BungyPump
2020-09-17 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Edmonton) | 15975 Bow Bottom Trail SE, Calgary, AB, Calgary, Alberta, T2P 2M7, Canada
Get Fit With BungyPump
Get a full body exercise just by walking!

I love how BungyPump walking transforms my walk into a workout in a fun, easy way! The BungyPump walking poles are comfortable to use while creating cardio exercise even at a regular walking pace. Anyone can use them! Certified BungyPump Instructor, Diana Young leads participants on a beautiful evening walk in Fish Creek Provincial Park, while teaching the many health benefits of BungyPumps. I can’t wait to get my own! – Kathy H.
Walking with unique BungyPump poles tones your arms, strengthens the core, improves balance, builds stamina and increases calorie burn, all while exploring our beautiful park.
Meet by the Cookhouse, at the Bow Valley Ranch, Fish Creek Provincial Park and make a loop at a fairly brisk pace.
Please bring water and poles. The instructor will bring a few pairs to borrow if needed.
Instructed by Diana Young
Introduced to BungyPump walking while vacationing in Sweden, Diana found an exercise regime that ticked all boxes – suitable for all ages and fitness levels, no gym membership required, use indoors or outdoors, and most importantly, is effective and easy. Since becoming a certified BungyPump instructor, Diana has been promoting BungyPump walking for health, fitness and fun!
Registration is required and group size is limited.
Register through Eventbrite
Bungy Pump on facebook

Bats of Alberta
2020-09-30 19:00 | Online, Canada
Bats of Alberta
Wednesday, September 30, 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Online using Zoom Video Conferencing Technology
Presented by Susan Holroyd MSc, Alberta Community Bat Program Calgary Regional Program
The Alberta Community Bat Program’s mission is to raise awareness of bat conservation issues, help local residents manage bats in buildings, and to collect data needed to monitor and better understand bats in the province. Susan Holroyd of the Alberta Community Bat Program will discuss this province’s bat species, the threats bats face, the ecological services they provide and how Albertans can help with bat conservation. At this presentation you can also learn about what to do if you find a bat, as well as the construction, installation and usage of bat houses. Increase your knowledge about the Community Bat Program and the current initiatives, and receive answers to any questions you might have about these fascinating flying mammals.
Susan Holroyd completed an MSc on bats with Dr. Robert Barclay at the University of Calgary in the early 1990s and has been studying bats and other wildlife in various positions since that time. She has worked as a government biologist in British Columbia, as an environmental consultant in Alberta both with a large firm and as an independent consultant and for the last four years, and has been working as a biologist with the Wildlife Conservation Society Canada, the organization that manages the Community Bat Program.
Registration Required.
Free for Friends of Fish Creek Members, $10 for non-members, free for youth 16 years of age and younger with a registered adult.
Please note, you do not need to have a Zoom account to join.
Zoom Guide to Joining a Meeting
Register through Eventbrite
Fish Creek Speaker Series programs are sponsored by

Photo courtesy of Jason Headley

Living with Beavers
2020-10-03 14:00 - 19:00 | 15975 Bow Bottom Trail SE, Calgary, AB, Calgary, Alberta, T2P 2M7, Canada
Living with Beavers – Friends of Fish Creek Beaver Coexistence Day
Saturday, October 3
Marshall Springs, Fish Creek Provincial Park
Physical Address: 2428 Fish Creek Blvd SW
Google Maps: 2300 Fish Creek Blvd SW
No other species, other than humans, have the ability to alter and change the landscape the way that beavers can do. Join the Friends of Fish Creek to view evidence of beaver activity and to increase your understanding and appreciation of this fascinating water-loving mammal.
These free walking tours will be 1.5 hours in duration, with approximately 40 minutes of walking and five 10-minute stops to learn about beavers and the Fish Creek Beaver Coexistence Project. Topics will include beaver basics, ecological benefits of beavers, beavers’ significance in the Blackfoot culture, beaver coexistence devices, a tree painting test pilot, and an exhibit at the trailhead to showcase the Friends of Fish Creek’s digital stewardship app.
This free event is perfect for families and anyone who like to learn more about nature’s engineers. Please note, there are no washrooms available on site and the tour route includes walking paved as well as granular pathways as well as some hills.
In accordance with public health, group sizes will be limited to 10 people and tours will take place at different times throughout the day. Physical distancing will be required, with ground markings as friendly reminders at each tour stop. Hand sanitizer and disposable masks will be available. Some stops may have biofacts as visuals, but not for touching.
Thank you to our project partners and supporters Alberta Parks, Cows & Fish, Miistakis Institute, Ruby Eaglechild, Humane Solutions and You Betula Environmental.

Space is limited and registration is required.
This event is sold out, thank you to everyone who registered.

Pick Up the Park this Autumn
2020-10-04 08:00 - 17:00 | 15975 Bow Bottom Trail SE, Calgary, AB, Calgary, Alberta, T2P 2M7, Canada
Pick Up the Park – Round 2
Bring your friends, family or co-workers to clean up the park this autumn!
Sunday, October 4, 2020
Time: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm; staggered group starts in various areas of the park, 2 hours each.
With your family or a small group (max 12 people), sign up for a 2 hour time slot at your favorite Fish Creek day use area to help clean up Fish Creek Provincial Park! While Covid-19 has presented us all with many challenges and changes, this will be a wonderful way to get active, build community, and spend quality time with friends, family, or co-workers.
The Friends of Fish Creek Provincial Park Society will provide your group with a disposable clean-up kit, which will be available for contact-free pick up at the Cookhouse (15975 Bow Bottom Trail SE, Calgary, AB T2P 2M7) on Friday, October 2, from 9:00 am-5:00 pm.
Time: When signing your group up for this event, you will select a 2 hour time slot at your preferred day use area. Each day use area will be restricted to 12 individuals at one time, in order to mitigate the spread of Covid-19. When selecting your day use area, please add a ticket for each member of your group (i.e. If you are bringing your family of 4, you will need 4 tickets!).
Times will be staggered, with some groups working from 9:00 am-11:00 am and others from 12:00 pm-2:00 pm or 1:00 pm-3:00 pm. To efficiently clean up the Park, the morning groups will travel one direction on the path, and the afternoon groups will travel the opposite direction. Please note your groups specified direction on your ticket before you begin!
Please note that all equipment kits need to be picked up before the event, between 9:00 am and 4:00 pm on Friday, October 2.
Also, please note that there is only space for 12 people at each location and for each of the two time periods. Please register each person as a single ticket.
Thank you for your interest in kicking off Fall with this family friendly Autumn Clean Up event with Friends of Fish Creek!
Please bring your own hand sanitizer, as washroom facilities may not be available. Feel free to bring and wear your own disposable or reusable mask if you cannot maintain the 2 metres physical distance from fellow group members or other park users.
Register through Eventbrite
Photo courtesy of Steven Bulman

