ABLE 2013 Excursions

We are planning a full-day excursion for the Tuesday prior to the conference and half-day and full-day excursions for the Saturday following the conference. We are also planning for a wine and cheese reception on Thursday, June 27, 2013. See below for details.

Royal Tyrrell Museum

The Royal Tyrrell Museum is Canada’s only museum dedicated exclusively to the science of palaeontology. In addition to housing one of the world’s largest displays of dinosaurs, the museum offers a wide variety of creative, fun, and educational programs that bring the prehistoric past to life.

Paleontologist Jessica Theodor will take participants on an easy walk through the badlands surrounding the museum and will give them a “behind-the-scenes” tour of the fossil preparation area, rarely seen by tourists (or locals for that matter). Please see this link for more details on the museum: http://www.tyrrellmuseum.com.

You can register for this excursion during conference registration. Total cost for each participant is $50, which includes transportation to the museum and lunch.

Inglewood Bird Sanctuary

Nestled in the heart of Calgary participants will find a large wildlife reserve with numerous nature trails where over 270 species of birds have been observed. The Sanctuary has approximately 2.5 km of pathways. Part of the pathway is wheelchair accessible and provides an unparalleled opportunity to experience wildlife in the city.

The Rothney Observatory is one of the principal research facilities within the University of Calgary’s Department of Physics and Astronomy. During this evening excursion, participants will tour the facility with one of the astronomers from the University of Calgary. Because our days are very long during the conference (the sun rises at ~5:30 AM and sets at ~10:00 PM) we will likely have an opportunity to “view the sun” while enjoying a beverage and cheese…

You can register for this excursion during conference registration. Total cost for each participant is $25, which includes transportation to the observatory and cheese and appetizers.

Ann and Sandy Cross Conservation Area

The Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area (ASCCA) consists of 4,800 acres of rolling foothills land. Sandy Cross is the son of A.E. Cross (one of the Calgary Stampede’s “Big Four”) and Helen Rothney Macleod. Over twenty-two kilometers of trails wind through the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area (ASCCA). Four lookouts provide spectacular views of the surrounding foothills. The Chevron Aspen Trail and the Fescue Trail interpretive walks include education stations highlighting species found on the land.

This half-day trip will be guided by members of the conservation society and will provide an excellent opportunity to see the flora and fauna that make up the Canadian foothills.

You can register for this excursion during conference registration. Total cost for each participant is $42, which includes transportation to the conservation area and lunch.

Kananaskis Field Station

The Kananaskis Field Station (a.k.a the Biogeoscience Institute) is a hub of activity for ecologists interested in… well, just about anything about the biology, geology or chemistry of the Rocky Mountains. It has some of the longest running natural science studies in Canada, making this facility an essential resource for long-term understanding of ecological and geo-scientific processes. Seven researchers from four different universities have now carried out research here for more than 25 years and two for more than 35 years. It attracts researchers and students from all natural sciences, engineering, and some social sciences (e.g., economics) and hosts many students groups throughout the year.

Lake Louise and Moraine Lake

The quintessential views in the Rocky Mountains are of Lake Louise, Moraine Lake and the Valley of the Ten Peaks. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is in the heart of Banff National Park and provides some of the most spectacular scenery in the Rocky Mountains. Both Lake Louise and Moraine Lake boast the unmatchable blue/green colour of glacial lakes and are a site to behold! Geologist, Michelle Spila, will lead participants on a couple of short hikes (perhaps even enjoying an Earl Grey tea at the Tea house at Lake Agnes) and will learn about the geological processes that formed the Rocky Mountains while enjoying the flora and fauna of the area. Definitely an adventure not to be missed!

You can register for this full-day excursion during conference registration. Total cost for each participant is $55, which includes transportation to the lakes and lunch.

Burgess Shale

The Burgess Shale provides an amazing window into what the world looked like half-a-billion years ago. Understanding the contents of the Burgess Shale and the sequences of the Earth’s physical processes will help us to better understand how life has evolved and how it may continue to evolve. Researchers say that the ancestors of virtually all life forms on Earth, existing and extinct, can be found in the Burgess Shale, and therefore are a key to understanding the past, and at the same time helping us understand what might occur in the future. Many of the specimens are early ancestors of later, more complex forms, from algae to the chordates (a major group of animals that includes human primates). Others, however, appear unrelated to any current living forms and their later disappearance presents an intriguing mystery.