Superhero thought:
Plants reduce CO2... vegetarians eat plants....kill the vegetarians!
(quote from participants at Boo at the Zoo)
...we guess it's Okay, as long as you Don't Feed the Bears!
This past weekend we took a trip about 45 minutes out of Winnipeg to All Ages Eco-Adventures Wildlife Theme Park. It’s a bit of a mouthful to say, and to be truthful we were having difficulty speaking since our jaws were hanging open in astonishment at what just ONE MAN has accomplished.
redirected waterway
The owner, designer and creator of this wildlife park is a very humble and genial gentleman who gives you a enormous smile as he thrusts out his hand and says ‘call me Myron’. In his adventuresome past Myron has been a farmer, a bush pilot and even a hunting guide.
bald eagles
Located in the Boreal forest on the edge of the Canadian Shield, the 1,000 acre park is nestled in 10,000 acres of unblemished Crown Land. Over a hundred years past, the land was a family homestead and for over 20 years Myron has been dreaming and designing this park. For three years he has been hard at work bringing his plans to fruition.
“ … enjoyment of nature and wildlife inspired the development of this theme park, a place dedicated to the enhancement of wildlife in their natural environment, where people can go year-round to experience and appreciate all aspects of nature ... scenery, trees, plants, animals, birds, insects, aquatic wildlife or just being outdoors in a natural setting.”
photographing animal tracks
wolf track
We met at Sophie’s, a restaurant built to accommodate visitors to the park and run by Myron’s sister. Between mouthfuls of tantalizing chicken and traditional borsht we managed to mumble a multitude of questions. Myron talked about his love of the outdoors and desire to recapture the heart of a concrete generation. He envisions grandparents and grandchildren participating in this snapshot of history. We looked at aerial photographs of the land and in midsentence Myron announced ‘enough talk, you’ve got to see it for yourself.’
We piled into the 4x4 and Myron took us on a guided tour of 10 miles of groomed trails he has carved gracefully out of the wilderness. Sunflowers have been planted along the road as extra forage for the wildlife and provide pollen for bees. We round a corner a see dried husks from the approximate 60,000 pounds of corn that proves a vital food source for deer, birds, bears and small mammals. Myron shared that originally he thought the maze would self seed, but that the animals were so thorough not even a kernel remained. Alternatives plantings for wildlife include soybeans and even pumpkins for the deer.
sunflowers planted along roadway
When the TransCanada highway was built it blocked water flow from wetlands and bogs, Myron has been patiently correcting and rerouting this with the blessing of the Water Stewardship Department. One of his ambitious projects, one that caused our normally verbose mother to become speechless, is a 15-20 acre wetland he is excavating. Spillways, deep and shallow areas, islands for wildlife grazing, beaver friendly water flow and shallows located by stands of poplars, and even a boulder path over the roadway for those times of the year when water levels are high, all have been taken into careful consideration. It’s as if the animals submitted a wish list and Myron, in the role of Santa, is delivering the goods!
excavating for wetlands
We passed through stands of poplar and pine, cedar bog forests, and meadows, while the waterway paralleled the road opening into stretches of wetlands. It was a visual ‘who’s-who’ of Manitoba trees and bush and, in the summer, boasts protected plants such as Lady-slipper and Indian Pipe.
lure crops for wildlife
We stopped at the Hesston Stackhand that has been converted into a 2-story wildlife viewings structure named the Black Bear Tower. Here you can watch families of black bears forage for the new tender buds on poplars in the spring. We took some photos of the claw marks left in a tree not more than an arms reach out of the window. There are even night vision goggles to observe deer browsing in the lure crops, or just sit back by the warm stove and listen to the Northern Lights ‘singing’ as they change from green to pink and purple in the night sky.
Black Bear viewing tower
bear claw marks in poplar tree
In addition to the high-ground groomed trails for biking, or sitting in the comfort of a golf-cart, there are miles of additional trails perfect for cross country skiing, snowshoeing or hiking. GPS access is in the design process to prevent you from getting lost in the adventure!
Winter tours can be done cuddled in a horse drawn sleigh or inside the “Snowfox”. Myron tells us that his ‘neighbour’ would like to include sled dog rides for those who want to step back into history and travel as the voyageurs did. All tours start and end at Sophie’s where complimentary hot chocolate helps us to appreciate the good things of the 21st century.
snowfox transportation
And those wanting a quiet getaway can rent an authentic wood cabin complete with a brick outhouse. Next door is a sauna where you can relax and if the mood possesses you, run out and roll in the snow!
We settled back into Sophie’s at the end of our tour and found ourselves totally in awe of what an individual could dream and bring about and we truly desired to be a part of this vision. We could see Rebekah mentally reciting her favorite saying by E.E. Hale (I am one, but I am still one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. And because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something I can do). So what is our part…?
Initially we will help in practical ways, such as making bird feeders from our recycled water jugs (that we used for our penny drive). Our dad will help with welding and steel manufacturing. We discussed with Myron getting schools involved in things such as planting of lure crops, photography contests, tree plantings (in partnership with Trees for Tomorrow, Manitoba Forestry Association) and even designing bird, mammal, and plant identification keys. In practical terms we are providing Eco-Adventure with contacts at the Manitoba Business Service Centre who specialize in helping small businesses get established and offer guidance and services. Mostly we are willing to offer our hands and our hearts to help build environmentally friendly facilities and structures. After all, as Myron states, “You’re only limited by your imagination.”
bird feeder from recycled H2O container
As for now – we are waxing up the cross country skis, taking the snowshoes off of the wall where they have been hanging since spring and getting ready to inhale some pine fresh CO2 reduced air out at All Ages Eco-Adventures Wildlife Theme Park.
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