july-sept 2005 news from the ann & sandy cross ...nadine- nourishing and nifty (bye nadine, we...

The Cross Current • Volume 11 • Issue 3 July-Sept 2005 • 1

Open House BringsTogether Volunteersby Judi Vandenbrink

EDITORJudi Vandenbrink

LAYOUT AND DESIGNEmerge Creative–Cheryl Peddie

CONTRIBUTORSJacquie GilsonJudi Vandenbrink Sue HaydukReg RempelOlga DroppoSuzanne VisserKelly SmallTrish GaudetBrenda EberleKyla SinclairMaarten DankersGeorge HopkinsChristine Fraser

CONTACT US ATBox 20, Site 23, R.R. #8Calgary, AB T2J 2T9Tel 403.931.1042Fax [email protected]

July-Sept 2005 News from the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area Volume 11 Issue 3

Our Open House was heldon Thursday, April 21 andwas a huge success. This

will become an annual event eachspring. The informal, unstructuredgathering seems to be a good wayfor volunteers, sponsors and staffto connect with each other. Forty-five people attended the gathering,sharing their memories of theCross Conservation Area and metwith new volunteers who are eagerto participate. Many volunteerstook the opportunity to learnabout the programs that will beheld throughout the year andsigned up to help with specificprojects. Our suggestion box didnot get much response becausemost of the suggestions were ver-bal. All of the suggestions offeredwill be taken into consideration,especially the one that we shouldhave many more Wine and Cheese events as they are fun to attend. A

INSIDENotes from the Executive Director . . . . . . . . . . . 2Grassland & Grouse Update . . . 3News from the ASCCA . . . . . . . . 4Celebrating the Centennial . . . . 5May Species Count . . . . . . . . . . 6My Experience as an ASCCA Volunteer . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Fall Conservation Education. . . . 7Sponsor in Profile. . . . . . . . . . . . 8Kids Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Notes from Reg . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Fresh from the Kitchen. . . . . . . . 9Area Steward Reports . . . . . . . 10Birds, Bugs, Buds.... . . . . . . . . . 10Announcements . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Calendar of Events. . . . . . . . . . 14


As we conclude the development of our threeyear plan, I find myself thinking about ourcore staff group and I can’t help but be appre-

ciative and thankful for the great people we haveworking here at the Ann and Sandy CrossConservation Area.

For the past seven months we have been dili-gently creating a three year plan based on the newvision scribed by the Board in 2004. This has notbeen an easy task as we had to fit the planning inbetween all the regular work we are required to do.I found that everyone was very optimistic and will-ing to put in the extra effort required.

In the end I think we developed an excellent planthat will save us considerable time over the next fewyears. I also think the new plan is very exciting as weallowed ourselves to dream a little. We used a“results-based approach” and tried to focus on theend products and then backtracked to figure out thesteps required to take us there. I think we have alllearned much from the exercise and I appreciate thestaff being open to this process. (See box for high-lights of the plan).

As part of the planning exercise staff brain-stormed the following words to describe our team:

T – Total,TrustworthyE – Excellence,Energetic,Education,EnvironmentA – Aware,Alert,AwardM – Motivated,Meaningful,Maternal,ManagementA – Astounding,AmbitiousS – Sincere, Stewards, SupportC – Conscientious, Collaborative, CommunicationC – Caring, Creative, ConcernedA – Awesome,Absolute

In addition I would add the following descriptors:

Reg- Responsible and Renewed Sue- Super and SublimeNadine- Nourishing and Nifty (Bye Nadine, we

will miss you!)Kelly- Keen and KaleidoscopicJudi- Juggler and JustDianne- Dedicated and Dexterous

You guys ROCK! Thank you for being so flexible andenthusiastic. A

Some of our DesiredResults in the 3 Year Plan:no net loss of native grassland habitat; healthierriparian areas; no net increases in weeds; a moreactive role in the community resulting in local devel-opment that is sensitive to wildlife needs as well ashuman needs and wants; an abundance of new andexisting partnerships and resources; well managedand effective systems in place; high caliber, fullyengaged and proud staff team members who arecompensated fairly; happy, excited and ambitiousvolunteers who actively support the needs of theArea; three successful years of high quality leadingedge education programming, in which all partici-pants gain an awareness and appreciation thatinspires action for the natural world; a high qualitystrategic communications strategy that effectivelysupports all Area initiatives; continue to provide asafe place to work and visit; well maintained and safebuildings, trails, fences and other man-made facilities;controlled visitor use with visitors engaged as part-ners; make headway on some special initiativesincluding a new Sustainable Building, defining whatleading edge means to us and identifying and build-ing on our attributes of excellence.

VisionWe are recognized from the local to the internationallevel as a leader in conservation and sustainable pro-tected area management. We achieve this by work-ing collaboratively with the community and a broadrange of partners; managing our benchmark land-scape for ecological integrity; and fostering aware-ness, appreciation and action through leading edgeconservation education.

Notes from the Executive DirectorJacquie Gilson


Grassland and Grouse Updateby Sue Hayduk

Grassland and Grouse Project gets off the ground!

