Prairie Conservation Action Plan (Saskatchewan)

Join us for a Native Prairie Speaker Series Presentation – in Eastend, SK!
Home for Hawks: A Guide to Installing Ferruginous Hawk Nesting Platforms
Friday July 5th, 2024 at 7:00pm
Speaker: Tanner Stevens, Canadian Conservation Corps
At the Eastend Friday Night Farmer’s Market—Town Square
This presentation is FREE! Everyone welcome!
More Information: SK PCAP at 306.352.0472 or [email protected]

About this Presentation:
As a part of the Canadian Conservation Corps, Tanner Stevens is bringing awareness to the Ferruginous Hawk. North America’s largest hawk calls the prairies home; however, due to habitat loss and other factors are still a species at risk in Canada. Building an artificial nesting platform in suitable habitat not only helps with the recovery of the Ferruginous Hawk population but will also act as a natural rodent control.

About the Speaker:
Tanner grew up in Avonlea, Saskatchewan where his family has a small ranch. He followed the cattle to the University of Saskatchewan, where he graduated with a degree in Animal Bioscience. He now works as a wildlife biologist and spends his free time enjoying the grasslands and the plants and animals that call it home.

PCAP’s Native Prairie Speaker Series is a monthly presentation about prairie conservation or species at risk.
Hosted by: Saskatchewan Prairie Conservation Action Plan

Join us for a Native Prairie Speaker Series Presentation – in Val Marie, SK!
Home for Hawks: A Guide to Installing Ferruginous Hawk Nesting Platforms
Saturday July 6th, 2024 at 7:00pm
Speaker: Tanner Stevens, Canadian Conservation Corps
At the Val Marie Seniors Centre—111 Railway Ave. W in Val Marie, SK
This presentation is FREE! Everyone welcome!
More Information: SK PCAP at 306.352.0472 or [email protected]

About this Presentation:
As a part of the Canadian Conservation Corps, Tanner Stevens is bringing awareness to the Ferruginous Hawk. North America’s largest hawk calls the prairies home; however, due to habitat loss and other factors are still a species at risk in Canada. Building an artificial nesting platform in suitable habitat not only helps with the recovery of the Ferruginous Hawk population but will also act as a natural rodent control.

About the Speaker:
Tanner grew up in Avonlea, Saskatchewan where his family has a small ranch. He followed the cattle to the University of Saskatchewan, where he graduated with a degree in Animal Bioscience. He now works as a wildlife biologist and spends his free time enjoying the grasslands and the plants and animals that call it home.

PCAP’s Native Prairie Speaker Series is a monthly presentation about prairie conservation or species at risk.
Hosted by: Saskatchewan Prairie Conservation Action Plan

Join us for a Native Prairie Speaker Series Presentation – in Val Marie, SK!
Home for Hawks: A Guide to Installing Ferruginous Hawk Nesting Platforms
Saturday July 7th, 2024 at 7:00pm
Speaker: Tanner Stevens, Canadian Conservation Corps
At the Val Marie Seniors Centre—111 Railway Ave. W in Val Marie, SK
This presentation is FREE! Everyone welcome!
More Information: SK PCAP at 306.352.0472 or [email protected]

About this Presentation:
As a part of the Canadian Conservation Corps, Tanner Stevens is bringing awareness to the Ferruginous Hawk. North America’s largest hawk calls the prairies home; however, due to habitat loss and other factors are still a species at risk in Canada. Building an artificial nesting platform in suitable habitat not only helps with the recovery of the Ferruginous Hawk population but will also act as a natural rodent control.

About the Speaker:
Tanner grew up in Avonlea, Saskatchewan where his family has a small ranch. He followed the cattle to the University of Saskatchewan, where he graduated with a degree in Animal Bioscience. He now works as a wildlife biologist and spends his free time enjoying the grasslands and the plants and animals that call it home.

