Shaynee Modien
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The Shaunavon Standard
The Saskatchewan Prairie Conservation Action Plan hosted “The Friend or Foe: Prescribed Fire in our Grasslands” events on November 20 in Eastend and November 21 in Val Marie as part of the Native Prairie Speaker Series.
Caitlin Mroz-Sailer, Stewardship Coordinator for the Saskatchewan Prairie Conservation Action Plan, was recently interviewed about this portion of the series.
“We aim to have about 4-6 presentations per year and host speakers to bring in new ideas and educational opportunities to people in southwest Saskatchewan,” she explained.
The guest speaker for this event was Renny Grilz, Manager of Conservation for the Meewasin Valley Authority and a Nuffield Canada Agricultural Scholar from Saskatoon. He discussed the benefits of prescribed fire in stimulating natural growth of native grass and improving the prairie ecosystem.
This effort is supported by the Canadian Prairies Prescribed Fire Exchange, a group that promotes safe fire practices on natural prairies with funding from the Weston Family Foundation’s Prairie Grasslands Initiative. The Canadian Prairies Prescribed Fire Exchange is situated within the Meewasin Valley Authority in Saskatoon.
The Saskatchewan Prairie Conservation Action Plan (SK PCAP) was formed in 1998 and a subcommittee of the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association, uniting 35 partners from livestock, industry, government, non-profit, and educational sectors under a common vision for prairie and species at risk conservation in Saskatchewan.
According to Mroz-Sailer, the organization’s goals are to identify and fill gaps in grassland research and activities, reduce duplication and increase collaboration and improve public understanding and valuing of native prairie. The goal of the events were to reach out to land managers, agricultural producers, different levels of government, and people generally interested in nature to discuss topics such as prescribed fire and how it differs from wildfires.
To achieve a successful prescribed fire event, Mroz-Sailer emphasized the importance of having perfect weather conditions, setting oneself up for success, and having a backup plan and insurance in place. The Canadian Prairies Prescribed Fire Exchange is working towards developing best practices for prescribed fires.
Mroz-Sailer also noted that landowners would be surprised by the benefits of prescribed fires.
“When a fire comes through, it may look black at first, but that’s when new growth starts to emerge, rejuvenating the land. Many ranchers are starting to use prescribed fire as a way to restore the health of their ecosystem,” she said, highlighting the huge value of native prairies.
To learn more about the Canadian Prairies Prescribed Fire Exchange, visit their website at www.grasslandfire.ca. For more information on the Native Prairie Speaker Series presented by the Saskatchewan Prairie Conservation Action Plan, visit www.pcap-sk.org.
