A clear example of the transitioning seasons.
The cool, crisp autumn air is officially flowing through the Bow Valley. The days are noticeably shorter. Trembling Aspen and Balsam Poplar have only a few yellow leaves barely hanging on. Larch is soft like fur. It is a time of transformation and a reminder for us to let go of our excess foliage and rest where we can.
Although nature is winding down for its yearly time of rest, our lovely Environmental Educator and Program Coordinator, Heidi, is getting ready for her own transformational experience as she soon welcomes her second child to the world. As of last Friday, Heidi is now on her maternity leave and has passed the torch of Future Leaders programming onto Racquel Deveau. Meet her below!
We wish you a cozy, relaxed remainder of the fall season full of warm mugs, thick blankets, soup, naps, and laughter as you ready your den for the upcoming winter.
Stories from the Field
Future Leaders Youth Council
Our Future Leaders Youth Council is back! Our members headed to Cascade Creek in beautiful Banff National Park to help restore Westslope Cutthroat Trout habitat.
Our council joined the incredible Fish & Aquatics team, Banff Field Unit, of Parks Canada to plant willow, birch, and poplar saplings along the creek to help keep Cascade Creek cool and clear for the reintroduction of the native Westslope Cutthroat Trout. We learned about the fish reintroduction project and the importance of the entire ecosystem in supporting them to thrive into the future.
The plants we planted will help support:
Cover - cutthroat trout in the creek appreciate foliage cover to protect them from predators.
Shade - the small trout need cold water to thrive. The shrubs and trees will one day provide protection from the sun’s heat.
Insects - planting new vegetation in fish habitat also attracts insects that the fish in turn can eat.
Thank you to all the youth volunteers for joining us and to Dan and Nicole with Banff National Park for sharing your expertise!
Are you interested in joining our Future Leaders Youth Council to learn more about local environmental initiatives and to help take action and make the Bow Valley a better place for all life? Check out our website and Instagram for more information, and email Racquel to join.
Wastewater Treatment Plant Tour
Earlier this month, we joined OLS’ Environmental Stewardship students at the Canmore Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Students had a tour of the facilities and learned how all the dirty water that is flushed and drained down the sink goes from contaminated to clean.
Through a series of rigorous filtration systems (including moving through volcanic rock!) and using UV light to disrupt the DNA of any viruses and pathogens, the water is cleaned and stripped of any debris and is eventually released back into the Bow River, where it continues its journey to hydrate the next communities downstream.
Thank you, EPCOR, for the very informative and fascinating tour.
Meet Racquel, Our Environmental Educator and Program Coordinator
Racquel (She/Her) is grateful to join the team as the Environmental Educator and Program Coordinator (maternity leave coverage), creating and delivering K-12 curriculum-connected environmental education programs throughout the Bow Valley and facilitating the Future Leaders program.
Racquel is of settler descent with Acadian roots and lives in Treaty 7 territory. As a natural storyteller and lover of the arts, she received her B.A. in Drama from the University of Alberta, where her passion for creative expression began to merge with her growing interest in environmental topics. After a transformational summer working with Alberta Parks as an Interpreter, Racquel discovered a deep love for using artistic approaches to teach ecological science. Her passion for teaching has guided her through more than seven years as an environmental educator, during which she received a Bronze Medal Interpretation Canada Award and was a Calgary White Hat Award finalist for her work.
Racquel went on to earn her M.A. in Environmental Education and Communication at Royal Roads University, where she explored how intentional time in nature can help us reconnect with the Earth, one another, and ourselves. Racquel’s work focuses on creating learning experiences that help individuals cultivate authentic, emotional, and embodied relationships with the natural world.
We are very excited to welcome Racquel to the team. To inquire about booking a program with her, please email her at education@biosphereinstitute.org.