Plant. Explore. Discover. Late Summer Along the Seine.
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Help the SOS River Keepers Finish the Season Strong!
The 2026 River Keepers season is winding down and we're inviting volunteers to
come out and help them finish strong!
Join the SOS River Keepers at Marlene Street Park on August 26 and 27, from 9
a.m. to 1 p.m., for two mornings of planting and hands-on care for the Urban
Seine River Greenway. Stay for the whole morning or drop in when you can.
we'll plant native trees and flowering shrubs to help stabilize the riverbank while
creating pollinator habitat, enhancing the riparian forest and supporting
biodiversity.
We'll also install deer protection, remove invasive species and pick up garbage in
and around the park.
Come get your hands dirty and make a difference.
Date: August 26th and 27th
Time: 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
Location: Marlene Street Park
What to bring: Bring a water bottle and dress for the weather. Gloves, shovels
and bug spray will be provided.
Whether you've volunteered with SOS all summer or this will be your first
Landcare event, we'd love to have you join us.
And most importantly, come help us say thank you to our River Keepers.
They've spent the summer caring for the Urban Seine River Greenway, from the
river itself to its trails, and natural areas. Let's give them a great crew for their
final Landcare event and cap off the season with some work we can all be proud
of.
Let's finish the season strong. See you at Marlene Street Park!
Meet the River Keepers
For more than 30 years, Save Our Seine's River Keepers have been the boots on the ground and the paddles on the water, working alongside hundreds of dedicated volunteers to care for the Urban Seine River Greenway. Together they restore habitat, remove invasive species, improve public access, and help protect one of Winnipeg's most remarkable natural spaces. For this last installment of the “Meet the River Keepers” we are profiling our intrepid SOS River Keeper Coordinator, Monique Ellison. We can't say enough good things about Monique. She is an exceptional leader, deeply dedicated to the Urban Seine River Greenway, and brings tremendous energy and care to everything she does. Her leadership has made a real difference to the River Keeper team and to SOS this summer.
Hi! I'm Monique, the summer team coordinator for Save our Seine and this is my 4th season.
What is your favourite part of working along the Seine River?
My favourite part is getting to be outside with my crew every day, the work we do is so important from invasive species removal, to pulling old tires from the bottom of the river. No two days are ever the same, but everyday is fun!
What is one thing you wish more people understood about urban nature or the Seine River?
I wish more people understood how important beavers are to the Seine River
ecosystem. They are a keystone species and their dams create habitat, filter pollutants and help mitigate flooding. It may be tough to portage over their dams but it's worth it.
Favorite wildlife sighting?
During my first year, we saw two snapping turtles fighting, although they could have also been mating!
What is the weirdest thing you have removed from the river?
There are too many weird things to give just one the honor of being the weirdest. But my favourite weird thing is that every year, we find an abundance of dolls in the river, and sometimes even individual doll limbs! They now live on display in my apartment alongside other fun things we have found in the river over the years.
What's Blooming Along the Seine?
The Urban Seine River Greenway is home to an incredible diversity of native plants, some of which are easy to walk right past without noticing.
To help us discover what's growing along the Seine, we're turning to Chris Penner, an applied ecologist and owner of Prairie Eco Inc. Chris has worked with SOS for many years and brings a remarkable knowledge of the native plants and riparian forest of the Seine River Greenway.
Obedient Plant
Obedient Plant (Physostegia virginiana) is blooming along the Seine. A member of the mint family, it grows naturally in river floodplains and can often be found close to the shoreline in full sun to partial shade.
Its purple flowers attract hummingbirds, bumblebees and butterflies. It's also commercially available and can make a beautiful addition to a garden. Chris offers one word of caution: Obedient Plant likes to spread, so it's best planted alongside other established, site-appropriate plants that can help keep it in check.
Fringed Loosestrife
Don't let the name fool you.
Fringed Loosestrife (Lysimachia ciliata) is not related to invasive Purple Loosestrife. This native plant has none of Purple Loosestrife's invasive tendencies and is particularly important to bees.
Look for it in the lower floodplain of the Seine River corridor, particularly in partial to fullshade. And if you're wondering where "fringed" comes from, take a close look at the leaf stalk. Tiny fringe-like hairs give the plant its name.
The next time you're walking along the Seine, slow down and take a closer look at what's growing around you. There's a remarkable native plant community hiding in plain sight.
Fall Birding Along the Seine: Free and Open to All!
Fall migration is on its way, and that means new opportunities to see and hear
birds moving through the Urban Seine River Greenway!
Join Mackenzie Glover from the Manitoba Important Bird Areas Program for a
free guided birding walk through Lagimodière-Gaboury Park. We'll explore the
river corridor together, look and listen for migrating birds, and learn more about
the birds that depend on urban natural spaces like the Urban Seine River
Greenway.
Whether you're an experienced birder, just getting started, or simply curious
about the wildlife around you, everyone is welcome.
Date: Saturday, September 12
Time: 10:00 a.m. - Noon
Location: Lagimodière-Gaboury Park
Meet at: Parking loop
New to birding? Perfect. Already a birder? Bring your curiosity and come see
what we can find!
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