Important Dates
Conference Field Trips, June 11, 2023
Eight field trips are planned for Sunday June 11. Click on the following for a description of the trip, photos, price, and time.
Outside Winnipeg
Within Winnipeg
Day trips out of Winnipeg
Brokenhead Interpretive trail
The Brokenhead Interpretive trail is located about 90 km north of Winnipeg. This wheelchair accessible boardwalk is 2 km in length, and winds through a calcareous fen and cedar swamp. The boardwalk was created by the Brokenhead Nation and Native Orchid Conservation Inc. The area is a provincial Ecological Reserve and is part of the Brokenhead Ojibway Nation. There are 28 species of native orchid species in the area, many of which should be in flower at the time of the trip. There are numerous species indicative of nutrient-poor wetlands, including eight species of carnivorous plants. We will meet with Knowledge Keepers from the Brokenhead Nation, who will provide us with male, female, and 2S teachings on the importance of the land. Field trip participants will be broken into groups and we will conduct a bio-blitz of the plants in the area, compiling a species list, including Anishinaabemowin names and uses of the species. Data from the field trip will be archived on iNaturalist. To make your excursion as enjoyable as possible, remember to bring proper walking shoes (be prepared for damp conditions), hat, and a small daypack with sunscreen and water. Also, note that spring is tick and mosquito season, and poison ivy occurs along some trail sections. Please make sure that you protect yourself accordingly. A box lunch will be provided.
Time: 9:00AM to 5:00PM
Cost: $60
Manitoba Tall Grass Prairie Preserve
The Manitoba Tall Grass Prairie Preserve (TGPP) is one of Manitoba’s most significant natural areas protecting over 5,000 hectares of tallgrass prairie, aspen woodland, oak savannah, and sedge and shrub wetlands. Over 1,000 species have been recorded within this area including a number of species at risk. We will begin our trip at the Weston Family Tallgrass Prairie Interpretive Centre, where we will receive an overview of the ecological significance of the region that is now the TGPP, as well as the organizations that help protect and manage this unique natural area. From there, we will head to the Prairie Shore and Agassiz interpretive trails where we will experience the Preserve’s many diverse habitats. Small white lady’s slippers should be in full flower at this time of year. Sedge Wren, LeConte’s Sparrow, Bobolink, and Sandhill Crane, amongst a number of bird species, are also possibilities to see on this trip. To make your excursion as enjoyable as possible, remember to bring proper walking shoes (be prepared for damp conditions), hat, and a small daypack with sunscreen and water. Also, note that spring is tick and mosquito season, and poison ivy occurs along some trail sections. Please make sure that you protect yourself accordingly. A box lunch will be provided.
Time: 8:30AM to 5:00PM
Cost: $70
Oak Hammock Marsh
Oak Hammock Marsh Wildlife Management Area is one of North America’s top birding hotspots. This wetland is home to 300 species of birds, 25 species of mammals, and numerous amphibians, reptiles, and fish, and countless invertebrates. On this field trip, you’ll spend the day on a guided marsh walk, a tour of the Wetland Discovery Centre, and learn how to prepare and cook bannock over an open fire (note that we cannot guarantee that the ingredients for the bannock have not come into contact with allergen). To make your excursion as enjoyable as possible, remember to bring proper walking shoes, hat, and a small daypack with sunscreen and water. Also, note that spring is tick and mosquito season. A lunch at the Discovery Centre Café is included in the cost of this trip.
Time: 9:00AM to 5:00PM
Cost: $80
Spruce Woods Provincial Park and the Spirit Sands Trail
Located ca. 200km SW of Winnipeg, Spruce Woods Provincial Park is one of Manitoba’s most spectacular and eclectic landscapes, characterized by open and stabilized sand dunes, mixed
grass prairies, wetlands, and spruce and deciduous forests. We will begin our trip by walking a scenic portion of the Spirit Sands trail. Dune ladders will help us traverse the steepest sections of the trail and will lead us to an observation platform offering spectacular views of the desert-like landscape. The rolling dunes along the trail are home to a unique assemblage of plants and animals, including species at risk such as hairy prairie clover, pincushion cactus, blowout tiger beetle, and northern prairie skink. A diverse late spring flora, and a variety of breeding birds, will be seen along the trail. If time permits, we will explore the varied landscape along the Isputinaw Trail. Over its short distance, this trail passes through wetlands, deciduous forest, and mixed grass prairie and offers great views of the Park’s rolling landscape.
