Nature Conservancy of Canada and local family protect grasslands in Manitoba
Conserving endangered grasslands on a working landscape
A local family with a long connection to the land has partnered with the Nature Conservancy of Canada to ensure that an important stretch of Manitoba nature is protected for its endangered grassland. The charitable organization is announcing the conservation of the Langford Escarpment project, situated 15 kilometres southeast of the Town of Neepawa.
The 178-hectare Langford Escarpment project was first homesteaded by the Harper family in the early 1900s and was home to several generations. According to Judith Harper, “that the property is donated and conserved for the benefit of nature seems the most fitting way to honour my family and the land.”
This project is a high priority for grassland conservation and the economy due to its connection to the Langford Community Pasture. NCC looks forward to collaborating with local livestock producers and partners to continue the property’s historical grazing management, which will provide the appropriate disturbance to allow the grasslands, and the species that call it home, to flourish.
Other natural habitats on Langford Escarpment include oak savannah, aspen and oak forest, creeks and basin wetlands. NCC’s land purchase will ensure a continued future for many wildlife species in the area, including moose, elk, black bear, ruffed and sharp-tailed grouse, wood duck, blue-winged teal and red-tailed hawk. Species at risk, such as golden-winged warbler, red-headed woodpecker, common-night hawk and eastern wood-pewee, rely on many habitats on the property.
NCC wishes to thank the Harper family, who generously donated 25 per cent of the value of the property. Purchase of the remainder of the project was made possible in part by the Government of Canada, through the Natural Heritage Conservation Program, part of Canada’s Nature Fund. NCC thanks the many private donors who have also given support. People and organizations wishing to learn more and contribute may do so by contacting manitoba@natureconservancy.ca.
Quotes
“The key to saving grasslands is working together on the land in a way that brings together nature, culture and the economy. Families like the Harpers, and partners like the Association of Manitoba Community Pastures, are just a few of the people responsible for the existence of grasslands in Manitoba today. We are honoured to be a part of this story and look forward to continuing to move forward for a better tomorrow.” – Josh Dillabough, Natural Area Manager, Nature Conservancy of Canada
“The conservation of these lands is an important linkage to the Langford Community Pasture. We’d like to thank the Harper family and the Nature Conservancy of Canada for their foresight in conserving this important working landscape and look forward to continuing to work together.” – Barry Ross, General Manager, Association of Manitoba Community Pastures
“Manitobans deeply appreciate both the beauty and value of the Prairies, which define some of the province’s most iconic landscapes. Working in partnership with the Nature Conservancy of Canada, our government is helping to protect native prairie grasslands in Manitoba, which play a critical role in the recovery of species at risk, like the golden-winged warbler and the eastern wood-pewee. These investments are part of our national conservation campaign to protect 30 percent of land and water in Canada by 2030. Protecting the natural environment in Manitoba reflects our whole-of-society approach to meet our conservation goals.” – The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Facts
· Canada’s iconic prairie grasslands are one of the most endangered and least protected ecosystems on the planet. More than 80 per cent of the prairie grasslands have already been converted and the loss continues.
· The Langford Escarpment conservation project exemplifies a dedicated commitment to safeguarding grasslands under NCC’s Prairie Grasslands Action Plan — a cross-country comprehensive strategy aimed to conserve more than 500,000 hectares by 2030. This is equivalent to what we will lose if we don’t act now to protect the grasslands that remain. Learn more about how you can take action to care for Canada’s iconic Prairie grasslands at prairiegrasslands.ca.
· Partnership is at the heart of the plan. Only with a whole-of-society approach can we hope to slow the loss of Prairie grasslands. NCC is working with local communities and in collaboration with Indigenous Nations on a multitude of projects. It is partnering with landowners, industry, government and other conservation organizations to complete conservation projects on the ground. NCC is advancing stewardship with ranchers, livestock producers and grazing groups to deliver solutions that ensure that grasslands remain a foundation for thriving communities.
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 partnership that supports the creation and recognition of protected and conserved areas through the acquisition of private land and private interest in land. To date, the Government of Canada has invested $500 million in the Program, which has been matched with more than $1 billion in contributions raised by the Nature Conservancy of Canada, Ducks Unlimited Canada and the country’s land trust community leading to the protection and conservation of over 840,000 hectares of ecologically sensitive lands.
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