LOOKING FORWARD

What’s Happening in Redberry Lake Biosphere Reserve (RLBR)?

SPRING 2012

VOLUME 19

I want to thank our Board of Directors for their confidence in my abilities to lead Red-berry Lake Biosphere Reserve into it's next phase of activities and challenges. I am thankful for the opportunity to serve the community and to work with all of the organiza-tions and municipalities that we are able to partner with within the Region of Redberry.

I wish all of our producers a productive growing and grazing season along with financial success to all in our region. I look forward to continuing a dialogue with our residents in upcoming issues sharing some of the challenges coming our way.

Andrew Hawrysh, Chair of RLBR

Mid April we were given notice that Environment Canada is going to terminate its funding commitment. 14 of the 16 Ca-nadian Biosphere Reserves will be affected—including Redberry Lake.

Despite the challenges to come, we are not intending to give up projects we have been working on already or programs we are planning to implement. But we will need your support now more than ever to continue preserving nature, fostering sustainable development and educating kids and students in Redberry Lake Biosphere Reserve.

This budget cut urges us to be more creative and innovative then ever.

And you can help us!

1. Send us your ideas for a fundraising activity 2. Contact us if you want to participate in a project

3. Make a donation to us

Go to our website www.redberrylake.ca and click on the donate button, it will guide you through. You can also donate by cheque and send it to Redberry Lake Biosphere Reserve Inc., Box 221, Hafford SK, S0J 1A0.

Redberry Lake Biosphere Reserve is an incorporated not-for-profit organization.

We thank you for your support—it is much appreciated!

REDBERRY LAKE BIOSPHERE RESERVE NEEDS YOUR HELP

Pelicans and Prairie Crocuses in the Biosphere Reserve—spring is definitely on its way! © Thomas Abe

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The School of Environment and Sustainability (SENS) at the University of Saskatchewan and Redberry Lake Bio-sphere Reserve (RLBR) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen the already existing part-nership.

“We have been working closely with the Biosphere Re-serve for years now”, explains Maureen Reed, Acting Director and Professor at SENS. “Formalizing this col-laboration in a Memorandum of Understanding was the right step forward.” By signing the agreement, SENS and RLBR will be able to expand the scope of research and education projects relating to the environment and sustainability sectors.

One key feature of the Memorandum is to offer regular field trips for students to RLBR. Last year’s excursion was a three days hands-on training on field research methods in different ecosystems like rivers, wetlands and grasslands. The students also had the chance to talk to local farmers, ranchers and other community rep-resentatives about their concerns and ideas on how to preserve this land for future generations and – at the same time – make a living with today’s challenges.

RLBR AND SENS SEAL PARTNERSHIP

“Along with a great experience during field trips like this comes a wonderful side effect: The students discover the potential of this area and their interest in the Biosphere Re-serve as an important site,” says Andrew Hawrysh, RLBR Chair. “Sometimes this leads to Master and PhD students conducting research for their thesis.” So far there are two graduate students researching RLBR this year.

The Memorandum of Understanding between SENS and RLBR will benefit both organizations, students and future research.

Left to right: Vladimir Kricsfalusy, Associate Professor at SENS, Maureen Reed, Acting Director and Professor at SENS, Andrew Hawrysh, Chair of RLBR, John Kindrachuk, Executive Director of RLBR

© Susanne Abe

Redberry Lake Biosphere Reserve puts on a

COMMUNITY FARMER’S MARKET IN HAFFORD

We know that people within Redberry Lake Biosphere Reserve are excellent gardeners growing all kinds of vegetables and fruits, flowers and plants. And when it comes to preserving seasonal food tradition and creativity lead to all sorts of jam, pickles, salsa and other delicacies. And how about eggs from free run chickens, meat from animals that were grazing on local pastures, honey from bees that collect their nectar from around here and baked and frozen goods that are made within the community? Isn’t that already mouthwatering?

We are encouraging everybody with a garden, a full storage room and freezer as well as local artists to set up a table at the Community Farmer’s Market in Hafford, Ukrainian National Hall!

The dates are Saturdays from 10 am till 5 pm on

June 9 September 8 July 7 October 6 August 18 (with Hafford Summer Sizzle) Please contact Rachel for registering and more information: 549-4060, rturnquist@redberrylake.ca

Even if you think you just have a few things to sell, you don’t feel like standing behind your table all the time or you want to participate in another way, contact us, we will figure something out that’ll work for everyone!

Redberry Lake Biosphere Reserve will also have a BBQ! So come to our Community Farmer’s Market and enjoy!

Proceeds will be used to fund further educational and community projects in Redberry Lake Biosphere Reserve.

WHAT IS A BIOSPHERE RESERVE?

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Usually we present one of the 580 World Biosphere Reserves in our newsletters. But this time we will go one step back and talk about what biosphere reserves and their functions are.