The Grassland and Grouse Project is getting underway at the Cross Conservation Area! We have recentlyreceived funding from the Government of Canada’s EcoAction Community Funding Program, AlbertaEcotrust Foundation and The Calgary Foundation to support the research and communications portion

of the project.We were recently featured in the May 18th edition of the Okotoks Western Wheel, celebrating ourreceipt of EcoAction funding and giving the project a little more profile in the community. Through this fund-ing we were able to hire two new summer students to help coordinate the Grassland and Grouse Project. In theparagraphs below you can learn more about the Grassland and Grouse Project and the work Maarten and Kylawill be involved in this summer.

Maarten Dankers - Grassland andGrouse Project Coordinator

“I am a fourth year environmental science studentat the University of Calgary. Last summer I workedas a field assistant for a graduate student investigatingthe reclamation of rangeland disturbed by pipelines.As I greatly enjoyed my experience last year, I con-sider myself very fortunate to be working at theCross Conservation Area this summer, where myfocus will be the Grasslands and Grouse project.

The Grasslands and Grouse project seeks to iden-tify the best management technique to control theinvasion of brome and other weedy species intonative grasslands. These management techniquesinclude grazing, mowing, weed picking, herbicides,and biological control.

My goal for the summer will be to establish a mon-itoring system to determine the success of the dif-ferent management techniques. The monitoring sys-tem will focus on composition of native versus non-native grasses, range health, and the rate of encroach-ment of brome, willow and aspen. In the future,when sufficient data has been collected, it will bepossible to identify trends within these parameters.Consequently, the relative success of the differentmanagement techniques can be assessed. I amgreatly looking forward to spending time at the CrossConservation Area, and I hope this study will providevaluable insight into the management of native grass-lands.”

Kyla Sinclair - Grassland and GrouseEducation Assistant

“My name is Kyla Sinclair and I am a student atMount Royal College in my 3rd year of the Applied

Degree Ecotourism &Outdoor Leadership.Within the program Ihave studied a wide vari-ety of subjects such asprogram planning, ecol-ogy, leadership, commu-nication, and culturaldiversity. As well I haveachieved many outdoortechnical skills and certi-fications in areas such as wilderness first aid, canoe-ing, kayaking, mountain biking, orienteering, and sur-vival. Most recently I spent a semester abroad inSantiago de Cuba, Cuba studying areas such asmarine biology, Spanish, environment, and sociology.

Prior to my Ecotourism & Outdoor Leadershipeducation I received a certificate in Technical Writingthrough the Communication Faculty at Mount RoyalCollege in 2003. I also have nine years of generalaccounting experience in the oil and gas industryincluding my CAPPA certification. I am an outdoorenthusiast as well I have been a participant with theCalgary Women’s Soccer Association for the past 12years.

This summer I will be involved in the communi-cations and education portion of the Grassland andGrouse Project. I will be researching and developingan identity and theme for the project along withcommunication materials such as brochures for edu-cators and the general public. As well I will be devel-oping a web-based grassland interpretation in con-junction with Alberta Environment with hopes ofassisting students, teachers, and the general public in

Kyla Sinclair

Continued on Page 5

Volunteer in Profile:George Hopkinsby George Hopkins

A Quick Peek

George L. was bornon a hot Augustafternoon in the

year of our Lord 1929. Hedistinctly remembers thesunset that evening and recalls it being somethingspecial. His mother said that God had put on a spe-cial show for him. Young George was a loving andenergetic child and was endowed with a full head ofred, curly hair. His mother kept it for four yearsbefore she finally had it cut. George really didn’tmind because at that tender age he didn’t knowthere was a difference between boys and girls. Hisfirst 10 years were spent in the small village ofBentley,Alberta where he skimped his way throughthe early grades. When he was 10, the family, nowwith four boys, moved to a farm south of Bentley.Harold Hopkins, father, did not want to raise his sonsin a village with 500 people because there were girlsand even a pool hall. However, during the highschool years, George managed to become quiteadept with a pool cue. The girls became more of anafterthought because of his interest in baseball. Heattended a Brooklyn Dodger training camp in 1947where he quickly found that he should have paidmore attention to the girls. His days on the farm wasa favorite time of his life. Hard work and early morn-ings never really turned him on but his recollectionslater in life certainly proved that those times werereally great. George left the family home in 1959 togo to work with Calgary power…climbing poles,where he quickly learned that his fear of heightsmade this career choice a stupid one. He entered thelivestock business that same year at the old CalgaryStockyards and stayed with this endeavor until thelate 1970’s. During the interim he married a cute lit-tle gal named Margaret Brown in 1953 following hisreturn from the World Series in New York in 1951.They had three lovely children who over the yearshave presented them with six grandchildren and one

great grandson. As the children were growing up,George and Margaret became active in CentralUnited Church where George taught Sunday Schooland eventually became Sunday School superintend-ent. The church elders in that era of 1963, werenever thrilled with the teaching methods thatGeorge presented and he decided that he wasn’tgoing to revert to the old ways of the church. Itwould appear that time proved that the modernapproach which George had advocated was indeedthe proper attraction for the youth of the era.Following his livestock career,George was employedwith Carma Developers Ltd. as a public affairs offi-cer which was about as far away from the livestockbusiness as he could get. He greatly enjoyed thiscareer change and spent a very happy 10 years inthis capacity. Conditions changed and he was sentout to pasture in 1987. George had been volunteer-ing at Canada Olympic Park as a media officer priorto the 1988 Olympics and found employment with

