We look forward to Manitoba Eco-Network's Food and Farming in a Climate Emergency on November 19th at 7 PM CST. Mark your calendars and join us for this free webinar!

The Green Budget Coalition including @SierraClubCanada just released its recommendations for federal investments in a green recovery, creating jobs in building retrofits, clean transportation, nature-based climate solutions, protected areas: https://bit.ly/3dqPixL (EN/FR)

Last Edmonton coal mine in Whitemud Situated adjacent to Snow Valley Ski Hill and Rainbow Valley Campground, the Whitemud Creek Coal Mine was the final one in E...dmonton. It opened in 1952, the same year the last coal mine closed in Beverly. The underground mine extended from 45th Avenue on the southside (now Whitemud Freeway) to 52B Avenue on the north and from 142 Street on the west to roughly 126 Street on the east. The slope into the hill was at fifteen degrees, and the air shaft or manway was seventy-two feet. The coal seam was substantial, six to eight feet in depth, so miners could work standing up. The mine operated behind a single No Trespassing sign adjacent to a busy natural area that provided skiing in the winter and camping and day picnic use in the summer. Bert’s Saddle Club, which offered horse rides, was also nearby in Rainbow Valley. The mine lease extended under two neighbourhoods, South Brookside and Lansdowne, and despite considerable ground movement, including a cave-in, a squeeze and heaves, a stability study prepared in 1974 cited no evidence that the coal mining activity north of 45th Avenue affected the slope stability of the creek valley. The closure of the Whitemud Creek Coal Mine in 1970 marked the end of underground coal mining in Edmonton. Learn more at https://citymuseumedmonton.ca//the-last-edmonton-coal-min/

Did you know Manitoba boasts of sand dunes, meteorite lakes and waterfalls? Discover these amazing places in our blog: https://www.sierraclub.ca/en/top-manitoba-hikes We asked our lead team to share with you their favorite places in nature to remember why we work so hard to protect it! Join our efforts by contributing to our #HikingHero fundraising campaign for the #NationalHikeForTheEnvironment! Donate and sign-up today at https://www.canadahelps.org//Na/team/prairie-chapter-team/

Sierra Club Edmonton volunteers have been working hard behind the scenes advocating for a National Urban Park in the Metropolitan Edmonton Region. Voice your support in favour of a National Urban Park in Edmonton in the 2020 Minister's Round Table on Parks Canada in the link below. Please "Like" and add ideas by Friday, October 30th. https://www.letstalkparkscanada.ca/index.php

Every season brings new ways to play outside! Wild Child Edmonton is adapting to the new season by offering Forest School and Eco-buddies programs for parents looking to homeschool this year. Because we all know we could use a little nature in our life -- even when it's cold outside! ... #wildchildwednesday #forestschool #natureplay #homeschooling #outdoorplay

Discover the beauty of the prairies through Lauren's top 3 Saskatchewan hikes! READ BLOG: https://www.sierraclub.ca/en/top-sask-hikes "Saskatchewan boasts many beautiful landscapes that are unique to our province! Long associated with endless flat wheat fields, the province has so much more, including landscapes that people from elsewhere wouldn’t associate with Saskatchewan."... Get inspired by the natural beauty around us and consider signing up to be a #HikingHero for the #NationalHikeForTheEnvironment! Donate and Sign Up at https://www.canadahelps.org//National-Hike-for-the-Enviro/ Enjoy!

