Stewards of Wabano Aki at the ceremonial grounds: (L-R) Ken Norquay, Fayaz Hasan, Jeremy Hogan, Kevin Teneycke, Gordon Beddome, Midge Stace, Cary Hamel, Rebekah Neufeld, Christine Chilton, Josh Dillabough, Wendy Norquay, Lauren James and Karine Whitcher.

TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION: Conservation project marries agricultural and Indigenous interests

Project renamed to reflect Indigenous contributions to conservation

This story has been reposted in recognition of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Sept. 30. For more stories of Indigenous farming, food sovereignty, challenges and triumphs in the ongoing work of reconciliation, see our Truth and Reconciliation landing page. It was a beautiful late September day near Shilo, Man., as Elder Roddy McKay, Anishinaabe

Sunset at the Parker Conservation Project in Saskatchewan.

Protecting Prairie grasslands

The Nature Conservancy of Canada has committed to conserving 500,000 hectares of native Prairie grassland by the end of the decade

A plan to protect 500,000 hectares of Prairie grasslands by 2030 is coming to fruition under the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s Prairie Grasslands Action Plan, which was unveiled June 5 to coincide with World Environment Day. “Grasslands are the most endangered ecosystem in Canada,” said Jeremy Hogan, director of prairie grassland conservation for the Nature


"It is a chance
to showcase
that, as well as
being working
landscapes and
being a critical
part of farms in
Manitoba and on
the Prairies, that
these particular
ecosystems are
incredibly
valuable and we
need to continue
to build attention
around them.”

Rangelands to get global spotlight

2026 will be the UN International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists, and local forage advocates are glad to see it

Peas, lentils and beans got a big boost to their public profile thanks to the UN’s International Year of Pulses in 2016. Soils got a similar treatment a year earlier. In 2026, it will be all about grazed land. WHY IT MATTERS: Grassland habitat has been quickly disappearing on the Canadian Prairies and conservation groups

The Lake Ranch project marks the start of NCC’s grasslands campaign in Manitoba.

Nature Conservancy of Canada inks massive land deal

Grazing will remain an integral part of the 6,700 acre Lake Ranch project

The Nature Conservancy of Canada is launching a “once in a generation” project in the wake of a 6,700-acre private land donation. The property is northwest of Winnipeg in the Rural Municipality of Woodlands, on the shores of East Shoal Lake. The NCC wants it to become an accessible conservation area that will engage local


mallard

Home to roost

Wildlife habitat on the Cuthberts’ land along Delta Marsh will last, no matter who holds the title

Nestled on the south edge of Lake Manitoba’s Delta Marsh, where it meets Portage Creek, there sits a pastoral slice of paradise. The tract covers 31 acres of riparian habitat, wetland, forest and meadow, and is home to hundreds of species of wild animals and birds — plus two humans, Cal and Elaine Cuthbert. For

“Land not paying for itself is more likely to occur now given the ratio of land prices to farm revenues...” – J.P. Gervais, Farm Credit Canada.

What’s the driving force behind Manitoba farmland values?

KAP is going over the Manitoba Farm Lands Ownership Act with a fine-tooth comb

The only way for a young person to acquire farmland, the joke goes, is through the church, since it takes a funeral or a wedding. An inheritance or marriage aren’t the only ways, but the quip underscores that high land prices make it difficult for beginning farmers. “It’s extremely frustrating for me and many young farmers in this area (near Elie,


Observation towers near Oak Lake will track shorebirds living in and passing through the area.

New towers to track shorebirds

Southwestern Manitoba a key stopping point in birds' annual migration

New tracking towers in southwestern Manitoba aim to aid the tracking of shorebirds passing through the area, which is considered a Prairie hot spot for the creatures. The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) has installed three towers near Oak Lake, and another near Whitewater Lake. Antennae atop the towers collect signals from radio transmitters that

Manitoba Forage Council adds grasslands to name

The Manitoba Forage Council is planning to change its name to reflect the group’s broader focus on those who make their living from all kinds of grass. By calling itself the Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association, the group hopes to become better aligned with the goals of the recently formed Canadian Forage & Grassland Association.


Lack of biodiversity leaves ecosystems vulnerable

A study of long-standing pasture grasslands on southern Vancouver Island 
showed more diverse plots resisted woody plant invasions

You don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s collapsed.” That’s how University of Guelph integrative biologists might recast a line from an iconic folk tune for their new research paper warning about the perils of ecosystem breakdown. Their research, published Feb. 5 as the cover story in Nature, suggests farmers and resource managers should not

Reeve slams province for not taking flood threat seriously

Sifton Reeve Rick Plaisier wants the premier to light a fire under his officials and 
deal with the threat posed by increased drainage in Saskatchewan

Fearing a repeat of 2011’s unprecedented flooding in the not-too-distant future, reeves representing southwestern Manitoba municipalities are demanding a meeting with Premier Greg Selinger to find out what is being done to prevent it. “What are they doing about water coming in from Saskatchewan?” asked Rick Plaisier, reeve of the RM of Sifton. “Are they