Advocacy, Action & Community Along the Seine

Election 2026: Ask About the Environment

At Save Our Seine River Environment Inc., we care about Winnipeg’s urban environment and support the protection and restoration of green spaces and waterways. We are about to elect a new City Government and we encourage residents to support candidates who are prepared to prioritize protection of the environment.

Here are some questions you can ask candidates to help assess their interest in protecting the environment:

• The new City Council will be voting early in its tenure on a Greenspace and Natural Corridors Plan and Biodiversity Policy By-law that has been years in the making. Are you prepared to fully support their approval and implementation, including the funding needed to put them into effect?

• In the summer, a motion was put before Council regarding an examination of ways to more fully protect Winnipeg’s waterways. City staff were asked to examine what other municipalities are doing to protect their waterways and to assess the implications of implementing waterway setback requirements on new development and redevelopment projects. When this matter comes before Council, will you support greater protection of waterways and adoption of meaningful waterway setback requirements?

• The City of Winnipeg produced an Urban Forestry Strategy in February 2023. This document recommended strengthening by-laws to protect trees on public lands and considering by-laws to protect trees on private lands. Will you support a by-law that provides for much stronger protection of trees on private and public lands?

Our friends at Trees Please Winnipeg have organized a campaign asking candidates running in the Civic election to sign a pledge committing to the following three goals:

to maintain and enhance the Winnipeg Urban Forestry budget;

to require tree protection best practices to be included in all city construction projects; and

to enact bylaws as recommended in the 2023 Urban Forestry Strategy.

Check their website to find out which candidates have signed their pledge: www.treespleasewinnipeg.com.

Additional information on environmental issues in Winnipeg and candidates running in the civic election can be found at the OURS-Winnipeg website.

Help put the environment on the election agenda. Ask questions, talk to your candidates and neighbours - make your voice heard!

Meet the Geocachers: Hunting for Treasure, Tackling Buckthorn!

In 2026, Save Our Seine welcomed some wonderful new volunteers to the Kavanagh Park land-care crew. Members of the local geocaching community have been rolling up their sleeves to help remove invasive European buckthorn and restore the park's natural habitat. To learn more about the group, what brought them to Kavanagh Park, and what motivates their volunteer work, we spoke with Ryan Cowtun, President of the Manitoba Geocaching Association.

For those of us who have never tried it, what is geocaching?

Geocaching is a worldwide outdoor treasure-hunting game where participants search for hidden containers called geocaches. These containers come in all shapes and sizes and can be found in both urban and rural environments. Some are cleverly disguised as everyday objects that you might walk past a hundred times without ever knowing they're there!

What makes geocaching so much fun is that every adventure is different. One day you might be exploring a beautiful forest trail, and the next you're solving a clever puzzle or discovering a hidden gem right in your own neighbourhood. It's a great way to get outdoors, explore new places, and share your adventures with a worldwide community of geocachers.

Tell us a little about the Manitoba Geocaching Association.

The Manitoba Geocaching Association brings together geocachers of all ages and backgrounds who share a love of adventure, exploration, and the outdoors.

We're a very welcoming, family-friendly community that enjoys getting together for much more than just finding geocaches. Local geocachers regularly host social events such as picnics, potlucks, bowling, mini golf, ice cream outings, and coffee meetups.

These gatherings are a wonderful way to make new friends, share stories, and strengthen the friendships that develop through geocaching.

How did your group get involved with Save Our Seine and the buckthorn removal at Kavanagh Forest?

Geocachers have always had a strong appreciation for the environment. We spend a great deal of time exploring parks, forests, and natural spaces, so giving back to those areas is something many of us feel passionate about.

Within the geocaching community, we organize events called CITO, which stands for Cache In Trash Out. These events focus on environmental stewardship, whether it's picking up litter, cleaning local green spaces, or helping with conservation projects.

Partnering with Save Our Seine was a natural fit. By combining the enthusiasm and willingness of local geocachers with the knowledge and experience of Save Our Seine, we're able to accomplish far more together than we could on our own.

Your volunteers have been busy! What has the experience been like? Any unexpected discoveries or memorable moments?

It's definitely been a rewarding experience, but it's also been a lot of hard work! I think many of our volunteers have gained a whole new appreciation for just how much effort goes into removing invasive buckthorn.

Pulling, cutting, and hauling these plants out of the forest is no small task, but our rotating group of volunteers has continued to step up and lend a hand.

