Join Saskatchewan biologist and environmental photographer Dr. Branimir Gjetvaj on a journey of discovery of our diminishing prairie landscapes.
Friday, March 28, 2014 at 7 p.m.
Royal Saskatchewan Museum
2445 Albert Street in Regina
Temperate grasslands are one of the most altered and modified landscapes in the world. Human land-use, including intensive agricultural production and urban development are the leading cause of habitat loss in North America. In Saskatchewan, as in all of North America, 80% of the original grasslands have been converted to crop production and other uses. Degradation and conversion of native prairie to crop production has caused dramatic decline in biodiversity. Approximately 57 grassland wildlife species are currently considered at risk in North America, 28 of which are grassland birds.
Current economic forces and government policies are driving an accelerated conversion of grasslands to cropland. Comparable grassland conversion rates have not been seen on the Northern Plains since the 1920s and 1930s, an era that preceded one of the largest ecological disasters in North American history. The expansion of industrial agriculture and continued loss of native grasslands is concerning, especially for its impact on local wildlife and native plant communities, soil conservation, people and social structure of rural communities.
In this beautifully illustrated presentation, I will talk about the environmental and social costs of land use change, and the potential impact of habitat loss for prairie species at risk.
The presentation is open to general public and admission is free. A reception and refreshments will follow the presentation. Many thanks to the Friends of the Royal Saskatchewan Museum for their support in holding the event.
If you have a question about this presentation, give me a call at 306-382-2642 or cell 306-220-5703. My contact e-mail address is branimir [at] shaw.ca
This event takes place ahead of the Public Pastures – Public Interest Annual General Meeting on Saturday, March 29, 2014. (1:00 – 4:30 p.m. at the United Way Building, 1440 Scarth Street, Regina)
A narrow buffer strip of native prairie borders a crop field in Great Sand Hills west of Leader SK