Friends of Fish Creek Provincial Park Society

Growing Up at the Ranch - Fish Creek Historical Tour with Dennis Burns
2025-08-23 10:00 - 12:00, 2025-08-12 10:00 - 12:00, 2025-07-26 10:00 - 12:00, 2025-07-08 10:00 - 12:00 (America/Edmonton)
Ever wonder what it was like growing up on an Alberta ranch? Hear stories from Dennis Burns’ personal history of growing up at the Bow Valley Ranch from 1951 to 1971.

This tour will be a gentle meander through Bow Valley Ranch.

Time: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Dates:

Tuesday, July 8

Saturday, July 26

Tuesday, August 12

Saturday, August 23

Register today! Embedded Eventbrite checkout below:

Tour Duration: About 2 hours

Meeting Point: Bow Valley Ranch Visitor Centre

Maximum Group Size: 20 participants

Distance: 2km

Fish Creek Provincial Park is a vast cultural, historical and ecological resource. The Friends’ tour program offers tremendous opportunities for visitors to learn from experienced guides.

Growing Up at the Ranch - Fish Creek Historical Tour with Dennis Burns
2025-08-12 10:00 - 12:00, 2025-07-26 10:00 - 12:00
Ever wonder what it was like growing up on an Alberta ranch? Hear stories from Dennis Burns’ personal history of growing up at the Bow Valley Ranch from 1951 to 1971.

This tour will be a gentle meander through Bow Valley Ranch.

Time: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Click to register on Eventbrite

Tour Duration: About 2 hours

Meeting Point: Bow Valley Ranch Visitor Centre

Maximum Group Size: 20 participants

Distance: 2km

Fish Creek Provincial Park is a vast cultural, historical and ecological resource. The Friends’ tour program offers tremendous opportunities for visitors to learn from experienced guides.

Speaker Series: A look into Learning Naturally
2025-06-26 19:00 - 20:30
Getting out into nature makes memories for the rest of our lives, but having the opportunity for exploration can be hard to come by for some schools and families. Through the Learning Naturally Program, students from areas in need get the chance to learn about the wonders of the natural world and the importance of environmental conservation through field trip programs, and build lifelong connections to their local environment for both themselves and their families.

At our June 26 Speaker Series, you’ll learn all about this program, how it started, what it brings to the community, and some important insights on continuing to deliver nature programming to kids who may not have gotten the chance to participate otherwise. Join us for a presentation by co-presenters Katrina Terrill, Executive Director of the Friends of Fish Creek Provincial Park Society, and Kayla Campbell, former Learning Naturally Coordinator with the Friends.

Click to purchase tickets on Eventbrite

50th Anniversary Celebration: Fish Creek Provincial Park
2025-06-07 10:00 - 15:00 | Fish Creek Environmental Learning Centre, Shannon Terrace, 15931 Woodpath Rd SW, 15931 Woodpath Rd SW, Calgary, Alberta, T2W 5R6, Canada
50th Anniversary Celebration: Fish Creek Provincial Park
On June 7, come celebrate Fish Creek Provincial Park’s 50th anniversary with us.
From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., head down to the Bow Valley Ranch day use area for free walking tours, kid-friendly activities, native plant/seed giveaways and planting, and way more! PS – arrive early to grab a slice of anniversary cake.

Visit https://friendsoffishcreek.org/fcpp_50/ to see event activities, partners, sponsors, and more!

Good Grief - Spring 2025 Evening
2025-05-21 19:00 - 20:30, 2025-05-14 19:00 - 20:30, 2025-05-07 19:00 - 20:30, 2025-04-30 19:00 - 20:30, 2025-04-23 19:00 - 20:30, 2025-04-16 19:00 - 20:30, 2025-04-09 19:00 - 20:30, 2025-04-02 19:00 - 20:30 | Bow Valley Ranch Fish Creek Provincial Park, 15979 Bow Bottom Tr. SE, Calgary, Alberta, T2J 5E8
Good Grief: Nature Walking Through Grief and Loss — Spring 2025
Thanks to a long-standing partnership with Mount Royal University Professor Sonya Jakubec, Good Grief: Nature Walking Through Grief and Loss will be offered in Spring 2025 again. This program is aimed at providing support to those experiencing grief, loss or major life transition.
This eight-week program simply provides an opportunity for participants to connect with nature while connecting with others who share similar experiences. Although not a grief therapy program, Good Grief may provide valuable connection and healing for both participants and volunteer companions. Companions are not providing counseling or therapy; they simply share a common goal of connecting with nature as a place of refuge in acceptance of our journeys of life transition.
Regardless of the transition you are experiencing – be it the loss of a loved one, job or relationship, a significant change in health or mobility, or other deep changes in your life – spending time in nature with people who are on a similar journey might be just the support you need.
We invite you to come walk with us.
The Spring 2025 edition of Good Grief will take place in two separate sessions: on Wednesdays Morning and Evening:
Wednesdays from April 2 to May 21, 2025

