Exciting news for Saskatchewan residents who pooled together SGI rebates for conservation
Community support helps conserve endangered grasslands
With the support of public and private donors, the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), a not-for-profit, private land conservation organization, today announced a new conservation project in southern Saskatchewan. Located approximately an hour and 45 minutes from Regina, the Lonetree Lake property consists of 629 hectares of endangered grasslands and wetlands.
Many private donors contributed to the conservation of Lonetree Lake, including members of the Field of Dreams Facebook Group, initiated by University of Regina professor Marc Spooner. “It’s an initiative that turned our unexpected Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI) rebates and other donations into a permanent legacy by conserving endangered grasslands for future generations and species," said Spooner. “Remarkably, our group has raised $103,500 toward protecting the vibrant habitat found at Lonetree Lake. I’m excited to tour the property with NCC and the Field of Dreams Group. It will be a special moment where we can say that, together, we helped conserve this area for people and nature.”
The generosity of private donors such as the Field of Dreams group and the estates of Margaret Smith and Norman and Sophie Headford help make a long-lasting impact for nature by providing match funding for the financial support of several government partners. The Government of Canada is a major contributor through the Natural Heritage Conservation Program, part of Canada’s Nature Fund. The Government of Saskatchewan contributed through the Fish and Wildlife Development Fund. The project was also supported by funds from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
NCC’s Lonetree Lake property includes native and tame grassland, seasonal creeks, wetlands and shoreline habitats.The area is also a haven for wildlife listed under Canada’s Species at Risk Act, including burrowing owl (endangered), piping plover (endangered), loggerhead shrike (threatened), barn swallow (threatened), American badger (special concern) and northern leopard frog (special concern).
Grasslands are one of the rarest and most at-risk ecosystems in the world and are a critical part of Saskatchewan. They filter our water, help prevent flooding and droughts, sequester carbon and, for thousands of years, have provided sustenance for humans. They are also vital stopover sites for migratory birds and provide habitat for waterfowl and species at risk.
Projects such as this one are a testament to NCC’s leadership in accelerating the pace of conservation in Canada. In the past two years alone, the organization has influenced the protection of more than 1 million hectares (almost twice the size of Prince Edward Island), coast to coast to coast. Over the next few years, NCC will double its impact by mobilizing Canadians and delivering permanent, large-scale conservation.
In the face of rapid biodiversity loss and climate change, nature is our ally. There is no solution to either without nature conservation. The Nature Conservancy of Canada believes when nature thrives, we all thrive.
Quotes
“The community’s response around the Field of Dreams grasslands campaign was outstanding, and the initiative expanded into something incredible. Conserving endangered grasslands, wetlands and species at-risk would not be possible without the support of our partners and donors. Your support will benefit nature for generations to come.” – Jennifer McKillop, Vice-President for NCC’s Saskatchewan Region
“Our grasslands contribute to our prairie landscape and provide valuable benefits to our province. Protecting Lonetree Lake shows how Saskatchewan people can come together with acts of generosity, creating big benefits and advancing important conservation efforts such as this one.” – The Honourable Dana Skoropad, Minister of Environment, Government of Saskatchewan.
“The Field of Dreams project inspired many Saskatchewanians to leave a lasting legacy by generously pooling their Saskatchewan driver's licensing and vehicle registration (SGI) refunds to help tackle climate change and biodiversity loss. We are helping to protect the natural environment in Saskatchewan and across the country by working with private donors and partners, such as the Nature Conservancy of Canada, the Government of Saskatchewan, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Through programs such as the Natural Heritage Conservation Program, our government is making progress toward our goal of conserving a quarter of lands and oceans in Canada by 2025.” – The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Facts
- Over the past 25 years, Saskatchewan has lost more than 809,000 hectares of native grassland and now less than 20 per cent remains intact.
- People can support the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s work in Saskatchewan in protecting endangered grasslands, wetlands and the at-risk species that live there. Visit conservegrasslands.ca.
About
The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) is the nation's leading not-for-profit, private land conservation organization, working to protect our most important natural areas and the species they sustain. Since 1962, NCC and its partners have helped to protect 15 million hectares, coast to coast to coast. In Saskatchewan, NCC has protected 198,219 hectares of ecologically sensitive lands and waters. To learn more, visit natureconservancy.ca.
The Government of Canada’s Natural Heritage Conservation Program (NHCP) is a unique public-private partnership to support new protected and conserved areas by securing private lands and private interests in lands. The program is managed by the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC). Federal funds invested in the program are matched with contributions raised by NCC and its partners, Ducks Unlimited Canada and the country’s land trust community.
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