Ncc pwsd outdoor ed workshop oct 25-13

Park West School Division

Outdoor Learning ConferenceOctober 25, 2013

Rossburn

VISIONThe Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) protects areas of natural diversity for their intrinsic value and for the benefit of our children and those after them.

MISSIONNCC will lead, innovate and use creativity in the conservation of Canada's natural heritage. We will secure important natural areas through their purchase, donation or other mechanisms, and then manage these properties for the long term.

• Canada's leading national land conservation organization

• In July of 2013 MoneySense Magazine ranked NCC as Canada’s top environmental charity with an A+ rating for the third year in a row.

• Conserved and protected over 52,000 acres in Manitoba

• Works in partnership with private individuals, corporations & governments to directly protect significant natural areas

• Our commitment to partners is to yield “results you can walk on”

Highly productive, biologically rich lands are under great threat of being lost forever.

90% of Canadians live and work in an area covering only 10% of privately held land in the country along the Canada-U.S. border.

This 10% of Canada is home to 85% of Canada’s species at risk.

These are landscapes that are vital to Canada’s ecological integrity and its clean water and air.

In Manitoba NCC works to conserve the most endangered habitats and species: e.g. native prairie, endangered orchids, rare birds and animals, wetlands, rare butterflies

What Land Does NCC Protect?

Landscape Based Conservation

• Considers entire landscapes, contiguous large blocks of land that support the greatest diversity of species and ecosystems

NCC’s approach to conservation is built upon three major components;

• Science – ensures that our work is guided by the best available conservation science

• Securement – acquisition for the direct protection of lands

• Stewardship – long-term care & management of lands and landscapes

Natural Area Conservation Plan

(NACP)

Property

Geo

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Ecoregion

NCC’s Conservation Planning FrameworkNCC’s Conservation Planning Framework

Ecoregions

Natural Area Conservation Plans

• Identify Threats

Natural Area Plans

• Identify Actions to abate Threats

• Implement Actions

Manitoba Natural Area Conservation Plans

Land Securement

• Work with landowners, industry, partners, and all levels of Government

• Land Donations

• Buy Land

• Conservation Agreement

Identifies key actions related to biodiversity management, monitoring and administration

Property Management Planning

Land Stewardship

Surveys, Monitoring, Research, Land Management (grazing, fencing, etc), Rehabilitation

NCC Priority Natural Areas Manitoba

Tall Grass Prairie

Tall Grass Prairie

• Less than one-half of 1% of the original tall grass prairie remains in North America

• Largest intact blocks occur in south-east Manitoba

• Supports over 1,000 species, including 20 species that are listed on endangered species lists

Endangered Western Prairie Fringed Orchid

• Weston Family Tall Grass Prairie Interpretive Centre and trail system opened July 2013 for public and school visitors

Riding MountainRiding Mountain

• This land is a UNESCO biosphere reserve that is home to some of the most intact aspen parkland, boreal transition forest and rare fescue prairie in Manitoba.

Riding Mountain

• It supports large mammals such as moose, elk, bear, cougar and wolves, and is an important waterfowl breeding area.

Interlake

Interlake

• A mosaic of prairie, oak savannah, aspen parkland and limestone outcrops

• Supports at-risk species such as the Small White Lady’s-slipper, Piping Plover and Least Bittern.

•This area contains globally uncommon alvar habitat

Small White Lady’s Slipper

alvar habitat

West Souris Mixed-grass Prairie West Souris Mixed-grass Prairie Souris Valley GrasslandSouris Valley Grassland

Souris River Valley Grassland

• This is only one of two places in Canada where Buffalo grass is found.

• NCC is working to protect this nearly treeless plain, which is necessary breeding ground for Burrowing Owls and other grass-land dependent birds.

Mule Deer

West Souris Mixed-grass Prairie

• One of the last habitat strongholds for grassland birds such as the Burrowing owl, Loggerhead Shrike, Ferruginous Hawk and Baird’s Sparrow.

• Protection of grasslands and pothole wetlands which are threatened by development.

Loggerhead Shrike

Oak Lake Sandhills and Wetlands

Oak Lake Sandhills and Wetlands

• Lush marshes meet rolling sandhills, creating habitat for Manitoba’s only lizard, the endangered Prairie Skink .

•A number of rare plants are found here including the Smooth Goosefoot and Silky Clover.

• Area contains significant wetlands that are integral to preserving healthy populations of migratory birds.

Prairie Skink

Whitemouth River Watershed

Whitemouth River Watershed

• Contains a high diversity of plant species and forest types, and large peatlands

•Contiguous with Lake of the Woods

• Supports one of Canada’s only populations of the Carmine Shiner, and nationally threatened fish, and two other species of concern, the Chestnut Lamprey and Snapping Turtle.

St. Lazare Plain/East Parklands

St. Lazare Plain/East Parklands

• This region contains one of Manitoba's largest intact native mixed-grass prairie landscapes• It includes three Important Bird Areas – identified globally important bird habitats which support several threatened species including Sprague's Pipit, Chestnut-collared Longspur and Baird's Sparrow.

Sprague’s Pipit

Conservation Based on Public Engagement

Awareness

Appreciation

Action = Conservation success!

Education and Outreach

• MB curriculum based classroom programming supported by outdoor experience

•200-250 presentations per year

•7000 participants

•History of delivery in western MB

Education and Outreach

•What can NCC do to help:

•Providing facilities

•Offering programming (organized learning opportunities, CV events)

•General support for outdoor ed activities

Education and Outreach

NCC NEEDS•Partnerships

•Communications

Our Future

• Cultivate and Enhance Partnerships

• Continue to protect important natural areas

•To engage more people in stewarding our lands