Biodiversity

Issue

Biodiversity is the variety of all living things, including both natural (or wild) species and agricultural (or domestic) species, as well as the ecosystems which sustain them. Producers work with biodiversity everyday in the form of domestic livestock, crops and semi-wild species like fish and flowering plants. Conserving biodiversity is important since agricultural productivity depends on a healthy diversity of organisms and ecosystems.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, PFRA Activities

PFRA builds on AAFC's "Biodiversity Strategy", and encourages the conservation of natural lands within agro-ecosystems and the adoption of appropriate range management principles and practices to maintain biodiversity on rangeland, in collaboration with partners and pasture patrons.

A 1998 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Saskatchewan Environment recognizes all PFRA community pastures that contain native rangeland as a valuable contribution to Saskatchewan's Representative Areas Network (RAN). The RAN consists of land and waters selected to represent the natural ecological and biological diversity of the province and managed to retain that diversity. Govenlock, Nashlyn and Battle Creek community pastures were chosen as pilot pastures and will play a significant role in achieving the goals of the RAN. This MOU helps ensure continued awareness, management and conservation of biodiversity in Saskatchewan.

Changes to the landscape and native habitat as a result of agriculture have put a number of unique species at risk. PFRA cooperates on several recovery teams for select species such as Swift Fox, Sage Grouse, Burrowing Owl and Piping Plover. The Interdepartmental Recovery Fund (IRF) supports PFRA in our efforts to raise rural landowner awareness about beneficial practices and the requirements of the Species At Risk Act. Read more about funded projects under the IRF.

AAFC-PFRA also cooperates with the provincial governments and conservation groups to establish block plantings, riparian buffers and wildlife travel corridors with trees and shrubs. These multi-use plantations are currently proceeding at a rate of about 300 hectares/year through PFRA's Shelterbelt Program. This program is another measure which helps reduce erosion and moisture losses and enhance wildlife habitat.

The Shelterbelt Centre is also involved in habitat restoration for species at risk. Nesting sites for hawks have been established. Cottonwood trees are used as nesting sites for the Ferruginous hawk. Old and damaged native trees in PFRA community pastures are restored to provide nesting and perching habitat for this species of special concern. Multiple row plantings are also established to provide habitat for the threatened loggerhead shrike.

The Shelterbelt Centre also collects native seeds and maintains a gene bank for native shrubs. The gene bank will be used to increase the understanding of the adaptability of native woody plants, as well as conserve their genetic diversity.

Related AAFC documents

• Environment Bureau - Sustainable Development Strategy II 2001 - 2004
• The Availability of Wildlife Habitat on Farmland chapter of the AEI report

Related web sites

• Canadian Biodiversity Information Network (CBIN)
• Canadian Wildlife Service
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Network (CBIN)
• United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity
• Wetkit - Tools for Working with Wetlands in Canada
• Stewardship Canada
• Environment Canada - Species at Risk