A place where the sky unfolds endlessly above, setting the stage for the wonders below.
Begin your journey into Canada’s Grasslands
Look up! The story of grassland begins from above.
Birds soar among the clouds.
Insects zip past in a blur.
Even the sky holds part of the grasslands' hidden life.
the grasslands left in Canada
British Columbia
Grasslands make up just 1% of BC’s land but support over 30% of its species at risk, including the Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse found only in south-central BC.
Alberta
Grasslands historically covered 30 million hectares of Alberta but only 17% of the original grasslands remain, with only 1.25% of remaining grasslands protected under legislation and parks.
Saskatchewan
Grasslands historically covered 60 million hectares in the southern portion of Saskatchewan but only 15% of its original grasslands remain.
Manitoba
Grasslands historically covered 17 million hectares in Manitoba but now only 10% of original grasslands remain, including only 1% of the Tall-grass prairie.
Ontario
Less than 1% of Ontario’s Tall Grass Prairies remain due to agriculture and urban development.
Quebec
Alvars in Quebec and Ontario provide great habitat for grassland species.
Atlantic Canada
Salt Marshes on the coast of Atlantic Canada support a diverse range of wildlife and provide habitat for grassland species.
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How Canadian Grasslands are Sustained
Image Credit: Katheryn Taylor
Grasslands thrive where summers are hot and dry.
Most grasslands are found where moist air is far away or blocked by mountains.
Ranchers help preserve biodiversity in Canada’s grasslands through responsible grazing that supports both livestock and wildlife habitat.
Centuries of Indigenous stewardship have sustained grasslands across Canada.
Life Above the Grass
Grassland skies bustle in spring and fall with migrating birds.
Image Credit: Katheryn Taylor
Trees in grasslands? It's complicated. In places like the Mixedwood Plains of Ontario and Quebec, forest and grassland species live together. But, on the prairie, the lack of trees is essential for grassland wildlife.
Image Credit: Vicky Papuga
Grasslands teem with pollinators seeking nectar, mosquitoes hunting blood for their eggs, and beetles and flies cruising for dung or decay.
Image Credit: John Wilmshurst
In grasslands, pollinators get a helping hand from the wind! Grasses rely on surface winds to disperse pollen from one plant to another.
Image Credit: John Wilmshurst
The Living Surface of the Prairie
Just like your skin keeps your muscles from drying out, a thin layer of “biocrust” — a mosaic of mosses and lichens — blankets natural grasslands.
It is thin enough for seedlings to grow through, and thick enough to hold soil moisture even in droughts.
The grass IS greener on the other side, and blue and even red.
Dozens of colourful grass species are found on Canada’s Grasslands.
500,000 km²
of land in Canada are natural grasslands.
80%
of Canada’s grasslands have been lost, and we lose more every year.
The Fox Snake earned its name from the musk it emits when threatened – like the smell of a fox!
Image Credit: Christian Artuso
The Spadefoot Toad attracts mates with a bleating sound, like a sheep or a goat.
Image Credit: Katheryn Taylor
The Long-billed Curlew is named for its long, curved beak used to catch its grassland insect prey: grasshoppers, beetles, and caterpillars.
Image Credit: Sean Jenniskens
Once extirpated (locally extinct) in Canada, the Swift Fox is making a comeback.
Image Credit: Sean Southey
Getting to the Root of the Matter
Roots anchor plants, store 97% of grassland carbon, transport nutrients and water, and link to an underground network of microbes and bacteria for mutual nourishment.
A square meter of grassland can hold about 2.5 kilograms of roots, roughly one hundred times the above-ground plant mass.
Image Credit: Anne Langlois
Grassland roots are the lungs of the prairies, breathing life below ground.
Roots transport carbon from the air to the soil.
Adding organic matter to the earth when they die.
Plant roots are food for some underground creatures.
Honouring Indigenous Connections for a Sustainable Future
paskwāhk ōma pimatīsiwimakan, pāhpitos kīkway pimatisiwak. mihcēt pītos kikway ē ohpikihki maskosihk kēhcina wiya mīciwin, maskīhkih, ēkwa ita pisiskowak ka tasīhcikēcik. iyinito-ayisīniwak ka māmiskotakihk kwēyask ayisk asay ē kī kā isi mamitonētākihk ēkwa tānisīsi ē tapacihtacik. kāwi ka nākatokēwak askiy. ēkosi ka-isi waskawīycik. itasihcīkēwin kāwi apacīhtahk, ka nīstotamīhk, ka isi wahkotamīhk okāwīmāwaskiy. ēkota ahcahkowin ka otinamihk ēkwa kā kotawēhk otē nīkān.
