A Rocha Prairie Canada continues its popular winter series of Conservation / Nature Talks, now in its third season. Manitoba businessman David Weiss kicked off the 2010-2011 series on November 25th, drawing on his entrepreneurial work in the recycling field to make the case that “Good Stewardship is Good Business.”

Paul Goossen, science adviser for ARPC and an ornithologist recently retired from Canadian Wildlife Service, was the featured speaker for “Raptors Over the Pembina” on January 20^th. Based on data gathered by Goossen and his A Rocha team of birders, the monitoring site in Southern Manitoba now ranks as the highest spring raptor count in western North America.

“Living Simply for the Earth” was the focus of the March 15th Conservation / Nature talk presented by Mark Burch, a Winnipeg author and educator. Burch profiled the over-consumptive habits of North Americans and pointed to the need for “voluntary simplicity,” a simpler and more sustainable way to live.

The final talk will be given on April 21^st by Cheryl Hemming of the Invasive Species Council of Manitoba, a nonprofit organization providing a collaborative approach to the prevention, detection, management and eradication of invasive species.

This winter series is part of APRC’s Learning and Interpretation program, complementing summer conservation activities at the Pembina Valley Field Station and in the Southern Manitoba region. Each session provides important learning for A Rocha volunteers and staff and also aims to interest the general public.