January 2026 | Volume 18 Issue 1

Happy New Year and Happy International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists!

In 2026, rangelands are in the global spotlight and it’s about time. The United Nations General Assembly has declared 2026 the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP). This declaration reflects the importance of rangelands and promotes an understanding and appreciation of rangelands and the people who use and take care of them around the world. Keep an eye out for events and resources celebrating grasslands on this Trello board.

Fortuitously, as prairies are in the spotlight this year, the 2026 Prairie Conservation and Endangered Species Conference is occurring May 5 - 7, 2026 in Saskatoon, SK. Make sure to check out the tours and workshops that are also available. There's also more information about available Grants and Awards below and on the website. The Early-bird Registration deadline is February 12th! Spots are limited so register early! You can find more information here: prairiecesc.ca.

We had two exciting webinars in December including Jacy Bernath-Plaisted from the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies, who presented about grassland birds and Emma Blanken, who presented about Little Brown Myotis. Both webinars are on our YouTube Channel, along with over 300 other webinars!

Our upcoming January Native Prairie Speaker Series webinar will be about Long-billed Curlews. You can register here.

Also, Caitlin is working on the Prairie's Got the Goods Week line-up! You can register for some of those presentations already! You can check them out 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!

We hope you will join us to celebrate grasslands and those who care for them throughout the year!

Carolyn Gaudet, SK PCAP Manager 

pcap@sasktel.net

2026 is the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists!

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. You can find more global information at the official IYRP website: https://iyrp.info/

Fast Approaching: Early-bird Registration Deadline 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.

🌟 Register now and save ! The Early-bird Deadline is February 12th!

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.

Awards and Grants - deadline for applications and nominations is February 22nd, 2026!

Young Professional Stewardship Grant: was developed to promote future involvement to achieve success with prairie conservation and endangered species management. The Young Professional Stewardship Grant is for professionals, ranchers, farmers or aspiring conservationists between the ages of 18-30 who live and/or work in Alberta, Saskatchewan or Manitoba.

Prairie Conservation Award: is granted to a deserving recipient from each of the three Prairie Provinces once every three years in recognition of significant long-term contributions

to native habitat or species at risk conservation.

📍 Learn more: www.prairiecesc.ca

Prairies in the News

Why setting fires can save Saskatchewan’s native prairie

Study shows draining prairie wetlands is increasing Canada’s carbon footprint

Employment Opportunities

Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute are hiring many Summer Field Technologists. Apply before Feb 28th, 2026

SK Association of Watersheds is hiring a Habitat Stewardship Director to start ASAP

Bear Tracks Environmental Services is hiring an Intermediate Wildlife Biologist and an Environmental Technician.

The Flora of Saskatchewan Association is looking to hire a Botanist for Authorship. Deadline for applications is January 31, 2026.

Things to Check Out

Nature Conservancy of Canada's video: Conserve the Prairie Grasslands

Cornell Lab of Ornithology's video: The Central Grasslands - Backbone of North America

NFWF's video: Conserving Vital Grasslands in the Northern Great Plains

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

Examining the impacts of climate change and habitat loss on the distribution of Long-billed Curlews, a species at risk in Canada

Speaker: Kelsey Freitag, Freitag Ecological Analytics

Tuesday January 27, 2026 at 12 PM CT

Register Free

More information

A Prairie wide search for the elusive Swift Fox in Saskatchewan

Speakers: Tehlu Singh and Bea Prieto, SK Ministry of Environment

Tuesday February 24th, 2026 at 12 PM CT

Register Free

More information

SK Association of Watersheds' Livestock Watering Strategies Workshop

Hodgeville, SK

January 14, 2026

One School One Farm Shelterbelt Project's Yellow Prairie Cone Flower Workshop

January 14, 2026 @ 1:30PM

Kenderdine Gallery, Saskatoon, SK

University of SK's IYRP kick-off event: Stewarding the grasslands: Celebrating the International Year of Rangelands

January 14, 2026 @ 6 PM

Convocation Hall, U of S, Saskatoon, SK

CFGA's Bison Webinar Series: Introduction to Rotational Grazing

January 14th @ 7 PM MST

Wild About Saskatoon's 2026 NatureCity Conversations: Befriending Urban Birds

January 29, 2026 @ 7 PM

Celebrating Rural Ranching Women

February 5-6, 2026

Maple Creek, SK

SK PCAP's Prairie's Got the Goods Week

March 16th-20th, 2026

Prairie Conservation and Endangered Species Conference

May 5-7, 2026

Saskatoon, SK

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.