By Angela Brown

Saskatchewan ranchers have a role in helping preserve species at risk

Sep 20, 2020 | 6:23 PM

A number of Saskatchewan producers are doing their part to benefit species at risk in the province.

Lloyd Anderson whose ranch is partially within the borders of Grasslands National Park (GNP), is involved in a project that re-introduced grazing to GNP.

While the land had not been grazed for 25 years, the park recognized the practice was beneficial to species at risk.

“They needed large animals to graze that area,” Anderson said. “It kind of replaced the buffalo, filled the void.”

For about the past four years, his cattle have been grazing on about 8,000 acres of land on the east block of the park. This is in an effort to protect three species at risk, the Sprague’s Pipit (a small songbird), the Greater Sage Grouse, and the Horned Larkspur.

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By managing the land for that area, he is able to create a suitable habitat for these species to better thrive and increase their numbers.

“If the ecosystem is doing well, then that is good for my livestock,” Anderson said. “It is just all one ecosystem. So if I know those species are there, then I know the ecosystem is healthy.”

The Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association (SSGA) previously received funding from Environment and Climate Change Canada for a five-year project. This project was designed to initiate a voluntary, producer-driven effort to protect habitat for species at risk, in areas of Saskatchewan covered by the South of the Divide Conservation Action Program (SODCAP Inc.).

“One of the unique things about this program is that it was limited to agricultural organizations. So it was really programming developed by ranchers for ranchers,” Chad MacPherson, general manager of the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association (SSGA) said. “So that was a unique first thing; it was kind of unheard of. It’s the first time Environment Canada has ever turned to the agricultural community and asked for us to come up with our own solutions, and to have that partnership to work together to find positive outcomes for species at risk.”

As part of the grant, the project participants are focused on working in three different high-density areas of species at risk in the south-western part of the Saskatchewan.

“There have been about 35 to 40 producers that have been involved in that project,” MacPherson said. “We’re just going through the process of renewing it right now. Our five-year contract expired on March 31. So we are in the process of renewing for another three years.”

He said based on research, the majority of the species at risk remaining are concentrated on the grasslands area, which is managed and stewarded by livestock producers in the province.

With programming like this, supported by the federal government, he said there is more recognition of the important role that ranchers play in conservation.

“It’s been a good partnership, and I hope to see it continue in the future,” MacPherson said.

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angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @farmnewsNOW