Sagebrush Flats

Greater sage-grouse (Photo by Gordon Court)

Nestled in southern Alberta, Sagebrush Flats presents a significant opportunity to save Canada's vanishing Prairie grasslands. With 80 per cent already lost, securing this rare and ecologically diverse area will directly support NCC's ambitious goal of conserving 500,000 hectares of grasslands by 2030. Your support today becomes a crucial step in ensuring the survival of this vital ecosystem and the diversity of life it sustains.

Prairie grasslands: Nature’s unsung hero

Prairie grasslands are one of the most endangered — and least protected — ecosystems on the planet. Far more than picturesque vistas, grasslands are like upside-down forests, storing billions of tonnes of carbon through their deep root systems. In addition to vital carbon storage, grasslands grow food, filter water, mitigate flooding, attract pollinators and protect against drought. Saving what remains is one of the most urgent and important actions we can take to counter the effects of climate change and secure our future.

Sagebrush Flats: A conservation opportunity

Spanning 1,030 hectares, Sagebrush Flats is a stunning representation of the incredible Prairie grassland ecosystem that once stretched across the Great Plains.

Renard véloce (Photo Pat Gaines/Getty Images)

With its extensive grasslands and diverse habitats, this area plays a pivotal role in protecting biodiversity, landscape features and natural processes.

Home to an array of species, including swift fox, ferruginous hawk and prairie falcon, Sagebrush Flats is a vital sanctuary for the incredible wildlife that thrive in the grasslands.

Also, being recognized as part of the Sage Creek Important Bird Area (IBA), the completion of this project signifies a crucial step in addressing the rapid decline of grassland bird habitat in Canada.

Sagebrush Flats is designated as critical habitat for greater sage-grouse, one of Canada's fastest-declining endangered species.

Greater sage-grouse (Photo by US Bureau of Land Management)

Despite ongoing recovery efforts, the imperilled sage-grouse population continues to decline, underscoring the urgency for further conservation initiatives.

Sagebrush Flats also encompasses vital habitat and movement corridors for pronghorn, an iconic species facing threats from habitat loss and fragmentation.

Don’t let the Prairie grasslands slip away

By investing in Sagebrush Flats, you will help secure a future for our grasslands and the myriad life they sustain. With less than 20 per cent of Prairie grasslands remaining in Canada, and only six per cent currently protected, the situation has reached a crisis level.

Join us in this collective effort to conserve Sagebrush Flats and Canada’s Prairie grasslands. As we work together, we safeguard not just land, but a legacy for both people and the planet. This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to protect the delicate balance of our planet, slow the pace of climate change and leave a conservation legacy that will be felt for generations to come.

Thank you to our partners — Environment and Climate Change Canada and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation — for your invaluable support of the Sagebrush Flats project.