Designated Road Allowances
(GPS)
 
RM of Saltcoats #213
 
RM of Cana #214
 
RM of Wallace #243
 
RM of Orkney #244
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Road Allowance Project
Yellowhead Nature Society
 

Country Drive

Many Saskatchewan people enjoy a quiet drive or walk in the country. In the spring you can hear the meadowlarks tell us that “I was here a year ago”, you can hear the Sharp-tailed grouse dancing at the lek and you can see the trees are dressing themselves in green.

The country is brimming with life.

In the summer, the sun is high in that blue blue sky and life grows up and sings a joyous song.

In the fall the country prepares for winter and the trees’ wave a spectacular good-bye to the great bird migration.
   
Road allowances are a small part of this beautiful land and even so they are worth preserving.  Help us if you can.
 
The Road Allowance Project

February of 2024 was the second anniversary of the Yellowhead Nature Society - Road Allowance Project. This project was initiated at the annual meeting of the Yellowhead Flyway Birding Trail Association held in Saltcoats in February of 2022. Working under the Yellowhead Nature Society banner the committee focused on the preservation of road allowances within individual rural municipalities.

In the summer 2022, and with the permission of the Rural Municipality of Saltcoats, signs were installed on designated roads that have natural habitat that allows wildlife to flourish. The signs are an invitation to drive or walk and enjoy the many natural wonders within that environment. A recent drive revealed two rough legged hawks surveying a quarter section of grassland. One perched on the East tower, the other on the North tower both patiently waiting, waiting for a rustle in the grass.
In the winter of 2022/ 2023 the RM’s of Orkney, Wallace and Cana granted permission for the installation of signs on designated roads.  To this date there are eighty-six signs placed throughout the four Rural Municipalities of Saltcoats, Cana, Orkney and Wallace. There have been many positive comments about this project.

This project would not have succeeded without the financial support of the Yellowhead Flyway Birding Trail Association and the voluntary donations to the Road Allowance Project.

To honour the commitment of the Rural Municipalities to this project we have nominated each Rural Municipality for a Saskatchewan Municipal Environmental Award.
On May 15 ,2024, in Yorkton Sask., RCE Saskatchewan presented a certificate to the Yellowhead Nature Society recognizing the work done by the Societies Road Allowance Project committee. The project promotes the importance of sustaining and preserving the habitat to be found within the borders of road allowances in Saskatchewan. This project invites urban and rural residents to enjoy the many natural wonders to be found during a slow drive or a daily walk on a shady country road. The committee continues its’ work and thanks RCE Saskatchewan for recognizing the value of the Road Allowance Project.

RELATED ARTICLES

Arden Bradford 's article in the YFBTA Newletter – February 2023   link

SaskTODAY May 8, 2023 - The YFBTA invites you to enjoy road allowance habitats - Calvin Daniels   link

SaskTODAY May 17, 2023 – Road Allowances can be an important habitat for wildlife - Calvin Daniels  link

CBC Radio Morning Edition “Skip the Ditches – Preserving Road Allowances”: Morley Maier interviewed by Stefani Langenegger -  link

 Trevor Harriet's Grass Notes, Sat. April 22, 2017 - “Road Allowances: Restoring the Lost Kingdom of Monarchs and Lady's Slippers.”  link

“Going, Going, Gone – Death by a Thousand Cuts” - article by Vera Saltzman and Sue Bland about the heartbreaking loss of a road allowance as described by Wendy Paguin of Fort Qu'Appelle. Wendy is a member of the FQ Nature Society.   link
"Is There Fair Access to Public Land in Saskatchewan?” article from the Bluejay, Winter 2022 written by Lorne Fitch, professional biologist and retired Alberta Fish and Wildlife Bioligist.  link

 
 

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