The RDRN was celebrated at a recent event hosted by DNA Gardens, Elnora. Myrna Pearman and Claudia Lipski led a nature walk to a nearby NCC/DU property (Kinvig) and the owners of DNA, Dave and Arden, offered participants a wagon ride and a nature walk on their beautiful property.

​RDRN brochures and birding trail guides were handed out to participants and the Nature Central program was promoted. Word is spreading about RDRN and the Nature Central program! 

The Red Deer River Naturalists have, for the past 11 years, joined the Bjorge family and other farmers in the Ferry Point area of Central Alberta to spend the last weekend in June enjoying the beauty and diversity of nature. The Bjorges own large tracts of native grasslands within the Donalda badland region, which they steward using sustainable grazing practices. 

Judy Boyd has volunteered to lead very popular birding trips on these weekends (thank you Judy!), and this year, RDRN also promoted both the Habitat Steward program as well as Nature Central at the event.

We were pleased to present Habitat Steward signs to the Bjorge family. 

Nature Central and the Red Deer River Naturalists launched a new Classroom Visit Program in June with two visits to St. Thomas Aquinas School in Red Deer. Incorporated into their new grade nine Environmental Studies course, this program introduced students to important topics such as ecosystems, biodiversity, and conservation. 

To connect students to local resources and activities (think globally, act locally), this program also covered the history and work of the Red Deer River Naturalists and highlighted Nature Central’s amazing Habitat Steward Program (link).

​Special thanks to their teacher, Stephen Merredew, for inviting us into the classroom.