News from the ASCCA


JulyJoyce ConnattyGervais GoodmanStephen BensonGeraldine PerryAudrey BaragarDonald BakkenLynn WhitestoneErik WeigeldtGlenn Schultz

AugustCheryl PeddieDena FischerMarilyn CollardRay RudiakGeorge HopkinsMartin Van IeperenKen WebbNorm Lippit

Happy Birthday Wishes forApril, May & JuneBest wishes for a Happy Birthday are extended to –

SeptemberClare SwansonCarole RhyasenMaddy PintoPauline RusniakSue AllenOlga DroppoRon StandishLone KabrielTrish Gaudet

Volunteer in Profile–Continued on Page 8

Excerpts from Paradise Preserved: The Annand Sandy Cross Conservation Area – byauthor Bruce Masterman

Chapter One – The Land Connection:“One time when Sandy was eight or ten, he and

his mother went for a walk through a field of kneehigh native grass. Suddenly Helen stopped, walkedover to a thick clump of grass, crouched down andgently spread it open with her hands, revealing anest made by a Western Meadowlark. Inside wereseveral eggs. Sandy was impressed with his mother’skeen eye, since he would have never known it wasthere. He credits her with helping shape his owninterest in wildlife. Sandy loved hearing her storiesof growing up near Southern Alberta natives, learning their ways and language. Helen Cross was fluentin Blackfoot and Peigan. She was a great woman, Sandy says.”

“The City of Calgary is but a mere spot in the distance. Sandy shakes his head, finding it hard to believethat almost 98,000 people have settled there since his grandfather helped establish the city at the confluenceof the Bow and the Elbow rivers just 70 years earlier. Where did they all come from, he wonders, and howbig can the city possibly get? Turning his view once again to the west, Sandy stares in wonder at the moun-tains and hills, then peers south to take in the Pine Creek valley bisecting the northern part of the propertyfrom east to west (the property refers to the Ann and Sandy Cross Conservation Area). Some of the fieldshave been cultivated, but most of the land is just as it was a century ago.”

“His Scottish-born grandfather, Colonel James Farquharson Macleod, had come west from Toronto in1870 with the North-West Mounted Police to quell the rebellion led by Louis Riel in the Rupert’s Land dis-trict of what become Manitoba. In 1867, Macleod’s life was marked by two important events; his marriageto Mary Isabelle Drever, the daughter of a trader with the Hudson’s Bay Fur trading company, and hisappointment as commissioner of the North-West Mounted Police. Macleod’s main duty was to keep thepeace between the growing number of settlers and resident Indians in the districts of Alberta andSaskatchewan. The town of Fort Macleod was named after him, and Macleod sent a troop to establish whatwas then known as Fort Calgary.”

Watch for more exciting Calgary history in the next edition of the Cross Current. A


Celebrating Alberta’sCentennialSubmitted by Sue Hayduk

learning about the importance of grassland andgrouse.

I am looking forward to my work term with theCCA. The many wonderful people who are involvedwith the organization and the challenging diversejob duties I will face will help shape my career pathfor the future.”

With the help of our new Grassland and Grouse

Project students we are getting the Grassland andGrouse Project off the ground! We will keep youposted on project happenings in the newsletter andemail updates. This summer we will continue torecruit the help of volunteers and neighbours tobuild success around this project. If you would liketo know how you could be involved in the Grasslandand Grouse Project please contact Sue Hayduk at931-1042. A

The Cross name is strongly linked to the history ofthis great province. Many accounts are captured inParadise Preserved, a telling story of monumentalachievements from one of Calgary’s most prominentfamilies. We hope these stories will encourage you tocelebrate the Centennial and the legacy of the Annand Sandy Cross Conservation Area.

By purchasing a copy of Paradise Preserved you sup-port the Area and celebrate the Cross family and theircontribution to Alberta’s natural heritage.

To order a book, please see our web site:www.crossconservation.org/index2.html

Grassland & Grouse Update – Continued from Page 3


Arecord number of species were observed onthe Calgary May Species Count for Plants inFlower in 2004. A total of 177 species were

reported by over 25 participants from 31 surveysconducted across the city, primarily in the naturalareas. This number is the highest ever reported forthe Calgary area and exceeds the previous highcount in 1998 by 7 species. Also, this number is wellin excess of the mean number of plants reported inflower in the six previous May Counts (144), whichsuggest that 2004 was an above-average year.

