Sask. birder says Earth Day is about global issues, but also local ones

One Saskatoon man says that Earth Day is about fighting for global treasures like coral reefs, the polar ice caps and the Amazon rainforest — but also for the ecosystems closer to home.

"The most endangered ecosystem in the world is not the tropical rainforest. It's prairie grasslands. And we call ourselves a Prairie province here ... maybe at best, 13 per cent of the land in Saskatchewan is still prairie," Stan Shadick of Saskatoon Custom Bird Tours said.

Shadick hosts 35 different birding tours all over the province in prime birding locations. He says some protections and conservation efforts have helped certain bird populations such as whooping cranes.

But he worries climate change, loss of habitat and other threats could overwhelm those efforts.

For example, burrowing owls were once plentiful around Saskatoon. They're gone now.

Shadick is hosting grouse watching tours later this month. He hopes these excursions will help people see the value and beauty of natural spaces.

Shadick said people don't need to be an expert birder to appreciate Earth Day and natural spaces. He spent the morning walking through the spruce trees in his neighbourhood park in central Saskatoon.

"I can hear a house finch singing and robin somewhere over on the other side of the park." he said.

"I like really just getting away from the noise of city life and enjoying a leisurely walk through the trees listening to the birds."