Canada’s Prairie grasslands are one of the most endangered — and least protected — ecosystems on the planet. More than 80 per cent of these grasslands have already disappeared, and every day, another 165 hectares are lost. The United Nations has identified Canada’s grasslands as an urgent conservation priority. Because once they’re gone, they can never be replaced. But you can save what’s left of them.
hectares protected by 2030.
Canada’s Prairie grasslands are as essential to our survival as rainforests, yet they are often overlooked. They’re like upside-down forests, storing billions of tonnes of carbon underground via their deep root systems, cleaning the air we breathe and countering climate change and biodiversity loss.
Protecting Canada’s Prairie grasslands is essential to our survival. They support vital pollinators, purify our drinking water and mitigate flooding. They’re also home to thousands of plant and animal species, many of which are at risk, like swift fox and burrowing owl. It’s not too late to stop biodiversity loss in the Prairie grasslands, but the window to act is shrinking every day. We must take action now.
The Prairie Grasslands Action Plan is leading efforts to conserve more than 500,000 hectares by 2030. The Nature Conservancy of Canada is working with local communities, livestock producers and grazing groups, Indigenous Peoples, industry, government and local conservation organizations to ensure the grasslands remain a foundation for thriving communities.
Less than six per cent of Canada’s Prairie grasslands are currently protected, but you can change that. Conserve what’s left of this essential ecosystem today so it can protect us for generations to come.