Beavers - Our Watershed Partner
2020-10-15 19:00 - 20:00 | 15975 Bow Bottom Trail SE, Calgary, AB, Calgary, Alberta, T2P 2M7, Canada
Beavers: Our Watershed Partner
Thursday, October 15, 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Online using Zoom Video Conferencing Technology
Cows and Fish, Alberta Riparian Habitat Management Society
View Recording of Presentation
Love them or not, we should at least pay homage to beavers. Beavers play a critical role in maintaining healthy watersheds and creating wetlands, keeping water on the landscape and providing habitat for many species. Some refer to beaver as “ecosystem engineers”, while others use a variety of unflattering names to describe them. However, if we would like to understand beavers, recognize their role in our watersheds, and figure out how to live with them, a good place to start would be to educate ourselves on their ecology, life history, and the connections to watersheds. Through a better understanding of beavers, we might be better able to grasp the issues, challenges, and options for future possibilities of living with beavers. This presentation will provide an overview of beaver ecology and the ecological significance of beavers on the landscape.
Free for Friends of Fish Creek Members, $10 for non-members, free for youth 16 years of age and younger with a registered adult.
Please note, you do not need to have a Zoom account to join.
Zoom Guide to Joining a Meeting
Register through Eventbrite
Fish Creek Speaker Series programs are sponsored by

Photo courtesy of Cows and Fish

Working with Beavers on the Landscape *Oct 17 Tours Canceled due to Weather*
2020-10-17 14:00 - 17:00 | 15975 Bow Bottom Trail SE, Calgary, AB, Calgary, Alberta, T2P 2M7, Canada
Working with Beavers on the Landscape
CANCELED: The tours scheduled for October 17, 2020 have been canceled due to forecasted winter driving conditions for the weekend.
Thanks to financial support of the Alberta Environment & Parks’ Watershed Resiliency and Restoration Program, the Friends of Fish Creek are spearheading the Fish Creek Beaver Coexistence Project, with two main goals:
1. To mitigate the negative effects of beaver activity in the Marshall Springs area of Fish Creek Provincial Park. We hope that this will lessen the impact on the park visitor experience, while allowing beavers to be the amazing ecosystem engineers that they are. Four flow control devices were installed in the Marshall Springs area of Fish Creek Provincial Park. The devices successfully alleviated the pathway flooding, and soon we will be training Friends of Fish Creek Volunteers to monitor and maintain these structures over time to ensure project success.
2. To use this demonstration site to help transform the dominant narrative from “beavers as nuisance species” to “beavers as healthy ecosystem engineers”. Learn how everyone can benefit from working with beavers rather than against them. Participants will learn about the ecological benefits of beavers and innovative ways of managing their activity on the landscape.
Photo courtesy of Rose Ratliffe

Once They Were Hats
2020-11-19 19:00 - 20:00 | 15975 Bow Bottom Trail SE, Calgary, AB, Calgary, Alberta, T2P 2M7, Canada
Once They Were Hats: A Brief History of a Radical Rodent
Thursday, November 19, 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Online using Zoom Video Conferencing Technology
View Recording of Presentation
Frances Backhouse, Award-Winning Journalist and Author
There is a lot of history behind our present-day dealings with Castor canadensis. The beaver conflicts that we are working to manage today are in many ways a legacy of the colonial fur trade. And the beaver benefits that we are still learning about are rooted in millennia of beaver presence on this continent. This brief history of beavers will begin with their debut 37 million years ago, fast forward through the rise and fall of the dozens of early species, and then zero in on what’s happened to North American beavers since Europeans showed up 500 years ago. As our relationship with beavers continues to evolve, a historical perspective can help inform the future. Frances Backhouse is an award-winning journalist and author whose two latest books are both about beavers. Once They Were Hats: In Search of the Mighty Beaver examines our 15,000-year relationship with this keystone species and the beaver’s even longer relationship with North American landscapes and ecosystems. Beavers: Radical Rodents and Ecosystem Engineers, written for middle-graders, will be published next spring. Visit www.backhouse.ca to learn more about Frances and her work.
Free for Friends of Fish Creek Members, $10 for non-members, free for youth 16 years of age and younger with a registered adult.
Please note, you do not need to have a Zoom account to join.
Zoom Guide to Joining a Meeting
Register through Eventbrite
Fish Creek Speaker Series programs are sponsored by

Photo courtesy of Phil Smith

Donation Deadline - December 31
2020-12-31 08:00 - 17:00 | 15975 Bow Bottom Trail SE, Calgary, AB, Calgary, Alberta, T2P 2M7, Canada
Make a One Time Donation to Support the Friends of Fish Creek
For almost thirty years, the Friends of Fish Creek have been working to engage community members in a variety of ways and to raise awareness about the importance of caring for this park. Donations are essential in helping us to strengthen and realize our vision of a sustainable Fish Creek Provincial Park that improves the quality of life for current and future generations. As we approach the end of the year, we invite you to make a donation that will go a long way in supporting Fish Creek Provincial Park.
Your contribution will not only help the park but will also help to reduce your income tax. You can receive as much as 53% of your donation back through federal and provincial tax credits at tax time. Donate now and make the most of your potential 2020 tax savings.
Show that you share our vision and know that your donation will go a long way to helping us protect this amazing natural resource.
Charitable Registration #891199747 RR0001
Donate Here

As a Park Protector, you will be part of an extraordinary group that, by dividing their support into smaller, automatic monthly donations, is helping us tackle our most complex challenges and long-term projects.

