Manitoba community leads the way in conserving nature and supporting local livelihoods

North Cypress-Langford demonstrates how communities can protect nature while maintaining local economies and resilience

September 10, 2026

A group of people walks through a grassy field towards a line of trees.

North Cypress-Langford, MB (September 10, 2026) – The Municipality of North Cypress-Langford and the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), along with community members, government officials and supporters, came together last month to celebrate the conservation of more than 1,300 hectares of land just east of Brandon, including endangered grassland habitat.

Driven by a shared commitment to the future of the community, North Cypress-Langford partnered with NCC to secure one of the municipality’s most valuable natural assets.

Local leadership, lasting impact

Prairie grasslands are among the most at-risk ecosystems on Earth, despite the benefits they deliver to communities. In North Cypress-Langford, these landscapes:

store carbon deep in roots and soil, supporting climate resilience
filter and retain water, benefiting communities, agriculture and local watersheds
support land-based livelihoods like ranching that contribute to the local economy

Recognizing these benefits, North Cypress-Langford and NCC partnered to invest in the long-term stewardship of the municipality’s natural landscape, ensuring future generations can continue to benefit from the land and waters that support their community.

A meeting point for nature

Located in the Assiniboine Delta, the North Cypress-Langford conservation area is home to one of the last large, intact blocks of mixed-grass prairie in Manitoba. It supports a diverse range of forest, wetlands and Great Plains Prairie species, like prairie skink, yellow rail and various rare milkweeds.

The lands also capture and filter water that feeds the Assiniboine Delta aquifer, one of Manitoba’s largest groundwater resources. This critical resource supplies drinking water to communities, businesses and agricultural operations throughout the region.

Continued sustainable grazing by local livestock producers will help to maintain the natural processes that grasslands depend on, while also supporting local communities and economies.

By bringing together municipal leadership, producers, community members and conservation partners, North Cypress-Langford and NCC are demonstrating a practical, locally driven approach to conserving working landscapes that can serve as an example for communities across Manitoba and beyond.

Quotes

“This project is about grassroots, in all senses of the term. The leadership of the rural municipality of North-Cypress-Langford serves as a model for communities across Canada: enabled by strong partnerships and a shared vision for long-term prosperity, this project shows that livelihoods and community well-being can grow together with nature.”

– Andrea Laughren, Vice President, Prairies Region, Nature Conservancy of Canada

“To build a lasting legacy for future generations by responsibly setting aside resources today — that is our vision for a sustainable future. Our reserve fund will provide a sustainable foundation for protecting our natural environment, safeguarding the aquifer, supporting the health and well-being of our community, strengthening our local economy, and preserving the heritage that defines who we are. By investing in the priorities that matter most, we will protect what we have, prepare for what lies ahead, and ensure that our community remains a vibrant, resilient, and sustainable place for generations to come.”

– Rob Van Kommer, Councillor, Municipality of North Cypress-Langford

“Grasslands have supported food systems for wildlife and humans throughout history. Protecting the grasslands of North Cypress-Langford is an important step in advancing Canada’s efforts to address climate change and conserve our natural landscapes. With support from the federal government’s Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund and Nature Conservancy of Canada, community members are safeguarding intact prairie in Manitoba that stores carbon, supports sustainable grazing, and strengthens the resilience of local communities across the Prairies.”

– The Honourable Julie Dabrusin Minister of the Environment, Climate Change and Nature

“Prairie grasslands are an important part of Canada’s natural heritage and are integral to the working landscapes that sustain rural communities. Conserving more than 1,300 hectares of intact mixed-grass prairie in North Cypress-Langford will help protect habitat for wildlife, store carbon, support healthy soils and water resources, and sustain the ranching and agricultural activities that are part of this landscape. This community-led effort shows what is possible when conservation and sustainable land use work hand in hand.”

– The Honourable Nathalie Provost, Secretary of State (Nature)

How you can help

NCC is working with communities across Canada to care for the landscapes that sustain us all. Learn more about how you can help at natureconservancy.ca.

Acknowledgements

This project was made possible with the support of the Government of Canada through the Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund, Jim Richardson, Katharine & John Schulz, Richardson Foundation, The Winnipeg Foundation, and many other private donors and supporters.

Facts

Grasslands support food systems by sustaining livestock production and the pollinators, soil health, pest control and nutrient cycling that contribute to crop growth.
More than 80 per cent of Canada’s prairie grasslands have already been lost, making them one of the most threatened ecosystems in the country.
For thousands of years, grasslands have provided sustenance for wildlife and humans. These relationships continue to have ecological, cultural and economic significance, and we proudly collaborate with many communities stewarding the grassland.
Funds received through the conservation interest will support North Cypress-Langford’s future, supporting long-term municipal priorities, and creating lasting benefits for current and future residents.

Images

North Cypress-Langford

About

Since 1962, the Nature Conservancy of Canada has brought people together to protect the lands and waters that sustain us all. As an environmental charity working hand in hand with communities, Indigenous Nations, governments and businesses, we deliver nature-based solutions at a scale no one else can. Our conservation work safeguards clean air and water, stores carbon and reduces the risks of floods and wildfires — protecting our health, strengthening local economies and building more resilient communities. Together, we unlock nature’s power, so life can thrive.

Canada’s Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund (NSCSF) is a $1.4 billion, ten-year fund (2021–2031) administered by Environment and Climate Change Canada to help conserve, restore, and enhance the management of ecosystems such as wetlands, forests, and grasslands, in order to help tackle the dual crises of climate change and biodiversity loss. The NSCSF will focus on three main objectives: (1) conserving carbon-rich ecosystems at high risk of conversion to other uses that would release their stored carbon; (2) improving land management practices to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and (3) restoring degraded ecosystems. Overall, these projects will contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and increased carbon sequestration, while also providing benefits for biodiversity and human well-being.

Contact

Nature Conservancy of Canada
E: media@natureconservancy.ca

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