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 save important natural areas and historical sites. They also focus on teaching people about the valley and helping it grow in a good way.
This organization is based in Saskatoon. Its special "Conservation Zone" stretches for about 60 kilometers (37 miles) along the river. This area goes from one end of Corman Park, through Saskatoon, and to the other side of Corman Park. Meewasin is also helping with the River Landing project, which is making the riverfront in Saskatoon even better.
The Meewasin Valley Authority looks after many cool places. These include nature areas, spots to launch canoes, and learning centers like the Beaver Creek Conservation Area. They also manage Yorath Island, university lands, a skating rink, and over 107 kilometers (66 miles) of the Meewasin Valley Trail. About 22.5 kilometers (14 miles) of this trail are paved, perfect for walking or biking!
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How Meewasin Is Run
Meewasin is guided by a board of 12 people. These members come from three main groups: the City of Saskatoon, the Province of Saskatchewan, and the University of Saskatchewan. Each group sends four representatives to the board.
The special area Meewasin looks after, called the Conservation Zone, covers about 67 square kilometers (26 square miles). The City, Province, and University all own land in this zone. They work together through Meewasin to manage these lands.
Meewasin has the power to control new buildings and projects in the river valley's Conservation Zone. They do this by working with public committees to make sure new developments fit with their goals of protecting the valley.
What Meewasin Does
Meewasin has three main jobs: protecting nature, developing the area, and teaching people.
Protecting Nature
One of Meewasin's most important goals is to protect the natural environment and historical places in the valley. Their team works to save and restore natural habitats that might have been changed. For example, they help improve grasslands by using sheep to graze, which is good for plant life. They also stop riverbanks from washing away and plant more trees in the valley. Meewasin works with community groups to restore important natural sites and create new homes for wildlife.
Developing the Valley
The Meewasin Valley Trail is a popular path that follows the South Saskatchewan River through Saskatoon. In winter, people can go cross-country skiing on the trail and ice skating at Kiwanis Memorial Park. You can find places to get onto the trail all over the city. There are also signs that tell you about the area and washrooms along the way. The Meewasin Skating Rink in Kiwanis Memorial Park is free for everyone to use in the winter. It has been open since 1980 and is right next to the Delta Bessborough hotel.
Teaching and Learning
Meewasin offers many programs to teach people about protecting the natural and cultural history of the valley.
Beaver Creek Conservation Area
The Beaver Creek Conservation Area is located about 13 kilometers (8 miles) south of Saskatoon. It has a quiet creek, a river valley, and prairie land where visitors can see different plants and animals. This area is like a small version of the whole Meewasin Valley. It even has one of the few untouched short grass prairies in Saskatchewan. Some fun public programs offered here include Moon Hikes, watching Perseid Meteor Showers, and special Heritage Hoopla events.
Meewasin as a Charity
Meewasin is a registered charity. This means they get money from different sources, not just the government, to help pay for their work in protecting nature, developing the valley, and teaching people. For example, in 2006–07, about 54% of their money came from donations and other non-government sources.
Meewasin's area of responsibility covers about 60 kilometers (37 miles) along the river. It stretches 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, and land belonging to the University of Saskatchewan.
See also
- List of protected areas of Saskatchewan
