Nature Conservancy of Canada protects corridor of at-risk grasslands
Fescue grasslands, limber pine forests protected as part of conservation group’s securement in southern foothills
The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) is announcing a new conservation site nestled in the rolling Porcupine Hills of southwestern Alberta.
Together with an adjacent existing NCC conservation site, this project will form a single protected block of almost 1,900 hectares. Its conservation will add to almost 7,700 hectares of protected areas along the eastern edge of the Porcupine Hills, of which 87 per cent was conserved in partnership by NCC, local ranchers and other landowners. Protecting this property will also help further connect nearby conserved lands in the Livingstone Range through Bob Creek Wildland, the Waldron and King Ranches, and across the Porcupine Hills.
Located west of Claresholm in the Municipal District of Willow Creek, this 643-hectare project supports a rich diversity of ecosystems, from riparian habitats surrounding Trout Creek, to rolling fescue grasslands and montane forests, as well as at-risk bird species and imperilled limber pine.
Grasslands are one of the most at-risk ecosystems on the planet. This new project is situated in the Foothills Fescue Natural Subregion, where grassland ecosystems are dominated by rough fescue, Alberta’s provincial grass. Because rough fescue grasslands are sensitive to disturbances, frequently outcompeted by introduced plant species and slow to regenerate, they are a priority for conservation.
Over 80 per cent of this project’s area features high-quality fescue grasslands. Protecting this ecosystem will maintain habitat for grassland wildlife, including Sprague’s pipit, a songbird listed as threatened under the federal Species at Risk Act (SARA), and nutritious winter forage for deer, elk and cattle.
This site also features 96 hectares of provincially rare riverbank habitat surrounding Trout Creek, a fish-bearing watercourse that is part of the Oldman Watershed. This habitat is home to the bank swallow, which is threatened under SARA.
Trout Creek once supported viable populations of at-risk westslope cutthroat trout, another SARA-listed threatened species, and may still harbour a remnant population of them. Conserving lands surrounding the creek is necessary for its restoration, which was identified as a key step in recovering this species.
At its highest elevations, the site also features montane forests with a population of limber pine, a species listed as endangered in Alberta under the Wildlife Act. Limber pine is declining rapidly across its range due to several factors, including white pine blister rust, an introduced fungal pathogen.
A conservation agreement between NCC and the property’s landowner voluntarily restricts development and conversion rights on the land. This legal agreement will ensure that the property continues operating as a working cattle ranch, while maintaining the landscape in a natural, healthy, unfragmented state.
This project showcases how NCC is accelerating the pace of conservation in Canada. In the past two years alone, NCC has influenced the protection of more than 1 million hectares (almost twice the size of Banff National Park), coast to coast to coast. Over the next few years, the organization 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. When nature thrives, we all thrive.
This project was made possible by funding from the Government of Canada, through the Natural Heritage Conservation Program, part of Canada’s Nature Fund, and the Government of Alberta’s Land Trust Grant Program.
A portion of this project was donated to the Nature Conservancy of Canada under the Government of Canada’s Ecological Gifts Program. This program provides enhanced tax incentives for individuals or corporations who donate ecologically significant land.
Quotes
“While these newly conserved lands are significant for the habitats and species they contain, NCC’s major achievement here is further strengthening the protection of nature in Alberta's southern foothills in partnership with the ranching community. By expanding this conservation area, we are laying another block toward realizing our goal of building large and robust networks of conserved and sustainable working landscapes.” – Tom Lynch-Staunton, Regional Vice-President, Nature Conservancy of Canada
“This area contains such a rich array of habitats. From Trout Creek, which supports several fish species and shorebirds, to its fescue grasslands, which are important for grazing elk and nesting songbirds, and to the ridgetop forests with imperilled limber pine, this place is home to some of Alberta’s most important and iconic species.” – Lee Moltzahn, Natural Area Manager, Nature Conservancy of Canada
“The twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss are two sides of the same coin, and we must tackle them together. By working with partners such as the Nature Conservancy of Canada and generous landowners, we are helping to protect the natural environment in Alberta and across the country. Through the Natural Heritage Conservation Program and the Ecological Gifts Program, the Government of Canada is making progress toward its goal of conserving a quarter of lands and oceans in Canada by 2025.” – The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change
“Alberta is committed to the sustainable conservation of its rich, diverse landscapes for future generations. We are pleased and proud to support this important project, which serves as a great example of what we can accomplish when we work together to conserve Alberta’s amazing natural habitat.” – Whitney Issik, Minister of Environment and Parks
Facts
- NCC employs a rigorous, science-based approach to prioritize its conservation efforts. The entire site was assessed to be of the highest priority for protection by NCC.
- This new site features includes core habitat for grizzly bear, a species at risk in Alberta observed on the property and that requires large home ranges and is sensitive to landscape fragmentation.
- At-risk bird species observed on or near the property include golden eagle (sensitive in Alberta), ferruginous hawk (threatened federally, at risk in Alberta), great blue heron (sensitive), eastern kingbird (sensitive) and sharp-tailed grouse (sensitive).
- This project is within a provincial Environmentally Significant Area, meaning it plays a key role in the long-term health of the natural habitat, landscape features and natural processes, as defined by Alberta Parks.
About
The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) is the country’s unifying force for nature. NCC seeks solutions to the twin crises of rapid biodiversity loss and climate change through large-scale, permanent land conservation. As a trusted partner NCC works with people, communities, businesses and government to protect and care for our country’s most important natural areas. Since 1962, NCC has brought Canadians together to conserve and restore more than 15 million hectares. 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.
The Government of Alberta created the Alberta Land Trust Grant program in 2011 — a program designed to support land trusts such as the Nature Conservancy of Canada to assist in the purchase of conservation agreements on ecologically significant landscapes and donations of land with high conservation value.
To learn more about the Ecological Gifts Program, please visit https://www.canada.ca/ecological-gifts
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