One of the key contributing factors to the highcount was the weather,which was warmer than aver-age in spring,2004. In the Calgary area, temperatureswere 1.5 to 2.5 C above normal (EnvironmentCanada Climate Trends and Variations Bulleting).Warm weather in early March caused spring flowerssuch as crocus (Anemone patens), dandelion(Taraxacum officinale) and aspen poplar (Populustremuloides) to bloom much earlier than the usual(mid to late March). However, in contrast to the tem-perature, precipitation in much of southern Albertawas below normal (Environment Canada ClimateTrends and Variations Bulletin), and this, combinedwith cool, frosty temperatures in May may havestalled some of the early flowering species so thatthey were still in bloom at the end of May (e.g.Anemone patens, Townsendia hookeri) while otherspecies that are usually in full bloom on the countwere still in bud or just beginning to flower. W.Brideaux noted that the spring was extremely drywith only 60 mm of moisture from November 1,2003 to April 30, 2004; also, mid April and early Maywere snowy and cold, while mid-May was rainy andcold. D. Allen and A. Brebner observed that speciessuch as shrubby cinquefoil (Pontentilla fruticosa),aspen and balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera) suf-fered extreme frost damage in May as a result of coldtemperatures. According to Ann, many plantsappeared to have poor growth and very few flower-ing stems (e.g. grasses, sedges, Sisia aptera,Lithospermum incisum), and she attributed this todroughty conditions in summer and fall of 2003; an

early winter in 2003; warm, dry weather inMarch/April 2004; and cold, windy weather in May2004.

Despite the erratic spring weather, the number ofplants in bloom on many of the counts was greater in2004 than in 2003. H Blakely, J. Millen and D Allenfound more than 60 species flowering in the eastGlenmore, Edworthy Park and Bowmont Park areas,repectively. The highest number of species wasreported from Bowmont Park with 74 species inbloom. Habitats in Bowmont Park include south-fac-ing grasslands, eroded clay banks, riparian woodland,wetlands, river channels and the river bank,which allcontribute to the high biodiversity in this relativelysmall natural area.

The most common native plants observed inbloom included prairie onion (Allium textile), fairy-bells (Disporum trachycarpum), star-floweredSolomon’s seal (Smilacina stellata), pale comandra(Comandra umbellata), field mouse-ear chickweed(Cerastium arvense), cut-leaved anemone (Anemonemultifida), northern gooseberry (Ribe oxyacan-thoides), saskatoon (Amelanchier alnifolia), wildstrawberry (Fragaria virginiana), early cinquefoil(Pontentilla concinna), choke cherry (Prunus vir-giniana), early yellow locoweed (Oxytropis sericea),golden bean (Thermopsis rhombifolia), and earlyblue violet (Viola adunca). All of these species werereported on more that 65% of the counts. Wild straw-berry was especially prevalent., occurring on all 31counts. Another white-flowering species, fieldmouse-ear chickweed, also seemed more abundantthan usual in 2004. Of the introduced weeds,stinkweed (Thlaspi arvense) and dandelion were themost commonly reported species.

In addition to the Calgary counts, seven areas out-side the city were surveyed. G Yaki,A Pelzer and NSeneviratne found 33 species blooming in the Priddisarea, D Choy observed 52 species of flowers in theElbow Valley area and 62 species in Bow ValleyProvincial Park, while L Hamilton/ D Soppet and

2004 Calgary and Area Count

May Species count for Plantsin Flowersubmitted by Suzanne Visser, Calgary Field Naturalists’ Society Bontany Study Group, 2004 and Olga Droppo

Continued on Page 7


My Experience as an Ann & SandyCross Conservation Volunteerby Brenda Eberle

Ihave always had an appreciation for the outdoors and for the last few years I have wanted to become avolunteer at the Cross Conservation Area. Over the last year I have been able to dedicate time eachmonth to become actively involved as a member, which has turned into a very rewarding and fulfilling

decision. There is a special satisfaction in volunteering for a cause you believe in, especially when that pur-pose involves something as important as the protection of Alberta’s natural habitat and wildlife. This and theopportunity to enhance my knowledge and understanding of such a valuable and worthwhile matter wasone of the many rewards that drew me to becoming a member at the Cross Conservation.

The 4800 acres of land in the Foothills of Alberta,which they have dedicated to protecting the habitat andwildlife, is absolutely breathtaking. When you first embark on your journey of being an Area Steward, thereis definite personal satisfaction. The environment you are surrounded by is awe-inspiring and peaceful incontrast to our busy and congested lives. In my first few experiences walking on the trail, I encounteredmany deer in the meadow, and a variety of birds, including the rare bluebirds. One evening as I was walk-ing along the trail, a bluebird seemed to be leading the way; the bluebird would sit down and rest every fewmoments, and then go down the trail a few feet ahead.

