This site is intended to serve the members of the Society. We also welcome visitors and encourage them to contact us and contribute information about the Park.
Nose Hill Park is the largest natural area urban park in Canada, covering approximately 2700 acres in north central Calgary, Alberta. It offers a unique prairie grassland environment and a ready escape from the pressures of the modern city.
The Friends of Nose Hill Society is an incorporated society dedicated to the protection of the Park for the benefit of all Calgarians. The objectives of the Society are:
* to advocate the preservation of Nose Hill Natural Environment Park in its natural state;
* to provide information, awareness and education for the preservation of the Park;
* organize and encourage volunteer participation in the Park;
* to liaise with special interest groups concerned with the Park.
NEWS
Annual General Meeting
The Friends of Nose Hill Society annual general meeting was on Wednesday, November 23, 2011 7 p.m. at Triwood Community Centre (Pub), 2244 Chicoutimi Drive NW.
Sid Andrews, a Parks Representative, was on hand to answer questions about Nose Hill.
Our guest speaker was Sarah Nevill, who is an expert resource to identify non-native invasive plants, when a natural area needs some TLC. She is Invasive Plants Project Coordinator of a research project to investigate control of non-native invasive species. As an experienced speaker and field trip leader, she explained the threat “Invasive” plants pose and how we can assist in removing them.
We learned more about when volunteers come together with the City’s Natural Areas Management Team and how this results in the eradication of invasive plants that threaten the ecological integrity of natural areas.
We share this information here on how to preserve and protect flora and fauna, as well as raising awareness about the abundance of life in a natural area, like Nose Hill.
The Calgary Biodiversity Report
Over 50 per cent of Calgary's parks are classified as natural environment, which range from disturbed, non-native habitats to native prairie, parkland and wetland environments of provincial or federal significance. Natural environment parks are some of the most prominent and best-used parks in the city, however, maintaining them in a healthy condition can be challenging given pressures such as fragmentation, development, invasive species and heavy use that come from being in a large city.
To address this issue, park management has focused on habitat restoration, trail management and the development of park management plans to address habitat loss and degradation. However, the long-term effectiveness of these efforts is hampered by the lack of a system-wide approach to ecosystem conservation. Calgary's natural areas need to be planned and managed cohesively as an integral part of the urban fabric with more emphasis on re-establishing connectivity between key natural areas.
Conducting a comprehensive assessment and prioritization of key habitats and parks is an important step in allocating resources to where they are most effective. This would ensure available Parks funding for site management is used where it will have its greatest effect.
Read more about the Calgary Biodiversity Report here.
The 2011 Capital Projects Priorities List of Pathway Missing Links for Nose Hill Park includes 1.35 kms along the East side of Shaganappi Trail NW from the parking lot to MacEwan ($320.000); 1.76 kms East of Shaganappi Trail NW from the parking lot to John Laurie Boulevard ($416,000); and 0.83 kms South of MacEwan from Shaganappi Trail NW to 14th Street ($199,000). Read more about pathways and this 10-Year Plan here.
This summer in Nose Hill Park there were some City Parks Projects:
From Transportation Department and Community Services & Protective Services
Department Report to The SPC on Land Use, Planning and Transportation, June 21, 2011. This report will go to City Council for approval, so make certain your voice and opinion are heard!
Pathways in offleash dog areas 53.29km (106.58m of fence) Install four-foot chain link fence to separate pathway from off-leash dog areas. Short-to-long term $3,730,300 Pathways adjacent to offleash dog areas 8.38km Install four-foot chain link fence to separate pathway from off-leash dog areas. Short-to-long term $293,300
Table 20 gives the recommendations, implementation strategy and funding requirements to "enhance" safety on the pathway system. The total cost is approximately $8 million in 2011 dollars, with the work to be spread over the next decade.
The Alberta May Count of Plants in Bloom is an annual event sponsored by the Alberta Naturalists. The object of the Count is to record a snapshot of all species in bloom throughout Alberta in the last week of May. This provides valuable information on the distribution and phenology of flowering plants in Alberta. This can provide, amongst other things, insights into the effects of variations in climate and helps with the monitoring of the spread of non-native species. How you can participate
Bird-Friendly Urban Design Guidelines
The goals of the Guideline include:
Announcing a NEW Volunteer Opportunity with The City of Calgary Parks
This summer the City of Calgary Parks is piloting a Parks Interpretive Program.
The program will be piloted in nine parks: Inglewood Bird Sanctuary, Reader Rock Garden, Carburn, Confederation, Prairie Winds, and South Glenmore Parks, as
well as Bowmont, Edworthy, and Nose Hill Natural Environment Parks.
The program will be delivered by volunteers who are passionate about conveying knowledge to others, who are outgoing, love to tell a good story or two, and love to learn their whole lives long.
By engaging Calgarians while they are in parks and providing interpretation of some aspect of that park,the volunteers will help us help Calgarians to become
eco-literate, good stewards of the land, and active participants in the sustainment of parks.
If you believe in lifelong learning this opportunity may appeal to you.
