Grasslands across the Prairies
Workshop brings together conservation ideas from Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Montana
The second annual Transboundary workshop was held in Swift Current on January 11-13, and the three day event focused on developing capacity for community-based prairie conservation.
The Transboundary grasslands partnership is a broad collection of organizations and individuals from from Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Montana who are passionate about grasslands. The partnership was formed in 2015, with a goal of maintaining the health and functioning of our shared native grasslands.
Temperate grasslands are one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world.
Chief Roy Fox, Makiinima, opened the workshop with a presentation on Sacred Sites and shared a movie trailer that marks the beginning of a series of documentary shorts reflecting on sacred relationships to sites and species throughout Blackfoot Traditional Territory. In his presentation he referenced the Blackfoot word “Nitai Saiyi”. The literal translation is “I have spoken like a crazy wolf”, but in general it is the term to mean “I Lied”. As new facts are revealed, and you learn that what you believed to be the truth is not quite right, “I lied” can be the opening for a conversation to discuss new ideas, and build on existing knowledge.
The transboundary workshop allowed professional researchers, conservationists, and land managers from Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Montana to share ideas, facts, test our own assumptions and and reflect on lessons learned. The science and knowledge of grassland management is always evolving and growing. Bringing a diverse group of people together to share their own experiences and perspectives is an important part of that growth.
Orin Balas and Kelsey Molloy, with the Saskatchewan and Montana chapters of the Ranchers Stewardship Alliance respectively, spoke about the importance of ranchers to maintaining sustainable grasslands. Balas referenced a new type of conservation program known as Results-based Conservation Agreements, which entices producers to make species at risk a management priority. These projects recognize the public benefit of species at risk habitat being provided on well managed private ranch lands.
Molloy commented “There is real value in our grasslands, and value in the role that ranchers play in managing them.”
Jeff Bectell is with the Waterton Biosphere Reserve Association. “It’s about the people that care and things that they do,” he said. He spoke to the importance of working with people in a way that works for them, the importance of knowing their concerns, and then telling that story to others.
Ian Dyson, with Alberta Environment and Parks, is one of the core organizers for the workshop. He spoke about the importance of landholders, tribes and First Nations, non government, environment and producer organizations, agencies and industry working together to promote grassland conservation.
“The high western plains and prairies of North America are our shared responsibility,” said Dyson. “This environment is our common heritage and no part of it respects borders. Collectively we can sustain our livelihoods, our cultures and the natural environment on one of the world’s last great grassland landscapes.”
Delegates from Montana look forward to hosting a similar workshop next winter. Information on the workshop is posted on the Prairie Conservation Forum site: http:// www.albertapcf.org/grasslandevents/transboundary. A complete Workshop Summary will soon be added to these materials.