June 2023 | Volume 15 Issue 6 | |
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This year is PCAP's 25th Anniversary! In 1998, Saskatchewan Prairie Conservation Action Plan Partnership was established and the 1998-2003 Action Plan launched in June 1998 with 16 partners.
Tara Mulhern Davidson wrote a great two-article series about PCAP's 25th anniversary. You can find it the articles here:
Celebrating 25 Years of Grassland Conservation
Finding and Keeping Conservation Common Ground
SK PCAP has gone through many changes and has overcome many obstacles since the beginning, but the goal to increase awareness of native prairie has stayed the same through the years. Later this month, we will celebrate Native Prairie Appreciation Week (NPAW). The purpose of NPAW is to raise awareness and appreciation of native prairie ecosystems and their importance to Saskatchewan’s provincial, environmental and agricultural sectors. It is the only week in North America devoted to recognizing and celebrating diverse value of native grasslands.
We have one Native Prairie Speaker Series webinar planned in June, during Native Prairie Appreciation Week. You can register here! Karin Steuber from the SK Archaeological Society will discuss archaeology in SK and Andrew Miller from First Nations University of Canada will discuss land use by the Touchwood Agency Tribal Council First Nations. You can find more information here.
We had two webinars last month. One webinar about Golden Eagles by Dr. Joe Schmutz and a webinar about data collection, sharing and uses by the staff at the SK Conservation Data Centre. Both presentations can be found on our YouTube Channel !
And finally, we would like to thank our sponsors for their generous support: Canadian Forage and Grasslands Association, North American Helium, Nutrien, Saskatchewan Cattlemen's Association, SaskEnergy, SaskPower, SaskTel, SaskWater, Wildlife Habitat Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada, as well as the continuous support of all the PCAP Partners.
Carolyn Gaudet, SK PCAP Manager
pcap@sasktel.net
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Native Prairie Appreciation Week!
Native Prairie Appreciation Week 2023 is June 18th - 24th!
We have one webinar planned: "More Than Stones and Bones: Archaeology in Saskatchewan" and “Post-Treaty Four Land Use by Touchwood Agency Tribal Council First Nations, 1874-1980” by Dr. Karin Steuber, Saskatchewan Archaeological Society and Andrew Miller, First Nations University of Canada on Monday June 19th, 2023 at 12:00pm. More details are here! You can register here!
We'll also be doing our Native Prairie Photo Contest again this year! We can't wait to see your photos on social media! Categories: Best Native Prairie Wildflower,
Best Wildlife in Action and
Best Native Prairie Landscape.
Send your best shot to npawcontest@gmail.com by June 16th to be entered into the Social Media Photo Contest. The picture with the most votes in each category will be the winner!
Caitlin is working on a social media campaign, keep an eye on our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter channels for NPAW-related information!
We're also doing our Youth Poster Contest! The deadline for submissions is tomorrow, June 7th. We're excited to see and judge the submissions! We'll post the winners in the July edition of the newsletter.
We will be handing out packets of native wildflower seeds at various farmers' markets during NPAW! We are attending :
Regina Farmers Market on June 21st
Swift Current Farmers Market on June 24th
Moose Jaw Farmers Market on June 24th
Come visit us and get a few packets of native wildflower seeds from Blazing Star Wildflower Seed Company!
We would like to thank our Presenting Sponsor for Native Prairie Appreciation Week:
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EcoStress Regina
EcoStress Regina offers free 8-week groups to discuss distress caused by environmental threats and losses. Groups will meet for 2 hours weekly by Zoom. Group meetings will be facilitated and include conversation and sharing of our experiences, as well as instruction and practice of coping and self-care knowledge and skills. Groups will also discuss moving forward, meaningful ways to take action, and building community. If you are interested in further information and/or to be put on the list for the next group, please contact ecostressregina@gmail.com.
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Partner Spotlight:
Meewasin Valley Authority
Submitted by Renny Grilz, Meewasin Valley Authority
Miýwâsin is nȇhiyawȇwin (Cree) for ‘it is beautiful’.
Meewasin is a non-profit organization that exists to ensure a healthy and vibrant South Saskatchewan River valley, with a balance between human use and conservation, for the benefit of present and future generations, in Saskatoon & area. Created in 1979 by an Act of the Government of SK, The Meewasin Valley Authority Act, Meewasin is a non-profit organization dedicated to conserving the cultural and natural resources of the South Saskatchewan River Valley. It is the means by which the three participating parties (City of Saskatoon, Government of SK, and University of SK) have chosen to best manage the Meewasin Valley in the South Saskatchewan River Basin. The creation of Meewasin is based on the concept that the partners working together through a single agency – Meewasin – can accomplish more than they could individually.