Training will be provided in communication, presentation,and interpretive skills as well as natural history, history, horticulture, and cultural landscapes depending on the park you volunteer in.
Want to know more?
Call 311 and ask about the Parks Interpretive Program volunteer opportunity.
The Collins English Dictionary defines interpretation as:
"an explanation, as of the environment, a historical site,
etc., provided by the use of original objects, personal
experience, visual display material, etc." [to connect us
to the environment, historical site, etc.]
Calgarians have stated that parks and green spaces contribute to their overall quality of life. Likewise, with over 100,000 dogs in our city, it is clear that Calgarians also enjoy sharing their lives with canine companions. In order to maintain, preserve and utilize the City's parks and green spaces in a sustainable manner, The City of Calgary Parks, in partnership with Animal & Bylaw Services, has created the Pick Up Pooch's Poo Yourself (P.U.P.P.Y.) program. The intention of this program is to educate citizens about the importance of picking up after their pets and to become familiar with responsible pet ownership, as outlined in Calgary's Responsible Pet
Ownership Bylaw.
The P.U.P.P.Y. program will consist of four events throughout 2011. Each event will involve a community based park clean-up, as well as opportunities for education and interaction with various experts.
Sunday, September 25 at Nose Hill Park: It is a reality that Calgarians must learn to live in harmony with wildlife, such as coyotes. Come explore how the habituation of wildlife can occur if pet waste is left behind.
For more information about the P.U.P.P.Y. program please go to www.calgary.ca/parks or call 3-1-1.
The second draft of the City of Calgary's Off-leash Area Management Plan was presented to Council's Standing Policy Committee on Community & Protective Services on Feb. 2, 2011 (instead of Jan. 5, 2011). Parks also updated the Committee on the existing off-leash area inventory and efforts to add, fully fence and improve sites.
The extension allowed interested stakeholders more time after the busy Holiday Season to review the results of their feedback.
In January 2011, a summary of the public input gathered from Nov. 18 to Dec. 8, 2010 was posted on this site as planned. In addition, a second draft of the Off-leash Area Management Plan, based on recent feedback, was also posted.
Throughout the Holiday Season, the first draft of the plan PDF File (1 MB) remained until the second draft was posted in January 2011.
Due to a 2009 review of the Province's Weed Control
Act, 133 plant species with invasive characteristics in
the Calgary region were identified and risk ranked. An
expanded list of 190 regional plant species was created.
A reference collection was initiated with support
from the University of Calgary.
This Act mandates control of noxious weeds by The
City within its jurisdiction. Non-compliance represents
a significant risk. In addition, failure to manage
this problem may result in significantly higher costs for
restoration at a later date and/or irreversible environmental
damage. (Report to SPC on Utilities and Environment
Committee, April 28, 2010).
The City of Calgary Parks Department posted a summary
of 2010 planning and construction activities
which focused on completion of parking lot improvements;
finalization of the park signage and educational
strategy followed by implementation; and sitting of
the Nose Hill Park memorial benches, with installation
to occur throughout 2010. The first new bench was
installed by the Winter Club parking lot on April 16.
Construction will proceed through the summer. Please
use caution near construction sites, follow detours,
and adhere to park signage. Additional park projects
include trail upgrades which may occur throughout
2010, with updates posted on the Parks website.
We post items of interest about Nose Hill Park, with links
to the City Web Site, and our twice-annual newsletters
Nose Hill News and Views on our new website: fonhs.org. The Society has just started a Facebook Group. If
you are a Facebook member, check out the group at:
Friends of Nose Hill Society. Feel free to post your
stories, photos, comments, and questions about the
Park.
We meet monthly and welcome newcomers who
are interested in Nose Hill Park. New members can
join the Friends of Nose Hill by mailing $10 to: Friends
of Nose Hill Society, Suite 171, 130-5403 Crowchild
Trail NW, Calgary AB, T3B 4Z1.
The City is conducting a survey on pathways.
This is an opportunity to let the City know how you use the paved pathways in Nose Hill Park
Take the Pathway Survey
(This survey is now closed. The City will publish the results next Spring.)
The City is reviewing Pathways and Cycling.
2010 May 19 - SCOPING REPORTS FOR A CYCLING STRATEGY AND A PATHWAY SAFETY REVIEW
2010 May 19 - SCOPING REPORT FOR A COMPREHENSIVE CYCLING STRATEGY
2010 May 19 - SCOPING REPORT FOR PATHWAY SAFETY REVIEW
2010 May 3 - CALGARY PATHWAYS AND BIKEWAYS ADVISORY COUNCIL
The City has a plan to control the spread of invasive plants in Calgary.
2010 April - UE2010-12 Invasive Plant Strategic Management Plan Update
The update states:
"The Weed Control Act (Alberta) mandates control of noxious weeds by The City within its jurisdiction. Non-compliance represents a significant risk to The City. In addition, failure to manage this problem may result in significantly higher costs for restoration at a later date and/or irreversible environmental damage."
There is a NEW
Nose Hill Park Trail & Pathway Plan Update
There has been no public input into the number, location or design of the signs and benches being planned for the Park. If you object to this, please email your Alderman.