Meewasin Valley Authority facts for kids
The Meewasin Valley Authority is a special group in Saskatchewan, Canada. It was created by the government to help protect the beautiful South Saskatchewan River Valley. Meewasin works to keep the area's nature and history safe.
This organization does three main things: it teaches people about the valley, it helps develop new areas, and it works to save nature. Meewasin is based in Saskatoon. Its special "Conservation Zone" stretches about 60 kilometers (37 miles) along the river. This zone goes from Pike Lake to Clarke’s Crossing, passing right through Saskatoon. Meewasin also helps with projects like the River Landing area.
The Meewasin Valley has many cool places. These include nature areas, spots to launch canoes, and learning centers like the Beaver Creek Conservation Area. There's also Yorath Island, university lands, a skating rink, and over 107 kilometers (66 miles) of trails. About 22.5 kilometers (14 miles) of these trails are paved, perfect for walking or biking!
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How Meewasin is Managed
Meewasin is run by a group of 12 people. These people come from three main partners: the City of Saskatoon, the Province of Saskatchewan, and the University of Saskatchewan. Each partner sends four representatives to the board.
The special area Meewasin looks after, called the Conservation Zone, is about 67 square kilometers (26 square miles). The City, Province, and University all work together through Meewasin to manage these lands.
Meewasin has the power to control what gets built in the river valley's Conservation Zone. They do this by working with public groups and committees.
What Meewasin Does
Meewasin has three main goals: protecting nature, developing the valley, and teaching people.
Protecting Nature and History
One of Meewasin's most important jobs is to protect the natural areas and historical sites in the valley. The team that focuses on this works to keep nature safe and fix areas that have been changed.
- They help grasslands grow better by using sheep to graze.
- They stop soil from washing away along the riverbanks and plant new trees and plants.
- They plant more trees to make the valley greener.
- They work with local groups to restore important natural spots.
- They protect the wild areas that are left in the valley.
- They also improve and create homes for wildlife.
Developing the Valley
The Meewasin Valley Trail follows the South Saskatchewan River right through Saskatoon. In winter, people can go cross-country skiing on the trails. There's also a free skating rink in Kiwanis Memorial Park, next to the Delta Bessborough hotel. This rink has been open since 1980.
You can find many places to get onto the trail throughout the city. Along the way, there are signs that tell you about the area and washrooms.
Learning and Education Programs
Meewasin offers many programs to teach people about the valley's nature and history.
Beaver Creek Conservation Area
The Beaver Creek Conservation Area is located about 13 kilometers (8 miles) south of Saskatoon. It has a quiet creek, river valley, and prairie land. Visitors can see many different plants and animals here. This area is like a small example of the whole Meewasin Valley. It also has one of the few natural short grass prairie sites in Saskatchewan that has not been farmed. They offer fun public programs like Moon Hikes and events for meteor showers.
Meewasin as a Charity
Meewasin is a registered charity. This means they get money from different places to help with their work. For example, in 2006-2007, about 54% of their money came from donations and other non-government sources. This money helps them protect nature, develop the valley, and run their education programs.
Meewasin's area of responsibility stretches for about 60 kilometers (37 miles) along the river. It goes from Pike Lake in the southwest to Clarke's Crossing in the northeast. This includes parts of the city of Saskatoon, the Rural Municipality of Corman Park No. 344, and the University of Saskatchewan.
More to Explore
- List of protected areas of Saskatchewan
