Spring Ramble in Fish Creek Park, a Jane’s Walk (Adventures for Wilderness)

May 4, 2025

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Text by Sara Heerema and Lindsey Wallis, photos by Sara Heerema

Fish Creek Provincial Park is an important protected area within the vast urban landscape of Calgary. During this Jane’s Walk, we invited people to slow down and notice the plants and animals returning or waking up after the winter. Lindsey and Sara talked about the creatures that call the park home, some of the important ecosystem services that parks like Fish Creek provide, and some of the issues facing Alberta’s wild places.

We started off by talking about how important wetlands are for Calgarians, providing us with everything from natural recreation areas to flood protection to water filtration. Lindsey highlighted the work AWA did to try to preserve Ricardo Ranch, the largest intact wetland that remained in the city, in the face of development, and the consequences that the community there may face as houses are built along the floodplain. As we meandered along the path, we pointed out the queen bees beginning to scope out nesting sites, the native and invasive plants we encountered, and a smattering of birds like Northern Flickers, European Starlings, Swallows, and American Robins. After watching White-tailed Deer startle and run across an open field, Lindsey invited us all to find a spot of our own where we could connect to the landscape. As we opened our 5 senses and focused our attention on the natural world around us, everyone was amazed by how much diversity they could find right there in the city. We listened to the hammering of Woodpeckers on the nearby Cottonwoods, watched the ants crawl up the stalks of Golden Beans, and smelled the breeze as it picked up the sticky scents of budding trees. On the way back, we took the road less travelled, and wandered close to the river on a smaller trail that led to the prominent beaver dams. More hidden treasures were sighted on the trail, like a torn Wasp nest and recently re-awakened Lady Beetles. All the walk came to a close, we were lucky to have two beavers swim right under our feet as we watched the sun go down from the bridge.