wetlands

Conservation leaders join forces on largest private grassland project in Canadian history

Conservation leaders join forces on largest private grassland project in Canadian history

The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) and Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) are working together to conserve one of the largest remaining tracts of intact Prairie grasslands and wetlands in Canada. McIntyre Ranch, located south of Lethbridge, will be conserved through an agreement (conservation easement) between the landowners and the two organizations. This 130-year-old ranch is one of the largest private landholdings in Canada, and spans over 22,000 hectares — an area more than a quarter the size of Calgary.

Saskatchewan landowners say illegal drainage is washing out land, roads downstream

Saskatchewan landowners say illegal drainage is washing out land, roads downstream

Brent Fry, who farms grain and livestock, said it's common for his land to flood for three days when people upstream get 50 millimetres of rain. He said it has caused roads and access points to erode. "There are about four farms out there and all they're doing is draining whether they've got permission or not," Fry said. "I don't even know what to do because the government's not doing anything — they're siding with the big guys."

Protecting Saskatchewan’s waterways and wetlands

Protecting Saskatchewan’s waterways and wetlands

Saskatchewan is known for its many beautiful lakes and abundance of fresh water and wetlands. Helping to protect the province’s natural resource of water is the Saskatchewan Association of Watersheds. The association’s executive director, Bridget Andrews, explains the work they do and how the public can help protect Saskatchewan’s waterways.

Water matters here

Water matters here

I discovered one obvious reality when I moved to Manitoba in 2001: water is a big, big issue here. And it’s often news. Farm news. Agriculture news. Winnipeg news. Indigenous news. Environmental news. Sometimes it even gets to be national news. Whether it’s floods, droughts, water pollution, drainage, wetlands, sewage plant costs or Canada-U.S. river crossings, water issues are often the most important in the province.

Nadina Gardiner on the Saskatchewan River Delta

Nadina Gardiner on the Saskatchewan River Delta

WWF-Canada’s Beyond Targets report proposes a new model for protected and conserved area establishment in Canada — one that prioritizes the advancement of Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs) and Indigenous rights and title, as well as areas that support nature-based solutions for both biodiversity and climate. In it, we spotlight four IPCAs, including the Saskatchewan River Delta (Kitaskīnaw), a 9,706 square kilometre inland water delta, the largest in North America.

Wings Over Water documentary captivates audiences with a bird's eye view of the Prairies TELUS World of Science - Edmonton hosts Canadian premiere of 3D IMAX® film

Wings Over Water documentary captivates audiences with a bird's eye view of the Prairies TELUS World of Science - Edmonton hosts Canadian premiere of 3D IMAX® film

A stunning new nature documentary, Wings Over Water, will make its Canadian debut this Friday at the TELUS World of Science - Edmonton. The IMAX® film follows the migratory journeys of three bird species that make remarkable, and often harrowing, flights to the wetlands of North America's prairies to breed and raise their young. Audiences will be captivated by the stories of the sandhill crane, yellow warbler and mallard as they soar across one of the most important—yet little known—ecosystems on the continent.

To be resilient, the Canadian Prairie needs lots of wetlands

To be resilient, the Canadian Prairie needs lots of wetlands

In the Canadian Prairies, wetland drainage has resulted in the loss of more than 40 percent of natural wetlands. The impacts associated with this drainage are largely unmitigated. Wetlands are key ecosystem features that provide numerous services, like water purification, that are integral to social and ecological systems. Because wetlands occur largely in depressions, they regulate stream flow by acting as reservoirs for snow and rain, and many are places where groundwater can be replenished. In the prairie climate, the presence of water lends these systems to being a crucial habitat for many organisms.

Young Innovators: New U of S app tracks causes of algae bloom

Young Innovators: New U of S app tracks causes of algae bloom

A new University of Saskatchewan smartphone app will help farmers and communities identify hotspots of nutrient contamination in freshwaters and possibly predict where algae blooms — slimy, plant-like green organisms that hinder water quality — are likely to grow. “Tracking how and where agricultural nutrients, which help crops grow, may be washed away with rainfalls and snowmelt is a major concern for both researchers and the public, and that’s where our app comes in,” said Environment and Climate Change Canada scientist Diogo Costa.