The Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Agriculture have jointly proclaimed June 16 to 22 as Native Prairie Appreciation Week in Saskatchewan. (ID 118651074 © Koobphenglee | Dreamstime.com)

By Teena Monteleone

Native prairie appreciation

Proclaimed week aims to educate public about native prairie

Jun 17, 2019 | 5:00 PM

Native prairie is one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world, according to the Saskatchewan Prairie Conservation Action Plan. That is why the organization has requested the government of Saskatchewan to proclaim the week of June 16 to 22 as Native Prairie Appreciation Week for the past 21 years.

“In Saskatchewan, we have less than 20 per cent of the original native prairies than we used to have …mostly because of cultivation,” said SK PCAP manager Carolyn Gaudet. “We use the appreciation week to increase awareness and education about native prairie and its importance as it provides habitat for a variety of different species including species at risk and common species.”

Environment minister Dustin Duncan, who was quoted in a government press release, said the week is an opportunity to acknowledge the ecological, social and economic contributions of ‘this iconic prairie ecosystem’, and to recommit to ongoing efforts to conserve and protect.

Part of the week will highlight the land managers and ranchers who live or work on a remaining native prairie.

“We want to highlight how they manage the land in a way that is sustainable and can provide habitat for these species at risk,” said Gaudet.

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Gaudet added that most of the remaining native prairie land is in the southern portion of the province. The closest example to central Saskatchewan is the Redberry Lake Biosphere Reserve near the town of Hafford. It is one of 18 biosphere reserves in Canada and the only one in Saskatchewan. The reserve provides habitats for nine endangered, threatened or rare bird species, as well as over 180 other species.

Activities for Native Prairie Appreciation Week in Saskatchewan include a poster and photo contest and booths at farmers markets across the province to provide native seed for people.

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teena.monteleone@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @TeenaMonteleone