PCAP’s Native Prairie Speaker Series is a monthly presentation about prairie conservation or species at risk.
Hosted by: Saskatchewan Prairie Conservation Action Plan

Native Prairie Appreciation Week has been Sponsored by SaskEnergy. We appreciate the long time support and dedication from our partner! This week would not have been possible without them!

aturesask

Did you know that native prairie is one of the most productive and diverse terrestrial ecosystem? Wow! Unfortunately, across Canada there is less and less prairie remaining in its native state.

https://www.albertapcf.org/state-of-the-prairie

Congratulations to the winners of the 2024 Native Prairie Photo Contest!
Winner of the Wildflower category is Karla Rasmussen!
Winner of the Wildlife category is Samuel Davison!
Winner of the Landscape category is Melissa Turner!
We will be contacting you next week about your prizes!

Our Partner SODCAP has shared this video on their YouTube – Mother Earth from the Neekaneet First Nations.

This is a lovely way to close our Native Prairie Week Celebration!
https://youtube.com/shorts/DLPdiriaAdE?si=ksrRyATGjjxMySEh

June is the perfect time of year to look for Gaillardia! Also known as Blanket Flower, this tall flower give food and shelter to butterflies and bees. Look for this flower across the Southern Prairies: mixed-grass, tall-grass or fescue.

http://www.saskwildflower.ca/nat_Gaillardia%20aristata.html

What’s in Bloom? Ii you are in bare, eroded areas or badlands, keep an eye out for the Branched Umbrella Plant. This rare, shrubby plant has clustered flowers that are an important host for the rare Mormon Metalmark Butterfly.

Also known as the Fewflower buckwheat – an ironic name as it does have many, many flowers…

DYK: The mixed-grass prairie eco-region is home to the endangered Greater Short-horned Lizard? You can look for these “horny toads” on shale or juniper shrubs on hot days. Look carefully – they are only 64nches long when full grown! or are good places to look!

If you are in the Moose Jaw area tomorrow, swing by the Farmers Market and visit our booth. Celebrate Native Prairie Appreciation Week! FREE native Wildflower Seeds are available!

Remember to vote for your favourite Native Prairie Photo Contest entries before 5 PM June 21st! We have 3 photo albums of great photos for you to check out! VOTE! VOTE! VOTE!

DYK: PCAP has resources available for landowners and land managers.

https://www.pcap-sk.org/for-land-managers/resources

The native prairie ecosystem is home to many unique critters! This Common Nighthawk makes an iconic “Boom sound” as it dives for mosquitoes. Not common (or a hawk), this bird is listed as a threatened species.
Look for nighthawks flying like an acrobat at dusk or chillin’ on a fence during the day

What’s in Bloom?

When you hear the word “Wallflower,” what comes to mind?

This flower isn’t shy but earned its name by growing on fences and walls. It is actually related to mustards and brassicas. The Western Wallflower is unlike European wallflowers in that it grows on sandy or clayey surfaces or flat rocks and not vertical surfaces.



Image: Flickr Creative Commons/ Kerry Woods.

If you are in the Swift Current area, swing by the Farmers Market! Find our booth and we have FREE native wildflower seeds available for you!
Saturday morning @ Market Square!
We’ll be there!

Did you know the RSM has a collection of almost 10,000 birds, from over 400 different species? They have almost 300,00 insects AND they are DISCOVERING new species every year! They have a new website (www.birdseggsofcanada.ca) that is a great resources for the general public, landowners, industry, environmental consultants and more.

