Biodiversity

The Saskatchewan government’s official target for protected areas in Saskatchewan is 12%, however, no target date has been set for achieving this goal. Currently only 9.8% of lands in Saskatchewan are protected (6.35 million acres or 2.57 million hectares). About 1 million plant and animal species worldwide are now threatened with extinction. Thus, protecting Saskatchewan’s biodiversity is a high priority for the Saskatchewan Environmental Society (SES). SES supports the federal target of 30% of Canada’s lands and inland aquatic areas to be protected by 2030. SES also presses for the establishment of new ecological reserves, national parks, and other protected areas in Saskatchewan. Read about the need for provincial action.

The Northeast Swale is a 26km ribbon of wild prairie and natural wetlands, one of the largest surviving fragments of natural prairie in this part of the province. SES works to maintain and protect the ecosystem and biodiversity of this unique landscape against threats from urban sprawl and roadways. Read our letter to the provincial government asking for reconsideration of the proposed provincial “Saskatoon Highway” which will further fragment some of the last remaining native grasslands in our province.

In 2022, SES completed the first Depave Paradise event in Saskatchewan. Depave Paradise is an initiative of Green Communities Canada that turns disused asphalt spaces into new green spaces. Over 200m² of old asphalt from a high school’s unused tennis court was transformed into a perennial and food garden that provides space for pollinators and people to thrive. Over 600 plants now call the Depave site home, including fruit trees, wildflowers, Indigenous medicines, and a large maple tree to provide shade for the outdoor classroom.

Then in 2024, SES completed the first Living Cities event in Saskatchewan. Living Cities, also an initiative of Green Communities Canada, supports the installation of green space in urban communities with high social and environmental needs. Over 60 local volunteers transformed 250m² of the former front lawn at Howard Coad Community School with approximately 1000 plantings of over 20 different native prairie grasses, shrubs, and wildflowers. The garden was created to provide the broader school community with access to nature and place-based learning opportunities as well as be an urban oasis for songbirds and pollinators.