YELLOWHEAD FLYWAY BIRDING
TRAIL ASSOCIATION (YFBTA)
YFBTA is a not-for-profit
charitable organization which works to promote awareness of the importance of
wildlife and spaces for wildlife. YFBTA promotes conservation,
preservation, awareness and tourism.
In
February of 2003 at Saltcoats, Saskatchewan, Ken Kessler, Coordinator of The Provincial
Birding Trail spoke to 16 people representing various communities along the
Yellowhead Highway (Carleton Trail, Langenburg, Esterhazy, Churchbridge,
Saltcoats, Yorkton, Good Spirit Park). At that time the Provincial Tourism
Branch was encouraging Saskatchewan communities who had active birding groups
to coalesce in an effort to foster increased tourism in the province. The
people gathered decided that there would be enough interest to warrant a
second meeting April 10, 2003. At this meeting a decision to form a regional
Birding Trail Organization was taken.
At
the April 10, 2003 meeting the Langenburg office of the Regional Economic
Development Authority threw its support behind the concept of a Regional
Birding Trail Association. A committee was formed and charged with
formulating plans for such an organization. June 5, 2003 marked the
inception of the Yellowhead Flyway Birding
Trail Association.
Since that time the YFBTA has continued to meet on a monthly
basis. This East Central Saskatchewan organization boasts members from
surrounding many centres as well as from Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia
and the United Kingdom, and continues to grow.
YFBTA works to promote
awareness of the importance of preserving and protecting spaces for wildlife
to exist, and to promote tourism to these areas to increase support of the
preservation of native species and their natural habitat.
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