Throughout the day we will be accompanied by a Knowledge Keeper who will be sharing stories about the history and people of this area.
To make your trip as enjoyable as possible, remember to bring proper walking shoes, hat, and a daypack with sunscreen, water, and dust and sand protective cases/lens covers for your camera and binoculars. Also, note that spring is tick season, and poison ivy occurs along some trail sections. Make sure that you protect yourself accordingly. A box lunch will be provided. Finally, please keep in mind that this is a full day trip so we may not be back in Winnipeg until after 6:00PM.
Time
8:30AM to 6:00PM
Cost: $90
Tours within Winnipeg
Assiniboine Park: The Leaf
Spend the morning at the Leaf, Assiniboine Park’s newest indoor horticultural attraction. On this guided tour, you will journey through four distinct biomes where you will learn about the diversity of plants and their cultural backgrounds. You’ll also visit the Shirley Richardson Butterfly Garden and see Canada’s largest indoor waterfall. After the tour, there will be plenty of time to explore the biomes at your own pace, or you can stroll through the outdoor Gardens of the Leaf: over 30 acres of gardens and greenspace, which includes the Indigenous Peoples, Kitchen, Sensory, and Seasonal Gardens. For more information about the Leaf, please click here.
The Leaf and the Journey to Churchill tours are each designed to stand alone, or to be taken together. If you wish to attend both, you can visit The Leaf in the morning, then walk through the park and enjoy the public gardens or visit the Galleries at the Pavilion before joining the Journey to Churchill tour in the afternoon.
Time: 9AM to ~12PM (the guided portion runs for one hour, with people able to explore The Leaf and its outdoor Gardens on their own afterward)
Cost: $60
Assiniboine Park: the Journey to Churchill
Embark on a tour of our award-winning Journey to Churchill exhibit with your guide, meet with a member of the animal care team, and chat with a member of the conservation team at the Leatherdale International Polar Bear Conservation Centre. You will end the afternoon with plenty of time to explore the rest of the zoo. For more information about the Zoo, please click here.
The Leaf and the Journey to Churchill tours are each designed to stand alone, or to be taken together. If you wish to attend both, you can visit The Leaf in the morning, then walk through the park and enjoy the public gardens or visit the Galleries at the Pavilion before joining the Journey to Churchill tour in the afternoon.
Time: 12:30PM to ~3:30PM (the guided Canadian Signature Experience Tour runs for 90 minutes, with people able to explore other parts of the Assiniboine Park Zoo afterward)
Cost: $115
History of The Forks
Participants will learn about the rich history of The Forks through a Parks Canada Interpretive Tour "Where Our Stories Meet" that recounts the histories of the First Nations who traded at The Forks for millennia, details the arrival of outsiders who charted this territory for Europe, and tells the story of the Métis Nation, which shaped what would ultimately become Manitoba during the fur trade era. Participants will then engage in a Parks Canada-led "Stories and Legends" workshop, designed to provide insight into Indigenous worldviews, history and community values.
Subsequent to these group activities, participants will be afforded the rest of the day to explore The Forks at their leisure, enjoying a lunch at any of the many dining or "grab and go" options. Other afternoon activities could include a visit to the Manitoba Children's Museum, shopping in the boutique retail stores or the antique market that populate The Forks Market and Johnston Terminal, taking a Parks Canada self-guided tour that focuses further on Indigenous connections to The Forks, visiting the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, or the nearby Saint Boniface Museum, or simply enjoying a Manitoba summer's day at the junction of the Red and Assiniboine rivers the way Winnipegers do!
