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'Victory for nature': Grasslands west of Claresholm protected by new conservation agreement

The 643-hectare property in the MD of Willow Creek will be combined with another section of wilderness already protected in the Porcupine Hills

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A section of natural grasslands and limber pine forests located in the foothills south of Calgary will be protected under a new agreement with local landowners.

The Nature Conservancy of Canada said a 643-hectare property in the MD of Willow Creek, west of Claresholm, will be combined with another section of wilderness already protected in the Porcupine Hills.

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Sean Feagan, Alberta spokesperson for the Nature Conservancy of Canada, said the property is located where the Great Plains bump up against the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. He said the area is home to species representative of both ecosystems, including grassland birds and large mammals such as grizzly bear and elk.

Feagan said the protection of the grasslands is especially important.

The unique area is home to grassland birds and large mammals such as grizzly bear and elk.
The unique area is home to grassland birds and large mammals such as grizzly bear and elk. Photo by Brent Calver /Nature Conservancy of Canada

“It’s difficult to overstate the plight of prairie grasslands in Canada, given how much we have lost and the rate at which they continue to be lost from the landscape,” said Feagan. “So anytime you conserve prairie grasslands is a big victory for nature. And that’s especially true in this case where we are conserving hundreds of hectares.”

Also receiving protection are endangered limber pine trees. That type of tree is facing threats from several factors, including a fungal pathogen called white pine blister rust.

In addition to grasslands and foothills lands, 96 hectares of riverbank habitat around Trout Creek will be protected. The creek once had population of at-risk westslope cutthroat trout. According to a release from the Nature Conservancy of Canada, protecting land around the creek could be a key step in recovering the species.

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The land is now protected through conservation easements, which will let the landowners retain ownership while agreeing not to do things such as develop the property or drain wetlands.

Cattle graze on fields in the protected area.
Cattle graze on fields in the protected area. Photo by Brent Calver /Nature Conservancy of Canada

The area will remain as a working cattle ranch.

The new protections were made possible by funding from the Government of Canada, through the Natural Heritage Conservation Program, part of Canada’s Nature Fund, and the Government of Alberta’s Land Trust Grant Program.

Whitney Issik, Minister of Environment and Parks, said Alberta is committed to the sustainable conservation of its rich, diverse landscapes for future generations.

“We are pleased and proud to support this important project, which serves as a great example of what we can accomplish when we work together to conserve Alberta’s amazing natural habitat.”

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