Saskatchewan preserves untouched ecosystems

Saskatchewan

Guide to Indian Country Page 14

Two of the largest nature preserves in Saskatchewan are about as far

apart as they could be and still both be in the province. Both

Grasslands National Park in the south, which borders on the U.S., and

Athabasca Sand Dunes Provincial Wilderness Park, which is on the south

shore of Lake Athabasca in the far north, save large areas of two

ecologically fragile ecosystem, and both contain archeological evidence

of Aboriginal visitors to and use of the areas.

They're the same on another count, as well: neither offers visitor

amenities to those hardy souls who venture there. Visitors to both

parks will see them much as they were two, three of 25 centuries ago.

Grasslands National Park is one of Canada's newest, established only

five years ago after considerable work to identify a viable area for

preservation. Most of the prairie has been developed, or at least

broken at some point, for agriculture. Grasslands preserves some of the

last large areas of original mixed-grass prairie in Canada.

Located in the Wood Mountain area and to the west, the park is divided

into two blocks of about equal size. There is road access to both, and

a short developed interpretive trail in the west block. Otherwise,

there are few facilities--for example, there are no toilets or water in

the park at all.

In the two blocks, there are a number of archeological sites detailing

Aboriginal life in the region. The accepted span of human occupation of

the prairies is now 10,000 years, and the earliest evidences of life are

pushing that time further and further back. The history of the area can

be divided precisely at 1879--the first 10,000 years of an economy based

on the bison, followed by 117 bison-less years.

Sites are accessible and can be seen by those willing to walk or ride

them. Primitive camping--called "no trace" camping--is available in both

blocks of the park. Access to the west block is from Val Marie, south

of Swift Current; access to the east block is from the corner of the

Wood Mountain Regional Park and the provincial Wood Mountain Post

Historic Site. The visitor reception centre is located at Val Marie,

and can be reached for information at (306)298-2257.

The Athabasca Sand dunes consists of a series of dune fields stretching

for 100 km along Lake Athabasca. It is the largest active sand surface

in Canada and one of the most northerly sets of major dune fields in the

world. The outstanding scenery is combined with a unique ecosystem,

rich in rare and endemic--that is, found only there--plants which are

considered by scientists to be an evolutionary puzzle.

Ten of the plant species in the park are found nowhere else in the

world and 50 of the other 300 are rare in Saskatchewan. Why the five

broad-leaved herbs, four willows and one grass grow only in the

Athabasca Sand Dunes is unknown.

The park was initially proposed in 1973. In 1992, the area,

encompassing 1,925 sq. km. was officially designated a wilderness park.

People have lived in the area, at least intermittently, for the past

7,000 or 8,000 years. The south shore of Lake Athabasca was used by

prehistoric caribou hunters. The rivers, especially the McFarlane, at

the eastern edge of the park, were important travel networks to early

inhabitants. Inuit inhabited the area, as later did the Chipewyan.

The dunes are constantly in motion, and the sand is recycled by the

wind towards the land and by the water to the lake. This instability is

maintained by the wind and fires in the area, which bury or destroy

vegetation that has managed to take root.

The most striking area is along the William River, which divides the

largest of the dune areas from the jack pine forest typical of northern

Saskatchewan. The exceptional scenic contrast of the two areas, divided

by a narrow ribbon of water, is striking, On the west bank of the

river, massive dunes rise 20 m or more from the water's edge; the sand

is relentlessly pushed into the river by the prevailig north-westerly

wind.

Visitors should plan to be in the area between mid-June and the end of

August. Chartering in by air, canoeing, boating or hiking to the park

are the only options. The nearest community is Fond du Lac, some 45 km

northeast. For further information, contact the park superintendent in

Stony Rapids for more information at (306)439-2062.