Wildlife watchers and anybody who loves the great outdoors will want to mark down Aug. 24 on their calendar: that’s the date for the Pipestone Creek Grouse Walk.
The Pipestone Creek Grouse Walk is being sponsored and organized by the Edmonton and Area Land Trust as an outdoor educational activity on EALT’s lands east of Wetaskiwin.
Volunteer Susan Kokas said 2019 has also been named “Year of the Grouse,” and the significance is that there will be an effort to showcase the lands needed for grouse protection and conservation and to increase awareness of the grouse and its habitat.
She said there are six species of grouse in Alberta and the most well-known is probably the ruffled grouse, which is losing habitat every year.
Participants in the Pipestone Creek Grouse Walk will learn about these themes.
A guest speaker from the Ellis Bird Farm will also be on hand to share knowledge of the grouse.
The walk will take place on EALT’s property, the Pipestone Creek Conservation Lands.
Directions to the property, located by traveling Hwy. #13 east of Wetaskiwin and turning north onto Range Road #231A, can be found online at https://www.ealt.ca/pipestone-creek.
Kokas noted that the EALT’s Pipestone Creek Grouse Walk is part of several regional and provincial celebrations this year, including Project Bring Back the Grouse, the Battle River Lt. Governor of Alberta Arts Awards and the Lt. Governor of Alberta 2019 Distinguished Artist awards. More information about these projects will be available to the nature walk.
Kokas said organizers of the grouse walk would like people to pre-register online because there will be two separate 90 minute walking tours, each hosting up to 30 participants.
You can register online for the grouse walk at www.ealt.ca.
For more information or to get involved locally please contact Susan C. Kokas, the County of Wetaskiwin representative for the Battle River LGAAA at kokofla2003@yahoo.com.