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Land
Designation
Protected
Private Lands
Land
Description
Ducks Unlimited
Canada (DUC) has operated since 1938 to conserve, restore and manage
Canada’s wetlands for waterfowl, wildlife and people. To this end,
DUC has developed four goals of retaining wetlands, restoring
wetlands, retaining native uplands and restoring native uplands
which guide all of its programs in the prairies.
A
Memorandum of
Agreement (MOA) with the Government of Manitoba will add 3,443
hectares of DUC-secured land in the southwest prairie parkland to
Manitoba’s network of protected areas. This agreement provides a
mechanism to ensure the DUC lands meet the provincial government’s
definition of a protected area in which logging, mining,
hydroelectric, oil and gas development, as well as other activities
that could significantly and adversely affect natural habitat, are
prohibited.
These DUC-secured
lands are categorized as an IUCN (World Conservation Union)
protected area management category IV, that is, a protected area
managed mainly for conservation of habitat and species through
management intervention.
Outstanding
Features
The southwest
prairie parkland of Manitoba is home to one of the most productive
pothole landscapes in North America for breeding waterfowl. The
Minnedosa pothole region in particular is recognized internationally
as one of the most important breeding areas for canvasback ducks on
the continent, as well as the life cycle launch pad for many other
duck species.
These vital
habitats have diminished in quality over the last half-century, and
continue to decline in the face of threats from human activity. In
the prairie parkland zone, agricultural and transportation
development has destroyed or degraded up to 70% of wetlands. Native
grass cover has been reduced significantly and replaced with annual
crops, or has been degraded by overgrazing.
To offset these
ongoing threats, DUC has identified this as a priority landscape and
employs habitat purchase to retain existing wetlands and existing
native habitat from further loss. If not secured, risk to these
habitats is considered very high. Many of the wetlands in this area
are seasonal or temporary wetlands that are critical to breeding
waterfowl but are often and easily drained for agriculture and other
uses. The addition of DUC-secured lands contributes important
habitat to an area of critical importance for waterfowl and will
serve as the foundation on which to build additional blocks of
habitat.
Under the MOA,
these secured lands will be protected for the many waterfowl species
known to nest in the area, including mallard, blue-winged teal,
gadwall, northern shoveler, northern pintail, canvasback, lesser
scaup and redhead. In addition to waterfowl the lands provides
habitat for many other plant, animal and bird species. Noteworthy
species include jackrabbit, sharp-tailed grouse, yellowlegs, sora,
black tern, common snipe and great blue heron. In addition to
enhancing the biodiversity, the natural uplands and wetlands will
also provide numerous hydrological benefits to the area. |