Designed to offer a low-cost, local and flexible alternative to our other field-trip offerings, registrants will be expected to make their own way to The Forks and back to their place of accommodation by walking, cycling or using transit, and will be responsible for providing their own lunch and snacks. Our meeting place is within 800 m of The Fort Garry Hotel and the Humphry Inn, where many delegates will stay. Registration is limited, however, given the formal interpretive elements at the outset of the trip, to the first 60 individuals, including any individuals who may accompany the primary conference registrant (specified on the form at time of registration).
Time: 10:00AM to 12:00PM, and as long as you wish to explore afterward
Cost: $40
The Manitoba Museum is the largest of its kind in the province. It contains nine interpretive galleries that examine our relationship of people with their environment, and a planetarium and a children's science gallery. This tour will offer a behind the scenes look at the museum's operation by Diana Bizecki-Robson, curator of Botany. Tour participants have free access to the galleries after the tour.
Time: 1:00PM to 4:00PM
Cost: $50
Exploring on your own
Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG) / Qamajuq
Time: Anytime between 11:00AM to 5:00PM (gallery’s open hours)
Cost: Free (“Canada Life Free Second Sundays”)
On Sunday June 11, everyone can enter the WAG / Qaumajuq Inuit Art Gallery during the daytime for free (“Canada Life Free Second Sundays”). This provides a tremendous opportunity to explore both the WAG and Qaumajuq galleries before the evening conference opening reception in the foyer. The WAG is a short walk (500-1000 m) from all conference lodging and the Convention Centre.
As per the website, “WAG-Qaumajuq features an impressive collection of over 27,000 artworks spanning centuries, cultures, and media, including the largest public collection of contemporary Inuit art in the world”. Qamajuq is a new (2021) architectural landmark in Winnipeg that connects to the WAG. During your visit, Qamajuq will feature the Sanaugangit (“art by Inuit”) Exhibition, which will celebrate Inuit art from approximately 200 BCE until the present day. By focusing on highlights from many regions and communities.
Want to visit later in the week? Conference attendees can enter the WAG / Qamajuq anytime between June 9th and June 16th for $10 at the door, using a link you will receive when registering for the conference to obtain this conference-specific discount (although Sunday will be free!). Indigenous persons can enter WAG / Qaumajuq at no charge whenever these are open. All people between 18-25 in age who are residents of Manitoba can enter the WAG / Qaumajuq for free if they apply for membership at the front desk.
Canadian Museum for Human Rights
Time: Anytime between 10:00AM to 5:00PM (Museum’s opening hours)
Cost: $10 with conference specific discount; Indigenous persons enter at no charge.
The Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR) is another new (2014) architectural landmark and “must see” in Winnipeg. It is worth a short visit simply to see the interior of the building, although we strongly recommend that you make time to explore the contents. CMHR has a combination of permanent and temporary exhibits that focus on human rights in Canada and worldwide. One can spend several hours in the CMHR, but even two hours is worthwhile to see the interior with its 800 metres of criss-crossing alabaster ramps, the 100 m high glass Tower of Hope, and a few Exhibits.
Conference attendees can enter the CMHR anytime between June 9th and June 16th for $10 at the door, using a link you will receive when registering for the conference to obtain this conference-specific discount. Indigenous persons can enter WAG / Qaumajuq and the Canadian Museum for Human Rights at no charge whenever these are open. We will hold the Public Plenary at CMHR on June 12 evening, but you will not be able to enter the galleries that evening.
CMHR is a short walk from The Forks market (<500 m), from the Fort Garry Hotel, and from the Humphry Inn (<650 m).
Check Back for Regular Updates
Appel de propositions de symposiums et d’ateliers 15 novembre au 15 janvier |
Appel de présentations (orales et affiches) 16 février au 31 mars |
16 février au 31 mars |
11 au 14 juin 2023 |
Veuillez nous envoyer un courriel si vous souhaitez recevoir des mises à jour. beepeg2023@gmail.com |
Call for Proposals for Symposia and Workshops November 15 - January 15 |
Call for Presentations (Oral and Poster) February 16 - March 31 |
February 16 - March 31 |
June 11-14 2023 |
Join the mailing list for more updates by emailing beepeg2023@gmail.com |
Important Dates