Preserving Canada’s natural landscapes and the plants and animals they sustain, including the greatest threats to imperiled species and climate change, will be among the topics of discussion at the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s (NCC’s) national board meetings happening this week in Saskatoon.
NCC staff, including ecologists, agrologists and biologists and volunteers will gather to discuss upcoming projects that helps accelerate the pace of conservation in Canada. Here in Saskatchewan, the group is in a race to protect native prairie grasslands, which are among the most endangered habitats in the world.
"Grasslands and the wetlands they contain benefit imperiled species and are critical for our own livelihoods, those of our Indigenous and ranching partners who help protect native prairie and for our children and grandchildren. With less than 20 per cent of native grasslands remaining in Saskatchewan, conserving grasslands is one of the most important things we can do for our province". - Jennifer McKillop, Vice-president for the Nature Conservancy of Canada in Saskatchewan.
The Nature Conservancy of Canada is a national, non-profit conservation organization that works with landowners to protect Canada’s natural habitats. NCC partners with individuals, conservation groups, Indigenous communities, governments and universities. NCC staff develop science-based conservation plans for unique areas where there are rare or endangered species that are threatened by habitat loss.
NCC is tasked with a goal of protecting 200,000 hectares over the next four years under the federal government’s Natural Heritage Conservation Program. Here in Saskatchewan, a key focus towards that goal will be the protection of endangered grasslands, along with wetlands and forests. NCC has been working in this province since 1982, protecting 61,000 hectares (over 150,000 acres) of Saskatchewan’s most sensitive lands and waters.
Healthy natural areas are key factors in the fight against climate change. Natural areas store and sequester substantial amounts of carbon dioxide. They also provide space for species to adapt to changes in weather and habitat, and they can buffer the impacts of natural events such as droughts and floods.
A new chair of NCC’s Board will also be named. It is Elana Rosenfeld of Invermere, British Columbia. She was co-founder and CEO of Kicking Horse Coffee, a business she started in 1996.
“The Nature Conservancy of Canada is pleased to bring together our conservation professionals and people who care about nature to take a closer look at issues that affect us all,” said John Lounds, president and CEO with the Nature Conservancy of Canada. “A strong conservation ethic is important for the long-term health of wildlife and plant populations. It is also vital for the health of Canadians from coast-to-coast-to-coast, today and in the future.”
Facts:
· The Nature Conservancy of Canada’s work is made possible by the support of thousands of concerned individuals, corporations, foundations and other conservation organizations across the country.
· The Nature Conservancy of Canada works with willing private landowners who agree to sell or donate their lands for the sake of conservation.
· Most NCC lands are accessible to the public for light recreational activities such as hiking.
· People can support NCC’s work in Saskatchewan to protect endangered grasslands, wetlands and the at-risk species that live here. Visit conservegrasslands.ca.
· People who donate ecologically significant lands for conservation may be eligible for tax benefits under the Ecological Gifts Program. To learn more about the program, visit http://www.ec.gc.ca/pde-egp/.
Learn more:
The Nature Conservancy of Canada is the nation's leading land conservation organization, working to protect our country’s most important natural areas and the species they sustain. Since 1962 NCC and its partners have helped to protect 14 million hectares (35 million acres) coast to coast. For more information: www.natureconservancy.ca
