This collection houses assets (or resources) from Saskatchewan Distance Learning Wildlife & Habitat Studies 20 course.
"Hank gives the rundown on the top five ways humans are negatively impacting the environment and having detrimental effects on the valuable ecosystem services which a healthy biosphere provides."
"Human waste bags, including WAG Bags (Waste Alleviation and Gelling bags), are a crucial part of responsible outdoor recreation for backpackers, climbers, campers, rafters, and winter backcountry and glacier travel. Double-bag wag bags allow you to properly dispose of human waste in a way that minimizes your impact on heavily impacted and sensitive ecosystems. We review human waste bags based on their ease of use for pack-it in, pack-it-out, odor-proofness, leakproofness, capacity, and accessories to find the best human waste bags and best wag bags for different outdoor activities."
"There’s no question a knife is an indispensable tool in the outdoors. If you ignore the fundamentals of knife safety, however, this trusted ally can turn from friend to foe in a heartbeat. And years of experience can easily lull the most cautious of us into becoming complacent. So, to refresh your memory and bring knife safety back to the forefront, here are a few rules that even the best of us occasionally ignore."
"Canada is well known for its stunning and vast wilderness – and the adventurous people who explore it. There’s a certain sense of challenge and satisfaction that comes with backcountry expeditions – relying on yourself and your survival skills while immersed in nature.
At the same time, adventuring in the wilderness comes with undeniable risks. Each year, the media reports tragic tales of ill-fated trips to remote areas.
Backcountry first aid emergencies can include exposure to poisonous plants or animals, and injuries from falling while hiking or climbing."
ANCIENT ECHOES INTERPRETIVE CENTRE is nestled at the junction of the Coalmine Ravine and the Eagle Creek and offers both indoor and outdoor tours of our Palaeontology sites (dinosaur and fossil displays and dig), Prairie Grasslands Ecology (virgin prairie medicine and food plants, animals in the wild and taxidermy displays), and First Nations History (petroglyphs, rock formations, effigies, archaeological dig, teepee rings, buffalo jump, food processing site, tool artifacts and pottery making displays). A permanent art exhibition by Metis artist, Jo Cooper, expresses a visual and oral story with “The Disappearance and Resurgence of the Buffalo”. Additionally, sculptures outside the centre stimulate the imagination as well as humour.
Ancient Echoes is currently operating under their summer hours, which run from May 7th to August 31st. This means we are open Tuesdays-Sundays from 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (closed Mondays). Bookings can be made by calling the Centre at 1-306-377-2045 or emailing anciente@sasktel.net. Our Valley View Tea Room is open every Friday from 2:30-4:30 PM in May-August.
Ancient Echoes is a popular site for School Tours throughout the year offering custom-designed programs for students of all ages in the areas of Aboriginal History, Paleontology, Ecology, and Archaeology.
Ancient Echoes also offers regular summer programs including traditional pottery making, drum making, ecology and palaeontology hikes, full moon walks, educational and craft days for children, as well as numerous other “ project” days. A video of the ravine walk is available indoors for “rainy days”, or for those who do not wish to hike.
Ancient Echoes has just recently added a beautiful art gallery space to their walls. Our new Prairie Echoes Gallery offers numerous exhibits throughout the year of new and established artists and photographers.
"With camping season upon us, it is important to be bear aware and keep campsites and other areas free of attractants. Many of Saskatchewan's parks and campgrounds are in bear country and bears have been known to wander through on occasion. Proper food storage, cooking methods and garbage handling are essential for safe camping in bear country."
"Conservation Officers (COs) are uniformed field staff who are responsible for protecting our environment and making sure natural resources such as fish and wildlife are used wisely. While their primary role is environmental law enforcement – they have the authority of police officers – COs are also kept busy doing public relations, resource management work (e.g. wildlife surveys) and promoting healthy environments and ecosystems. COs often work outdoors, frequently in isolated and wilderness locations."
"Knife safety starts with choosing the right knife for the job. A folding knife can be handy in the outdoors but has an inherent weakness at the hinge. With a fixed blade there is no chance of it folding on your fingers. In choosing a fixed-blade knife, select one with a strong sheath. This protects both you and your knife."
"Know the rules and regulations before you go! Fire information officers Brenna and Kyla share some tips that will help you keep BC’s forests green and safe while you enjoy your campfire this summer."
"Take the stress out of prepping for your next camping trip with this camping food list! When you have these essential ingredients with you, it will be easy to make simple but tasty camping meals from scratch!"
"It's wintertime in Torngat Mountains National Park in Labrador. The Torngat Wildlife, Plants, and Fisheries Secretariat work with Parks Canada and other partners to prepare for a 35-day remote survey of the Torngat Mountains Caribou herd. By the end of the field season, the crew will have surveyed many caribou over 145 hours across 16,000 km."
"The residents of Saskatchewan need to know when and where they are allowed to burn in Saskatchewan – and municipalities/rural municipalities play an important role in making that happen.
Municipalities, regional, and national parks have the authority to ban open burning in their areas of responsibility, while the SPSA can restrict open burning in provincial forests, parks and Crown land. Only in the most extreme situations would the SPSA consider restricting burning in all rural municipalities."
"Before discussing the parts of a knife we must first discuss what type of knife we are discussing. As with most things that people prize, collect, and use, almost everything about knives is up for discussion and often disagreement. So if we say, for example, that “a knife that folds is not good for a survival knife” probably ninety percent of knife experts would agree, but there will always be those who dispute it.
They might say that if a folding knife is all you’ve got in an emergency, then it’s a survival knife. True under such circumstances, but it’s not the general way to describe a survival knife. As you’ll see, survival knives are about versatility but in a different way than a Swiss Army knife or a multi-tool. Survival knives are about versatility and strength; being able to do jobs that require a lot of force, for example, chopping wood."
"An ecoregion is a relatively large area of land that contains a geographically distinct pattern of recurring ecosystems. Each ecoregion is associated with characteristic combinations of soil, landforms, and the associated plant and animal communities. There are 11 ecoregions in Saskatchewan."
"The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) is expressing concerns about the potential effects of a farm irrigation project.
The FSIN has announced their support for the Cumberland House Cree Nation in their efforts to protect their lands and waters in relation to the project’s potential to affect the ecosystem of the Saskatchewan River Delta."
"Wild boar pose a threat to the environment, farm operations and to other livestock. The Feral Wild Boar Control Program provides a way for landowners and rural municipalities (RMs) to have wild boars removed."
"Wild pigs are not native to Canada and are considered an invasive species. They damage private property and have a serious impact on native plants and wild animals due to their feeding habits and reproductive capability. Feral pigs can carry parasites, viruses or diseases that can be transmitted to domestic livestock, wildlife, and even humans. They are known to carry African Swine Fever, a serious disease which if introduced to domestic swine herds causes would cause financial and economic losses for Canadian hog producers."
"Information to help you during a medical emergency."
"Many common workplace injuries can be treated on site using the materials in a standard first aid kit. Even more serious injuries that require qualified medical care can be less severe and less likely to be fatal if first aid is administered immediately. Knowing some first aid basics, then, is an essential part of workplace safety."
The 2017 First Aid and CPR manual digital version.