Bighill Creek Vistas
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- Historic photo of Bighill Coulee – Vivian Pharis 1990
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- Parker Ranch above main spring- Tobi McLeod
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- From the Provincial Park looking downstream – Gerry Bietz
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- Buffalo Jump Site East of Provincial Park – Vivian Pharis
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- Main Bighill Creek Spring – Tobi McLeod
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- Morning fog over the ravine
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- Winter ice forming over landscape due to beaver activity – Vivian Pharis
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- Cliff face in lower coulee – Daniel Foster
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- Lower Coulee – Daniel Foster
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- Bighill Creek valley looking to the west
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- Ice flooding due to beaver activity – Vivian Pharis
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- – Daniel Foster
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- – Daniel Foster
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- Cliff Swallow Nests
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- Decommissioned roadway path through coulee
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- Healthy riparian area
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- Bighill Creek meandering
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- pedestrian bridge -Spring 2024
Bioinventory Blitz Days
Water Sampling – 2020
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- Dr. Ymene Fouli Sample Site 3
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- Sampling revealed old buffalo bone
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- Recent bone emerging from the bank
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- Culvert Site 1 water sampling
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- Permanent spring sampling site
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- Permanent spring sampling site
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- Dr. Ken Stevenson recording for Dr. Ymene Fouli
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- Access to some sites require agility
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- Dr Ymene Fouli at Site 3 sampling year 1
Trout Unlimited Bighill Creek Fish Habitat Study – June 2018
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- Fish Habitat Study Trout Unlimited June 2018
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- Dr. Ken Stevenson, BCPS and Elliott Lindsey TU examining samples
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- Electrofishing June 2018 Trout Unlimited
Wildlife Sightings
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- Mallard – Wildlife Camera
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- Blue Heron – Wildlife Camera
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- Tiger Salamander – Vivian Pharis
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- Garter Snake – Vivian Pharis
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- Dragon Fly – Vivian Pharis
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- White Tail Deer – Wildlife Camera
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- Red Fox – Wildlife Camera
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- Coyote – Wildlife Camera
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- This elk herd seems resident in Bighill’s watershed and has been seen here in the last 3-4 years. This photo taken by Gerry Bietz, Jan. 20, 2024, just east of Glendale Rd.
Trail Monitoring and Repair
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- Built by Bighill Preservation Society with funds provided by COCHRANE FOUNDATION
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- Original construction of foot bridge in Environmental Reserve
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- Eroded section of trail already in need of rehabilitation. The trail has now been rerouted around this portion.
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- Seven trail markers will allow monitoring from the same sites each year.
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- Seven sections of the loop trail have been selected for annual measurement and for photographic record in order to monitor erosion.
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- One of the areas of trail that will be monitored and rehabilitated or routed around.
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- Some sites are monitored for depth of ruts too, this time by `Gruff` the crime dog.
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- Upgrading stewardship trail through the Environmental Reserve required gravel hauling with wheelbarrow
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- Bridge repair by volunteers on June 15, 2024
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- Bridge repair June 15, 2024
Threats
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- Gravel mining
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- Cattle damage to riparian area
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- Cattle damage to riparian area
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- First day of clearing for Mtn Ash LP Gravel Mining Pit Fall 2023
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- Fall 2023 Mountain Ash LP Begins Gravel Mining
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- Preliminary Mtn Ash LP clearing for Gravel Mining Pit Fall 2023
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- Topsoil berms in preparation for gravel mining at Mtn Ash LP Fall 2023
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- Increasing gravel truck traffic poses threats to wildlife and other traffic on Highway 567
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- Ironically Alberta Transport placed this sign Fall 2023 on Highway 567 where gravel trucks have become increasingly frequent.
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- Large gravel trucks from one mine have take a large toll on Bighill Creek Wildlife. Four more gravel pits could potentially open along the same stretch of highway, further increasing problems for wildlife crossings and human traffic.
