The Yarrow
The Yarrow (Photo by Brent Calver)
Along the Rocky Mountains of southwestern Alberta is a special place where you can still encounter roaming grizzly bears and see waves of native grass ripple across the prairie. This area along the Waterton Park Front, where grasslands sweep out from pristine headwaters nestled in the Rocky Mountains, represents Canada’s remaining great plains.
The Yarrow is an extraordinary 1,650 hectares of dazzling natural beauty, and ecological and species diversity — it's a home for life. Traversed by Yarrow Creek and dotted with vibrant wetlands, this landscape boasts an incredible array of micro-habitat types, with 40 different plant communities represented across the property. Recognizing its unique significance, the Fischer-Cuthbertson family has worked closely with the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) to protect this precious landscape for the long term.
Charlie Fischer (Photo by Fischer-Cuthbertson family)
“For our family, we feel we can honour Charlie’s vision for this beautiful location — a spectacular landscape which he loved and wished to conserve — by ensuring it will thrive for generations.”
Fischer-Cuthbertson Family
What is at risk
The unique topography and flora of The Yarrow make it an ideal home for wildlife, with over 100 distinct wildlife species documented on the property, including 27 federally and provincially designated vulnerable species. An established great blue heron rookery overlooks the winding creek, sharp-tailed grouse dance on the prairie, and large, roaming species — like grizzly bear, cougar, wolf, moose and elk — all thrive in this incredible place. Conservation of this rich mixture of foothills parkland and fescue grassland — intersected by over three kilometres of Yarrow Creek — will support not only the species that live here, but the health and well-being of our headwaters, security of our food production and protection of nature’s beauty for generations.
Trumpeter swan (Photo by NCC)
Grizzly bear (Photo by Jenel Bode)
Western (boreal) toad (Photo by NCC)
Nature needs you
Throughout the last 30 years, NCC has protected over 13,000 hectares in the greater Waterton Park Front area. These conserved lands provide an important buffer for the neighbouring national and provincial parks and the species that depend on them. NCC’s conservation buffer provides wildlife with lowland habitat and improves their ability to move across the landscape. Your donation to conserve The Yarrow will directly build on these efforts, adding to the larger community of conservation in this highly threatened area.
“Working with Charlie Fischer and Joanne Cuthbertson to assemble The Yarrow property is one of the highlights of my 35 years with NCC. This generous opportunity ensures the permanent protection of a working landscape, outstanding not only for its natural beauty but also for the number of rare species it contains.”
Larry Simpson, Conservation & Strategic Philanthropy Advisor, NCC
A conservation legacy
Thanks to generous supporters like you, we have conserved The Yarrow for generations. Contact us today to learn more about this project or discover how your support can conserve more of Alberta's incredible places.
Tracy Latham
Tracy Lynn Latham, who passed away in the Porcupine Hills on March 6, 2024, at the age of 63, served as the Ranch Manager at The Yarrow for many years.
Tracy was happiest when she was doing what she loved: living her life on the ranch, surrounded by untamed nature, wildlife, and her loyal dogs by her side. We at NCC wish to recognize her invaluable contributions and are honoured to have played a role in conserving The Yarrow, a place that Tracy deeply loved. Tracy's spirit and dedication to caring for nature continue to inspire us all.
Lynne Hately
Director of Development & Communications
Nature Conservancy of Canada - Alberta Region
(587) 227-4684
lynne.hately@natureconservancy.ca