There are many trails you can approach, and each trail takes you on a new journey. I am excited tobecome more involved in volunteering with the Cross Conservation so I can continue to explore new waysto contribute to this important cause. A

D Stiles reported 11 and 12 species from the westBragg Creek and east Didsbury areas, respectively. Ofall the counts conducted both inside and outsideCalgary, the highest number of species was reportedin the Cross Conservation Area (95) 20% higher than2003 and the south Whaleback Ridge (84) both by ODroppo and her party. The most common speciesblooming inside Calgary were also common outsideCalgary, i.e. star-flowered Solomon’s seal, paleComandra, field mouse-ear chickweed, northerngooseberry, saskatoon, wild strawberry, early cinque-foil, golden bean and early blue violet. In addition tothese species, three-flowered avens (Geum triglo-rum), common bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi)and heart-leaved alexanders (Zizia aptera) werereported frequently. Wild strawberry and fieldmouse-ear chickweed occurred in all the areas sur-veyed outside Calgary, which concurs with theCalgary observations. Common dandelion was themost frequently reported weed species outsideCalgary. A

May Species Count – Continued from Page 6Fall ConservationEducationNative NatureWhere does the name Buffalo Berrycome from? What plant heals abellyache? Join a teacher from theTsuu T’ina Reserve for an earlyevening hike (3 km) as he sharesthe legends of the land and thesecrets of plants.Date: Thursday, September 22Time: 6:00 – 8:30 pmWho: FamilyFee: $6 / adult, $2 / childMaximum of 30 participants.

Be Bear Aware!Join Ken Powell and Jon Jorgensonof Alberta Fish and Wildlife for aninformative slideshow about bearbiology and safety. Discover thesigns bears leave behind andactions to take to avoid encountersat home or when enjoying nature.Learn about current research proj-ects in bear conservation and what

you can do to protect this majesticanimal.Date: Tuesday, September 27Time: 7:00 - 9:00 pmWho: AdultsFee: $8 / person

Mysterious CoyoteWhat makes coyote so intriguing?Find out on this short hike to try tohear them howl.Through popularnative legends and natural historywe will unravel the mystery of howthis animal is perfectly adapted tothe grassland. Not suitable forstrollers. Presented in conjunctionwith the CCA’s Grassland and Grouseproject.Date: Monday, October 3Time: 6:30 – 8:30 pmWho: FamilyFee: $6 / adult, $2 / childMaximum of 30 participants.


NEW! Sponsor In Profile series

We wanted to recognize the many Area partners who help support Area initiatives and make manyof our programs possible. Along with our thanks and other sponsor benefits we thought it wouldbe great to give our readers the opportunity to know a little bit more about the individuals, busi-

nesses and corporations that sponsor our programs. Watch for a new Sponsor in Profile in each edition ofthe Cross Current.

We are proud to partner with Glacier Water Transport Services Ltd.Owners Brent and Whitney Schaeffer

the Olympic organization as the person responsiblefor setting up the media centers at all of the venuesinvolved with the games…except for the main presscenter in Stampede Park. This job was a real chal-lenge and proved to be very exciting from start tofinish. During the Olympics, he ran the media cen-ter at C.O.P. which involved 16 straight days of 12-14hour days. It was just a whale of a run. Followingthis stint, George tried numerous small jobs…schoolbus driver, batting cage operator and numerous vol-unteer jobs. He found out that he enjoyed walking inthe country now that time was not a consideration,so he walked the hills and valleys south and west ofCalgary. During one of these hikes, he spied a noticeon a rural mailbox asking for volunteers at the CrossConservation Area. He followed it up and found thatthey were indeed looking for educators. A trainingsession or two followed and in September, 1993 he

embarked on his first educator run. He was scaredsilly…but he made it through the day. The restbecame much easier even though the hills got longerand steeper as the years went by. Finally at the endof 2003, he decided to pack it in and did not partici-pate during the 2004 season. An email from Cross in2005 asking for volunteers again made him changehis mind and he agreed to give it another whirl…pro-vided he could bring his cane to help him up thehills. Six sessions later he can still make the hills andthough the kids seem to be smarter, he feels he canhold his own. The Cross Conservation Area with itsprograms is a most wonderful place. The staff aresuper in every regard, the programs are excellent andthe Open Minds schools are a real joy to participatein. Everyone should get involved in some way oranother. Though George sometimes does things thatare not strictly according to the written word, hismethods and teachings are always done to favor kids.Isn’t that what life is all about? A

The Ann and Sandy Cross Conservation Area hasgrown to know Brent Schaeffer as a friend andsponsor over the past four years. During that timeGlacier Water Transport Services Ltd. has suppliedwater for Belvedere House. Brent has supportedthe Area’s Conservation Education Program for thepast two. He is a very community minded personinterested in local community initiatives. What helikes about the Area is that we “educate kids aboutnature and give them exposure to things they cannot get in school.” He really feels it is “important forkids to get outdoors to enjoy and learn aboutnature.”At times he himself takes it for granted, butfeels lucky to be able to work outdoors. Brent

owns and oper-ates Glacier Waterand TransportServices out ofOkotoks. He serv-ices clients from Cochrane to Granum, Alberta.When Brent is not working he enjoys spendingtime with his family. Brent enjoys supporting theCross Conservation Area and feels we provide amuch needed community service. In the future helooks forward to growing his company, continuingto offer exceptional customer service and partici-pating in worthwhile community partnerships likethe Ann and Sandy Cross Conservation Area. A

