Buffalo Pound

Located northwest of Regina, the native grasslands surrounding Buffalo Pound Lake perform an essential job: filtering the drinking water relied on by about a quarter of Saskatchewan’s population. By conserving these endangered grasslands, we conserve clean water, support biodiversity and safeguard a landscape that communities rely on every day.

Small white flowers grow on a grassy slope overlooking a river under a bright, cloudy sky.

Table of contents

Location

Saskatchewan

Conserved since

2016

Habitat(s)

Grassland

Needs support now

Conserve places like this, forever

Donate now

Buffalo Pound at a glance

Nestled within the Upper Qu’Appelle Natural Area, we safeguard 2,655 acres of native grasslands around Buffalo Pound Lake.
These endangered grasslands filter drinking water for the cities of Regina and Moose Jaw.
Multiple at-risk species live here, including the Sprague’s pipit, bobolink, northern leopard frog and American badger.

Why are we here?

Buffalo Pound Lake is a vital natural asset for Saskatchewan. The native grasslands surrounding it filter drinking water for a significant portion of the population, in addition to storing carbon, reducing flooding, providing habitat for wildlife and supporting local livelihoods. But, unfortunately, prairie grasslands are also one of the most endangered ecosystems on Earth, making it increasingly important to keep this rare landscape intact. Together with our partners, we conserve and care for these grasslands so they can continue providing essential benefits for people, wildlife and communities for generations to come.

Building a more resilient Saskatchewan

The grasslands around Buffalo Pound Lake act like a natural filter, cleaning water before it reaches the lake. That matters to people across Saskatchewan: the lake supplies drinking water to about a quarter of the province’s population, including Regina, Moose Jaw and surrounding communities. They also absorb water and reduce the risk of flooding, making them an important part of a resilient landscape.

A home for prairie wildlife

Buffalo Pound sits within the Upper Qu’Appelle Natural Area, an important wildlife corridor in which native grasslands are home to a variety of wildlife, including at-risk species like Sprague’s pipit, bobolink, northern leopard frog and American badger. Conserving this area keeps this vital habitat connected so that at-risk species can not only survive, but thrive.

A place for people and nature to thrive

Buffalo Pound is a cherished place for hiking, swimming and kayaking, while surrounding grasslands support sustainable ranching and other land-based livelihoods. By conserving and caring for this landscape, we can keep its natural and community benefits flowing for generations to come.

A group of people walks along a grassy hillside overlooking a large body of water.

A person crouches in a grassy field overlooking a large lake and rolling hills.

What’s at stake?

Native grasslands are one of the world’s most endangered ecosystems, and the shores of Buffalo Pound Lake face increasing pressure from development. If this native prairie is lost, we risk losing the clean water it provides, the carbon it stores and the habitat it offers species.

What could be lost?

Losing the grasslands around Buffalo Pound Lake would mean losing vital habitat for wildlife, including at-risk species such as Sprague’s pipit and American badger. It would also put at risk the natural systems that provide important benefits to surrounding communities and sustain local livelihoods. Once native grasslands are disturbed or lost, the complex ecosystems that have developed over millennia can be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to restore.

Why does it matter?

Native prairie is among the most endangered ecosystems on Earth, with much of it already lost or fragmented. Safeguarding what remains is important because grasslands filter our air, provide essential habitat for wildlife, help mitigate floods and drought and help conserve water quality.

The value of Buffalo Pound reaches far beyond its grasslands. The lake and surrounding landscape support the well-being of people across Saskatchewan, including communities that rely on the lake for drinking water. Healthy grasslands also absorb water and reduce the risk of flooding, while supporting local ranching livelihoods and providing opportunities for hiking, swimming and kayaking. Conserving this landscape keeps these benefits in place for people and nature, today and for generations to come.

Why is action needed now?

Development pressures are growing around Buffalo Pound Lake, putting remaining endangered grasslands at greater risk. By conserving these areas now and caring for them through sustainable grazing, habitat restoration and invasive species management, we can keep this landscape healthy and connected. With more land still to conserve, there is an opportunity to build on the progress already made and conserve this natural treasure for generations to come.

Rolling grassy hills with scattered shrubs.

Together, we can keep Buffalo Pound’s native grasslands healthy, connected and conserved, so they can continue sustaining people and nature across Saskatchewan for generations to come.

Where the American badger calls home

With its powerful claws and unmistakable burrows, the American badger is built for life on the prairie. It digs into the soil to hunt small mammals and creates burrows for shelter, resting and raising its young. Healthy, open grasslands provide the soil, space and prey this remarkable animal needs to survive. By conserving Buffalo Pound’s native prairie, we can conserve habitat for American badgers and other at-risk grassland species that depend on connected grasslands to find food, raise their young and flourish.

An American badger sits in the green grass near a dirt mound.

"By conserving these native grasslands, we are protecting drinking water, supporting biodiversity and keeping this landscape healthy and accessible for people and wildlife alike."

Andrea Laughren, Regional Vice-President, Prairie Region, NCC

A woman in a black jacket smiles in a snowy landscape with bare bushes.

Three people conduct fieldwork in a grassy landscape overlooking a lake.

The plan in action

Conserving Buffalo Pound’s native grasslands takes ongoing care. Together with our partners, we keep the prairie healthy through sustainable grazing, restoration of native grassland and management of invasive species.

Conserve

We work collaboratively to permanently conserve high-priority grasslands, focusing on areas where large, intact prairie landscapes remain. By building networks of conserved lands, we maintain connected habitat where wildlife can not only survive, but thrive.

Partner

We work with local cattle producers, using sustainable grazing as a conservation tool. Carefully managed grazing maintains diverse, native plant communities; keeps invasive species at bay; and creates healthy habitats for grassland species.

Care

Where native prairie has been altered, we restore it by bringing back native species and the natural functions that make grasslands valuable for people and nature. But conservation doesn’t end there. We monitor grassland health, manage invasive species, conserve water sources and wildlife habitat, and support healthy grazing practices. This ongoing care keeps Saskatchewan’s grasslands healthy, connected and resilient.

Conserve places like this, forever

Donate now

Our partners

Conservation at Buffalo Pound is made possible with K+S Potash Canada, the Government of Saskatchewan, and generous donors who care about clean water and native grasslands.

Since 2016, K+S has contributed over $2 million toward NCC’s native grassland projects through offset agreements associated with the initial development and now expansion of the company’s Bethune mine. The funds provided through these agreements have directly supported the conservation and management of 1,655 acres of conserved habitat to date.