MOOSE JAW — A new guided walking series is inviting nature lovers to slow down, look around, and discover the wildlife and history hidden in their own backyard this summer.
Hosted by Nature Moose Jaw in partnership with the Wakamow Valley Authority, the weekly “Discovery Walks” offer a relaxed way to explore the valley’s rich ecology and cultural landscape — all while enjoying some fresh air and community connection.
“We’re trying to do it once a week, and we’re doing (the walks) in different areas in Wakamow,” explained Rich Pickering, president of Nature Moose Jaw and tour guide for the walks.
Each walk is completely free to attend and lasts approximately one hour.
Pickering tailors each walk to accommodate whatever nature has on display at the time — from blooming wildflowers, rare plants including a few recently spotted Lady’s Slippers (Cypripedioideae), nesting birds, or deer, fox, and other wildlife.
“(On the walks), we’ll talk about some of the cultural and natural history of the areas that we’re walking through,” he said.
Walks are currently scheduled twice per week: Sunday mornings at 9 a.m. and again Wednesday evenings at 7 p.m., with each route repeated to offer more flexibility for attendees. The group meets at different starting points each week, depending on the area being explored, with walk details posted on the “Moose Jaw Nature Society” Facebook page. The reason for a different page name, Pickering noted, is because it remains to be updated to reflect Nature Moose Jaw’s current name.
All walks are designed to be as accessible as possible given the terrain.
“If it’s going to be a tougher walk, then I’ll advertise it as such,” Pickering said. “I’m trying to get them so they’re all relatively easy to go on.”
Discovery Walks also tie in with the Wakamow Valley Authority’s “Adopt-a-Patch” program — a volunteer stewardship initiative encouraging individuals and groups to care for a particular zone in the valley. Nature Moose Jaw has adopted the area surrounding the public bird feeder, keeping it clean and filled with seed throughout the year.
Pickering said part of the walk experience includes helping participants learn how to use iNaturalist, a digital platform that allows users to document species sightings and contribute to a growing database.
“It’s a way of getting people familiar with what’s in the valley,” he said. “For instance, we’ve got over 200 species of birds that have been recorded in the valley, and we’ve got a list of over 200 plant species.” He noted that, of the recorded plant species, many more are likely to be included in the database — and that the exact number is “probably double” the current record.
The growing database submitted through the iNaturalist app plays a key role in local conservation and land management efforts. The data helps track the spread of invasive species such as leafy spurge, map native biodiversity, and document rare or previously unrecorded finds that could influence future planning in the valley.
Pickering encouraged residents to come out, ask questions, and learn about what makes the Wakamow ecosystem so unique.
“Come learn about what’s in your backyard,” he said.
For current updates, walk locations and starting points, or to get involved, visit the “Moose Jaw Nature Society” Facebook page. To reach Rich Pickering directly, call 306-690-6267 or email [email protected].
