Entries tagged "conservation"

Caribou in the Classroom

Jun 19, 2010

Did you know that students as young as grade 2 are learning about biodiversity? The other month, Jill Sturdy, CPAWS National Conservation Outreach Coordinator, and I visited a couple of grade 2 classes at Briargreen Public School. They invited us to talk about, you guessed it, Canada's threatened woodland caribou.

We talked about how to tell a caribou from a moose, the unique features of woodland caribou, their connection to Canada and the environment, why woodland caribou are at risk of disappearing forever, and what needs to be done to save them. It was a great meet-up. And what made it great was that it wasn't just Jill and I doing all the talking. The students had outstanding questions and even better answers. The whole thing was very interactive. We played a game with them to demonstrate the importance of Canada's magnificent boreal forest to woodland caribou. The students took on the part of the trees and helped me hide from my predator "Jill the wolf".

Given that children are the future, I am very glad we had the chance to meet with them to help secure a better future for my species, the ecosystem, and biodiversity. Below is a short video of our visit. Thank you to the teachers and students of Briargreen Public School for the awesome opportunity. We hope you'll invite us back next year!

 

Alberta's Athabasca Heartland - A world class conservation opportunity for caribou and you

Feb 03, 2010

You may have read in the news yesterday Woodland caribou under threat in oilsands area, group says. Alberta’s Athabasca Heartland contains most of Alberta’s last unprotected intact wildness which is home to an amazing variety of plants and animals such as woodland caribou, wolverine, old growth forests, and peat lands. It is also the home of the Alberta oil sands , as well as other development such as logging and conventional oil and gas operations.

For the first time in over 10 years, the Alberta government will be identifying and creating new protected areas in the province --starting with the Lower Athabasca Region. What an incredible conservation opportunity! The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) wants the Alberta Government to protect at least 50% of the region by establishing a strong network of protected areas to conserve this valuable wilderness and give species, such as the threatened woodland caribou, a fighting chance for survival.

To learn more about the issues and proposed solutions visit the CPAWS Northern Alberta Chapter’s website or watch this great video prepared by the Chapter and sign the petition to protect Alberta’s last great intact wilderness for caribou and you:

(watch video on YouTube)

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