Morning: 10:00 am – 11:30 am
Evening : 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Registration required. Outings will run in a variety of weather conditions, but may be canceled if severe weather is in the forecast. Participants are encouraged to dress in layers.
Feel free to choose the session that works best for you.
Friends’ Member price: $20 for 8 weeks session
Non-Member price: $30 for 8 weeks session
Register Here
To become a member, please click here.
Each outing will begin with a reading or a shared experience, followed by a walk on a fairly easy 1.5-2 km route. Each of the four routes will be repeated once during the eight-week program – a chance to reflect on the changes in the landscape and ourselves over time. Time, nature and low pressure companionship can be our best supports.
Space is limited to 15 people per session.
Please note that we may cancel the session if registrations are less than 7 people.
If you would like to learn more about the Good Grief program or discuss the program goals and discoveries from previous Good Grief programs, please feel free to contact Sonya Jakubec, our partner at Mount Royal at sjakubec@mtroyal.ca. Inquiries regarding program accessibility can be directed to Rose Ratliffe, Friends of Fish Creek Volunteer Companion at ratliffe@shaw.ca.
Thank you to our Partners and Volunteers for keeping the Good Grief program going! Proceeds support the Friends of Fish Creek’s ongoing efforts to engage the public in responsible stewardship of Fish Creek Provincial Park.

Photo courtesy of Stan Kwasniowski.

Good Grief - Spring 2025
2025-05-21 13:00 - 14:30, 2025-05-14 13:00 - 14:30, 2025-05-07 13:00 - 14:30, 2025-04-30 13:00 - 14:30, 2025-04-23 13:00 - 14:30, 2025-04-16 13:00 - 14:30, 2025-04-09 13:00 - 14:30, 2025-04-02 13:00 - 14:30 | Bow Valley Ranch Fish Creek Provincial Park, 15979 Bow Bottom Tr. SE, Calgary, Alberta, T2J 5E8

Speaker Series - Search and Rescue in Alberta: an overview
2025-05-08 19:00 - 20:30 | Fish Creek Environmental Learning Centre, Shannon Terrace, 15931 Woodpath Rd SW, 15931 Woodpath Rd SW, Calgary, Alberta, T2W 5R6, Canada
Speaker Series – Search and Rescue in Alberta: An Overview
Welcome to: Search and Rescue in Alberta!
We will learn some myths about search and Rescue in Alberta, how you can keep yourself safe while adventuring and more about the ins and outs on how a call works and what our members actually do, hint it’s a lot of training and more training!
Located at the Fish Creek Environmental Learning Centre 13931 Woodpath Road SW; this event is perfect for nature enthusiasts of all ages.The presentation will also be made available online via Zoom.
Carolyn Bouwsema is the Vice President with Calgary Search and Rescue. She has a background in outdoor recreation and is often outdoors recreating with her family. She has been with CALSARA since 2018 and has committed over 1500 hours volunteering with the team and supported on over 30 incidents. Within the teams she is a Nationally certified Search Manager, operates as part of the Mountain bike search team, is an AdventureSmart educator, teaches Standard first aid and occasionally don’s our Mascot Suit ‘Tracker’.
Don’t miss this educational opportunity to learn about Alberta Search and Rescue – and what you can do to stay safe while adventuring.

Thursday, May 8, 2025 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm Environmental Learning Centre in Shannon Terrace(13931 Woodpath Road S.W., Calgary, Alberta T2W 5R6)
Presented by Carolyn Bouswema with CALSARA.
Tickets are free for Friends members and $10 for non-members. Registration required.

Buy Tickets on Eventbrite

Click to register

To learn more about CALSARA, visit: https://www.calsara.com/

Speaker Series - Nature Based Solutions: Adapting to Climate Change
2025-04-17 19:00 - 20:30 | Fish Creek Environmental Learning Centre, Shannon Terrace, 15931 Woodpath Rd SW, 15931 Woodpath Rd SW, Calgary, Alberta, T2W 5R6, Canada
Speaker Series – Nature Based Solutions: Adapting to Climate Change
Welcome to: Nature Based Solutions: Adapting to Climate Change
Learn more about how Freshwater Conservation Canada is using nature-based solutions to restore watershed function and resilience and recover native biodiversity. This talk will explore the use of bioengineering and low-tech process-based restoration along small streams, and the role this plays in buffering the impacts of disturbance like flood, drought, and fire while also helping to recover native trout.
Located at the Fish Creek Environmental Learning Centre 13931 Woodpath Road SW; this event is perfect for nature enthusiasts of all ages.
The presentation will also be made available online via Zoom.
Lesley Peterson is the Director of Conservation with Freshwater Conservation Canada (formerly known as Trout Unlimited Canada) and is based in Calgary. Lesley has been with the organization for nearly 17 years, holding various positions in that time. Her current role involves overseeing and guiding the organization’s conservation and restoration programming and policy development, participating in regional and national advisory panels and working groups, and getting out in the field to support her field crews with restoration projects whenever she can.
Don’t miss this educational opportunity to learn about how Freshwater Conservation Canada is using nature-based solutions to restore watershed function and resilience and recover native biodiversity!

