Nathaniel Puffalt
Communications Manager, Redberry Lake Biosphere Region
People often ask us what is a Biosphere? What do you do? The short answer is that we Preserve Pathways where humans and wildlife live in balance.
BIOSPHERE, noun
a narrow zone on the surface of the earth where soil, water, and air combine to sustain life. Life can only occur in this zone.
Within the Redberry Lake Biosphere Region, we know that vast tracts of land are required for hardworking Prairie Farmers to feed the world. We also know that Migratory Animals are facing unprecedented challenges, and their number one threat is habitat loss. Imagine an April morning without the calls of hundreds of bird species announcing Spring’s return. Or a silent autumn sky left emptied of the vast flocks of geese, ducks, swans, and cranes overhead. Imagine the Prairies without its heart… its people.
We see humans as an integral part of the Biosphere… as much a part of nature as any other species. It’s only by working together that we can build solutions that balance sustainable development with conservation.
That is the core of what each one of the 738 Biosphere’s across the world, including 19 in Canada, believe in. Each one takes a unique approach based on their location’s biodiversity and the communities therein. Here at Redberry Lake we model what’s possible when humans and wildlife coexist. From observing hundreds of species of birds, to supporting sustainable rural businesses. Preserving Pathways of habitat that gives wildlife a safe home wherever they roam without prohibiting human access to the land.
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Thanks to funding from Prairie Economic Development Canada, Tourism Saskatchewan and the United Way, we’re taking this modelling to the next level with our new Interpretive and Research Centre currently under construction. Once complete it will be a community space where scientists and families meet for land-based learning experiences, reconciliation and knowledge sharing from all the diverse cultures of the region. It will be a destination for visitors to come see over 200 hundred species of birds from Geodesic Domes overlooking the turquoise mineral waters of Redberry Lake. It will support regional tourism and help diversify our rural economy by showcasing authentic experiences across the region. It will contribute to bird conservation through a new bird banding station. It will be a place where people of all ages can rent outdoor equipment at no charge thanks to our new Outdoor Gear Library, funded by Access Communications.
The Interpretive Centre will be a community gathering place for the region, province and visitors from around the world to come together to learn, explore, interact with wildlife and be inspired to see themselves as part of nature, part of the biosphere. It will be a place that brings our community closer together in an increasingly divided world.
We will also model this with our new Native Tree and Plant Nursery opening this Spring in Hafford! Built thanks to funding from Natural Resource Canada’s 2 Billion Trees program, which is helping reforest land, restore habitat and sequester carbon across the country. We’re working with interested landowners and organizations across Saskatchewan seeking to reforest large tracts of land with Native Trees, Plants and Grasses. We are also in the early planning stages of expanding into the retail market, giving homeowners the ability to welcome more diverse wildlife onto their land with native species.
Thanks to funding from Environment & Climate Change Canada, we are currently modelling this through our ongoing Species at Risk monitoring and education within the region. And through helping Canada reach its goal of conserving 30% of land by identifying potential Recognized Stewardship Areas also known as Other Effective Conservation Measures (OECMs). Don’t let the acronym throw you off. It’s a crucial tool for designating lands and waters that are managed for a primary purpose other than conservation, but, through that management by individuals, communities or organizations, still provide the same biodiversity conservation benefit as a protected area. Think of native rangeland for bison and cattle, watersheds or even recreation parks. Places where people and biodiversity meet. Places where pathways for all nature are preserved. In the Biosphere specifically, we are working with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment to hep identify Crown Ag Land that fits this designation and in the future we will expand into working with interested landowners. Learn more about our work with OECMs here!
We model all of this by partnering with you, the people. None of this would be possible without the support of the communities within our region. Many of whom send representation to our Board of Directors who set our direction. We encourage respectful dialogue and collaboration through public in-person and virtual gatherings, one-on-one meetings and consultations. So, Be Part of the Biosphere. Get in touch with us today to learn more on how you can contribute to Preserving Pathways. We hope to see you very soon at our new Interpretive and Research Centre overlooking Redberry Lake.
This wouldn’t be possible without the financial support from Environment and Climate Change Canada, Prairies Economic Development Canada, Natural Resources Canada, Tourism Saskatchewan, the United Way and Access Communications, nor would it be possible without our supporting Communities, First Nations, Universities, NGO’s, Non-Profits, the Canadian Biosphere Reserve Association, CCUNESCO and UNESCO. We’re all in this together. Thank you!
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