Urban Beavers
2021-01-21 19:00 - 20:00 | 15975 Bow Bottom Trail SE, Calgary, AB, Calgary, Alberta, T2P 2M7, Canada
Urban Beavers – Building Pathways to Coexistence in Fish Creek Provincial Park
Thursday, January 21, 2021 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Online using Zoom Video Conferencing Technology
View Recording – video will be posted for 1 month
Presented by Kirby England, P. Biol. Owner and Principal Consultant, You Betula Environmental Inc.
and Holly Kinas, B.Sc., B.I.T. Conservation Analyst, Miistakis Institute
In autumn 2020 the Friends launched the Beaver Coexistence project in Fish Creek Provincial Park which involved educational tours, events, hands-on volunteer activities, public awareness activities, and the construction of specialized structures in Fish Creek Provincial Park. These structures are already helping to protect park infrastructure so that visitors can continue enjoying the park’s trails and beavers can continue to build dams and raise their families in the park.
Beaver activity can decrease suspended sediments, filter out contaminants, recharge groundwater supplies and create habitat for a myriad of species. In recognition of all the good beavers bring, land managers across the continent are turning to coexistence as a method of managing beaver activity on the landscape. Join Kirby England, Owner and Principal Consultant Biologist at You Betula Environmental, to learn about urban beaver coexistence tools and strategies, and to explore real-life examples of successful coexistence.
During summer/fall of 2020, researchers at the Miistakis Institute piloted a new tree protection technique as part of their Putting Beavers to Work for Watershed Resiliency and Restoration program. This innovative and humane solution for managing beaver activity involved applying a textural repellent to discourage these animals from chewing and felling trees. The pilot took place in Fish Creek Provincial Park. They used a latex paint and sand mixture applied from the base of the tree to 4′ in height up the trunk.
The Friends would like to thank our project partners and supporters Alberta Environment and Parks, You Betula Environmental, Miistakis Institute, the City of Calgary, Humane Solutions, Cows & Fish, and all of the volunteers who helped out this year to make this project happen. We are especially grateful to the Alberta Environment and Parks’ Watershed Resiliency and Restoration Program for providing financial support for the Friends’ Beaver Coexistence Project.
Free for Friends of Fish Creek Members, $10 for non-members, free for youth 16 years of age and younger with a registered adult.
Please note, you do not need to have a Zoom account to join.
150 tickets will be available, however only the first 100 participants/users will be able to join. If two or more people watch on one system/device, Zoom will recognize this as one participant.
Zoom Guide to Joining a Meeting
Fish Creek Speaker Series programs are sponsored by

Fish Creek Digital Mapping
2021-02-17 19:00 - 20:00 | Online, Canada
Fish Creek Digital Mapping
Wednesday, February 17, 2021 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Online using Zoom Video Conferencing Technology
View Recording
Presented by Emma Stroud, Citizen Science & Stewardship Coordinator
In 2020 the Friends’ digital mapping project revolutionized the way we record and collect data in Fish Creek Provincial Park. Join us for this fascinating presentation to learn how we collected data using the digital app for the following programs: Riparian Restoration Monitoring, Weed Watchers and Weed Whackers, Beaver Coexistence, and Park Watch. The app has allowed us to streamline the collection process and greatly improved the efficiencies of these programs. Emma Stroud, Citizen Science & Stewardship Coordinator, will be creating Story Maps to summarize the success of the various programs, and offer a sneak peek into what is coming this year.
Emma is a University of Calgary alumni who has focused her work in terrestrial and aquatic ecology. Through six years of volunteer work, field experience, and working with industry, she has refined her interests in conservation and restoration, narrowing her focus onto the non-profit sector. Exploring tide pools, creeks, wetlands, and rivers have always been favorite pastimes, making the reality of working with volunteers in Fish Creek an exciting opportunity.
Free for Friends of Fish Creek Members, $10 for non-members, free for youth 16 years of age and younger with a registered adult.
Please note, you do not need to have a Zoom account to join.
150 tickets will be available, however only the first 100 participants/users will be able to join. If two or more people watch on one system/device, Zoom will recognize this as one participant.
Zoom Guide to Joining a Meeting
Fish Creek Speaker Series programs are sponsored by

Elbow River State of the Watershed Report
2021-03-24 19:00 - 20:00 | Online, Canada
Elbow River State of the Watershed Report
Wednesday, March 24, 2021 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Online using Zoom Video Conferencing Technology
View Recording
Presented by Flora Giesbrecht, Elbow River Watershed Partnership
The Elbow River Watershed is an area of land drained by the Elbow River as it goes through many different landscapes ranging from sup-alpine mountains to foothills and parklands. The Elbow River has been a source of clean water for many residents of Calgary and the surrounding communities and nations for over 120 years. Due to increased recreational and industrial activities as well as urban development, there is a higher demand for that water from the watershed, which causes some concerns.
The Elbow River Watershed Partnership, along with a dedicated committee of stakeholders and scientists, including the Bow Basin Watershed Management Plan Technical Committee, released the first Elbow River Basin Water Management Plan in January 2009 (ERWP, 2009). In 2016, the ERWP Board of Directors initiated a process to review and update the Plan. Assessing the current state of the watershed is the first step in the development of an updated watershed management plan to support the advancement and implementation of stewardship actions. Starting in 2018, the Elbow River Watershed Partnership initiated the SOW project.
What do you get when you put together a watershed stewardship organization, + funds from 8 organizations, + 23 dedicated volunteer writers, + 7 GIS experts, + over 350 pages of data filled sheets and over 2 years of time? You get a ‘SOW’! Join us in hearing a presentation from Flora Giesbrecht to find out more about The Elbow River State of the Watershed Report.
Free for Friends of Fish Creek Members, $10 for non-members, free for youth 16 years of age and younger with a registered adult.
Please note, you do not need to have a Zoom account to join.
150 tickets will be available, however only the first 100 participants/users will be able to join. If two or more people watch on one system/device, Zoom will recognize this as one participant.
Zoom Guide to Joining a Meeting
Register through Eventbrite

International Beaver Day - Film Screening Fundraiser
2021-04-07 18:30 - 21:00 | 15975 Bow Bottom Trail SE, Calgary, AB, Calgary, Alberta, T2P 2M7, Canada
Online Screening of The Beaver Believers and World Premiere of Fish Creek Beavers: Pathways to Coexistence
Wednesday, April 7, 2020
6:30 pm – 9:00 pm MDT
Virtual fundraiser on Zoom

Celebrate International Beaver Day with a virtual screening of two beaver-related documentaries, with live Q&A!

