New updated interpretive signs were installed at Red Deer’s Gaetz Lakes Sanctuary to help bring the past to life and make sense of forest changes.
Most include metal two-dimensional cut-outs of historical figures and animals — including soldiers who used the property as a training ground during the Second World War.
A teepee represents the indigenous people who were originally in the land, and a truck cut-out references the property’s historic use as a landfill.
The spot along the trail that was hardest hit by last summer’s windstorm features an owl cut-out, along with signage about forest regeneration.
Todd Nivens, executive-director of the Waskasoo Environmental Education Society, said some funds had been allocated for replacement signage in the Sanctuary a couple of years ago. He believes the metal cutouts will help draw viewers in by creating a bit of an immersive experience.