Watch for details of our annual general meeting and other news on our website at www.fonhs.org. You can go to www.engage.calgary.ca/parksbylaw to learn about the results of a public survey. For Fall 2018: the Updated Parks and Pathway Bylaw draft was presented to Council for approval. As part of the Bylaw review, there were information and ideas from reports, 3-1-1 calls, and best practices from other cities. Public engagement is now closed. A citizen science initiative has been launched on the volunteer research website Zooniverse to enlist the help of Calgarians to “crowdsource” the identification of images. www.zooniverse.org/projects/calgary-captured/calgary-captured.
A Walk Leader on Nose Hill was Shelley Alexander, a Professor at University of Calgary and an international expert in wild canid ecology (coyotes and wolves). She is an adept wildlife tracker, who has studied human-coyote interactions, and uses satellite images for mapping in conservation. The Walk Duration was 1.5 hours and areas of Interest were Urbanism and Environment.
Beginning at the Many Owls Valley Parking lot (at Brisebois Drive) on Nose Hill, the walkers ascended the gentle slopes of this native grassland ecosystem; to the top where they had a vantage of the Calgary cityscape and the undulating foothills park lands spanning west to the Rocky Mountain Front. Here they could view the world from the perspective of a coyote and understand the challenges they face living in this urban to wild slope.
Continuing the walk of the trail circuit, they watched for signs of coyotes (tracks/scat); discussed local research methods and findings; shared fun facts about urban coyotes; and learned tips to help them live together and co-flourish. Dogs and children were welcome. This walk route was partly paved, partly grass/packed, and gravel trail. The Meeting Place and Finish Point was: Many Owls Valley Parking Lot – North of the Intersection of John Laurie Blvd. and Brisebois Drive, NW.