Volunteer in Profile–Continued from Page 4

All abuzz at the EDHQ (Education Headquarters)

We were busy as bees this spring! The lasttwo weeks in April and almost every day inMay and June were booked with school

programs and the Area was buzzing with sounds ofstudents discovering the wonders of nature. Severaldays, we had three school groups here on the sameday; two day-school programs and a class participat-ing in the week-long Open Minds program (whew!).The popular programs booked for this season werethe Forest Explore program for Grade Six studentswhere students investigate trees and forests alongthe Aspen Trail and the Amazing Mini Adventure pro-gram for Grades One,Two and Three which exploresinsects. Luckily, the weather was mostly cooperativeso we didn’t have to cancel many programs. In total,we had over 2400 participants in the week-long andday-long programs this spring - that’s almost half ofour expected number for 2005!!

As you can imagine it takes a lot of planning, teamwork, and support to make this all happen. We justcouldn’t pull it off without the amazing enthusiasmand energy of our dedicated volunteer educators. Ahuge thank-you to John Buyscchaert, Trish Gaudet,

Ruth Obromniak, Barb Simpkins, and CatherineSouthwood, for their continued dedication to theprograms. With this busy season ahead of us, weappealed to some retired education volunteers tocome back to us,George Hopkins and Ruth Colemanjumped in. A huge hug and thank you for their will-ingness to help out and it looks like they might beback for a while yet! As well,welcome and thank youto our new volunteer educators, Dena Fisher andKatherine Kemp. We look forward to working withyou.

A special thank you to Dick Choy for his incredi-ble dedication and enthusiasm over the past years asan education volunteer! Dick has decided to retirefrom being a volunteer educator but will continue tolend his expertise and energy to the Area as an AreaSteward and Special Projects volunteer. Since 1997,Dick has contributed hundreds of hours to the edu-cation programs and stuck with us through cold,rain, heat, and snow! Thanks again, Dick, we trulyappreciate it! A


Kid’sCornerby Kelly Small

Fresh from the KitchenAmbrosia Fruit SaladBy Judi Vandenbrink

INGREDIENTS:1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed 2 1/2 cups shredded coconut 1/2 cup chopped walnuts 1 (8 ounce) can fruit cocktail, drained

1 (8 ounce) can pineapple chunks, drained 1 (11 ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained 3 cups miniature marshmallows 1 (10 ounce) jar maraschino cherries, drained (optional) 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:In a large bowl, combine the whipped topping, coconut,chopped nuts, fruit cocktail, pineapple, mandarinoranges, marshmallows, cherries, nutmeg and cinnamon.Mix together well and refrigerate for 30 to 45 minutes.

The season is changing quickly with surprising surfacegrowth competing for all the moisture it can get. Ihave heard some ground nesting of the wasps. This isusually one of the indicators of a dry summer. As ofthe end of May we have hired a summer Grasslandand Grouse research coordinator. We welcomeMaarten Dankers to the Cross Conservation Area.Thanks again to the volunteers for all of their help.

Notes From Reg

Iwas left with two distinctly different impressionsafter reading through three months’ worth ofArea Steward reports. I felt very discouraged to

read of an increase in the amount of trash on the trailpick-ups listed; nearly every report includes thisalong with indications of other Area rules being bro-ken - the presence of people on horseback andquads, and the alarming find of remnants of fire-works. When I first began to do Area Stewardpatrols, I felt it was unnecessary, maybe even silly toinclude space for these sightings on the report form,but I guess I was wrong.

The other thing that struck me was much morepositive. It really is a pleasure to read the confidentlistings of species by stewards with a depth ofknowledge greater than my own. I learn from read-ing the detailed reports and from the questionsposed by the stewards, later answered by Olga andJudi. I too wondered about the yellow-topped stakesbelow the Beaver sign in the Pine Creek Valley, nowI know they mark patches of invasive plants.

The quick arrival of spring was documented inthese past reports, as evidenced by B.G. and Ing-BrittRenborg’s comment of April 23 “from Thursday toSaturday, the trees around the owl’s nest had turnedgreen”, the year’s first Richardson’s ground squirrelsighting by Dick Choy on March 9, the same day thatripples were observed as the ice melted in theponds, and the March 8 sighting of insects on thatwarm and sunny day.

It seems spring really was early. Olga respondedto Dick’s March 6 (the same day the first crocus wasseen) observation of a cinquefoil with a visibly yel-low bud saying “spring is coming early. Hope theyall survive.” Some plants paid for being eager tobloom early as Samantha and Harvey Janzen notedfrost damage apparent on the wildflowers on May 3.As Olga said, “that happens in an Alberta spring.Thank goodness they survive”.

The flowers triumphed in the end, with long listsof plants in bloom being noted on many later Mayreports, along with the birders among the AreaStewards finding that the winter was definitely overat least as far as the birds were concerned.

