Agriculture Minister Lyle Stewart and Environment Minister Ken Cheveldayoff have jointly proclaimed June 17 to 23 as Saskatchewan's 14th Annual Native Prairie Appreciation Week.
Native Prairie Appreciation Week (NPAW), the only week in North America that is dedicated to raising awareness and appreciation of native grasslands, began in 1999 by the Saskatchewan Prairie Conservation Action Plan (SK PCAP). The week provides an opportunity for Saskatchewan residents to recognize and celebrate the value of native prairie ecosystems and their importance to Saskatchewan's provincial, agricultural and environmental sectors.
"Saskatchewan's farming and ranching families are the stewards of our native prairie," Stewart said. "I would like to thank them for their dedication to the preservation of native prairie landscapes."
"Many ranchers have been using native prairie sustainability for generations. They have made their living off of the land while maintaining the habitat necessary to sustain many species of wildlife, including species at risk," Cheveldayoff said. "Through their careful use of the land, the ranchers continue to support local communities and the ecological health and biodiversity of Saskatchewan's prairie."
"Native Prairie Appreciation Week provides an opportunity for prairie residents to stand back and appreciate the value that native prairie ecosystems provide to society," SK PCAP Chair Roy Rutledge said. "The week also brings awareness to the critical role we all play in the stewardship and restoration of prairie grass. This cannot all be done by any one group or individual. It requires all interested groups working together in unison and that is what is happening now in our province."
SK PCAP is encouraging Saskatchewan residents to "Wake Up and Smell the Prairies" by getting outside to explore the native prairie that surrounds them. A "Get Out and Smell the Prairies" checklist is available for download on the SK PCAP website (www.pcap-sk.org) that provides a list of various activities families can do across the province to learn more about this important landscape. Booths will also be set up the week of June 17-23 at the Regina and Saskatoon Farmers' Markets where free native wildflower seed will be handed out to promote NPAW 2012.
For more information, please visit SK PCAP's website or contact the SK PCAP office at 306-352-0472 or pcap@sasktel.net.