Meewasin stewards 6,700 ha along approximately 75 km of South Saskatchewan River valley, with numerous prairie sites within and outside the City of Saskatoon and in the RM of Corman Park. Meewasin utilizes an integrated resource management program to manage prairie through targeted grazing, prescribed fire, integrated invasive species control, restoration and ecological monitoring including breeding bird surveys, bird banding, species at risk monitoring, ecological health assessments, and automated recording devices (trail cameras and acoustic recorders). Meewasin stewards lands owned by its partners (City of Saskatoon, University of SK, Saskatchewan crown lands), its own properties, and those owned by other land owners.
Meewasin delivers school programming at its Beaver Creek Conservation Area and Northeast Swale sites. Interpretive signage on local history, natural history, and resource management programs is placed along the 100+ km Meewasin Trail. Meewasin also delivers dozens of volunteer events each year including BioBlitz activities, tree wrapping to prevent beaver damage, and restoration plantings (www.meewasin.com/get-involved). Meewasin also delivers numerous Experience programs in the Valley including Birding Breakfasts, Naughty by Nature and a Grazing Dinner (www.meewasin.com/all-experiences).
The Saskatoon region’s leadership in stewarding the river valley has now been recognized. Through the new National Urban Parks program, Parks Canada is working with local partners to consider how significant urban greenspaces, like the Meewasin Valley, can enhance the conservation of nature, connect people with nature, and advance reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. Meewasin is working together to apply Meewasin’s mission to balance human use and conservation to secure a national urban park designation to further protect our natural spaces for the future, in a spirit of collaboration and reconciliation. More information can be found at www.urbanparksask.ca.
Meewasin is the managing partner of the Canadian Prairies Prescribed Fire Exchange (CPPFE), with funding from The Weston Family Foundation’s Prairie Grassland Initiative. The CPPFE is an inter-agency collective established to increase capacity for knowledge sharing and training surrounding the use of prescribed fire as a management tool in Canadian prairie and parkland ecosystems. The CPPFE does not conduct prescribed fires, but instead provides learning and training opportunities, facilitates equipment and resource sharing, and acts as a hub for current fire science and grassland fire knowledge. CPPFE help fire practitioners of all backgrounds, from landowners, to communities, to conservation groups and even experienced firefighters. More information can be found at www.grasslandfire.ca.
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Stay tuned for news about our upcoming Native Prairie Speaker Series webinars! | |
"More Than Stones and Bones: Archaeology in
Saskatchewan" and
“Post-Treaty Four Land Use by Touchwood Agency Tribal Council First Nations, 1874-1980”
Speakers: Dr. Karin Steuber, Saskatchewan Archaeological Society and Andrew Miller, First Nations University of Canada
Monday June 19th, 2023 at 12:00pm
Register here
More information
Please visit our Native Prairie Speaker Series webpage regularly for upcoming topics, dates, and registration details.
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Joint Annual Meeting:
Canadian Society for Ecology and Evolution AND Canadian Botanical Association
June 11-14, 2023
Winnipeg, MB
Society for Ecological Restoration: RE3 Conference
June 11-15, 2023
Quebec City, QC
Nature Saskatchewan Spring Meet
June 16-18, 2023
Kindersley, SK
NCC's Pipestone Creek Bioblitz
June 17, 2023
Pipestone Creek, SK
Native Prairie Appreciation Week
June 18-24, 2023
Native Plant Society of Saskatchewan Tour: Cactus Hills/Dirt Hills
June 24 & 25, 2023
Spring Valley, SK
Leafy Spurge Beetle Collection Days
July 3-6, 2023
Besant Campground
Native Plant Society of Saskatchewan tour: Rose Creek Ranch
July 8, 2023
Eastend, SK
Leafy Spurge Beetle Collection at Willner-Elbow Community Pasture
July 15, 2023
America's Grassland Conference
August 8-10, 2023
Cheyenne, WY
Canadian Beef Industry Conference
Aug 14-17, 2023
Calgary, AB
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Employment Opportunities
Agri-Environmental Watershed Coordinator with the Saskatchewan Association of Watersheds. Deadline is June 12th, 2023.
SW District Manager with the Saskatchewan Association of Watersheds. Deadline is June 15, 2023
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2023/24 Education Programs:
Presenting Sponsors:
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Carolyn Gaudet, Editor, Saskatchewan Prairie Conservation Action Plan Newsletter | |
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SK PCAP gratefully acknowledges financial support in 2023-2024 from:
Canadian Forage and Grassland Association, Ducks Unlimited Canada, Environment and Climate Change Canada, North American Helium, Nutrien, 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 Regina, University of Saskatchewan - College of Agriculture and Bioresources, Water Security Agency and Wildlife Habitat Canada.
SK PCAP gratefully acknowledges in-kind support for 2023-24 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, Prairie Wind & Silver Sage, Ranchers Stewardship Alliance Inc., Redberry Lake Biosphere Region, 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.
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