Stewards continue to play a vital role in reporting“what’s going on out there”. Maintenance issues

ranging from a lack of toilet paper in the outhousesto the discovery of a dead moose, land use issuessuch as the presence of quads, horses, off-trail hikersand garbage and the regular reporting of returningbirds, blooming plants and creatures out of hiberna-tion all contribute to understanding and managingthe Area for posterity. A


Area Steward ReportsBy Trish Gaudet

Birds, Bugs, Buds,and Big Catsby Kelly Small

Looking back at the Conservation Education pro-grams at the Cross this spring one would see adultand family audiences delighting in a wide range oftopics. Imagine an adult audience enraptured by talesof what it’s like to follow in the cougar’s footsteps orpull a tranquilized cat from a tree as Martin Jalkotzyrecounts his research experience at the ElusiveCougars program. At the Language of the Birds program, adult participants might be found mid-morning sitting under a tree listening intently to thevarious voices of birds communicating to each otherin the forest as described by naturalist, RonnaSchneberger. Whereas at the Spring Wildflowers Walkyou would notice a group wandering the trails leadby botantist-extraordinaire, Olga Droppo, gesturing atflowers and delighting them with details to distin-guish one from the other. And finally, the seasonswould wrap up with families at the Pond Critters andGrassland Bugs program peering into buckets teem-ing with pond life and pulling back grasses to revealcrawling insects with Dr.Gordon Pritchard on handto help identify their finds.All in all, over a hundredparticipants would bedelighted with their experi-ences with nature and lookforward to another oppor-tunity to come back!

Announcements‘Thank yous’ and special notes...

New Staff Member

Hello! My name isChristine Fraser andI’ve been hired on for

the spring and summer asthe Conservation EducationAssistant. May and Junehave been chalked full ofschool programs visiting usfor the day. I’ve been giventhis amazing opportunity towork primarily outdoors leading students on dayhikes throughout the Conservation Area, letting themin on little known secrets such as what a gall is, andhow to measure the height of a tree with simple mathcalculations. The remainder of my time has and willbe spent preparing programs for the Nature DiscoveryDay Camps happening July 18-22, July 25-29, andAugust 15-19 this summer.

Currently, I’m a returning full-time student at theUniversity of Calgary completing a BiologicalScience Degree with a main focus in Botany. In thepast I’ve worked with education programs at theCalgary Zoo, Community After-School groups, theCalgary Science Centre, and have even dabbled atbeing a Fairy for birthday parties. I absolutely loveto teach children strange and incredible new factsabout the environment and would love nothingmore than to trigger a spark of interest in kids tolearn more or simply gain an excitement for scienceand nature itself.

It has been a pleasure working here so far and Ican’t wait to see what the next few months willhold!

Special ProjectsBy Judi Vandenbrink

There are a variety of tasks that will be com-pleted during the Special Projects day. Regularmaintenance is required on the land and addi-

tional volunteers are always welcome. Please checkthe dates below.

Trail Maintenance & Pine Creek CleanupJune 25 from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

Fence RemovalJuly 23th from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

VarietySeptember 8 from 9:00 am – 1:00 pm

Fence RemovalSeptember 17 from 9:00 am – 2:00 pm

Weed Control

Leafy Spurge RemovalJuly 6 from 9:00 am – 1:00 pm

Toad Flax RemovalJuly 25 from 9:00 am – 1:00 pm

Burdock RemovalAugust 13 from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

Burdock RemovalAugust 18 from 9:00 am – 1:00 pm

If you are interested in working on any of theSpecial Projects please register with Judi at [email protected]. Reg Rempel, ourHabitat Manager and Judi Vandenbrink our Volunteer& Communications Coordinator have taken on theresponsibility for the special projects. Unless other-wise advised, we will be meeting at the log cabinto begin each workday.

Directions to the log cabin:From Calgary go west on 22X. Turn south on 85th

Street (city limits sign). At approximately 4.5 km,turn right on 218th Avenue. After driving 0.6 km,you will see the Rothney Farm sign on your right.Please park on the grass between the road and thefence.

Olga’s Nature Survey Walks;

All active volunteers are invited to attend Olga’sNature Survey Walks on Wednesdays 9 am – 2pm

(weather permitting). Olga will walk on the existingtrail to get everyone familiar with places of intereston the trails and will venture off the main routesonce a month to monitor other areas. Please callJudi before you come. A maximum of 10 peopleare accepted per walk.


‘Announcements’ Continued on Page 12

Paradise Preserved on sale at Belvedere HouseParadise Preserved: The Ann and Sandy CrossConservation Area is available to purchase atBelvedere House. The book tells the story of theConservation Area and the generous spirit shown byAnn and Sandy. It describes the history of the prop-erty, the generous donations made by many individu-als and companies. Add this book to your AlbertaCentennial collection.

Mayor’s Environmental Expo

On June 7, 8, 9th theCross Conservation

Area was represented atthe Mayor’s EnvironmentalExpo where we educateda variety of school chil-dren, teachers and adults

about animals and their habitat. There was a hugeincrease in the number of schools that participated atthis year’s Expo We were very busy with the habi-tat/animal wheel and giving directions on how to getto the Cross Conservation Area. This is an excellentway to promote the Area, get involved with the com-

munity and share information about the many pro-grams that are offered. Thank you to Kath Orr andLone Kabriel, volunteers that helped with this event.