The beginning of the biosphere reserve concept dates back to 1968 when the UNESCO (United Nations Education, Science and Cultural Organization) arranged the “Biosphere Con-ference”. The goal was to examine how conservation and use of natural resources can be reconciled in a sustainable way. As a result the “Man and the Biosphere” (MAB) Programme was launched. One of the projects was to establish a World Network of sites representing the main ecosystems of the planet. These sites were named "biosphere reserves". Today there are 580 biosphere reserves in 114 countries. Their geographical boundaries may be com-pletely inland, along a coast or defined by the borders of a natural watershed.

Biosphere reserves are “learning places” where protection of the environment and develop-ment of the local economy, society and culture is studied, trained and shared within this World Network. The goal is to achieve a sustainable way of life for all people and species. Education and creating awareness play major roles along this journey.

Living in a biosphere reserve is a chance to take advantage from the protection of local spe-cies, land and water resources, to obtain knowledge on how to make the own local community a sustainable place for today’s and future generations, to attract tourists who are looking for recreation and to encourage scientists to do re-search.

In Canada there are 16 biosphere reserves in 8 provinces. Compared to other countries there is no program of core sup-port for Canadian Biosphere Reserves. These sites have to seek funding and in-kind support through grants, bursaries, contribution agreements and (private) donations.

Resources: Canadian Association of Biosphere Reserves (CBRA), Fundy Biosphere Reserve, Southwest Nova Biosphere Reserve

© Evangie Michalenko

Designated by the UNESCO in January 2000 Redberry Lake is the only Biosphere Reserve in Saskatchewan. It includes the saline lake and 112,200 hectares of roll-ing prairie, dotted with seasonal ponds and marshes, along with aspen/shrub groves. Small patches of natural mixed prairie can also be found here – a rarity in this highly grazed and cultivated area. The core area of RLBR – Redberry Lake and it’s islands – is an important site for conservation. Water birds use the lake as breeding grounds, migrating shorebirds and waterfowls have their staging point here. The lake provides habitat for a total of nine endangered or threatened spe-cies as well as over 180 other species.

The core area is the protected part within the Biosphere Reserve and acts as a reference point: Information from this area is used to measure how sustainable activities are or how the environmental quality in the surrounding areas is doing. This geographical zone can also contribute resources to projects which are devel-oped with local people, businesses and other partners in the adjacent buffer zone.

The buffer zone of RLBR is the area immediately surrounding the lake, which in-cludes the Regional Park and the Research and Education Centre. The third area of RLBR, the area of cooperation, is made up of all other land within the closed watershed of Redberry Lake and includes the Town of Hafford. This large outer part is where people live and work; it is here, the goal of sustainable resource use is explored and encouraged through research, education and community-based planning.

REDBERRY LAKE BIOSPHERE RESERVE

© RLBR

CONTACT US If you have questions or suggestions for our newsletter.

If you would like to contribute an article.

If you want to receive this newsletter via email.

Redberry Lake Biosphere Reserve Box 221 Hafford SK, S0J 1A0 Phone: 306 549-4060 / -9311 Fax: 306 549-4061 Email: communications@redberrylake.ca URL: www.redberrylake.ca

Join us and contribute some of your time and expertise to the Redberry Lake Bio-sphere Reserve, the surrounding communities and the environment. You are a natu-ralist, local artist or you want to help us maintaining the Research and Education Centre and attracting more visitors — we appreciate every contribution. Contact us for more information about how you can support our work or come over for a visit.

VOLUNTEER WITH US

WHATS HAPPENING IN THE COMMUNITY?

GET INVOLVED

Hafford Movie Night

Friday, May 11, 7 pm

Ukrainian National Hall

Team Youth Force Company With Friends will show the Movie "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island"

3rd Annual Musician's Day: Back to the Bowl

Sunday, June 10, starting at noon

Redberry Lake Regional Park

Some of the bands attending are Red-berry Grass, Stetson, Cutting Edge, Soundwave, The Unusual Suspects and Tillie and the Billiegoats, plus lots of jam-mers as well. Bring your lawn chairs and bring clothes and necessities for a Sas-katchewan summer day. Admission: Park Gate Admission only

Contact: Russ MacNutt Phone: 306-549-4038 Email: Rustynutt@littleloon.ca

Hafford’s Annual Polkafest Weekend

Friday, July 13-15

Hafford Communiplex

Contact: Phone: 306-549-2399 or 306-549-2136 Email: haffordrec@littleloon.ca

Redberry Lake Biosphere Reserve Community Calendar

Coordinate your upcoming activity with others ♦ Share your events and attract more people ♦ Find out what’s happening

www.redberrylake.ca/communitycalendar

Use submit form on website or contact us by email or phone.

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