Nicole Hancock
Indigenous community hosts full moon ceremony ...

Kristen Villebrun and Wendy Bush hoped they wouldn't have to pray for Chedoke Creek, but four years after they first raised alarm about the water's condition, they were part of an Indigenous full moon ceremony to do just that. About 50 people showed up near Princess Point on the dark and frigid Monday evening for the monthly ceremony, which was particularly special as it focused on Chedoke Creek. The body of water that runs into Cootes Paradise had about 24 billion litres of sewage and storm water runoff leak into it due to a gate being left open.

Indigenous community hosts full moon ceremony to heal Chedoke Creek

natural filter

How a new mini-wetland is creating a natural filter for a P.E.I. farm field

How a new mini-wetland is creating a natural filter for a P.E.I. farm field

A watershed group in eastern P.E.I. is experimenting with a new mini-wetland that will filter pollutants, fertilizer and pesticides from water trickling out of the neighbouring farm field. The new vegetated ditch will also absorb carbon and create wildlife habitat. "The idea is that it'll hold water, and encourage it to stagnate, and any of the nutrients contained in the water will help feed what should turn into, hopefully, a blossoming wetland site. "It should help to filter any kind of runoff coming off the agricultural field nearby, as well as creating a lot of habitat for birds and vertebrates, and amphibians."

World Wetlands Day focused on improving awareness, protection for Sask. ecosystems

World Wetlands Day focused on improving awareness, protection for Sask. ecosystems

Experts are hoping World Wetlands Day gets people interested in protecting the shrinking ecosystems in Canada’s wetlands. Wetlands, both temporary and permanent, serve as a natural filter for larger bodies of water, replenish renewable water resources and serve as a home to many species. "The wetlands do all these things and it's pretty easy to forget that," said Peter Leavitt, Canada Research Chair. Jeff Olson, managing director at Citizens Environmental Alliance, said it is important to remember all the good these areas do, but to also mourn the ones we have lost.

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