CALLING ALL TEACHERS IN EDMONTON AND AREA! Are you looking for a program to get your classrooms outside in a nature pocket near your school? Interested in having an experienced educator meet you outdoors and teach your classroom about the local ecosystem and climate change? Best part: this program is FREE! Check out our Eco-Buddies program below! ... ... ECO-Buddies is an environmental education program for children in grades 4, 5, and 6 to connect with nature and to learn about climate change and become responsible stewards of the land. Children and teachers will apply concepts from the Alberta science curriculum to the ecosystem around them and learn how organisms in nature work together to build healthy ecosystems. Our program not only provides children with more opportunities to discover natural areas in their community and reconnect with their own local habitats, it also provides repetitive exposure to nature in different seasons (Winter/Spring/Summer). After they have experience ‘in‘ nature, they then will develop the capacity to be ‘with’ nature and start to notice landscapes and seasonal changes that will enable them to understand the difference between climate and weather. As they start to get involved with these spaces and connect with them, then they will start to feel attached to nature, and enable participants to start to take care ‘for’ our environment. If you know a teacher or a school that would be interested in ECO-Buddies reach out to our Wild Child Coordinator at [email protected] to book a FREE program! Thanks to Edmonton Community Foundation for funding our 2020/2021 programs! Wild Child Edmonton #climatelitteracy #outdoorlearning #getoutside #natureisourteacher

Discover Michelle Murphy's Top 3 Alberta Hikes! We are thankful for the beauty of nature all around us, so this week we'll be bringing you our lead team's favorite hikes from across the Prairies! If you feel inspired, consider sponsoring or becoming a #HikingHero! Check out our blog and find out how to be a #HikingHero at ... https://www.sierraclub.ca/en/prairie/top-alberta-hikes-blog Sierra Club Canada Foundation #HikingHero #NationalHikeForTheEnvironment

Our beaver team gift wrapped some great research for YOU! check out our newest fact sheet Cost Benefit Analysis of Beaver Coexistence Tools by visiting th...e landowner resources tab of our beaver website (http://www.rockies.ca/beavers/landowners.php) Partner: Cows and Fish - Alberta Riparian Habitat Management Society Case studies from Alberta, Massachusetts, and Virginia: University Of Alberta Augustana Campus, Beaver Institute, Inc., Foothills County, Elk Island National Park, and Christopher Newport University Thanks to our funders: YourAlberta (Government of Alberta) #WRRP and the Calgary Foundation

The Devil's Head wildfire that started Labour Day long weekend due to an abandoned campfire was still listed as 'out-of-control' as of Wednesday at noon

David Luff, former Assistant Deputy Minister with the government of Alberta talks about his involvement in helping create the Coal Act in 1976 and why it was pu...t into place. Watch the video to learn more about how it's essential to have effective policies in place to protect our landscapes and #savethemountains. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeawqueXKns&feature=youtu.be

"Britain and Canada on Monday joined the European Union in pledging to protect 30 per cent of their land and seas by 2030 to stem "catastrophic" biodiversity loss and help galvanize support for broader agreement on the target ahead of a United Nations summit." https://www.cbc.ca//technolo/biodiversity-canada-1.5742040

This Fall, join us for THE NATIONAL HIKE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT. At a time when our planet is under increasing threats, will you step up to help protect it and sign on as a #HikingHero? Join our team, donate and learn more at: https://www.canadahelps.org//National-Hike-for-the-Enviro/

Just a reminder to our volunteers that the #PrairieLivingRoom installation is being removed tomorrow morning. Come by any time before noon at the Forks to pick up your prairie plants as a thank you for volunteering this summer! In other news, for those of you who missed the wildflower seed harvesting last week due to the rain, the @wpgwildflowerproject will be harvesting seeds at their Bishop Grandin Greenway lot at 6pm tomorrow! You’re welcome to join us and help harvest ...seeds for their project! #prairieplants #seedharvest #prairielivingroom #sierraclub #sierraclubcanada #sierraclubprairie #volunteers

This is the last weekend to go check out the #prairielivingroom ! We want to say a huge thank you to all of our volunteers this summer who have helped keep the living room, living! @heyitslupethefiasco demonstrates how nice the view from the couch is in the evening as the solar lights come on Solar lighting is an excellent and sustainable option for outdoor spaces. It saves energy and eliminates the need for cords! Here we repurposed and old chandelier and replaced the... bulbs with solar lights instead - to create beautiful and practical lighting for the space. #theforks #wpg #sierraclub #sierraclubprairie #volunteer #solarlights