Southern Alberta land set aside to protect endangered greater sage-grouse

This March 1, 2010, file photo provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service shows a greater sage grouse male strutting to attract a mate at a mating ground, near Bridgeport, Calif. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Jeannie Stafford/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service via AP, File

More than 1,000 hectares of land is now a protected area for one of Canada’s endangered species.

Sagebrush Flats, near the hamlet of Manyberries and an hour’s drive south of Medicine Hat, is home to the province’s most intact sagebrush ecosystem.

The Nature Conservancy Canada (NCC) says the area is one of Alberta’s “rarest habitats.”

• The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App

“These habitats feature grasslands interspersed with silver sagebrush, a waist‑high, aromatic shrub that provides shelter and food for wildlife and helps stabilize the dry, wind‑swept landscape,” the NCC said in a Friday news release.

“Sagebrush ecosystems filter water, store carbon in soils and deep root systems, and support sustainable ranching. Conserving this land ensures that these benefits continue for the region’s residents while addressing ongoing nature loss across the Canadian Prairies.”

Greater sage-grouse are large, ground-dwelling birds with mottled brown plumage and spiky tails.

They rely on undisturbed sagebrush grassland for nesting and feeding.

The NCC said greater sage-grouse populations have plummeted by nearly 98 per cent since the 1960s, limiting their range to a small portion of southeastern Alberta.

The project was made possible through the federal government’s Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund as well as through the work of the NCC’s partners: the Alberta Conservation Association, Southern Alberta Land Trust Society, Ducks Unlimited Canada, Cows and Fish Riparian Society and the Government of Alberta.

“Protecting Sagebrush Flats is an important step in advancing Canada’s efforts to address climate change and conserve our natural landscapes,” said Julie Dabrusin, minister of the environment, climate change and nature.

“With support from the Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund and the leadership of the NCC, we are safeguarding intact grasslands that store carbon, sustain working landscapes, and help build more resilient communities across the Prairies.”

In addition to protecting greater sage-grouse, Sagebrush Flats will also provide critical habitat for 11 other federally listed species:

• little brown myotis (Endangered);
• eastern red bat (Endangered);
• Sprague’s pipit (Threatened);
• Baird’s sparrow (Threatened);
• bank swallow (Threatened);
• barn swallow (Threatened);
• chestnut-collared longspur (Threatened);
• common nighthawk (Threatened);
• ferruginous hawk (Threatened);
• long billed curlew (Special Concern); and
• short-eared owl (Special Concern).

The NCC says the hoary bat and silver-haired bat, other endangered species, have also been documented in Sagebrush Flats.