Native Prairie Appreciation Week highlights Saskatchewan grasslands

By Your Southwest Media Group

Native prairie appreciation week runs June 14-20.

A time to recognize the province's remaining native prairie has just passed. Native Prairie Appreciation Week ran from June 14 to 20, "highlighting the beauty, biodiversity and cultural significance of our native prairie ecosystems," an Environment Department statement said. The land provides wildlife habitat, livestock forage, carbon storage, nutrient cycling and water filtration and retention, the statement said.

Related activities included a June 12-13 tour of Saskatchewan Landing Provincial Park and the Monet community pasture south of Elrose.

Provincial leaders are "focused on increasing awareness and appreciation of native prairie, promoting responsible land use and strengthening the management of these vital ecosystems," said Darlene Rowden, the department minister. The International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists occurs this year, highlighting "the vital role ranchers play as stewards of our prairie landscape," added Rowden (SP-Batoche).

The week represents "one of our favourite ways to engage people from diverse backgrounds about the value of native prairie and foster their appreciation for this beautiful ecosystem," said Carolyn Gaudet, who manages the province's prairie conservation action plan.

"Conserving prairie landscapes starts with understanding them," Gaudet said. "Everyone can learn about the many benefits and biodiversity that grasslands provide and the people who care for them."

"Rangelands support the livelihoods and socio-ecological resilience of hundreds of millions of people, play a key role in conserving bio-cultural diversity, help restore degraded lands and contribute to sustainable food systems and global climate action," the statement said.