Three partnerships were celebrated at Hay Meadow in Kananaskis Country last Saturday (Sept. 16).
A memorial bench was unveiled to honour well-known Exshaw resident Ruthie Oltmann with the following dedication: “Ruthie Oltmann – Kananaskis historian, author of Mountain Stories – Passionate about Hiking, Ski Touring, Mountain Adventures ... and Kananaskis Country – Honoring Those Who Are Passionate About the Golden Eagle Migration.”
Oltmann and many of her Bow Valley hiking companions were in attendance, together with Alberta Parks officials Don Carruthers Den Hoed, East Kananaskis area manager, and Jennell Rempel, community and partner relations.
Also present were many members and supporters of the Rocky Mountain Eagle Research Foundation (RMERF) whose members have been observing the fall and spring migration of golden eagles and other raptors for the past 26 years from a site at Hay Meadow.
The RMERF had developed an information and education project jointly with Alberta Parks. Oltmann has admired the dedication of these eagle counters over the years and thought it very fitting to locate an illustrated information kiosk and two interpretive signs in the vicinity of the bench.
While the signage was funded and installed by RMERF, the facilities will be owned and managed by Alberta Parks in this partnership with a citizen science organization. Den Hoed and Rempel unveiled the new signage for a crowd of at least 50 who enjoyed the beautiful fall weather on this special afternoon.
As a good omen, some nine golden eagles were observed high in the skies on their annual fall migration south. The RMERF’s fall count began on on Wednesday (Sept. 20) at Hay Meadow, and everyone is welcome to come out, admire the new bench and signage and watch for migrating raptors.
