NATIVE PRAIRIE APPRECIATION WEEK PROCLAIMED IN SASKATCHEWAN

Recognition of the value of Saskatchewan's remaining native prairie is

the driving principle behind proclamation of a Native Prairie

Appreciation Week in Saskatchewan June 13 to 19, 1999, by Saskatchewan

Agriculture and Food Minister Eric Upshall and Saskatchewan

Environment and Resource Management Minister Lorne Scott.



"Native prairie is important to the Saskatchewan livestock industry

and to those grasslands plants and animals that co-exist with

livestock grazing these lands. Designation of Native Prairie

Appreciation Week highlights and recognizes the important benefits of

our native prairie and its contribution to the agriculture and food

industry in Saskatchewan," Upshall said. "The week also celebrates

the contribution Saskatchewan ranchers have made toward keeping these

lands in an uncultivated state. We owe a great debt of gratitude to

ranchers for retaining and managing these natural grasslands."



"The future of many grassland wild plant and animal species depend on

a significant supply of native prairie. The conservation community

has come to realize that without cattle or other grazing livestock,

native prairie will either be converted to some other use or will

deteriorate," Scott said. "Our province will continue to rely on

ranchers, stakeholders and public support to achieve native prairie

conservation objectives that will see livestock and the many plants

and animals living on the native prairie thriving into the future."



A request for the proclamation was made by the Saskatchewan

Prairie Conservation Action Plan (PCAP) Coordinating Committee,

of which the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association (SSGA) is a

member. The PCAP includes a variety of non-governmental

organizations, several federal and provincial government

agencies, and the Canadian Plains Research Centre at the

University of Regina. The PCAP focuses on ways to preserve and

enhance the province's remaining native prairie habitat, identify

conservation goals for native prairie grasslands that are

compatible with producer uses, and establish time lines for

accomplishing objectives and designating agency responsibilities.



During Native Prairie Appreciation Week, the SSGA will play a

lead role in organizing tours and workshops related to

conservation and management of native prairie. A major event

will be a Romancing the Prairies' workshop and tours June 13-15

at Cypress Hills Provincial Park. The workshop and other

activities during this week will focus on increasing information

exchange between the ranching and nature conservation communities

to help all the stakeholders meet the PCAP's overall objectives

of conserving native prairie.



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For more information, contact:



Wayne Gosselin Syd Barber

Agriculture and Food Environment and Resource Management

Regina Swift Current

Phone: (306) 787-6586 Phone: (306) 778-8527