December 2025 | Volume 17 Issue 12

Happy December, Prairie Enthusiasts!

We had an amazing time at the Canadian Western Agribition in Regina last week. Welcome to all our new newsletter subscribers! About 10,000 kids came through the Family Ag Pavilion over 6 days, where we talked about species at risk and how many of our prairie species overlap well with cattle ranching. We are so thankful to our partners who helped make our booth in the Family Ag Pavilion and the Pipits and Plovers a game show a success, including Leah (SaskOutdoors), Diego (SODCAP Inc) and Becky, Grace, Lacey and Emily (Nature Saskatchewan) who helped us out and the SK Association of Watersheds that shared a booth with us!

Registration is open for the 2026 Prairie Conservation and Endangered Species Conference, which is occurring May 5 - 7, 2026 in Saskatoon, SK. You can submit abstracts for presentations and posters (deadline is December 10th), as well as check out the tours and workshops that are also available. Spots are limited so register early! You can find more information here: prairiecesc.ca.

We have two exciting webinars in December. This week, Jacy Bernath-Plaisted from the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies will be presenting about grassland birds. You can register here. We will also have Emma Blanken, who recently finished her Master's research on Little Brown Myotis. You can register here.

And finally, we would like to thank our sponsors for their generous support: Innovation Credit Union, K+S Youth+Us, North American Helium, Pembina, Ranchers Stewardship Alliance Inc., TC Energy, Wildlife Habitat Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada, as well as the continuous support of all the PCAP Partners!

Please note the SK PCAP office will be closed beginning December 22nd, 2025 and open January 5th, 2026.

From everyone at SK PCAP, we hope you all have a wonderful holiday season! Stay safe and take care!

Carolyn Gaudet, SK PCAP Manager 

pcap@sasktel.net

Registration is Open for the 14th Prairie Conservation and Endangered Species Conference

This dynamic gathering brings together researchers, government and NGO staff, Indigenous and ranching communities, and conservation practitioners from across the prairies. Whether you’re working in the field, managing policy, or leading grassroots initiatives — PCESC is your place to connect, learn, and share.

🎤 Want to present your work? There is a Call for Abstract open now! Deadline is December 10th!



🌟 Register now and save !

Your conference registration includes:

✅ Evening Reception to kick-off the event

✅ Inspiring Keynotes & Breakout Sessions

✅ Poster Session & Tradeshow

✅ Banquet & Awards Night

In addition to the regular PCESC events, there are also Tours and Workshops available to get participants out on the landscape and experience native prairie or prairie species.

📍 Learn more: www.prairiecesc.ca

Prairies in the News

Swift Cur­rent landown­ers favour prairie grass­land con­ser­va­tion

Effort made to protect Prairie grasslands

Saskatchewan secures future of native grasslands

Employment Opportunities

Saskatchewan Stock Growers Foundation is hiring a Habitat Management Assistant for the 2026 field season. Application deadline is December 31st.

Saskatchewan Association of Watersheds is hiring a Habitat Stewardship Director and a Communications Manager.

Check out the SK Working Group's Trello board for upcoming International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists events and range-related content. You can find the Trello board for Canadian Resources here.

Stay tuned for news about our upcoming Native Prairie Speaker Series webinars!

Review of Conservation Challenges and Possible Solutions for Grassland Birds of the North American Great Plains

Speaker: Jacy S. Bernath-Plaisted, Bird Conservancy of the Rockies

Thursday December 4th, 2025 at 12 PM CT

Register Free

Intersexual Differences in Roost-site Use by Little Brown Myotis in Cypress Hills, Saskatchewan

Speaker: Emma Blanken, University of Regina

Wednesday December 17th, 2025 at 12 PM CT

Register Free

In person Native Prairie Speaker Series: Free Pizza and Presentation - Does Native Prairie React in Different ways to Seasonal Bison Grazing? Results Suggest so!

with Mickenzie Plemel

Grasslands Inn, Mankota, SK at

December 3rd at 6:30 PM

SK Association of Watersheds' Livestock Watering Strategies Workshop

Hodgeville, SK

January 14, 2026

Supporting Sponsors

2025/26 Education Programs:

Presenting Sponsors:

SK PCAP gratefully acknowledges financial support in 2025-2026 from:

Ducks Unlimited Canada, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Innovation Federal Credit Union, Nature Saskatchewan, North American Helium, Parks Canada - Grasslands National Park of Canada, K+S youth+us, Pembina, Ranchers Stewardship Alliance Inc, Saskatchewan Association of Watersheds, Saskatchewan Cattle Association, Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment - Fish and Wildlife Development Fund, TC Energy, University of Regina, University of Saskatchewan - College of Agriculture and Bioresources, the Department of Plant Sciences, and the College of Arts & Science, Water Security Agency and Wildlife Habitat Canada.

SK PCAP gratefully acknowledges in-kind support for 2025-2026 from: 

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada - Science and Technology Branch, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Association, Environment Canada - Canadian Wildlife Service, Friends of the Royal Saskatchewan Museum, Meewasin Valley Authority, Native Plant Society of Saskatchewan, Nature Conservancy Canada, Nature Saskatchewan, Parks Canada - Grasslands National Park, Ranchers Stewardship Alliance Inc., Redberry Lake Biosphere Region, Salthaven West. Saskatchewan Aboriginal Land Technicians, 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 Ministry of Agriculture, Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment, Saskatchewan Ministry of Energy and Resources, Saskatchewan Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport, Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association, Saskatchewan Stock Growers Foundation, Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation, 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, the Department of Plant Sciences, and the College of Arts & Science and Water Security Agency.