How You Can Help Preserve Fish Creek Provincial Park

Wolf Willow is a community filled with nature lovers. Many of the most enticing Wolf Willow amenities involve proximity to natural spaces—access to the river, beautiful pathways and trails, and of course Fish Creek Provincial Park is right next door. As anyone who loves the outdoors knows, natural spaces need to be protected from pollution and disruption of the ecosystem, especially in an urban centre like Calgary. That’s why it’s so important that neighbours and visitors to the park do everything they can to protect it. Here are just a few examples of simple steps you can take to ensure that Fish Creek PP is around for future generations to enjoy.

Educate Yourself

The first step toward doing the right thing is learning about the issue. By educating yourself about the risks of losing or damaging the park ecosystem, and understanding how your actions as a Calgarian can help keep it safe, you’ll be on the right track toward preserving the park

Fish Creek Provincial Park has lots of resources available on their website where you can learn about the plants and animals that live in the park, and the two types of natural regions that can be found there: grassland and parkland. You’ll find tips for your park visit, and fun facts about the natural landscape of the Bow River and surrounding areas.

There are also opportunities to learn up close and in person. The park works closely with schools to develop educational field trips for the kids, and there are occasionally events held in the park for the whole family to learn more about the natural world. While most in-person events have been rescheduled to ensure the safety of visitors during COVID, keep an eye on their events calendar for upcoming opportunities to get outdoors and learn.

Respect Wildlife

There are lots of wild animals who live in this Alberta provincial park, including beavers, birds, deer, amphibians, fish, bears, coyotes, cougars and more. These animals are an essential part of the delicate ecosystem and should be respected.

There are several easy steps you can take to help the animals stay safe and healthy. A good rule of thumb is to keep your distance, no matter how cute or harmless the animal may seem. Contact with humans can be harmful for animals by both causing stress and disrupting their natural relationships with both people and other animals. It’s also important to avoid feeding the wildlife. There’s enough food occurring naturally in the park environment that none of the animals you might encounter need any additional food from humans. As well, many human foods can be unhealthy for the animals, or even poisonous.

Even if you think the animal might need help, there are experts you can call in the park who know the proper way to take care of injured animals. Also contact the park office by calling 403-297-5293 or visiting the Bow Valley Ranch Visitor Centre if you do see a potentially dangerous animal, like a bear or cougar.

Responsible Day Use

What you do is just as important as what you don’t do in the park. When enjoying the nature, make sure you don’t leave any litter behind; dispose of any garbage properly, and if you can’t find a garbage or recycling bin, take your trash home with you so you clean, sort, and dispose of it the right way.

It’s also important that you take as much care to avoid harming the plant life as you do the animals in the park. The plants are an essential component of a healthy ecosystem. The indigenous plants keep the animals fed and encourage healthy soil. Healthy and abundant plant matter can also help prevent flooding along the Bow River. Whatever you plan on doing in the park, from a quick walk to launching a boat, be sure to check online or call the park beforehand so you know how to enjoy the environment responsibly.

Volunteer with Friends of Fish Creek

If you’re looking for a way to increase your involvement in the preservation of the park, you can volunteer with the Friends of Fish Creek. This is one of the most rewarding ways to both improve the area and get involved in your community. The park is one of the most incredible Wolf Willow amenities available, and it’s absolutely free to enjoy. Show your appreciation and give back by volunteering your time and skills behind the scenes or on the ground. 

There are also several ways you can show your support by making a financial donation to the Friends of Fish Creek organization.

Share your love of the park

As one of the largest urban Alberta provincial parks, Fish Creek PP has a delicate balance to maintain. Preserving the park itself needs to be balanced with inviting visitors to enjoy the park. While people have the capacity to cause harm to the ecosystem, they also have the power to advocate for it when its preservation is threatened. That’s why one of the easiest and most enjoyable ways you can support the park is to enjoy it and share it with friends. Invite friends who live in other parts of the city to join you in Fish Creek for a picnic, or a stroll along some of the most beautiful pathways and trails in Calgary. You can even rent Bow Valley Ranche for private events like weddings and birthdays to share your love of the park with a larger group of family and friends.

•