Elk Island National Park | 101 Incredible Years of Conservation

by on March 13, 2014

Today is another day to be celebrated for Elk Island National Park. Not only is today their 101st birthday of being a national park in Canada, they are once again demonstrating the importance of the work they do behind the scenes.

 

Elk Island National Park summer flora, Alberta nature landscape.

 

Also today, 75 Elk Island Plains bison are heading to Montana’s American Prairies Reserve as part of their conservation and recovery strategies to have the Plains bison roam wild once again, back to their ancestral lands. Today’s send-off marks the third transfer of our bison to Montana, all in the name of conservation.

Plains bison herd (bison bison bison) graze, roam and sleep in the park grasslands during late morning autumn flurries at Elk Island National Park, Alberta wildlife environmental portrait.

 

I have spoken a number of times about the great work from the good folks at Elk Island. Their work is crucial to wildlife conservation and it is because of their beautiful trails and land, their abundant wildlife and most of all, their passion and desire for preserving our wild heritage, that Elk Island is easily one of my favourite places on earth and has been for many years. They do as they say, which is wildly important in the name and game of conservation. I’ve spent hundreds of hours here photographing, documenting, observing and most of all, enjoying all they have to offer!

 

Mid-autumn thick brush and vegetation with the Astotin Islands in the background right after dawn at Elk Island National Park, Alberta landscapes. Copy space horizontal.

Tall grasses blowing in the late summer warm wind at Elk Island National Park, Alberta landscape.

Alberta wildlife, North American beaver swims towards its lodge during an early autumn morning at Elk Island. Copy space horizontal.

Plains bison bull climbs from the deep brush to find food at Elk Island National Park, early spring.

Winter Alberta landscape at Elk Island National Park with light early morning shadows and light cast over the snow on the Bison Loop. Copy space, vertical. No. 9393.

Foggy meadow along the Tawayik Lake Trail during sunrise at Elk Island National Park, Alberta landscapes. Copy space horizontal.

A Plains bison calf stops to feed from its mother in the early autumn fog and sun.

Plains bison cow (bison bison bison) settles in the lush grasslands amongst the dissipating fog during an early summer morning at Elk Island National Park, Alberta wildlife environmental portrait.

The remaining buds on a dead tree at Elk Island National Park shortly before a summer sunset.

Autumn sunrise looking towards the east islands at Elk Island National Park, Alberta landscape.

A molting plains bison cow (bison bison bison) walks through the trees during an early summer morning at Elk Island National Park, Alberta wildlife environmental portrait.

Cow elk (wapiti) looks through the trees having been alerted during an early summer sunrise at Elk Island National Park on the Bison Loop.

 

Happy 101 years, Elk Island! I tip my Realtree camo hat to you and thank you for all the work you have done and continue to do. Your work continually inspires me to take better care of our wild world. Enjoy a handful of the photos I’ve taken over the years.

Check out this short documentary from the National Film Board of Canada on the history of Elk Island!

 

See you in the field!

 

 


Sidney

Photographer. Podcaster on hiatus. Edmonton Oilers lovah. Cinematic Star Wars fan. Fond of wildlife conservation, animal rescue orgs, and all things Johnny Cash. Gen X. 

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