So it is a Monday night & as my New Years pulls closer I find myself going over memories from the summer. There is one specific one that sticks out in my head tonight, on this Memories Monday. It was when my family & I decided to go back to Riding Mountain National Park this past summer. On a whim, & a quick change in our family vacation plans we found ourselves in a new direction & packed up to enjoy an oTentik. *Side Note: if you ever have the chance to camp in one of them, please do it. You will not be sorry!* This spur of the moment trip that got planned, when we realized our original family vacation for the summer wouldn't work out, was a lesson in taking a moment to remember. That is because while planning the trip we realize that it was 18 years since we had last visited the park. My mother & I pulled out the old photo album & began to share memories of that amazing first "big & full" family vacation. As we went through the old photographs we thought back to the old memories & noted which spots we would have to stop again in. Upon entering the park from the original direction we first visited it in it was like a case of extreme deja vu. However, for me, that would be replaced with a sense of accomplishment & pleasant realizations on how far I had I come in those past 18 years. As we toured through the park I tried to bring up all the old memories I could of who I was, what I felt back then while being in the park, & what all that meant to me now. It was a very pleasant, & accomplished, feeling to realize that I was now visiting this park while also being a Parks Canada employee. As I explored all the different parts of the park I began to think more, & it was one of the most eye opening trips of a lifetime. Sometimes the best thing a person can do is take a break & find somewhere they can walk in the shoes of their own at a different time in life. You stop to take notice of things you didn't the time before. Admittedly I was too young to appreciate what an amazing & unique place the park was. I didn't understand the importance of the geology or history it now held (being the last national park to be decorated by the gate displayed in the first photo). As we toured around the east part of the park exploring the history, & taking in a road side view from the escarpment, I took in the views in a way I never would have understood in my young age. I am glad I got the chance to re-experience this spot & take notice of something I missed the time before. That moment of awe was repeated later as we toured around the park with the help of our great guide during one of the driving/walking tours of the park. The little spots we were taken to in the park & the details about the ecosystem & history of park development were appreciated in a whole new way. The hike, & drive, with guide was excellent in itself. However now being a graduate of a Wildlife & Fisheries Management program, along with the beginning of a working career in grassland (along with watershed) conservation, it gave me a whole new set of eyes. Now I understood the importance of the history found in the fun bison song that explained the expansion of the native wild bison herd in the park. Along with understanding the incredible uniqueness & importance of protecting the ecologically diverse spot that the park is founded on. I was able to pick out the amazing native wildlife flowers that were growing in every spot we visited, & I was often left behind the group as I tried to grab photos of these treasures. Riding Mountain National Park is an excellent spot to go capture photographs of some of the unique & beautiful wildflowers that grow within Canada. The park is full to the brim with moments that you can get the chance to see the many amazing parts of nature that make Canada unique. Some of these have to do with the things on the smaller size, but it also includes the large ones as well. Keep your eyes out while camping you might just notice a Black Bear, or while driving/walking through the park you may notice Moose, or Deer. The park is home to hundreds, & even thousands, of the amazing animals that make Canada their home. Of those animals, that also includes the amazing Bison. These amazing animals are healthy & strong at Riding Mountain National Park, & other Parks Canada sites in Canada. They have to be one of my favorite wild animals, & the reason for that is simple. Every ecosystem needs that one "superstar" animal to help promote awareness for it. The prairies, & more importantly the grasses, have the bison to speak for them. Though there is two types of bison out there, the wood & plains, & I have a passion for both species. Each one speaks specially to the ecosystems they are attached to, & speak for conservation of the grasslands they feed on. Every chance I get to be able to spot true, wild descendants, of our native bison populations I jump at immediately. Though I have nothing against our domesticated stock (I actually am quite in love with them), it is amazing to see where they started from. Including getting the chance to be able to watch & analyze how much has, & has not, changed. I will admit I owe my family a lot on this trip & that they allowed me the chance I got to see the beautiful creatures. I forced my family up early in the morning so we could get out there to see them before the descended into the trees to take cover from the heat of the day. As we made our way into the viewing platform of course I made notice of the sign that discussed bison conservation. Though it is something of a good conservation tale that we have been able to bring bison numbers back from the brink. That good tale is only half of the real story. You see, their habitat is not as lucky. The habitat that supported many of these great creatures over vast miles is very small in amounts in our current world. Looking at grassland ecosystems as a whole only 25% of them remain. If one actually looked at every grassland eco-type as they looked at specific tree habitats in the forest, then there are ecosystems that have 5% or less left. It is a great to know that Parks Canada is taking a step foreword in the protection of these unique habitats & the animals that exist within them. I am truly thankful for all those that put the effort in to study, & assess these cultural gems (furred & otherwise). This trip truly reminded me why I have taken the path in life I have chosen. How I ended up in university in a Wildlife & Fisheries Management program rather than an agriculture centered related field of study. I can only hope that if I had the chance to run into the young girl I was the first time I visited that park that she would look back at me proud of where this life path has taken me. I can say I can't wait until the next time I get to explore this amazing park, & that I look forward to accomplishing my "bucket list" goal of visiting every National Park in Canada. I am excited to see what other wonders await me at the other Parks within Canada, & what inspiration will hit me there.
As I close this blog I must strongly urge you if you haven't visited a Parks Canada National Park or Historic Site that you add it to a "must do" to your summer adventure list. I am thankful everyday for the forethought of the people who conserve these spaces & tend to them for future generations to enjoy. Each one protects at least one unique Canadian gem, & each gem deserves to be seen. Also, if you enjoyed the wildlife photos seen in this blog, & would like to try your hand at some, please first do some reading to ensure the safety of yourself & the animals your photographing. A great place to start would be here (Parks Canada specific rules), here (National Geographic), here & here.
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