The Prairies have a quiet, understated beauty, but they are often under-appreciated. Native Prairie Appreciation Week is an opportunity to explore and enjoy the land beneath our feet.
What is Native Prairie?
Over 10,000 years ago, the Wisconsin glacier which had blanketed most of Saskatchewan began to melt and retreat, leaving in its place rolling plains interspersed with lakes, ponds, and rivers. A harsh climate along with periodic fires and grazing animals created a unique environment with a range of plants and animals that were uniquely suited to the land.
At first glance, the grass-covered landscape looks uniform and unchanging. But, look a little closer, and you discover hundreds of different plants and wildflowers. Saskatoon berries and wild onions can be harvested for food, while the red prairie lily and crocus are vibrant exclamation marks.
As more and more people settled on the Prairies, the land was cultivated and developed, destroying much of the native prairie habitat. Only 17% of native prairie still remains to be enjoyed and protected.
The Saskatchewan Prairie Conservation Action Plan (SK PCAP), along with its partners, encourages us to take advantage of Native Prairie Appreciation Week from June 17 to 23 to get out and smell the prairies.
Here are some suggestions:
- Download a copy of SK PCAP’s Get Out and Smell the Prairies Checklist 2012. There are some unexpected ideas, such as listening for the ghost bison herds at Wanuskewin or creating your own plant and animal field guide at Beaver Creek;
- Purchase a copy of Saskatchewan’s Prairie Places from the Native Plant Society of Saskatchewan. It will direct you to all the publicly-accessible areas of native prairie in Saskatchewan;
- Visit the Saskatoon or Regina farmers’ markets on Saturday, June 16, and pick up some free native wildflower seed to plant in your garden or school yard;
- Visit a provincial or national park. Bison are back on the land in Old Man on his Back, and the land is still wild and untamed in Grasslands National Park;
- Download a free copy of Saskatchewan's Native Prairie: Taking Stock of a Vanishing Ecosystem and Dwindling Resource by Andrew Hammermeister for the Native Plant Society of Saskatchewan;
- Read Wolf Willow by Wallace Stegner or Who Has Seen the Wind by W.O. Mitchell for inspiring accounts of growing up as an integral part of the prairie landscape.