For me, one of the most memorable parts has been watching the transformation of the forest. Areas that were once crowded with buckthorn are gradually opening up, and you can actually see the progress being made.

There's something incredibly satisfying about looking back at an area you've worked on and seeing the difference you've helped create. It's a great feeling knowing that even a couple of hours of volunteering can contribute to something much bigger.

And of course, there's always plenty of friendly conversation and laughter along the way. That camaraderie makes even the toughest work enjoyable!

Why is volunteering and caring for natural spaces important to your group?

Natural spaces are where geocachers spend much of their quality time. Whether we're walking along a forest trail, exploring a park, or searching for a hidden cache, we have a real appreciation for the outdoors.

We believe that if we're fortunate enough to enjoy these beautiful places, we should also be willing to help look after them.

Volunteering is our way of giving something back. It's not just about finding geocaches; it's about respecting the environment, protecting natural spaces, and helping ensure that future generations can enjoy the same outdoor adventures we do today. It's rewarding to know that our geocaching adventures can lead to something positive for the entire community.

For someone curious about geocaching, how can they give it a try or get involved with your group?

Getting started with geocaching is easy, and best of all, it's free!

All you need is a smartphone and a sense of adventure. Simply download the Geocaching app or visit www.geocaching.com, create a free account, and discover the hidden geocaches waiting to be found in your own neighbourhood.

If you're looking to meet other geocachers, Manitoba has a fantastic community of friendly people who are always happy to welcome newcomers. Attending a local geocaching event is a great way to meet others, ask questions, and learn a few tips and tricks. You can find any events on Facebook at Manitoba Geocaching Association or mb-geocaching.com.

You don't need any experience to get started. Just bring your curiosity, enjoy the adventure, and who knows where your next treasure hunt might take you!

Want to get outdoors, meet some great people, and make a real difference for the Seine River Greenway? Join the Kavanagh Park land-care crew for some hands-on buckthorn removal! No experience necessary, just a willingness to lend a hand.

Upcoming Buckthorn Removal Events at Kavanagh Park:

• Wednesday, October 21, 5–7 pm

• Saturday, October 24, 10 am–3 pm

• Sunday, October 25, 10 am–3 pm

Come out, have some fun, and help us wrap up the 2026 land-care season!

What a Finish! Thank You to Our Amazing Planting Volunteers!

SOS closed our 2026 planting season with a fantastic community effort! On October 18, 60 volunteers from Access Credit Union, Lake of the Woods Brewing Company, and Save Our Seine planted 23 American basswood (linden) trees and more than 280 native flowering shrubs at Lagimodière-Gaboury Park, including red-osier dogwood, nannyberry, and highbush cranberry.

These plantings will provide food and habitat for pollinators, expand our urban forest, support wildlife, and strengthen the health and biodiversity of the Urban Seine River Greenway.

Special thanks to Access Credit Union for its generous financial support and Lake of the Woods Brewing Company for providing lunch and take-home beer gift packs. A great day, an amazing crew, and a lasting contribution to the Greenway!

SOS 2026 Planting Season by the Numbers

What a season! A huge thank you to everyone who helped bring new life to the Urban Seine River Greenway in 2026. Our partner schools, École Lacerte, Glenwood School, and École Provencher, our fantastic SOS volunteers, and the hardworking SOS River Keepers all played an important role in making this year's plantings a success.

We also gratefully acknowledge the City of Winnipeg, Manitoba Habitat Conservancy, and Green Communities Canada for their support of SOS's 2026 planting projects.

SOS 2026 Planting Totals:

• 188 trees,

• 452 shrubs

• Created 1 acre of pollinator habitat through native wildflower, tree, and shrub plantings to increase floral resources and ecological connectivity.

• Enhanced 1 acre of riparian forest, expanding canopy cover, improve bank stability, and support wildlife.

• Improved riparian structure and reduce erosion along .5 km of shoreline through native vegetation restoration and stabilization of degraded areas.

Let's keep growing in 2027! There's more habitat to restore, more trees to plant, and more of the Greenway to protect. Join us as a volunteer or make a donation to support the next season of restoration. Every contribution helps turn community enthusiasm into lasting environmental change. Together, we can make the Urban Seine River Greenway healthier, greener, and more resilient!

Access Credit Union, Lake of the Woods, Green Communities, City of Winnipeg, Manitoba Habitat Conservancy.