Fins & Feathers working together

On 25th February the inaugural “Fins and Feathers” event was held at Bragg Creek Centre. We were thrilled to bring together a great crowd for an evening of connection, education, food, and fun. Fins and Feathers was organized by BCEC Bird Club and Freshwater Friends Club (our collaboration with Elbow River Watershed Partnership), and we were joined by fourteen additional conservation organizations and local vendors – all united by shared commitment to protecting and preserving our natural assets.

The evening featured two engaging presentations highlighting both avian and aquatic conservation in our region.

Bird biologist Millie Coleing shared exciting updates on the new Bragg Creek Northern Saw-whet Owl (NSWO) Banding Station. Her presentation deepened our understanding of the NSWO’s range, behaviour, and breeding habits across North America, while offering a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like to safely capture, band, measure, and determine the age of these adorable little owls. Millie also interpreted data collected during the fall 2025 banding season, helping attendees better understand migration patterns and what the findings reveal about local owl populations.

Conservation fish biologist Elliot Lindsay (Freshwater Conservation Canada) brought equal passion to the aquatic side of the watershed. His enthusiasm for fish life in the Elbow River is truly infectious. Throughout the summer and fall months, he spends countless hours snorkeling in the river, surveying fish populations and monitoring habitat conditions. We learned about the surprising diversity of fish species that call the Elbow River home, as well as the precarious status of two native species — the Bull Trout and the West Slope Cutthroat Trout. Elliot encouraged us to protect these precious remaining populations by supporting conservation efforts, advocating for practices that minimize environmental impacts, continuing to educate ourselves and our communities, and getting involved through volunteerism.

These presentations reminded us that healthy watersheds sustain both fins and feathers — and that community action is essential to their future.

There was also ample time to connect with and learn from the many visiting environmental organizations. BCEC and ERWP gratefully acknowledge the vital contributions of our partner groups — we are truly stronger together.

Sincere thanks to ABI Environmental Services; Bragg Creek Trails Environmental Stewardship Committee; Bragg Creek Wild; Calgary Area Nest Box Monitors; Calgary Bird Banding Society; Cows and Fish; Fish Creek Watershed Association; Friends of Fish Creek; Freshwater Conservation Canada; SAIT eDNA Lab; and You Betula Inc. for expanding our community’s understanding of local and regional conservation efforts.

We also extend our appreciation to local vendors Branded Visuals, River People, Bragg Creek Bakery and Mabel & Marie’s for helping make the evening welcoming and memorable.

Protecting the natural assets of Bragg Creek, the Elbow River watershed, and eastern Kananaskis has never been
more urgent. Our wild places, intact ecosystems, and rich biodiversity face growing cumulative pressures from development, resource extraction, recreation, and climate change. The success of Fins & Feathers was made possible by dedicated volunteers — and continued conservation success depends on more community members stepping forward to join us in this vital work. Please check out the work we do at braggcreekenvironmentalcoaltion.ca, follow us on Instagram @braggcreekenvcoalition and email us at braggcreekenvcoalition@gmail.com

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