Fish Creek Beavers: Pathways to Coexistence (2021) – Short documentary film exploring local efforts to coexist with beavers

The Beaver Believers (2018) – Award-winning feature documentary sharing the urgent yet whimsical story of an unlikely cadre of activists – five scientists and a sassy, spicy hairdresser – who share a common vision. Click here to learn more about The Beaver Believers documentary.

An important member of the parks wildlife community and ecosystem engineer, beavers continue to have a significant impact on the ecosystem here in Fish Creek and throughout North America. Join us for a double-header movie night and find out what’s being done to foster coexistence with beavers both in Fish Creek, and south of the border!

Each screening will be followed by a live Q&A with the Friends of Fish Creek and with The Beaver Believers filmmaker, Sarah Koenigsberg.
Proceeds support Friends of Fish Creek Beaver Coexistence Project and other stewardship work in Fish Creek Provincial Park.
Register now

Note: The link above will take you to an external website where you can purchase tickets for this event. Through a partnership with The Beaver Coalition, 50% of ticket sales and 100% of donations will be directed back to the Friends of Fish Creek.

Financial and in-kind support for the Fish Creek Beaver Coexistence Project provided by Alberta Environment and Parks, the Watershed Resiliency and Restoration Program, Miistakis Institute, Cows and Fish, You Betula Environmental, Humane Solutions, Friends of Fish Creek Volunteers, Ruby Eaglechild (Blackfoot Elder), Peter Puffin’s Whale Tales and Frances Backhouse, (Author).

The Fascinating World of Fungi with Lacey Roberts
2021-04-21 19:00 - 20:00 | Online, Canada
The Fascinating World of Fungi with Lacey Roberts.
Wednesday, April 21, 2021 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Online using Zoom Video Conferencing Technology
Presented by Lacey Roberts, CPAWS Intern and HBSc. Environmental Science
Explore the fascinating world of fungi beneath our feet. Gain a valuable understanding of how these seemingly insignificant organisms have helped to shape our world since the beginning of time. Explore the interconnectivity between topics such as dinosaurs and the infinite galaxies all around us. Learn about edible and poisonous mushrooms, the medicinal properties and uses of fungi, and how innovation and technology have increased awareness about the conservation of our natural spaces. When people connect with their surroundings, they tend to care more about the health and safety of the world around them. For it is with a full understanding of how an ecological system works that appropriate change can be enacted.
Free for Friends of Fish Creek Members, $10 for non-members, free for youth 16 years of age and younger with a registered adult.
Please note, you do not need to have a Zoom account to join.
150 tickets will be available, however only the first 100 participants/users will be able to join. If two or more people watch on one system/device, Zoom will recognize this as one participant.
Zoom Guide to Joining a Meeting
Register through Eventbrite
Photo courtesy of Anders Floor from Pixabay

Species at Risk in the Rockies and Foothills
2021-05-27 19:00 - 20:00 | Online, Canada
Species at Risk in the Rockies and Foothills.
Thursday, May 27, 2021 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Online using Zoom Video Conferencing Technology
Presented by Lisa Wilkinson, Senior Species at Risk Biologist and Provincial Bat Specialist with Alberta Environment and Parks.
Alberta is home to around 587 species of wildlife including 10 species of amphibians, 93 mammals 411 birds, 8 reptiles and 65 fish. Each of these species play a vital role in Alberta’s biodiversity. Species at risk is a growing problem with development and changes in the environment, it requires special attention to be able to recover and maintain these populations and their habitats. Join Lisa Wilkinson as she addresses the reasons why species become at risk, and explains how Alberta identifies, monitors and protects these species. The discussion will focus on species at risk in the Rockies and Foothills and give suggestions on how you can help.
Lisa Wilkinson is a Senior Species at Risk Biologist and Provincial Bat Specialist with Alberta Environment and Parks. Lisa has spent the last two decades working to conserve a variety of species at risk, and is committed to education and outreach.
Free for Friends of Fish Creek Members, $10 for non-members, free for youth 16 years of age and younger with a registered adult.
Please note, you do not need to have a Zoom account to join.
If two or more people watch on one device, Zoom will recognize this as one participant. 150 tickets will be available, however only the first 100 devices will be able to join.
Zoom Guide to Joining a Meeting
Register through Eventbrite

The Scenic Geology of Alberta - A Roadside Touring and Hiking Guide
2021-06-24 19:00 - 20:00 | Online, Canada
The Scenic Geology of Alberta – A Roadside Touring and Hiking Guide.
Thursday, June 24, 2021 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Online using Zoom Video Conferencing Technology
Allow Dale Leckie to guide you to Alberta’s most scenic sites where he tells the intriguing story of Alberta’s landscape evolution from Waterton Lakes National Park, to Dinosaur Provincial Park, into the Prairies, and across the North. With trips to Edmonton, Calgary, Crowsnest Pass, and Elk Island National Park, he takes you to explore volcanoes and glaciations long past. This talk includes stops along well-travelled and not-so-well-travelled routes that the curious would be wise to see. Using eye-catching illustrations and photographs, Dale blends storytelling with science, incorporating natural landscape beauty with art and history. The Scenic Geology of Alberta gives you what you need to discover the spectacular landforms of Alberta.
Dale Leckie, Ph.D., is a geologist who worked at the Geological Survey of Canada and as chief geologist in a large Canadian energy company. He has edited numerous books and published widely on the geology of western Canada. He is adjunct professor in the Geoscience Department at University of Calgary. Dale is recognized for his long-term contributions to geology and is an honorary member of Society for Sedimentary Geology (SEPM) and Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists (CSPG). Dale’s first book Rocks, Ridges, and Rivers: Geological Wonders of Banff, Yoho, and Jasper National Parks was highly successful.
Free for Friends of Fish Creek Members, $10 for non-members, free for youth 16 years of age and younger with a registered adult.
Please note, you do not need to have a Zoom account to join.
If two or more people watch on one device, Zoom will recognize this as one participant. 150 tickets will be available, however only the first 100 devices will be able to join.
Zoom Guide to Joining a Meeting
Register through Eventbrite