The RSM truly is a hub of prairie research and collections!

https://youtu.be/9zVSPk55ZHk

Native Prairie Speaker Series Presentation – in Eastend, SK!
Home for Hawks: A Guide to Installing Ferruginous Hawk Nesting Platforms
Friday July 5th, 2024 at 7:00pm
Speaker: Tanner Stevens, Canadian Conservation Corps
At the Eastend Friday Night Farmer’s Market—Town Square
This presentation is FREE! Everyone welcome!
More Information: SK PCAP at 306.352.0472 or [email protected]

About this Presentation:
As a part of the Canadian Conservation Corps, Tanner Stevens is bringing awareness to the Ferruginous Hawk. North America’s largest hawk calls the prairies home; however, due to habitat loss and other factors are still a species at risk in Canada. Building an artificial nesting platform in suitable habitat not only helps with the recovery of the Ferruginous Hawk population but will also act as a natural rodent control.

About the Speaker:
Tanner grew up in Avonlea, Saskatchewan where his family has a small ranch. He followed the cattle to the University of Saskatchewan, where he graduated with a degree in Animal Bioscience. He now works as a wildlife biologist and spends his free time enjoying the grasslands and the plants and animals that call it home.

PCAP’s Native Prairie Speaker Series is a monthly presentation about prairie conservation or species at risk.
Hosted by: Saskatchewan Prairie Conservation Action Plan

What’s in Bloom?
The Gumbo Evening Primrose is a gorgeous flower rising up out of the dry, cracked, gumbo mud. It’s flower opens a pure white at dusk. In effort to attract moths to pollinate it, over the course of the day, this flower gradually fades into a light pink and then a rose pink colour.

VOTE! VOTE! VOTE!
Participate in our annual Native Prairie Appreciation Week - Photo Contest!

Vote by “Liking” your favourite picture! Most votes in each category wins a prize!
Wildlife in Action - https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.861734872657792&type=3
Native Prairie Wildflower - https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.861738592657420&type=3
Native Prairie Landscape - https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.861742569323689&type=3

The mixed-grass prairie eco-region is home to many reptiles at risk. The Yellow-bellied Racer, Prairie Rattlesnake and Bullsnake are all species at risk that call the grasslands home.

DYK: The Bullsnake can mimic the rattlesnake? Not only does it have similar colouring, but when cornered, the bullsnake will shake its tail and make a rattling sound with its mouth!

Our Partner has an informative video about Nekaneet First Nations: Elders Sharing Prairie Plant Wisdom

https://youtu.be/gXVFVFluIN8?si=1-5xTSGlD7IpcNX1

Did you miss yesterday's FASCINATING lichen webinar?

The recording will be available for a limited time here: https://youtu.be/sCzsS0u29WQ

Wildlife and humans have coexisted on the prairies for decades. Pictured here is a red fox hiding in an abandoned homestead.

Its Native Prairie Appreciation Week! Stop and Smell the Flowers. At this time of year, roses are in bloom!

The Prairie Rose is a low growing shrub with a white or pink flower. Up to 40cm tall and found in the grasslands.
The Prickly Rose can be over 1m high and is common in aspen parklands.
The Woods Rose is commonly mistaken for the Prickly Rose – especially since they reach the same height and have similar habitats.
How to differentiate? The Prickly Rose stem has straight weak bristles.

Images:
Prairie Rose - Flickr Creative Commons/ Cecelia Alexander
Prickly Rose - Flickr Creative Commons/ Malcom Manners
Woods Rose – Flickr Creative Commons/ Matt Lavin

The native prairie ecosystem is an important part of Saskatchewan’s economy and culture. For over a century, people have grazed livestock on the Saskatchewan’s rangelands.



Image: Flickr Creative Commons/ Raymond Bucko, SJ

The Results of our Annual Youth Native Prairie Poster Contest are in!

Check out these GORGEOUS images by kids across the province. There is one winner and one runner-up in each age category, but they are all OUTSTANDING and it was a tough choice for our judges!

Feel free to share and tag this post if you know the winners!

Bison have existed on the prairie grasslands since the glaciers melted. Their hooves remove old dead grasses and allow new grasses to grow. Grass seeds attach to their fur coats and disperse. They also keep the grasslands well fertilized. Bison will even prevent shrubs and trees from encroaching in on their open prairie habitat.

www.npss.sk.ca