(Photo by Jason Bantle)

By Canadian Press

Zen-Ridge Property

New conservation site established near Consul, Sask.

Nov 5, 2020 | 8:56 AM

The Nature Conservancy of Canada and its partners have announced the protection of a new conservation site in the southwestern corner of Saskatchewan.

The Zen-Ridge property, which is near the village of Consul, is made up of 195 hectares of grassland one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world.

The property is located in the Milk River Basin Natural Area and also contains rolling hills and seasonal wetlands.

It’s home to a variety of plants and wildlife including the greater sage grouse and ferruginous hawks that are listed under Canada’s Species at Risk Act.

In a release, Michael Burak, the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s program director of southwest Saskatchewan, says the focus on conserving grasslands in Saskatchewan represents an opportunity to protect and revitalize what remains.

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Facts from the NCC

• The Zen-Ridge property is about an hour drive west of NCC’s Old Man on His Back Prairie Heritage and Conservation Area. Here you’ll find rolling grasslands, wetlands, tipi rings and a herd of genetically pure plains bison. The property is also designated a nocturnal preserve, providing spectacular views of the Milky Way. The area provides habitat for small herds of pronghorns and several imperiled species, such as burrowing owls, long-billed curlews, swift fox and ferruginous hawks.
• Saskatchewan’s native grasslands are among the rarest and most at-risk habitats in the world and a critical part of the province’s environment. For more information, visit conservegrasslands.ca.
• Over the past 25 years, Saskatchewan has lost more than 809,000 hectares (2 million acres) of native grassland. Today, less than 20 per cent of native grassland remains in the province.
• Grasslands filter our water, sequester and store carbon, and for thousands of years have provided sustenance for humans. They are also critical stopover sites for migratory birds and provide habitat for waterfowl and imperilled species.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 4, 2020.

The Canadian Press