From Hats to Habitat Creators: The Changing Role of Beavers in Calgary
2021-07-29 14:00 - 15:00 | 15975 Bow Bottom Trail SE, Calgary, AB, Calgary, Alberta, T2P 2M7, Canada
Thursday, July 29, 2021 at 2:00pm MST
Join Once They Were Hats Author Frances Backhouse and Friends of Fish Creek’s Katie Bakken to learn about the changing roles of beavers in Calgary through this online talk as part of Chinook Country Historical Society‘s Historic Calgary Week 2021.
When Morris Shumiatcher launched Smithbilt Hats near the Calgary Stampede grounds in 1919, most people still thought beavers were good for one thing only: their pelts. Today, we recognize the importance of beavers as habitat creators, water stewards and climate change allies – and organizations like the Friends of Fish Creek Provincial Park Society are working hard to figure out how to coexist with these ecosystem engineers. In many ways, our present-day conflicts with beavers are a legacy of the colonial fur trade. But the beaver benefits that we’re still learning about go back much further in time. This brief history of beavers will begin with their debut 37 million years ago, fast forward through the rise and fall of the dozens of early species, and then zero in on what has happened to North American beavers since Europeans showed up 500 years ago. As our relationship with beavers continues to evolve, a historical perspective can help inform the future.
This virtual event is being facilitated through a partnership between the Chinook Country Historical Society and the Calgary Public Library. Click here to register.

The Canadian Wildlife Federation
2021-10-21 19:00 - 20:00 | 15975 Bow Bottom Trail SE, Calgary, AB, Calgary, Alberta, T2P 2M7, Canada
The Canadian Wildlife Federation
Thursday, October 21, 2021 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Online using Zoom Video Conferencing Technology
Presented by Wild Outside Youth Leadership Specialists, Kate Hanna and Em Clark
Join Kate Hanna and Em Clark from the Canadian Wildlife Federation to hear about some of the initiatives CWF is working on! CWF is a national organization dedicated to conserving Canada’s wildlife and habitats for the use and enjoyment of all. The Canadian Wildlife Foundation works on projects from coast to coast to coast: including initiatives to protect bats, pollinators and north Atlantic right whales, to build fish passages for Pacific salmon and to foster connections between Canadians and the outdoors. Join Wild Outside Youth Leadership Specialists, Kate Hanna and Em Clark to find out how you can get involved!
Free for Friends of Fish Creek Members, $10 for non-members, free for youth 16 years of age and younger with a registered adult.
Please note, you do not need to have a Zoom account to join.
If two or more people watch on one device, Zoom will recognize this as one participant. 150 tickets will be available, however only the first 100 devices will be able to join.
Zoom Guide to Joining a Meeting
Register through Eventbrite

Managing Invasive Species in Fish Creek and throughout Alberta
2021-11-18 19:00 - 20:30 | Online, Canada
Managing Invasive Species in Fish Creek and throughout Alberta
Thursday, November 18, 2021 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Online using Zoom Video Conferencing Technology
Presented by Emma Stroud, Friends of Fish Creek Citizen Science & Stewardship Coordinator, and Megan Evans, Alberta Invasive Species Council Executive Director
The Friends of Fish Creek have been working with the Alberta Invasive Species Council to manage invasive plant species here in Fish Creek and to better understand their proliferation throughout this province. Invasive plant species are frequently referred to as weeds and many of them were brought to North America for their aesthetic or other qualities. With no natural predators to keep their numbers down and the ability to out-compete native vegetation, these species can take land, space, and resources from other plant species. In 2021, the Friends launched or expanded on programs like biocontrol, community involvement, hand pulling, and pilot projects in the park, all of which are part of the EDRR approach – Early Detection, Rapid Response. Learn about invasive plant species in this province, how the Friends have been managing them in the park, and how you can help control invasive species on November 18.
Free for Friends of Fish Creek Members, $10 for non-members, free for youth 16 years of age and younger with a registered adult.
Please note, you do not need to have a Zoom account to join.
If two or more people watch on one device, Zoom will recognize this as one participant. 150 tickets will be available, however only the first 100 devices will be able to join.
Zoom Guide to Joining a Meeting
Register through Eventbrite

GivingTuesday!
2021-11-30 | Fish Creek Provincial Park
Tuesday, November 30 is GivingTuesday!
As we look forward to kicking off the holiday shopping season by enjoying Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, the Friends of Fish Creek invite you to celebrate GivingTuesday! GivingTuesday is a global movement to encourage a spirit of philanthropy and giving back within our community.

This GivingTuesday, the Friends are raising funds for our Learning Naturally Family Nature Day program

To support our community engagement goal of fostering responsible and informed park usage, while also providing more opportunities for members of the public to connect with each other and with nature, we will are planning to host Learning Naturally Family Nature Days in Fish Creek starting in 2022. This new program format was piloted in November 2019 and re-tweaked with covid protocols for our Living with Beavers Day in October 2020, but has not been hosted since then due to the public health situation.
Family Nature Days will combine pop-up outreach stations focusing on a variety of topics including relevant conservation messaging, small-group guided walks, campfires and hands-on activities like scavenger hunts. Family Nature Days may take place at a variety of Fish Creek Provincial Park day use areas, pending construction plans, washroom availability and other factors, and provide an amazing opportunity for people from diverse communities to enjoy the park. Individuals who may not be familiar with all the park has to offer, new Canadians, those with disabilities or who have reduced mobility or other limiting factors, members of youth groups, seniors, and many others can all benefit from the Friends’ Family Nature Day program.
Help support the Learning Naturally Family Nature Day program in Fish Creek on GivingTuesday with a tax deductible donation. Consider donating $20, $50, $100 or even $300 towards this educational and interactive program. A contribution of $300 will support one Family Nature Day in Fish Creek and provide up to 100 community members with a unforgettable learning experience.

