NCC Magazine: Fall 2019

More documents

Recommendations

Info

COAST TO COAST Back from the brink The Nature Conservancy of Canada’s restoration work is helping protect endangered species and is even bringing back species at risk of extinction In May of this year, the United Nations released a Global Assessment Report on the outlook for species biodiversity worldwide. This report found that up to one million unique species are at risk of extinction due to human-related effects, such as climate change and habitat loss. The truth is, we are losing species at an alarming rate, and every day species are put at risk of disappearing from the Earth forever. That’s where you and the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) come in. Efforts to conserve and restore animal and plant populations in the wild are an ongoing and important part of our conservation strategy. And while addressing the underlying causes for population decline is a crucial step, we need more habitat protection and restoration to bring these species back from the brink of extinction. Wildlife conservation efforts can take many forms — from captive breeding programs designed to boost populations to the restoration and protection of key habitats. Across Canada, species at risk are struggling to cope with the loss of native habitats, invasive species and rapidly changing climate patterns. But dedicated conservationists are working hard to restore populations and protect species biodiversity. TKTKTKTKTKTKT KEN GILLESPIE PHOTOGRAPHY/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO. 4 FALL 2019 natureconservancy.ca
Here are six species at risk that NCC is helping to conserve Piping plover Blanding’s turtle American badger In Atlantic Canada, piping plovers nest only on sand and pebble beaches with scattered vegetation. These endangered birds require peace and quiet away from human disturbance to raise their young. In Nova Scotia, the birds breed on fewer than 30 beaches in total, and the distribution of suitable habitat is similarly sparse throughout the rest of Atlantic Canada. NCC has partnered with provincial governments, Bird Studies Canada, the Island Nature Trust, Nature NB, Intervale and other conservation organizations to identify and protect piping plover nesting beaches and clean up shoreline habitat in the Atlantic region. Blanding’s turtle is considered endangered throughout its Great Lakes and St. Lawrence ranges. In these areas, road mortality is among the biggest threats to its survival. NCC conservationists are actively engaging with the public to teach drivers how to safely stop and help turtles cross the road. With new tools such as carapace.ca, a website developed by NCC and the Province of Quebec, anyone can snap a picture of a turtle they see on the road and contribute to a citizen science database. In 2004, NCC biologists working on the Kootenay River Ranch property in central British Columbia discovered the presence of endangered American badgers. The 1,250-hectare (3,089-acre) stretch of the Upper Columbia River Valley offers a continuous grassland habitat free of roads and other human development, which so often disturb and create human-animal conflict for badger populations. This protected natural area also provides scientists with the opportunity to conduct ongoing research on the endangered species to further improve restoration efforts. SWIFT FOX: CREDIT: ROBERT HARDING/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO. ALL OTHERS: ROBERT MCCAW. natureconservancy.ca Monarch The global population of monarchs has been decreasing at a rapid rate. This is thought to be a result of habitat loss in both its wintering ground in Mexico and throughout its summer ranges in Canada and the U.S. NCC is working to restore breeding, feeding and stopover habitats across the country and is actively planting milkweed (the monarch caterpillar’s host plant) and other native wildflowers in Manitoba to improve and expand feeding and breeding habitat throughout the province. On Pelee Island in Ontario, we are restoring wetland and meadow habitat for rare and at-risk species, such as monarchs. Swift fox The swift fox represents an amazing conservation success story. Although the species was once extirpated (locally extinct) in Canada due primarily to habitat loss, in 1973 a reintroduction program was launched that has seen a return of approximately 650 swift foxes to the Prairies of Alberta and Saskatchewan. As the species still faces threats from genetic isolation due to habitat fragmentation, NCC’s work to secure and steward the remaining grassland habitat that serves as linkages between the populations is vital. Plains bison An icon of the Prairies, the plains bison once thundered across much of western North America, but by the turn of the 20 th century overhunting had reduced the total population to as few as 300 individuals. Since being reintroduced to Saskatchewan’s Old Man on His Back Prairie and Heritage Conservation Area in 2003, NCC has maintained a herd of genetically pure bison on the property. NCC staff now manage the grassland prairie for grazing and keep a close eye on the health of the population. FALL 2019 5
Page 1 and 2: FALL 2019 The best medicine Spendin
Page 3: FALL 2019 CONTENTS Nature Conservan
Page 7 and 8: Ferruginous hawk BACKPACK ESSENTIAL
Page 9 and 10: GUILLAUME SIMONEAU It was too cold
Page 11 and 12: TAYLOR ROADES. Centre, near Wasaga
Page 13 and 14: APPEARANCE The greater sage-grouse
Page 15 and 16: 2 Making Darkwoods whole BRITISH CO
Page 17 and 18: Open grassland spans the 80 hectare
Page 19 and 20: What Will We Leave For Them? Invest

NCC Magazine: Fall 2019

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?