Strange Micro-Climate Around Fort Mac?

I was having a look at satellite photos to check on the snow melt in the prairies and wondering if the Saskatchewan Rivers were opening up. Indeed, the North Saskatchewan River seems to be opening up. All of the prairies are covered in snow with the exception of southern Alberta and southwestern Saskatchewan. Then I noticed a peculiar dark patch surrounding Fort McMurray. It seems that this one spot in northern Alberta has also had it's snow melted, or the snow is dark in colour. It just happens that the area closely corresponds to the bitumen sands (aka tar sands) and the oil processing facilities there. Go figure.

Daily satellite image from 24/04/2013 viewed as a Google Earth overlay. The dark region is in stark contrast to the white of the remainder of northern Alberta and Saskatchewan.

The image above is a cropped view of the satellite image (find the original at http://lance-modis.eosdis.nasa.gov/imagery/subsets/?subset=AERONET_Fort_McMurray.2013114.terra.250m) from yesterday viewed via Google Earth. The river heading south to north is the Athabasca River and the Clearwater River joins at Fort McMurray flowing west out of Saskatchewan. The brown area amounts to about 90 km north and south, and about 35 km east and west.

By the way, the above effect is not simply due to urbanization. The larger cities of Edmonton & Saskatoon look much more white than the area around Fort Mac.

A Damn Shame

This is a bloody shame and to me is wrong in so many ways.

CBC Sask: National parks cut cross-country ski trail workCuts mean end to ski trails at Prince Albert National Park and Riding Mountain National Park

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/story/2012/11/06/sk-cross-country-ski-trails-national-parks-121106.html

"One of the services we've reduced or cut back on or ended for this year is the track setting for the ski trails," Alan Fehr, the park superintendent for Prince Albert National Park, told CBC News Tuesday. "And some of the backcountry camping services, we've cut those as well."

I love Prince Albert National Park in the winter. It's quiet and the ski and snowshoe trails are super. Snowmobiles are not allowed, so it is one of VERY FEW places in Saskatchewan where we can ski and be assured of not encountering a skidoo on the trail, or have a skidoo or quad wrecking the tracks.

What we SHOULD be doing, is encouraging more people to utilize the parks in the winter, not discourageing them. We are becoming fatter, lazier, and more out of touch with the real world and these cuts are a huge step backward. I am so disappointed.

This is a blow to those of us that enjoy the outdoors in winter without the noise and smell of an engine, it's a blow to society as a whole in terms of physical fitness, mental health, and connection to the natural world, and it's a blow to the business owners who benefit from having such fantastic skiiing (literally) on their doorstep.

Silence Is Not an Option

Swim Drink Fish Music

Where have I been all this time? Although I've been vaguely aware of the Riverkeepers organization for some time, I just learned about this component of Riverkeepers called "The Swim Drink Fish Music Club."

The Swim Drink Fish Music Club is an online music and audio experience developed by Lake Ontario Waterkeeper in collaboration with other Waterkeeper organizations across Canada and the United States.

The Swim Drink Fish Music Club brings together artists, activists, and citizens just like you who care about clean water. By celebrating the Club's exclusive and rare music, you are contributing to the fight for swimmable, drinkable, fishable water in your community.

Check out the video with Gord Downie narrating. I love the Canadian waterscapes featured throughout. Also, at about 4:02 is the start of a shot showing Waskesiu beach (in Prince Albert National Park). I recognize the swing set & playground where I've spent time with my kids.


Artists + Waterkeepers = Swimmable, Drinkable, Fishable Future from SwimDrinkFishMusic on Vimeo.

The list of musicians involved is great and includes Elliott Brood, Great Lake Swimmers, Ohbijou, Dave Bidini, Gord Downie, The Sadies, The Gertrudes, Violet Archers, Sarah Harmer, Bruce Cockburn, Broken Social Scene, and even Pete Seeger, plus many more (I recognize the Canadian indie bands, but there are American bands and others).

As  Tim Vesely of the Violet Archers states in the intro to a song, "swim, drink, fish, music, that's four of my favourite things to do right there. How could I not want to get involved?"

While you are at it, check out North Saskatchewan Riverkeeper which works to protect the river that runs just 40km from my home.

Radiant Rivers Photo Contest and World Rivers Day

Coldspring Paddling Instruction is helping the Saskatchewan Environmental Society to celebrate World Rivers Day by contributing a gift certificate for an Introduction to Sea Kayaking lesson as a first prize for their Radiant Rivers Photography contest.  The following is information from the Saskatchewan Environmental Society about the day and the contest.

