Updated list of endorsers of 6 principles!

1. Alberta Wilderness Association
2. Audubon Rockies, USA
3. BC Nature
4. Bird Studies Canada
5. Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – Saskatchewan Office
6. Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – National Office
7. Fundación Biósfera del Anáhuac, Anáhuac Biosphere Foundation, Mexico
8. Iniciativa Bosque de Agua, Rain Forest Initiative, Mexico
9. International Union for the Conservation of Nature
10. National Farmers Union
11. Nature Alberta
12. Nature Canada
13. Nature Manitoba
14. Nature Saskatchewan
15. National Audubon Society, USA
16. Nature New Brunswick
17. Nature Nova Scotia
18. Ontario Nature
19. Protecttheprairie.ca
20. Public Pastures – Public Interest
21. Regional Centre of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development in Saskatchewan
22. Regina Public Interest Research Group
23. Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory
24. Saskatchewan Archaeological Society
25. Saskatchewan Environmental Society
26. Saskatchewan Outdoor and Environmental Education Association
27. Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation
28. Society of Grassland Naturalists (Medicine Hat)
29. Temperate Grasslands Conservation Initiative
30. University of Regina Pasture Profs

News coverage of yesterday’s press conference

From the Leader-Post:  “A growing number of organizations are lining up to oppose the provincial government’s plan to sell off all or part of the 1.6 million acres of community pastures that were transferred back to the province by the federal government in last year’s budget.

And the group organizing that opposition, Public Pastures-Public Interest (PPPI), has come up with six principles to guide the management of the 62 federally managed pastures, including continued public ownership, livestock grazing under professional management, and preservation of what has been called ‘the largest blocks of native grassland’ in the country.”

From Canadian Press, courtesy of CKRM: “Almost 20 environmental and conservation groups in Saskatchewan want community pastures that used to be overseen by the federal government to remain under public control.” This article was also picked up by Global News under a different headline.

From Radio-Canada: “Un groupe de citoyens demande au gouvernement de la Saskatchewan de garder les pâturages communautaires dans le domaine public.”

Six Principles Released

At a press conference today at the Seven Oaks, Regina, Public Pastures – Public Interest presented six principles for the future of Saskatchewan Heritage Rangelands. You can read them here.  A backgrounder on the principles is available here. These principles have been endorsed by the following organizations:

Alberta Wilderness Association

Bird Studies Canada

Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – Saskatchewan Office

Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – National Office

National Farmers Union

Nature Canada

Nature Manitoba

Nature Saskatchewan

Protecttheprairie.ca

Public Pastures – Public Interest

Regional Centre of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development in Saskatchewan

Regina Public Interest Research Group

Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory

Saskatchewan Archaeological Society

Saskatchewan Environmental Society

Saskatchewan Outdoor and Environmental Education Association

Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation

Society of Grassland Naturalists (Medicine Hat)

University of Regina Pasture Profs

 

 

PPPI Principles To Be Released

PUBLIC PASTURES – PUBLIC INTEREST

 MEDIA RELEASE

For Immediate Release – Tuesday March 26, 2013

PRINCIPLES FOR COMMUNITY PASTURES ENDORSED BY SASKATCHEWAN ORGANIZATIONS

REGINA, SK:  Public Pastures – Public Interest is announcing a set of principles and strategies for moving forward to create a secure future for the PFRA community pastures in Saskatchewan.

Wednesday March 27, 2013 at 10:00 AM, Best Western Seven Oaks, 777 Albert Street, Regina

The federal government has turned responsibility for the 62 Saskatchewan pastures over to the Province, which says it plans to sell or lease them. This will affect 1.8 million acres containing a significant portion of Saskatchewan’s original grasslands.

On March 27, PPPI will be putting forward principles to protect the wider public interest during the transition of the PFRA community pastures. The PPPI document, A Vision for the Future of Saskatchewan Heritage Rangelands, is based on discussions with people in the province and scientific research. To date, the principles and accompanying strategies for forward action have been endorsed by several provincial and national non-governmental organizations. Representatives of these organizations will be available for interviews at the media conference.

Agenda:

• Speakers from organizations endorsing the principles of PPPI, including:
  • Naomi Beingessner, Regina Public Interest Research Group
  • Lorne Scott, Conservation Director, Nature Saskatchewan
• Presentation of the principles
• List of the endorsing NGOs

“There is a groundswell of support across Saskatchewan for retaining the community pastures under public ownership”, said Trevor Herriot, spokesperson for PPPI. “The future of the grasslands, its use by producers for livestock grazing and the public benefits the lands provide will be better protected if these principles are followed. This decision will have the greatest impact on these heritage rangelands since they were established 75 years ago.”

Endorsing organizations to date include: Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, the Society of Grasslands Naturalists (Medicine Hat), National Farmers Union, Nature Saskatchewan, ProtectthePrairie.ca, Regina Public Interest Research Group, Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation, Saskatchewan Archaeological Society, Saskatchewan Environmental Society, University of Regina Pasture Prof’s.

“Our members have always recognized the exceptional value of the PFRA pastures, including hunting, wildlife viewing and educational purposes,” explained Darrell Crabbe, Executive Director of the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation. “We believe that these principles will help Saskatchewan make the transition to a management system that will conserve the wildlife on these critical pieces of grassland habitat.”

Further Information:

• Public Pastures—Public Interest, public4pastures@gmail.com, cell 306-535-9570

Letters to Decision-Makers

Our letter-writing campaign is going strong! For your inspiration, some people have kindly let us post the letters they sent to elected officials about the community pastures. The letters come from people from very different backgrounds, who all share common sense and a love of the prairies! You can read them here.

U of R Profs Weigh in on Pastures

An op-ed in the Star Phoenix: Public community pastures matter to urban Sask

Many arguments are put forward for the retention of pastures in public hands and under sound, skilled management. “…if our economic future is to be based on more than non-renewable resource extraction, preservation of the agricultural and recreational opportunities provided by community pastures is important for all Saskatchewan citizens…”

Coverage of the Saskatoon PPPI Forum

From the Star-Phoenix: Pasture patron says provincial package is just too costly.

“McCreary said the Community Pasture Patrons Association of Saskatchewan is “going out meeting pasture by pasture.” They have spoken with 27 of the 60 pastures with 25 of those joining the association. The speakers all said the community pastures serve the entire province preserving important grassland ecosystems and endangered species.

McCreary said there needs to be more consultation and analysis before any pastures are sold or leased.

‘It is really important to slow this down and to have discussions and make sure we know that change is for a purpose,’ he said.”

From Planet S Magazine: Public Grasslands Could Soon Be Private.

““The ship is sailing and there’s no direction,” said Ian McCreary of the Community Pasture Patron’s Association at a recent public forum in Saskatoon, which was organized by Public Pastures – Public Interest, a non-profit group that wants to conserve public grasslands.”