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Greetings Prairie Enthusiasts!
The 7th Native Prairie Restoration and Reclamation Workshop and the 5th Transboundary Grassland Partnership was a HUGE success! We had 45 concurrent presentations, 15 plenary presentations, 4 expert panel discussions, 19 speed dating case studies and 1 traditional case study. PDFs of some presentations will be uploaded onto our website,
so if you weren't able to make the workshop, you have the opportunity to check them out! Topics included everything from soil remediation, prescribed burning, habitat restoration for wildlife, invasive species, industrial mitigations, as well as presentations about collaboration and the power of partnerships. The workshop also featured a poster session with 19 posters, a sold-out trade show, and numerous networking opportunities. A big thank you to our sponsors, trade show participants, speakers and everyone who participated in the workshop. Stay tuned over the next few months for a "Save the Date" for our 8th NPRRW that will be held in Saskatoon in 2021!
The February webinar was Jeannine Randall, PhD Candidate in Natural Resources and Environmental Studies at the University of Northern British Columbia, discussing how alternative grazing practices affect grassland birds. Jeannine's presentation, as well as all past webinars, are on our
YouTube Channel
.
The March webinar will be Medea Curteanu, from Environment and Climate Change Canada discussing butterfly conservation in the prairies. We're all looking forward to it, make sure to
register early!
Caitlin has an excellent webinar line-up for our 4th Prairie's Got the Goods Week, March 16-20, 2020. You can register today! More information can be found here and throughout the newsletter.
And finally, we would like to thank the generous support from our sponsors: Saskatchewan Cattlemen's Association, SaskPower, SaskEnergy, SaskWater, EcoFriendly Sask, Wildlife Habitat Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada, as well as the continuous support of all the PCAP's
Partners
.
Have a wonderful month everyone! Spring is on it's way!
Carolyn Gaudet, SK PCAP Manager
Ph. 306 352 0472
pcap@sasktel.net
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Prairie's Got the Goods Week!
March 16th - 20th, 2020
Native Prairie -it's more than just grass! Join us for a series of webinars about the great things that the native prairie grasslands, wetlands and rangelands do for society! Presentation topics include flood control, pollination, carbon sequestration and climate change.
Monday, March 16 @ 12:00pm (MT OR GMT-07) or 1:00pm (CT or GMT-06)
Tuesday, March 17 @ 12:00pm (MT OR GMT-07) or 1:00pm (CT or GMT-06)
Wednesday, March 18 @ 12:00pm (MT OR GMT-07) or 1:00pm (CT or GMT-06)
Thursday, March 19 @ 12:00pm (MT OR GMT-07) or 1:00pm (CT or GMT-06)
Friday, March 20 @ 1:30pm (MT OR GMT-07) or 2:30pm (CT or GMT-06)
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SK PCAP Awards
The Saskatchewan Prairie Conservation Action Plan (SK PCAP) recognizes and celebrates outstanding environmental achievements in Saskatchewan. The
Native Prairie Stewardship Award goes to a community leader who has been a steward of native prairie conservation. This person will have responded to public concerns, raising awareness and changing/implementing policies or projects that have a positive impact on native prairie, wildlife and plant species at risk, and/or the overall health of riparian or rangeland ecosystems. The
Native Prairie Restoration/Reclamation Award goes to an organization or individual who has shown long-term dedication and a significant contribution to the field of native prairie restoration and reclamation in the Great Plains of North America in the areas of: Range Health and Soil Remediation, Restoration of Species at Risk, Restoration and Reclamation, Partnerships and Collaboration.
The 2020 Native Prairie Stewardship Award was given to Orin Balas of Ponteix, SK. Orin has been involved with the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association (SSGA) since the 1980s. He became the SSGA representative on the SK PCAP and was part of a group which developed range health protocols for Saskatchewan. Over the years, Orin's ranch has welcomed many groups including university students and researchers, range scientists, government staff, ranchers and environmental non-governmental organization personnel, as well as classrooms through "Ag in the Classroom" and PCAP's "Adopt a Rancher" Program.
Orin was a founding member and is the current president of a grassroots organization called Ranchers Stewardship Alliance Inc (RSAI) and gave local input from a landowners perspective to the action planning process for the South of the Divide. He saw this transition into the formation and incorporation of the South of the Divide Conservation Action Program. Orin served as the co-chair on the transition team and is the co-chair of SODCAP. Through RSAI and PCAP, Orin has been part of a group that formulated a method to identify range indicators which would allow land managers to use the best scientific knowledge available to provide habitat for species at risk. Orin's views about landowners and land management have led to the development of Results Based Programs - programs that allow management practices to be varied but ensure habitat is created for all species using the landscape. Many of these practices do not change beef production, but they can make a major impact on the environment. This award is timely as Orin Balas has just stepped down as the Chair of SK PCAP after six years of serving the partnership.
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Orin Balas accepting his Native Prairie Stewardship Award from SK PCAP Manager, Carolyn Gaudet.
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The Native Prairie Restoration/Reclamation Award was presented to South of the Divide Conservation Action Program Inc.
