At the 89th annual Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation (SWF) Convention held in Prince Albert, the River Ridge branch of the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation received a plaque in appreciation for donating over $50,000 to SWF Habitat Trust.
The plaque was accepted by Kathy Thomas, president of River Ridge, at the convention which ran from February 8 – 10. Other River Ridge representatives joining Thomas at the convention were her husband Hal and Ernie Gazdewich.
Thomas said the convention theme was, “Habitat Trust: Your Land – Your Legacy.”
She said close to 200 delegates were in attendance from across the province.
One of the topics of concern at the convention was aquatic invasive species, specifically zebra mussels. Thomas said zebra mussels could have a huge negative impact on fisheries and infrastructure in Saskatchewan, which emphasizes the importance of prevention.
Once zebra mussels have entered a body of water, it’s generally too late. In most cases they will eventually kill pretty much all other life in that waterbody.
Information at the convention indicated that a full decontamination of a boat can take up to seven hours. Several check stations are in place around the province and more are being set up, but so far no zebra mussels have been found in Saskatchewan water bodies. One boat tested positive at Elbow, but did not enter Lake Diefenbaker, said Thomas.
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) was an important topic for many. As of January, 82 animals had tested positive for CWD in Saskatchewan, including three elk, eight moose, 11 whitetail deer and 60 mule deer.
A CWD trial study has been carried out on Macaque monkeys, which are genetically close to humans. The monkeys were found to be susceptible to the disease, which means that CWD appears to have the potential to infect humans, said Thomas.
The convention passed a number of resolutions where SWF would like the provincial government to make changes.
A resolution was passed asking for a phasing out and permanent ban on all remaining domestic wild boars, and for a wild boar eradication plan.
In the area of habitat, 30 per cent of all money collected for habitat certificates goes to Saskatchewan Fish and Wildlife for habitat development. The SWF passed a resolution that all hunters and licensed anglers be required to purchase habitat certificates.
On February 8, close to $30,000 was raised for SWF, with most of the money coming from delegates in attendance.
The parade of cheques occurred on February 9, said Thomas. The total amount raised was just under $150,000. This money comes from clubs that raise funds in their communities, and then donate it to various programs. The largest portion, $107,200, went to Habitat Trust.
A new fundraiser is “Adopt an Acre” where an interested person can support Habitat Trust by adopting an acre for $50 per year. Thomas and her husband Hal adopted one acre for one year for each of their grandchildren.
Dr. Paul James gave a presentation on land management at the convention, said Thomas.
He stressed that land must be managed to produce the best results for wildlife sustainability, through optimal combinations of options such as grazing, haying and logging.
Thomas said now that the convention has been concluded, the River Ridge branch is planning its 29th annual banquet and awards night, which is set for March 3 at Rainbow Hall in Canora.