January Speaker Series - The Problem with Carp
2022-01-20 19:00 - 20:30 | 15975 Bow Bottom Trail SE, Calgary, AB, Calgary, Alberta, T2P 2M7, Canada
The Problem with Carp: Understanding Prussian Carp and other Aquatic Invasives in Alberta
Thursday, January 20, 2022 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Online using Zoom Video Conferencing Technology
Presented by Nicole Kimmel, Aquatic Invasive Species Specialist, Alberta Environment and Parks
The invasive fish species Prussian carp has been discovered in Fish Creek Provincial Park, after being discovered in other waterways in this province over the past few years. At this fascinating presentation you can enjoy a quick overview of the Alberta Environment and Parks’ Aquatic Invasive Species program, highlighting how Prussian carp fit into each element of the program, and then learn about Prussian carp specifics and challenges in dealing with this species. Challenges surrounding Prussian carp include identifying them in comparison to closely related species and managing the effects of their increasing populations. Nicole Kimmel, Aquatic Invasive Species Specialist, will discuss response efforts tried or considered to date, and will share what is known about this invasive fish. This Fish Creek Speaker Series presentation will be the start of a bigger partnership opportunity where Alberta Environment and Parks can work with the Friends of Fish Creek to explore collaborative response options.
Nicole Kimmel received a B.Sc. of Environmental Conservation Sciences from the University of Alberta in 2000 with a Specialization in Wildlife and Rangeland Sciences. She began working with Alberta government upon graduation, as a research assistant. After 10 years in research, her role evolved to tackling invasive plants, and in 2018, she moved to Environment and Parks as the Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Specialist. There she supports the five elements of the AIS program, Policy and Legislation, Education and Outreach, Monitoring, Watercraft Inspections/Decontamination and Response. Nicole has over 21 years of service with the Government of Alberta all working on invasive species.
Free for Friends of Fish Creek Members, $10 for non-members, free for youth 16 years of age and younger with a registered adult.
Please note, you do not need to have a Zoom account to join.
If two or more people watch on one device, Zoom will recognize this as one participant. 150 tickets will be available, however only the first 100 devices will be able to join.
Zoom Guide to Joining a Meeting
Register through Eventbrite
Photo courtesy of Nicole Kimmel

FREE Winter Walk
2022-02-02 11:00 - 13:00 | Votier’s Flats, Fish Creek, South end of Elbow Drive SW, Calgary, AB, Canada
Get outdoors and get active on a FREE Winter Walk in Fish Creek Provincial Park! From wetlands to beavers, trees to winter wildlife, the tour will feature a mix of nature trivia.
*Update Feb 2 at 8:45am*
Today’s walking tour is going ahead, but will be shorter than planned due to the cold weather. Please dress warmly and be prepared for winter conditions including slippery surfaces.
Date: Wednesday, February 2, 2022
Time: 11:00am
Meeting Place: Votier’s Flats day use area in Fish Creek Provincial Park, located at the south end of Elbow Drive SW. Rose and Will Ratliffe, Friends of Fish Creek Lead Volunteers will be on-site to greet you and host a short walk, pending abilities and interests of those who attend.
Bring/Wear: Please dress for the weather and wear sturdy, closed-toe footwear. Bring extra clothing layers, water and a snack. Crampons or traction aids are recommended, as trails may be slippery.
Registration: No registration necessary. Feel free to contact katie@friendsoffishcreek.org if you have questions.
Accessibility: We will walk at a gentle pace with frequent stops. We can split into two or three groups, each led by a Friends of Fish Creek Volunteer or Staff, so tour length and content can be tailored to the interests and abilities of each group.
Safety: We ask that everyone be mindful of distancing throughout the experience. If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, have recently returned from travel or are a close contact of a confirmed/suspected case of COVID-19, please stay home. We look forward to seeing you next time!
Photo courtesy of Alan Lam

February Speaker Series - Taking Care of Fish Creek
2022-02-17 19:00 - 20:00 | Online, via Zoom, Canada
Taking Care of Fish Creek: Update on the Friends’ expanded stewardship efforts
Thursday, February 17, 2022 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm on Zoom Presented by Emma Stroud, Citizen Science & Stewardship Coordinator, Friends of Fish Creek Provincial Park Society
Through the current Enhanced Partnership Pilot with Alberta Environment and Parks, the Friends of Fish Creek have embarked on an expanded stewardship mission on many levels across the park’s vast land base. Join Friends of Fish Creek Citizen Science and Stewardship Coordinator, Emma Stroud, in a Story Map presentation exploring the progress and impact of poplar regeneration efforts, riparian restoration work and invasive species management conducted in the park in 2021.
Emma is a University of Calgary alumni who has focused her work in terrestrial and aquatic ecology. Through eight years of volunteer work, field experience, and working with industry, she has refined her interests in conservation and restoration, narrowing her focus onto the non-profit sector. Exploring tide pools, creeks, wetlands, and rivers have always been favorite pastimes, making the reality of working in Fish Creek an exciting opportunity. During her time with the Friends of Fish Creek, she has coordinated the invasive species management program and transferred data collection to a digital platform, using geospatial data to carry out environmental monitoring programs in the field.
Register through Eventbrite
If your organization is interested in supporting the Fish Creek Speaker Series by becoming a Donor or Sponsor, please email Katie Bakken, Friends of Fish Creek Community Engagement Facilitator.

Get to Know Nature FREE Event
2022-02-26 13:00 - 15:00 | 15975 Bow Bottom Trail SE, Calgary, AB, Calgary, Alberta, T2P 2M7, Canada
Get to Know Nature

Join us for an afternoon in the park where your family or group can enjoy a wide variety of interactive, guided and self-directed activities on a variety of themes from plants to pollinators, and from birds to beavers. Example winter activities:

warm up by the campfire and listen to a story,
try snowshoeing, birding and other outdoor activities,
learn about the birds that live here year-round,
hunt for wildlife tracks,
discover local wildlife survival adaptations,
find out how you can protect the park when you visit,
and much more!

Events will happen monthly, from February to November, 2022. Event themes, dates, times and locations will vary throughout the year. *Event details are subject to change due to weather, facility access or other unforeseen circumstances, so please check this website to confirm event location and time before attending. Drop-ins welcome, registration not required, but helpful for planning.
View 2022 Dates and Themes
Register to Attend
Events will happen monthly, from February to November, 2022. Event themes, dates, times and locations will vary throughout the year. *Event details are subject to change due to weather, facility access or other unforeseen circumstances, so please check back to confirm event location before attending
A big thank you to long-time Friends of Fish Creek supporters, the Harry & Martha Cohen Foundation, for funding our 2022 Get to Know Nature events so these experiences can be offered at no charge to the public!