SODCAP is an environmental non-government organization that has been actively working over the last six years in Native Prairie Restoration in southwestern Saskatchewan. SODCAP has proven to be successful in delivering Stewardship Programs that encourage producers to make species at risk a priority in their management decisions on their ranches. These programs have been a value to land owners and have had a positive impact on habitat conservation and restoration. SODCAP has over 45 individual projects on private and public lands. More than 250,000 acres of critical habitat or native grasslands are currently under a SODCAP conservation or restoration agreement. SODCAP uses Habitat Restoration Agreements, Results-Based Conservation Agreements and Habitat Management Agreements to work with landowners. SODCAP has recently teamed up with Grasslands National Park and the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association to implement a grassbanking projects that supports habitat for species at risk and local producers. SODCAP has many more extension and outreach activities to conserve and restore habitat.
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Lorne Scott and Orin Balas, SODCAP's co-chairs, accepting the Native Prairie Restoration/Reclamation Award from SK PCAP Manager, Carolyn Gaudet.
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"It is with great pleasure that we award the Native Prairie Stewardship Award to Orin Balas and the Native Prairie Restoration/Reclamation Award to South of the Divide Conservation Action Program" said SK PCAP Manager, Carolyn Gaudet. "Both have demonstrated a significant impact to native prairie conservation and we were happy to be able to recognize their efforts this year." Orin Balas and SODCAP were recognized at an awards ceremony as part of the 7th Native Prairie Restoration/Reclamation and 5th Transboundary Grasslands Partnership Workshops on February 26th, 2020 in Regina, SK.
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7th Native Prairie Restoration/ Reclamation and 5th Transboundary Grassland Workshops
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
Platinum
Gold
Silver
Banquet Sponsors
Bronze
CN
Faculty of Science, University of Regina
North American Helium
Peavey Industries LP
The Mosaic Company
Tourism Saskatchewan
Truax Company
Friend
Blazing Star Wildflower Seed Company
North Shore Environmental Consultants
Saskatchewan Cattlemen's Association
Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority
SaskTel
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SK PCAP Native Prairie Speaker Series
Plan to attend our March Native Prairie Speaker Series webinar!
Save the date!
Birds and Window Collision
Thursday April 2nd, 2020
Presenter: Dr. Erin Bayne, Professor, Biological Sciences, University of Alberta
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Prairie's Got the Goods Week!
Click on each image for more information!
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Upcoming Events!
Redberry Lake Bible Camp
March 14, 2020
March 16-20, 2020
Saskatchewan Invasive Species Council
Saskatoon, SK
March 24, 2020, 9AM to 4PM
Prairie Winds & Silver Sage AGM
Val Marie, SK
March 26, 2020 @ 7 PM
Saskatoon, SK
May 16-18, 2020
Meadow Lake Provincial Park
May 23-24, 2020
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Career and Volunteer Opportunities
CanNorth has a few positions available including a Botanist, more information is available
here.
Birds Canada
is hiring a Project Manager - 'Grasslands Conservation Incentives' project
. More information can be found
here
.
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2020 Speaker Series
Supporting Sponsors
Camp Wolf Willow
Rancher's Stewardship Alliance Inc.
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2020 Education Programs:
Presenting Sponsors:
01
2020 Education Programs
Supporting Sponsors:
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Carolyn Gaudet, Editor, Saskatchewan Prairie Conservation Action Plan Newsletter
306-352-0472 |
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SK PCAP gratefully acknowledges financial support in 2019-2020 from:
Crescent Point Energy, Ducks Unlimited Canada, EcoFriendlySask.ca, Enbridge Inc., The Mosaic Company, Parks Canada - Grasslands National Park of Canada, Saskatchewan Cattlemen's Association,
Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment - Fish and Wildlife Development Fund,
SaskEnergy,
SaskPower, SaskTel, SaskWater, University of Saskatchewan - College of Agriculture and Bioresources, Water Security Agency and Wildlife Habitat Canada.
SK PCAP gratefully acknowledges in-kind support for 2019-20 from:
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada - Science and Technology Branch, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Association, Canadian Western Agribition, Environment Canada - Canadian Wildlife Service,
Friends of the Royal Saskatchewan Museum, Friends of Wascana Marsh, Meewasin Valley Authority, Native Plant Society of Saskatchewan, Nature Conservancy Canada, Nature Saskatchewan, Parks Canada - Grasslands National Park, Prairie Wind & Silver Sage, Ranchers Stewardship Alliance Inc., Redberry Lake Biosphere Reserve, Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities, Saskatchewan Association of Watersheds, Saskatchewan Bison Association, Saskatchewan Burrowing Owl Interpretive Centre, Saskatchewan Cattlemen's Association, Saskatchewan Environmental Society, Saskatchewan Forage Council, Saskatchewan Forage Industry Network, Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment, Saskatchewan Ministry of Energy and Resources, Saskatchewan Science Centre, Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association, Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation, Saskatoon Nature Society, SaskEnergy, SaskOutdoors, SaskPower, Society for Range Management - Prairie Parkland Chapter, South of the Divide Conservation Action Program Inc., University of Regina, University of Saskatchewan - College of Agriculture and Bioresources, Wild About Saskatoon-Nature City Festival.
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