Join beaver expert Kirby England (P.Biol.) for a Saturday float on the Sturgeon River and Big Lake exploring beaver ecology and life alongside the best dam wetland managers.

Paddle a canoe (or kayak, or paddleboard) down the mighty Sturgeon River with stops along the way to discuss beaver biology and ecology, human-wildlife interactions, and the benefits of beaver coexistence for water security and climate change resiliency that is the focus of the Working With Beavers symposium. By partnering with Rural River Rentals (https://www.ruralrivers.com/), an indigenous-owned business near St. Albert, participants without a watercraft can rent all they need to participate.

We will meet at the Rural River Rentals location for the put-in and start of the tour, and a shuttle will be available to haul back watercraft from the take-out point within St. Albert. There will be a nominal cost (max. $40) for the shuttle service. The more people that take advantage of this option the lower the shared costs will be (please note, this fee will be collected the day of the adventure and is in addition to any donations made to Alberta Wilderness Association).

Leading the Adventure is You Betula Environmental Inc.’s Principal Consultant, Kirby England (P.Biol.) a Wildlife, Wetland, and Riparian Areas Ecologist. In addition, to being the owner of You Betula, Kirby is a faculty member in the School of Environmental Sciences at Lethbridge College. Leading the beaver brigade in his canoe, Kirby will guide an interpretive self-powered float down the Sturgeon River from the Rural Rivers site upstream of Big Lake and the Lois Hole PP. to a downstream takeout at Kingswood Park within the City of St. Albert. We will plan to spend the morning paddling to and across Big Lake with stops to see beaver coexistence installations (planned or recently completed) as well as other wetland ecology topics as they arise. There will be a stop for lunch at the Riel Recreation Park with access to a washroom facility there.

An apres paddle gathering at a local pub and eatery (nearly in view of the Sturgeon River) is also planned to follow the event. Details on that to follow.

Coordinator

Fundraising Goal

Goal: $500

Raised to date: $50.00

10% raised of $500:

Sponsor this adventure now and help make the tree grow!

All donations to AWA are eligible for a charitable tax receipt.

Required Equipment

Human-powered watercraft ideally no longer than 16’ (canoe, kayak, paddle board). Large canoes can be hard to turn around the bends in the river or haul over any beaver-caused blockages in the river. There are a number of options to be rented from Rural River Rentals at our put-in location, please reserve in advance: Rentals | Winter & Summer | Rural Rivers) 

PFD and personal watercraft safety devices

Food and water for a full day on the water

Appropriate clothes for the weather

Things To be Aware Of

This event is the unofficial after-party for the 2023 Working With Beavers Symposium hosted by the Miistakis Institute and Cows and Fish. To keep the beaver knowledge-sharing going, join us on Saturday, July 15th for an Amisk Adventure (amisk being the nehiyawewin (Cree language) word for beaver) with the Big Lake and Sturgeon River Beaver Brigade.

Participants will be required to come prepared for an approximately six-hour adventure with a stop for lunch along the paddle. Expect some portaging around or over beaver dams and woody debris, so the physical ability to do so is a requirement . Otherwise, this should not be a particularly grueling event and all that can paddle safely on a gentle river are welcome. We ask for no pets on this adventure as there is an option of seeing beaver or other semi-aquatic animals and we don’t want to cause any undue stress to the wildlife.

Contact this Coordinator

Contact this coordinator:

by email at a4w@abwild.ca,
by phone at (403) 283-2025,
or by using the form below:

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