Thank you to all who supported our efforts to facilitate family nature experiences on GivingTuesday! Together we raised over $2,800. Show your support for connecting children and families with nature by donating online or by visiting the Friends of Fish Creek office in the Bow Valley Ranch. Proceeds support the purchase of equipment and resources to be used at these events and also covers staff time to coordinate volunteers and partners to bring these events to life. With your support, we can remove barriers so more families can get connected outdoors!

March Speaker Series - 2022 Volunteer Fair, FREE!
2022-03-10 19:00 - 20:00 | 15975 Bow Bottom Trail SE, Calgary, AB, Calgary, Alberta, T2P 2M7, Canada
2022 Fish Creek Volunteer Fair
Thursday, March 10, 2022 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm on Zoom

Facilitated by Friends of Fish Creek Volunteers and Staff
Do you love Fish Creek? Are you interested in getting involved? Join us for this virtual presentation to learn about how you can give back to the park we all love. We will share information about our diverse volunteer programs and variety of ways you can get involved. Come and learn what the Friends of Fish Creek are doing to help protect the park’s ecosystems, and about this year’s opportunities to get involved.
The Friends of Fish Creek strive to remove barriers to participation and offer accessible, inclusive and meaningful volunteer opportunities. Some of our volunteer positions are more accessible than others. On March 10, we will be discussing accessibility features of each of our available volunteer positions. Please tune in to learn more!
The Volunteer Fair will be recorded on Zoom, and will be available on the Friends of Fish Creek’s YouTube Channel shortly after the presentation.
This Speaker Series event is FREE for all, Members and Non-Members.
Register through Eventbrite

Click here to learn about supporting the Fish Creek Speaker Series by becoming a Donor, Sponsor or Volunteer.

Get to Know Nature FREE Event
2022-03-26 13:00 - 15:00 | Bow Valley Ranch, Fish Creek Provincial Park 15975 Bow Bottom Tr. SE Calgary, AB T2P 2M7, 15975 Bow Bottom Trail SE, Calgary, AB, Calgary, Alberta, T2P 2M7, Canada
Get to Know Beavers and Owls!

Saturday, March 26, 2022 at 1:00-3:00pm
Bow Valley Ranch, Fish Creek Provincial Park
Join us for an afternoon in the park where your family or group can enjoy a wide variety of interactive and self-directed activities relating to beavers. At our March event, you will have an opportunity to:

roast a marshmallow over the campfire,
listen to a story about beavers,
try birding and other outdoor activities,
learn about great horned owls,
hunt for wildlife tracks,
find out how you can protect nature when you venture out,
and much more!

*Event location, time and activities are subject to change due to weather, facility access or other unforeseen circumstances, so please check this website to confirm event location and time before attending. Drop-ins welcome, registration not required, but helpful for planning.
View 2022 Dates and Themes
Drop-ins Welcome, Registration Optional
Thank you to all who supported our efforts to facilitate family nature experiences on GivingTuesday! Together we raised over $2,800. Show your support for connecting children and families with nature by donating online or by visiting the Friends of Fish Creek office in the Bow Valley Ranch. Proceeds support the purchase of equipment and resources to be used at these events and also covers staff time to coordinate volunteers and partners to bring these events to life. With your support, we can remove barriers so more families can get connected outdoors!

May Speaker Series - Upper Fish Creek's State of the Watershed
2022-05-12 19:00 - 20:00 | 15975 Bow Bottom Trail SE, Calgary, AB, Calgary, Alberta, T2P 2M7, Canada
Our Upstream Neighbours: Upper Fish Creek’s State of the Watershed
Thursday, May 12, 2022 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm on Zoom
*rescheduled from April 21*

Facilitated by David Swann, President of the Fish Creek Watershed Association
With a population of about 2,600 people, the upper Fish Creek watershed hosts a multitude of land uses from forestry and high impact recreation activity to country-residential, agricultural, commercial and industrial activities. These headwaters are also an important supply of water to the Tsuut’ina Nation, Calgary and communities to the east. The FCWA was officially registered in Alberta in late 2020 and retained Palliser Environmental Services Ltd. to assist in assessing the state of the watershed.
Join us online to discover the newly-formed Fish Creek Watershed Association and hear highlights from the Upper Fish Creek find out what has been learned from studies of the upper Fish/Priddis Creek watershed by a number of research organizations. Key challenges and opportunities include loss of fishery, rapid spring runoff and low flows in the fall, logging in the McLean Creek area and moderate riparian loss.
David Swann, retired physician and MLA , joined his fellow Foothills County residents to initiate the Association in response to perceived declines in the quantity and quality of water in upper Fish Creek.
Fish Creek Speaker Series are FREE for Friends of Fish Creek Members, $10 for non-members, free for youth 16 years of age and younger with a registered adult. Each ticket allows one device to tune in to the presentation. Donations welcome! All proceeds support education and stewardship in Fish Creek Provincial Park.
Register through Eventbrite

Click here to learn about supporting the Fish Creek Speaker Series by becoming a Donor, Sponsor or Volunteer.

Pick Up the Park
2022-05-14 | 15975 Bow Bottom Trail SE, Calgary, AB, Calgary, Alberta, T2P 2M7, Canada
Pick Up the Park – Fish Creek Provincial Park
Saturday, May 14, 2022
Have you found a spot in Fish Creek that is in need of a litter clean up? Do you know of a group that might be interested in taking part in helping to pick up litter in the park?
With your family or a small group, come help clean up the Park to kick off the Summer! While Covid-19 has presented us all with many challenges and changes, this will be a wonderful way to get active, build community, and spend quality time outdoors with a small group of friends, family, or co-workers.
The Friends of Fish Creek invite you to give back to Fish Creek Provincial Park this spring by helping at Pick Up the Park. Over the past two years, the Friends have successfully coordinated three park-wide clean ups, and we are excited to hold the third annual Pick Up the Park event on May 14, 2022. Help clean up litter that may have accumulated over the winter and spring in the areas of Glennfield, Hull’s Wood, Bebo Grove, Bankside, Burnsmead, Bow Valley Ranch, Marshall Springs and Sikome. Please bring water and hand sanitizer, wear closed-toe footwear, and dress for the weather.
The Friends will provide bags and disposable gloves, and offer curb-side pick up of your clean up kit on Friday, May 13 from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm at the Cookhouse, Bow Valley Ranch.
Register through Eventbrite here Pick Up the Park – Fish Creek Provincial Park
We would love to see some selfies of you after all your hard work! Please use the tags #friendsoffishcreek and #fishcreekpark when sharing your clean up selfies on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and other social media platforms.

