Nature Conservancy of Canada acquires 307 acres near Asquith, growing conservation area to 1,343

The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) bought 307 acres of land outside Saskatoon to establish a protected area.

The land is near the town of Asquith and expands on a major conservation area already located in central Saskatchewan.

“It is close to three nearby NCC conservation properties, which brings the total conservation area to 543 hectares (1,343 acres),” reads a press release from the charity.

The NCC calls it a “diverse area,” featuring native and tame grasslands and aspen forests.

“Native grasslands function not only as habitat for countless wildlife species, they also perform really important roles like filtering our drinking water, sequestering and storing carbon,” explained Anja Sorensen, NCC’s program director for southeast and central Saskatchewan.

“Ensuring that those functions are able to continue in an intact ecosystem is really critical.”

The NCC said the area is a habitat for threatened species like the badger, bank swallow and northern leopard frog.

The purchase means this area will be protected for future generations.

4:00 Going wild for wildlife with Wildlife Rehabilitation Society of Saskatchewan