Habitat Conservation Area

My selected study site is the Habitat Conservation Area (HCA) in Wascana Centre, Regina, Saskatchewan. Located at 50°25’26”N, 104°35’11”W, 572 m asl (Google Earth, n.d.), it is a 23-acre fenced off conservation area adjacent to Wascana Creek (Wascana Centre, n.d.). The HCA includes wetland, riparian and grassland habitats (Wascana Centre, n.d.).

My initial visit occurred on Saturday, February 10, 2024, at 9:10 am. It was an overcast winter day with a temperature of -10°C and a west wind of 22 km/hour making the wind chill -16°C. The snow cover was approximately 5 cm deep over an ice layer. The topography is flat, as the HCA lies between the foot of Wascana Hill and Wascana Creek. The marsh adjacent to the creek gives way to grassland, which surrounds two areas of shrubs and trees.

Plants observed during the visit:

• Common Reed Grass (Phragmites sommunis) (Wascana Centre, n.d.).
• Reed Canary Grass (Phalaris arundinacea) (Wascana Centre, n.d.).
• Cattail (Typha latifolia) (Wascana Centre, n.d.).
• Great Bulrush (Scirpus validus) (Wascana Centre, n.d.).

Animal signs observed:

• Numerous rabbit tracks in the snow
• Large bird nest in a tree

Human presence/activity:

• Tracks in the snow
• Chain-link fence around site
• Power lines and poles cutting across site
• Trail markers and signposts
• Wooden dock across marsh for water dipping

Questions:

1. What other plant and animal species can be found here, including invasives and migratory species?
2. How much does the water level fluctuate from year to year? (how high is it in a particularly wet year and how low is it in an especially dry year)
3. How does the plant species richness and density vary across the site?
4. How many different soil types are there at the site and how much variation exists in soil salinity, alkalinity/acidity and moisture content?

References

Google Earth. (n.d.). Habitat conservation area, Regina, Saskatchewan. Google Earth. Retrieved February 11, 2024, from Google Earth

Wascana Centre. (n.d.). Habitat conservation area – a self-guided tour. Provincial Capital Commission. Retrieved February 10, 2024, from Habitat-Conservation-Area-_-Self-guided-Tour.pdf (wascana.ca)