Supporting Grasslands Through Practical Programming
Supporting Grasslands Through Practical Programming
Saskatchewan is well known for its long history of ranching and these remaining ranchers make up a large portion of the people left protecting our disappearing native grasslands. The Saskatchewan Stock Growers Foundation (SSGF) works with ranchers and landowners to not only protect but improve rangeland health through programming and long term support for landowners.
SSGF programs are both flexible and practical at their bare bones, two necessary approaches needed for project success. The SSGF is rooted in the belief that supporting ranchers supports the conservation of native grasslands and without these dedicated land stewards, our grasslands would suffer.
The wide array of SSGF programs have the ability to fit into most operation needs, including projects on rangelands that work to improve grazing practices or signing an easement on a piece of land they believe should be protected long term. The flexibility of our programs compliment the day to day tasks of ranching.
For potential projects on grasslands, landowners can explore SSGF Habitat Agreements. There are multiple types of agreements we offer but our most popular are Habitat Management Agreements or Habitat Restoration Agreements. They can range from 15 to 30 years in length but are not tied to the land title.
Habitat Restoration Agreements are applicable for native seeding projects. We require a long term commitment of 30 years from the landowner where cultivated land is converted back to perennial cover using native plant species. These are incredibly important projects because they connect fragmented areas of grasslands back together and create both biodiverse habitat for wildlife and species at risk but also a long term, resilient grazing resource for the landowner.
Whereas our Habitat Management Agreements can include numerous projects or infrastructure needs and are typically 15 years in length. Projects such as cross fencing can easily be implemented to defer grazing on native grasslands until later in the year and or when the vegetation is less sensitive to animal disturbance. It can also be used to force livestock to graze areas that are typically less desirable and while allowing other areas of pasture more time to rest and recover.
Fencing can also be used to protect riparian areas. Fencing off water sources can improve water quality while protecting riverbanks and shorelines from disruption, in turn, improving habitat for the wildlife that rely on intact riparian areas. Our fencing projects also focus on wildlife friendly options when applicable.
Aside from fencing, there is also funding for invasive weed management. Typically, these projects are costly and time consuming for private landowners to undertake on their own but partnering with the SSGF can help mitigate risk. Effective invasive weed management can reduce the spread of weeds to new areas that were previously unaffected or best case scenario, eradicate them completely.
If landowners have questions regarding increasing rangeland health and how their pasture rotations fit into the overall picture of that, we can also explore the idea of rejuvenating tame grass stands that may need a little help so that we can rest native grass longer.
All of these Habitat Agreements provide a level of funding specific for each project to help alleviate the total cost and risk for landowners. Supporting these projects supports the grasslands and truly makes an impact at the ground level.
If a landowner is more interested in protecting their grasslands, then an easement may suit their needs more appropriately. Our easements are designed to protect the native grasslands from development while still allowing the landowner to remain in control of their rangeland and they carry no grazing or haying restrictions.
The SSGF offers both Term Conservation Easements and Perpetual Easements. This makes us one of the most dynamic land trusts, with the well-being of the ranchers at the core everything we do.
Our easements come with three basic restrictions; no break, no drain and no development. These restrictions are necessary because the goal of an easement is to protect sensitive landscapes and in order to do that, the landowner needs to ensure that the grasslands are free from the threat of cultivation, urban expansion or any type of development that degrades the habitat. It’s also important to make sure wetlands or riparian areas are also able to remain intact and support a functional ecosystem.
The biggest difference between the two easements is that Term Conservation Easements are applied to a parcel of land for a set term length and are not on the land title indefinitely like a Perpetual Easement would be.
A Term CE allows for more flexibility down the road for the landowner and can almost serve as a trial for working with a land trust for that term length before agreeing to longer terms. Overall, they allow for increased adaptability and decision making about future land use. A Perpetual CE may be more suited to a situation where the current landowner desires for the landscape to remain the way it has always been regardless of who owns in the future.
The SSGF goals are to work in collaboration with landowners to conserve and protect this province’s native grasslands. These long term partnerships are necessary to keep our grasslands alive and well and the SSGF is proud to deliver these programs.