A call for paw-sitive impacts on the RV
Natural areas are seeing record-breaking visitation year after year, which puts more stress on the land and the wildlife that call it home. The EALT team has seen examples of littering, disrespect of terms of access, and sadly, even fatal incidents to wildlife from off-leash dogs.
You might see the reminders that EALT has left on some of their trails - orange flags marking where visitors have left dog waste. These flags will be posted for a short time period as an example of how dogs can impact natural areas if their owners don't clean up after them.
EALT hopes that visitors choose to make a pawsitive impact by keeping their pets on leash, removing pet waste, respecting wildlife, and being stewards of the land. If you're a dog owner, please consider signing the Paws for Effect pledge and sharing it with a friend.
If you take the pledge, you can be entered to win a prize package. The winner will be drawn on September 30, 2025. Details for the contest can be found here https://mailchi.mp/ealt/conservation-connections-newsletter-79m6y7k3t0-17460174?e=b41643f9be
Where there is a human-made structure, there may just be a barn swallow
Justin Eccles photo
The Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) is a medium-sized songbird, about the size of a sparrow. The bird’s back and tail plumage is a distinctive steely, iridescent blue. And its long forked tail and pointed wings are what make them easily recognizable, as well as fast and acrobatic fliers.
About 2,450,000 pairs of barn swallows spend their nesting season in Canada. They are found in every province and territory except Nunavut, where they are rarely seen. While the barn swallow historically nested in caves and cliffs, they readily adapted to utilizing human structures, especially barns which led to their common name.
The birds are also dedicated builders. They pick up mud from places like river banks or puddles, and fibrous material, like grass, and arrange them into cup-shaped nests. The interior of their nests are lined with grass, hair, and feathers. A pair of swallows can make over 1,000 trips, bringing back a mouthful of mud on each trip, to build a new nest. https://www.hww.ca/wildlife/birds/barn-swallow/
Spend this Sunday with RVA as they host two exciting events in the RV
On July 20, from 9:00am to 11:00am, join the River Valley Alliance for a bike tour! This leisurely bike tour consists of a scenic 22 km ride, with 7 km on pavement and 15 km on gravel. A gravel bike or mountain bike is required.
This route takes riders south through West River’s Edge Park and continues south onto the scenic River View RVA Strathcona Riverside Trail, and across the river on the new RVA Edmonton/Strathcona Footbridge, returning to the starting point. This route is flat. A few stops will be made at scenic points of interest. Register here https://rivervalley.ab.ca/events/fort-sask-strathcona-edmonton-new-bridge-tour/
Another must-attend event on Sunday, July 20 is the Moccasin and Medicine Trail Walk Series. The theme this time around is Playing on the Land – Traditional Land Games. From 10:00am to 12:00pm, participants of all ages—children, adults, and Elders—will come together in community through Traditional Indigenous Land Games.
Folks will engage in several fun and meaningful games that reflect Indigenous ways of knowing, teaching, and connecting across generations. This event is about more than play though—it’s about honouring Indigenous knowledge, fostering intergenerational relationships, and deepening our connection to the land. Register here https://rivervalley.ab.ca/events/playing-on-the-land-traditional-land-games/
July 10 issue
Vicky says “I think the Edmonton City Hall should have a 'history wall' and the River Valley News should be posted on a bulletin board.”
The Dwelling by Wayne Ashley, Edmonton City Hall
https://www.edmontonarts.ca/public-art/the-dwelling
Comment or Contributions
Please note articles may not reflect the position of NSRVCS. River Valley News is meant to be a clearinghouse for the variety of opinions and ideas about Edmonton’s River Valley.
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