Large Grassland Area is Now Protected in Saskatchewan
A huge area of grassland in southwest Saskatchewan has been declared protected. Rangeview is a conservation project of the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) located south of Robsart and six kilometres west of the Old Man on His Back Prairie and Heritage Conservation Area, the NCC's flagship property in the province.
Rangeview has 521 hectares of grasslands and wetlands, as well as seasonal creeks and riparian habitats. Many diverse species of plants and animals live on the land and in the adjacent areas, including several that are designated as threatened under Canada's Species at Risk Act, such as the chestnut-collared longspur, common nighthawk, ferruginous hawk, Sprague's pipit, and swift fox.
Jennifer McKillop, Vice-President for NCC’s Saskatchewan Region, stated:
“Looking at the beautiful landscape on the Rangeview property, I get a sense of hope that future generations can experience all that nature has to offer. I’m grateful to our donors and partners who help conserve grasslands and the rich biodiversity found in the region. Their support ensures a thriving world for both nature and people.”
“The generosity of private donors and the estates of William Gibbs and Margaret Smith helped make this long-lasting impact on nature. These donations help NCC obtain match funding from the federal government and other partners. The Government of Canada is a major funding contributor through the Natural Heritage Conservation Programme, part of Canada’s Nature Fund. The project was also significantly supported by funds from The MapleCross Fund, The Mosaic Company, TC Energy, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Walmart Canada.” said NCC.
According to the NCC, conserving grasslands provides solutions to the concerns of increasing biodiversity loss and the impacts of climate change.
Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, said:
"The twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss are two sides of the same coin, and we must tackle them together. By working with partners like the Nature Conservancy of Canada, and individual and corporate donors, we are helping to protect the natural environment in Saskatchewan and across the country. Through programmes like the Natural Heritage Conservation Programme, our government is helping progress toward our goal of conserving a quarter of the lands and oceans in Canada by 2025."
Source: Discover Humboldt