World Rivers Day – September 25, 2011
For more information about any of these events, contact water@environmentalsociety.ca, call 306.665.1915 or visit environmentalsociety.ca.


Radiant River Photography Contest – rivers all over Saskatchewan
In celebration of World Rivers Day September 25^th, the Saskatchewan Environmental Society presents the Radiant Rivers Photography Contest to highlight the beauty of Saskatchewan’s rivers.  The photos must fit one of the three categories (action, tranquil, and sustainable).  Participants must name the river featured in their photo and describe why water is valuable to them and what they do to protect water.  All winning entries will be displayed as a travelling photo exhibit at locations around the province and will win fabulous prizes, including three outdoor adventure packages as first place prizes.  Entries can be emailed to water@environmentalsociety.ca on or before September 26^th at midnight and winners will be announced the following week.  For rules and regulations, please visit our website by clicking here.  A big thanks to our sponsors: Sturgeon River Ranch, Coldspring Paddling, Phase 2 Foto source, Outter Limits, and Mister Print.


The following are Saskatoon-based events:


Park Clean Up – 9am Rotary Park
SES is joining Trash Dashers Saskatoon and the Great Canadian Shoreline Clean-Up to pick up trash at Rotary Park in Saskatoon in celebration of World Rivers Day. Bags and gloves will be provided, so all you have to do is show up to help us keep our river valley clean and healthy.  We will meet at the peace torch in Rotary Park at 9am, September 25th. See you there!


Nature Walk and Photo Walk – 1pm Peturrson’s Ravine
SES is hosting a nature walk with the Native Plant Society of Saskatchewan along Peturrson's Ravine in Saskatoon. This river-side location was chosen to celebrate World River Day on September 25th.  If you are a photo-enthusiast, we also encourage you to bring your camera along to capture some of our river valley's natural beauty.
We will meet in the parking lot, just north of the Regional Psychiatric Centre on Central Avenue at 1pm, Sept 25th.


Blue Drinks – 6pm Winston’s
Blue Drinks is like Green Drinks, in that it is an opportunity for environmentalists to meet up, make connections, and talk about environmental issues, but on September 25th, the discussion will be all about water in celebration of World Rivers Day.  This pub-based discussion group is an informal, relaxed atmosphere, so come on out and talk about your local water issues!
We will be meeting at Winston’s Pub at 6pm in Saskatoon.

NYC Bike Lanes

Here's an interesting video illustrating some of the hazards of riding in the bike lane. Man, this guy is dedicated to his cause.

World Water Day

Today, March 22nd, is World Water Day. What are you doing to celebrate?

Water in the air, water in the river. Otter Rapids in the early morning fog.

Solid, liquid, gas - this picture should be cover the bases for World Water Day. Nistowiak Falls from February 2010.

Slow-Witted Prey Floating in Oil

Click the link for the full sized Yehuda Moon!

I Speak For Canadian Rivers

The following is excerpted from www.ispeakforcanadianrivers.ca:
Transport Canada is in the process of rewriting the Navigable Waters Protection Act (NWPA) to eliminate a developer’s obligation to consider impacts on navigation when building dams, bridges, causeways or other invasive structures on thousands of waterways across Canada.

Transport Canada Minister Lawrence Cannon and his allies in government and industry hope to achieve this by exempting "minor waters" and "minor works" from the NWPA, and by re-defining "navigation" under the act in a way that will strip all legal protection from recreational navigation.

The new law will ignore all whitewater rivers, all seasonal waterways and all vessels with less than a one-metre draft. This is a direct assault on Canada’s tradition of river travel and the future health of our waterways by the same people who are supposed to protect both. It is a fundamental breach of public trust.

(photo from the gallery at www.ispeakforcanadianrivers.ca, courtesy of Jeff)

For more information, please visit the I Speak For Canadian Rivers website. While there, register and sign the online petition if you agree. Get one of their signs too and display it to show your support. Also, send a letter to your MP to express your concerns and cc the letter to the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, the federal and provincial Environment Ministers, and anyone else you can think of.

Spread the word. Contact your local environmental organisations and get them on board. E-mail or write your friends and any contacts you have that you think might get behind this movement.

Paul Mason thinks it's important. Check out his latest cartoon which suggests his thoughts on the matter.

The Slow Bicycle Movement

I seem to be in a bicycle frame of mind lately so why fight it? The Slow Bicycle Movement has been launched & I herewith resolve to slow down. Not much I can do about style though.