Get to Know Rocks & Fossils - FREE!
2022-05-28 13:00 - 16:00 | 15975 Bow Bottom Trail SE, Calgary, AB, Calgary, Alberta, T2P 2M7, Canada
Get to Know Rocks & Fossils!
Date: Saturday, May 28, 2022
Location: Bow Valley Ranch, Fish Creek Provincial Park
Time: 1:00-4:00pm

Join us for an afternoon in the park where your family or cohort can enjoy a wide variety of interactive, guided and self-directed activities on a variety of themes from plants to pollinators, and from birds to beavers. Example winter activities:

warm up by the campfire and listen to a story,
learn about rock dams,
try out birding and other outdoor activities,
explore rocks and fossils,
learn about birds that live here year-round,
discover evidence of past volcanic activity,
look for geological features in the park,
find out how you can protect the park when you visit,
and much more!

Events will happen monthly, from February to November, 2022. Event themes, dates, times and locations will vary throughout the year. *Event details are subject to change due to weather, facility access or other unforeseen circumstances, so please check back to confirm event location before attending.
View 2022 Dates and Themes
A big thank you to long-time Friends of Fish Creek supporters, the Harry & Martha Cohen Foundation, for funding our 2022 Get to Know Nature events so these experiences can be offered at no charge to the public!

Sincere thanks to all who supported Family Nature Experiences on GivingTuesday! Together we raised over $2,800. Show your support for connecting children and families with nature by donating online or by visiting the Friends of Fish Creek office in the Bow Valley Ranch. Proceeds support the purchase of equipment and resources to be used at these events and also covers staff time to coordinate volunteers and partners to bring these events to life. With your support, we can remove barriers so more families can get connected outdoors!

June Speaker Series - Community Pitch Night
2022-06-16 19:00 - 20:00 | Online, via Zoom, Canada
Community Pitch Night
Thursday, June 16, 2022 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm on Zoom

Facilitated by Friends of Fish Creek Volunteers, Staff and Community Members
Pictured above is a small team of volunteers who came together because a long-standing community member and volunteer, Joe Gerritsen, proposed the rejuvenation of signage along the Single Track Trail. Not only did Joe propose the idea, he backed the idea up with his time, energy and dedication. He mapped the signs that needed replacement or removal, and led a crew of volunteers, including our new Stewardship Truck, in the field to bring the project to fruition. Over several outings, the team successfully finished the work, a project that never would have been completed if it hadn’t been brought forward by a community member.
Inspired by Joe’s and other community members’ willingness to step forward over the years, in the spring of 2022, we invited community members to submit their ideas for special project that either:

repair/improve existing park infrastructure,
improve current Friends of Fish Creek programming, or
reclaim/restore a natural area within the park.

Thank you to all who submitted ideas! After careful consideration of all proposed projects and discussions with partnering agencies, we decided to move ahead with Will Ratliffe’s proposal to pilot a method of removing human-made debris from one of the many City of Calgary stormwater ponds situated in Fish Creek Provincial Park.
Stormwater from city streets often contains innumerable small pieces of plastic and other materials. When the stormwater lands in a settling pond, the buoyant debris floats to the surface and eventually makes its way to the edges of the pond. If not removed, these pieces of plastic would eventually make their way to Hudson Bay, ultimately ending up in the world’s oceans causing problems for seabirds, fish and marine mammals who may ingest or become entangled in it. On June 16, 2022, we hosted a Community Pitch Night where we invited online audience members to hear about the chosen project.
Thanks to the City of Calgary for supporting the project! Friends of Fish Creek staff are working with Will and his co-conspirators to get the project off the ground in late summer/early fall 2022. An article detailing the findings of the pilot project will be included in the Winter 2023 edition of the Voice of the Friends newsletter. We look forward to sharing with you what we learn!
Photo courtesy of Ward Sanderson

Get to Know Nature FREE Event
2022-06-25 10:00 - 13:00 | 15975 Bow Bottom Trail SE, Calgary, AB, Calgary, Alberta, T2P 2M7, Canada
Get to Know Plants & Pollinators

Join us at Fish Creek – Canada’s largest urban provincial park – where your family or group can enjoy a wide variety of interactive, guided and self-directed activities based around the theme of Plants & Pollinators. Here are some examples of the kinds of activities that will be on offer this month:

listen to a story by the campfire (weather dependent)
enjoy a short, guided historical walking tour
birding and other outdoor activities
learn about pollinators – birds, bees and other insects
find out why native plants are so important to the ecosystem
develop your plant identification skills
take in a guided sensory experience
try your hand at nature sketching and colouring for all ages
meet Wildsmart Ambassadors to learn how to coexist with wildlife
discover how you can protect the park when you visit
and much more!

Events are monthly, from February to November, 2022. Dates, times and locations vary throughout the year.
*NOTE: Event details are subject to change due to weather, facility access or other unforeseen circumstances, so please check this website to confirm event location and time before attending. Drop-ins welcome, registration not required, but helpful for planning.
View 2022 Dates and Themes
Register to Attend
A big thank you to long-time Friends of Fish Creek supporters, the Harry & Martha Cohen Foundation, for funding our 2022 Get to Know Nature events so these experiences can be offered at no charge to the public!

Thank you to all who supported our efforts to facilitate family nature experiences on GivingTuesday! Together we raised over $2,800 to support Get to Know Nature events – All Welcome! Show your support for connecting children and families with nature by donating online or by visiting the Friends of Fish Creek office in the Bow Valley Ranch. Proceeds support the purchase of equipment and resources to be used at these events and also covers staff time to coordinate volunteers and partners to bring these events to life. With your support, we can remove barriers so more families can get connected outdoors!