Glenda Abbott, Pelican Lake First Nation, Treaty 6 Territory, Saskatchewan. Original testimonial provided in nēhiyawēwin (Plains Cree).
Grasslands are vital ecosystems that sustain life, offering food, medicine, and habitat for countless species. Indigenous communities have stewarded these lands for generations, guided by traditional knowledge and a deep spiritual connection to the Earth- okāwīmāwaskiy. By integrating Indigenous perspectives and giving Indigenous peoples the tools to take our rightful place again in conservation, we have the knowledge to protect and restore grasslands for future generations.
Glenda Abbott, Glenda Abbott, Pelican Lake First Nation, Treaty 6 Territory, Saskatchewan. Original testimonial provided in nēhiyawēwin (Plains Cree).
The Enduring Spirit of Canada's Grasslands
For thousands of years, Indigenous Peoples have respected and cared for Canada's grasslands, understanding how everything in nature is connected.
Settlers from Europe plowed much of Canada’s natural grasslands. Although they grew crops that still feed us today and help rural communities thrive, these changes have come at a huge cost to Indigenous lives and cultures.
Image Credit: Tanner Stevens
Image Credit: Anne Langlois
By understanding and conserving Grasslands, we're not just preserving nature, we're honouring the culture, history and knowledge of Indigenous Peoples. This creates a healthier planet for everyone.
A place where the sky unfolds endlessly above, setting the stage for the wonders below.
Begin your journey into Canada’s Grasslands
Look up! The story of grassland begins from above.
Birds soar among the clouds.
Insects zip past in a blur.
Even the sky holds part of the grasslands' hidden life.
the grasslands left in Canada
British Columbia
Grasslands make up just 1% of BC’s land but support over 30% of its species at risk, including the Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse found only in south-central BC.
Alberta
Grasslands historically covered 30 million hectares of Alberta but only 17% of the original grasslands remain, with only 1.25% of remaining grasslands protected under legislation and parks.
Saskatchewan
Grasslands historically covered 60 million hectares in the southern portion of Saskatchewan but only 15% of its original grasslands remain.
Manitoba
Grasslands historically covered 17 million hectares in Manitoba but now only 10% of original grasslands remain, including only 1% of the Tall-grass prairie.
Ontario
Less than 1% of Ontario’s Tall Grass Prairies remain due to agriculture and urban development.
Quebec
Alvars in Quebec and Ontario provide great habitat for grassland species.
Atlantic Canada
Salt Marshes on the coast of Atlantic Canada support a diverse range of wildlife and provide habitat for grassland species.
How Canadian Grasslands are Sustained
Image Credit: Katheryn Taylor
Grasslands thrive where summers are hot and dry.
Most grasslands are found where moist air is far away or blocked by mountains.
Ranchers help preserve biodiversity in Canada’s grasslands through responsible grazing that supports both livestock and wildlife habitat.
Centuries of Indigenous stewardship have sustained grasslands across Canada.
Life Above the Grass
Grassland skies bustle in spring and fall with migrating birds.
Image Credit: Katheryn Taylor
Trees in grasslands? It's complicated. In places like the Mixedwood Plains of Ontario and Quebec, forest and grassland species live together. But, on the prairie, the lack of trees is essential for grassland wildlife.
Image Credit: Vicky Papuga
Grasslands teem with pollinators seeking nectar, mosquitoes hunting blood for their eggs, and beetles and flies cruising for dung or decay.
Image Credit: John Wilmshurst
In grasslands, pollinators get a helping hand from the wind! Grasses rely on surface winds to disperse pollen from one plant to another.
Image Credit: John Wilmshurst
The Living Surface of the Prairie
Just like your skin keeps your muscles from drying out, a thin layer of “biocrust” — a mosaic of mosses and lichens — blankets natural grasslands.
It is thin enough for seedlings to grow through, and thick enough to hold soil moisture even in droughts.
The grass IS greener on the other side, and blue and even red.
Dozens of colourful grass species are found on Canada’s Grasslands.
500,000 km²
of land in Canada are natural grasslands.
