Huge tract of grasslands preserved
HANNEKE BROOYMANS
An anonymous Edmontonian has donated 412 hectares of rare native grasslands and shrublands, an area about the size of Vancouver’s Stanley Park, to the Nature Conservancy of Canada.
Only a third of the country’s original grasslands remain, sheltering increasingly rare plants and animals, such as sharp-tailed grouse and piping plovers.
The donated property is located near the Alberta/Saskatchewan border southeast of Wainwright. Aside from its rich biodiversity, the site also holds historical significance, including remnants of the original buildings of the hamlet of Cairns and traces of the historic Hardisty Trail.
“The grasslands is one of the most threatened ecosystems in North America,” said Larry Simpson, regional vice-president of the conservancy’s Alberta region.
“If you measure their health by virtue of grassland bird species, for whatever reason grassland bird species is a group that is falling more rapidly than any other bird group in North America. So every step you take, every little bit you can do, is a step in the right direction.”
Once a property is donated, the conservancy develops detailed land stewardship plans to ensure the site’s natural integrity is maintained and protected for the long term.
The Cairns land was donated under the federal ecological gifts program. This program provides tax incentives for owners of certified ecologically sensitive land wishing to donate their land for conservation purposes.
These tax benefits were strengthened recently with the elimination of the capital gains tax in the 2006 federal budget.
The Cairns property announcement is part of the conservancy’s ongoing efforts to leave a lasting natural legacy for Canadians.
The conservancy also announced nine other “Gifts to Canadians” across the country, one from each province, totalling approximately 16 square kilometres (1,593 hectares).
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