A field of dreams: Sask. residents purchase grasslands for preservation
Over 400 people contributed to the Field of Dreams project, which led to the purchase of a large tract of prairie grasslands for preservation.
It’s called the ‘Lonetree Lake property,’ and it consists of 1,500 acres of unbroken, prairie grassland that will be kept in its natural state.
“The property is even better than I could have imagined,” said Marc Spooner, the organizer of the Field of Dreams project.
- Download the CTV News app to get local alerts sent to your device
Last year, Spooner, a University of Regina professor, initiated a Facebook campaign called Field of Dreams. Spooner encouraged Saskatchewan motorists to donate government insurance rebate cheques toward the purchase of endangered prairie habitat.
Contributions from the over 400 donors totaled $103,000 to help purchase the property.
“A little bit of radical hope of being part of something larger than oneself and thinking about the future and it was also connected to the past as well,” Spooner explained.
The land purchased is located directly south of Regina near the Montana border crossing at Regway. It was acquired from a rancher and will now come under the stewardship of the Nature Conservancy of Canada.
Jennifer McKillop, the regional vice president of the Saskatchewan region for the Nature Conservancy of Canada, explained that grasslands such as Lonetree are becoming rarer and rarer in Saskatchewan.
“There’s only about 14 to 17 per cent of our native grass that’s left in the province of Saskatchewan,” she said.
Many of the donors toured the property this week. The entire project cost a million dollars which included grants from the Canadian, Saskatchewan and U.S. governments and the estates of Margaret Smith and Norman and Sophie Headford. Ranching will continue through leasing of the now protected property.
“One of the reasons why we have the grasslands that we have left is because of ranchers and the grazing of cattle,” McKillop explained.
“The stewardship that ranchers have, (and the) understanding of those lands is what maintains that biodiversity.”
For Spooner, the Field of Dreams campaign brought light and some hope during a difficult pandemic period and seems to have left a legacy for future generations.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
LeBlanc says he plans to run in next election, under Trudeau's leadership
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to run in the next election as a candidate under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership, amid questions about his rumoured interest in succeeding his longtime friend for the top job.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn’t over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball’s highest scorer Caitlin Clark’s first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
U.S. vetoes a widely supported UN resolution backing full membership for Palestine
The United States has vetoed a widely backed UN resolution that would have paved the way for full United Nations membership for the state of Palestine.
Grandparent scam suspects had ties to Italian organized crime, police allege
A group of suspects that allegedly defrauded seniors across Ontario and other parts of Canada using a so-called emergency grandparent scam appear to have ties to 'Italian traditional organized crime,' according to an investigator involved in the OPP-led probe.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Cat found on Toronto Pearson airport runway 3 days after going missing
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.
N.L. gardening store revives 19th century seed-packing machine
Technology from the 19th century has been brought out of retirement at a Newfoundland gardening store, as staff look for all the help they can get to fill orders during a busy season.