80%
of Canada’s grasslands have been lost, and we lose more every year.
CWF Extraordinary Grasslands
The Pronghorn is North America’s fastest land animal!
The Pronghorn is North America’s fastest land animal!
The Fox Snake earned its name from the musk it emits when threatened – like the smell of a fox!
The Fox Snake earned its name from the musk it emits when threatened – like the smell of a fox!
Image Credit: Christian Artuso
The Long-billed Curlew is named for its long, curved beak used to catch its grassland insect prey: grasshoppers, beetles, and caterpillars.
The Long-billed Curlew is named for its long, curved beak used to catch its grassland insect prey: grasshoppers, beetles, and caterpillars.
Image Credit: Sean Jenniskens
Once extirpated (locally extinct) in Canada, the Swift Fox is making a comeback.
Once extirpated (locally extinct) in Canada, the Swift Fox is making a comeback.
Image Credit: Sean Southey
The Spadefoot Toad attracts mates with a bleating sound, like a sheep or a goat.
The Spadefoot Toad attracts mates with a bleating sound, like a sheep or a goat.
Image Credit: Katheryn Taylor
Vibrant Lives of Grass-Dwellers
Getting to the Root of the Matter
Roots anchor plants, store 97% of grassland carbon, transport nutrients and water, and link to an underground network of microbes and bacteria for mutual nourishment.
A square meter of grassland can hold about 2.5 kilograms of roots, roughly one hundred times the above-ground plant mass.
Image Credit: Anne Langlois
Roots transport carbon from the air to the soil.
Adding organic matter to the earth when they die.
Plant roots are food for some underground creatures.
Grassland roots are the lungs of the prairies, breathing life below ground.
The Secret Lives Beneath Your Feet
Get to know some underground residents.
The Burrowing Owl: Watchful Grassland Residents Despite their name, Burrowing Owls do not dig their own homes. They nest in holes created by other animals.
Badgers: Grassland’s Fierce Diggers Badgers aren’t big but are fierce predators.<BR>
Strong, with long claws built for digging.<BR>
They churn the soil to create underground homes for many animals.
Prairie Dog: Social Tunnellers Prairie dogs create vast “towns.”<BR>
These are networks of tunnels shared with their colony.
Honouring Indigenous Connections for a Sustainable Future
paskwāhk ōma pimatīsiwimakan, pāhpitos kīkway pimatisiwak. mihcēt pītos kikway ē ohpikihki maskosihk kēhcina wiya mīciwin, maskīhkih, ēkwa ita pisiskowak ka tasīhcikēcik. iyinito-ayisīniwak ka māmiskotakihk kwēyask ayisk asay ē kī kā isi mamitonētākihk ēkwa tānisīsi ē tapacihtacik. kāwi ka nākatokēwak askiy. ēkosi ka-isi waskawīycik. itasihcīkēwin kāwi apacīhtahk, ka nīstotamīhk, ka isi wahkotamīhk okāwīmāwaskiy. ēkota ahcahkowin ka otinamihk ēkwa kā kotawēhk otē nīkān.
Glenda Abbott, Pelican Lake First Nation, Treaty 6 Territory, Saskatchewan. Original testimonial provided in nēhiyawēwin (Plains Cree).
Grasslands are vital ecosystems that sustain life, offering food, medicine, and habitat for countless species. Indigenous communities have stewarded these lands for generations, guided by traditional knowledge and a deep spiritual connection to the Earth- okāwīmāwaskiy. By integrating Indigenous perspectives and giving Indigenous peoples the tools to take our rightful place again in conservation, we have the knowledge to protect and restore grasslands for future generations.
Glenda Abbott, Glenda Abbott, Pelican Lake First Nation, Treaty 6 Territory, Saskatchewan. Original testimonial provided in nēhiyawēwin (Plains Cree).
Image Credit: Tanner Stevens
The Enduring Spirit of Canada's Grasslands
For thousands of years, Indigenous Peoples have respected and cared for Canada's grasslands, understanding how everything in nature is connected.
Settlers from Europe plowed much of Canada’s natural grasslands. Although they grew crops that still feed us today and help rural communities thrive, these changes have come at a huge cost to Indigenous lives and cultures.
Image Credit: Anne Langlois
By understanding and conserving Grasslands, we're not just preserving nature, we're honouring the culture, history and knowledge of Indigenous Peoples. This creates a healthier planet for everyone.