Farewell to Nadine!

At the end of May, we were sad to say farewell toEducation Manager, Nadine Sauder, who has

gone on to work with the City of Calgary at theInglewood Bird Sanctuary. Kelly Small moved overfrom the Conservation Education Coordinator posi-tion to the Education Manager role. We will all missNadine's cheery smile and positive attitude and wishher well in her new role.

‘Announcements’ Continued from Page 11


The Annual

Stampede Breakfast

will be held on

Saturday, July 16(9:00 am to noon).

Volunteers, bring your family and friends.Please RSVP at 931-1042.

We will be looking for volunteers willingto help plan the event, organize and leadgames, help with sausage making andpancake flipping. Please call Judi at 931-1042 if you are interested in helpingout and in what capacity.

FISH CREEK PROVINCIAL PARKTUESDAY TOURS 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Various Park LocationsThis summer take time to discover the fascinatinghistory and natural wonders of Fish CreekProvincial Park. Every Tuesday evening in July aguided walk will be offered in a different area ofthe park. Bring your family and friends and joinus as we explore this beautiful valley. Come pre-pared for the weather and walking (easy trails).Bring sunscreen, water, a hat, bug spray, binocu-lars and camera.

Time: 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Registration: Registration is required, pleasephone 297-7927

Admission: By donation (suggested $2.00 perperson) all proceeds support education programsin Fish Creek Provincial Park

Sponsored by: Alberta Community Development,

Fish Creek Provincial Park and the Friends ofFish Creek Provincial Park Society

July 5: Glennfield Wetlands – Discovering Aquatic InsectsLocation: Glennfield Parking Lot, access offMacleod Trail and Bannister Road S.E.

July 12: Exploring Votier’s FlatsLocation: Votier’s Flats parking lot (access at thesouth end of Elbow Drive)

July 19: Buffalo Bones and Settler Homes –Archaeological Tour of Fish CreekLocation: Bow Valley Ranch Visitor Centre(access off Bow Bottom Trail S.E.)This program is presented in partnership with theUniversity of Calgary Department of Archaeology.

July 26: Keeping Track of the WildlifeLocation: Shannon Terrace, EnvironmentalEducation Centre (access off 37 St. and 130 Ave. S.W.)

Upcoming events at Fish Creek Provincial Park


Volunteer Help WantedWe are still looking for someone interested in taping and transcribing storiesabout the history of the area. There are many people who have memoriesand tales to tell about the area and it would be wonderful to be able to putthese memories on paper.

We are looking for someone with computer expertise to help with ourcomputer troubleshooting and maintenance.We require help to troubleshoot generalcomputer problems on the phone or on sitewhen necessary.

If you are interested in partaking in any of the projects listed, please send and email [email protected] or callJudi at 931-1042.

October-December

CrossCurrent

Volunteers areencouraged to

submit their arti-cles or recipes to

Judi by Friday,September 2

for the October-December

Edition of The Cross Current.

Thank you!


When What What Is It About? Who’d Like to Attend?

Wed., July 69:00 am – 1:00 pm Special Project Weed Control – Leafy Spurge Volunteers

Sat., July 169:00 am – noon Stampede Breakfast Breakfast, Games, Socializing, Fun Staff, Volunteers & Sponsors

July 18 – 22July 25-29August 15-19 Nature Discovery 9:00 am – 4:00 pm Day Camps Day Camps for young naturalists Ages: 6 - 9

Sat., July 23 Fence Repairs and Fence Removal900 am – 3:00 pm Special Project Maintenance Volunteers

Mon., July 259:00 am – 1:00 pm Special Project Weed Control – Toad Flax Volunteers

Sat., August 13 Weed Control – Burdock9:00 am – 3:00 pm Special Project Maintenance Volunteers

Thurs. Aug 189:00 am – 1:00 pm Special Project Weed Control - Burdock Volunteers

Thurs. Sept 89:00 – 1:00 pm Special Project Maintenance Volunteers

Sat. Sept 17 Fence Removal and Repair9:00 am – 2:00 pm Special Project Maintenance Volunteers

Fall Conservation Education:

Volunteers, all Conservation Education programs are half-price for active ASCCA volunteers! To register for a Conservation Education program, please call 931-2042.

Calendar of EventsSummer 2005 at the Cross Conservation Area

Native NatureThursday, September 226:00 – 8:30 pmWho: FamilyFee: $6 / adult, $2 / childMaximum of 30 participants.

Be Bear Aware!Date: Tuesday, September 27Time: 7:00 - 9:00 pmWho: AdultsFee: $8 / person

Mysterious CoyoteDate: Monday, October 3Time: 6:30 – 8:30 pmWho: FamilyFee: $6 / adult, $2 / childMaximum of 30 participants.

july-sept 2005 news from the ann & sandy cross ...nadine- nourishing and nifty (bye nadine, we...

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