The Yellowhead Flyway Birding Trail Association gathers nature-lovers in the region every year to meet and discuss topics surrounding the great outdoors. This year, the annual YFBTA Symposium was held in Yorkton at St. Gerard's Hall.
Paula Meyer, a member of the association, says that the goal of the symposium has an element of education to it, but is primarily a gathering of people with similar interests. The day overall is meant to get the city's nature lovers together to meet, talk and connect, with the program meant to spur discussion and educate about different topics.
The event had four speakers in Tanya Lawsom, Roger Nedoly, Myrna Pearman and James Edgar, covering topics that included Saskatchewan's cougar population, astronomy, bluebirds and forestry. Meyer says that the wide range of topics is to reflect the many different things the outdoors have to offer, and that their goal goes far beyond birds but covers the entire outdoors. The goal is also to give a platform for people to talk about what they're doing and share it with an interested audience.
"We are birdwatchers, that's true, but we're really interested in nature... It's nice to give people who do this research an opportunity to speak about what they do, to promote it."
The day overall was a good one, and Meyer says, with great speakers and a crowd that was excited to talk about what they've been seeing outside.
The symposium is an annual one, but it goes to different towns in the area in order to reach different members, Meyer explains. Each year the goal is to highlight a different area and what it might have to offer for the region's nature lovers.
This is just one part of the YFBTA's mandate, as they also have school programs to get kids into nature as well as promoting nature trails throughout the region, Meyer concludes.
