Environmental group helping Old Man River valley

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Harley Bastien's dedication to the Old Man River goes beyond environmental. Indeed, says the Peigan Nation member, it's religious.

"A few years ago I gave my life to the Lord. Rather than preaching or doing ministry work, I serve the Lord through nature," said Bastien.

In 1991, Bastien formed a conservation group on the Peigan reserve in southern Alberta to protect the Old Man River Valley. In 1996, the group incorporated as the non-profit Peigan Friends Along the River Conservation Society.

"It was formed out of necessity I found that the habitat along the river valley was vanishing," said Bastien.

The society is 60 members strong is comprised mostly of Peigan' members and includes 11 of the approximately 20 river valley landowners on the reserve. Approximately 18 miles of river valley runs through the reserve, representing about 20 per cent of the prime wildlife in the valley.

Working on a budget that averages $10,000 from funds raised annually, the group undertakes a number of projects each year.

Preserving the shelter belt of the river valley is one of the main goals of the Peigan Friends. Tree wrapping, to protect against damage routinely inflicted by beavers, is a common practice.

"There's been an influx of wildlife in the river valley ever since the damn was built," said Bastien.

The Old Man River dam that is a point of contention with many Natives and environmentalists, became operational in 1992. While not personally taking a stand on the dam, Bastien contends that it has a negative impact on both wildlife and vegetation.

However, there is more wildlife in the river valley now than when he was a child growing up along the Old Man River, he said. There's been a "slow comeback" in coyote, deer, and beaver, while a large increase in eagles and ravens has been noted.

Part of this change in numbers, points out Bastien, is due to the limited habitat created by the Old Man River dam, as well as the banning of DDT, a chemical hazardous to the environment that was used regularly when Bastien was growing up.

A comeback in vegetation has not been seen, though. With parts of the river valley robbed of water and regular germination, the Peigan Friends have taken steps to try and change that.

For about five years, the group has been growing deciduous trees the river valley and transplanting them. Last year, nearly an acre of seedlings was planted. Plans are in place to increase the tree farm to 10 acres.

"We want to expand the tree farm to market trees on a large scale and to create employment for people on the reserve. One of our motto's is 'Working with nature to better our community," said Bastien.

Among the trees grown are narrow leaf cottonwood, which can only be found southwest of Lethbridge in the Old Man River valley. Bastien would like to see these trees included on the endangered species list.

Replanting the area has its limitations, and controlled floods would go a long way in germinating seeds in places the Peigan Friends can't reach with seedlings, said Bastien. He admits he is not holding his breath for a favorable response from the government.

Shortly after the Old Man River dam became operational, Bastien was asked to serve on the government- created Old Man River Dam Environmental Advisory Committee.

As a member of the committee, he suggested controlled floods, but he said his suggestion was quickly dismissed. He recently resigned from the advisory committee.

"I felt my suggestions were getting caught up in red tape. I figured rather than sitting on the EAC and suggesting, I could get more done on the conservation society. I'm managing my time where it can be more productive for the environment," he said.

Other work carried out by the Peigan Friends includes relocating the fish stranded in irrigation canals. The Peigan reserve falls within the Lethbridge Northern Irrigation Region and when LNIR closes its canals in October, thousands of fish become stranded in the 10 km of irrigation ditch on the resrve.

"Saving these fish, entails intensive work for two or three days by 15 or so volunteers. Some of whom come annually from as far away as Elkford, BC and Calgary, said Bastien.

Fish are caught, weighed, identified and put in holding tanks for a maximum of two hours. They are then transported to the Old Man River, where they are released .

When the fish-saving efforts began, the mortality rate was high, but last year 12,000 fish were transported with only 50 dying, said Bastien. Work done by the group in fish rescue has raised public awareness of the situation.

For Bastien, protecting the Old Man River valley is a religious effort in more ways than one. Not only does wood for sweat lodges and sweetgrass come from the river valley, but he's passed his reverence for nature on to his daughter Natasha, who, at 21, is the president of the Peigan Friends of the Old Man River Society.

She shares my passion for nature, said Bastien. One of his greatest pleasures is seeing the young people that are committed at an age when it's just as easy for them to drop out.

"I'd like to raise the alarm as a conservation group with extensive knowledge of the Old Man River, particularly the river valley. I give it 40 or 50 years before that whole ecosystem is altered as a result of stresses," said Bastien.