Thursday, April 17, 2025 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Environmental Learning Centre (Shannon Terrace)
Presented by Lesley Peterson with the Freshwater Conservation Canada.
Tickets are free for Friends members and $10 for non-members. Registration required.

Register through Eventbrite

Speaker Series - Air Quality 101 with the Calgary Region Airshed Zone
2025-03-13 19:00 - 20:30 | Fish Creek Environmental Learning Centre, Shannon Terrace, 15931 Woodpath Rd SW, 15931 Woodpath Rd SW, Calgary, Alberta, T2W 5R6, Canada
Speaker Series – Air Quality 101 with the Calgary Region Airshed Zone
Welcome to: Air Quality 101 with the Calgary Region Airshed Zone

Have you ever wondered how air quality is monitored? The Calgary Region Airshed Zone monitors air quality in the region, join us in learning how and why we do it. Join us and learn more about the health risks of poor air quality and how you can protect yourself in poor air quality events.
Located at the Fish Creek Environmental Learning Centre 13931 Woodpath Road SW; this event is perfect for nature enthusiasts of all ages.
The presentation will also be made available online via Zoom.
This presentation will be hosted by Jill Bloor and Mandeep Dhaliwal.
Jill Bloor has been the Executive Director of CRAZ since April 2008. She came to the organization after many years in the social service sector, all with non-profit organizations. She has a B.A. from York University and a Masters of Non-Profit Administration (M.N.A.) from North Park University in Chicago. Jill brings her experience in program development, conflict resolution and organizational development, to name a few, to CRAZ.
Mandeep Dhaliwal, B.SC., P.CHEM, is an atmospheric scientist with over 15 years of experience in monitoring air quality (ambient and indoor), meteorology, and noise. Mandeep is experienced in monitoring data collection and data validation protocols, as per provincial and national air monitoring reporting protocols. In previous positions, Mandeep has developed, implemented, and maintained various monitoring programs related to mining and oil & gas operations throughout Canada.

Don’t miss this educational opportunity to learn about Calgary’s airshed!

Thursday, March 13, 2025 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Environmental Learning Centre (Shannon Terrace)

Tickets are free for Friends members and $10 for non-members. Registration required.

Register through Eventbrite

Good Grief - Winter 2025
2025-03-02 13:00 - 14:30, 2025-02-26 13:00 - 14:30, 2025-02-23 13:00 - 14:30 | Bow Valley Ranch Fish Creek Provincial Park, 15979 Bow Bottom Tr. SE, Calgary, Alberta, T2J 5E8
Good Grief: Nature Walking Through Grief and Loss — Winter 2025
Thanks to a long-standing partnership with Mount Royal University Professor Sonya Jakubec, Good Grief: Nature Walking Through Grief and Loss will be offered in Winter 2025. This program is aimed at providing support to those experiencing grief, loss or major life transition.
This eight-week program simply provides an opportunity for participants to connect with nature while connecting with others who share similar experiences. Although not a grief therapy program, Good Grief may provide valuable connection and healing for both participants and volunteer companions. Companions are not providing counseling or therapy; they simply share a common goal of connecting with nature as a place of refuge in acceptance of our journeys of life transition.
Regardless of the transition you are experiencing – be it the loss of a loved one, job or relationship, a significant change in health or mobility, or other deep changes in your life – spending time in nature with people who are on a similar journey might be just the support you need.
We invite you to come walk with us.
The Winter 2024 edition of Good Grief will take place in two separate sessions: on Wednesdays and on Sundays:

Wednesday: 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm, From January 8 to February 26, 2025.
Sunday: 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm, From January 12 to March 2, 2025.

Registration required. Outings will run in a variety of weather conditions, but may be canceled if severe weather is in the forecast. Participants are encouraged to dress in layers.
Feel free to choose the session that works best for you.
Friends’ Member price: $20 for 8 weeks session
Non-Member price: $30 for 8 weeks session
Register Here
To become a member, please click here.
Each outing will begin with a reading or a shared experience, followed by a walk on a fairly easy 1.5-2 km route. Each of the four routes will be repeated once during the eight-week program – a chance to reflect on the changes in the landscape and ourselves over time. Time, nature and low pressure companionship can be our best supports.
Space is limited to 15 people per session.
Please note that we may cancel the session if registrations are less than 7 people.
If you would like to learn more about the Good Grief program or discuss the program goals and discoveries from previous Good Grief programs, please feel free to contact Sonya Jakubec, our partner at Mount Royal at sjakubec@mtroyal.ca. Inquiries regarding program accessibility can be directed to Rose Ratliffe, Friends of Fish Creek Volunteer Good Grief Companion at ratliffe@shaw.ca.
Thank you to our Partners and Volunteers for keeping the Good Grief program going! Proceeds support the Friends of Fish Creek’s ongoing efforts to engage the public in responsible stewardship of Fish Creek Provincial Park.

Photo courtesy of Stan Kwasniowski.
