Land near Asquith now protected to preserve wildlife

The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) has purchased 307 acres of land near Asquith to establish a protected area for wildlife.

In a release, the NCC says the site features native and tame grasslands, an aspen forest, stabilized sand dunes and wetlands, which make it an important area for wildlife conservation.

Nature Conservancy of Canada protected site near Asquith. (Jason Bantle/Submitted)

The NCC says this site is important for protecting species that are at risk.

It says grasslands and the wetlands contain benefits for migratory birds, as well as wildlife listed under Canada’s Species at Risk Act.

The NCC says the area provides important habitat for threatened species such as the American badger, bank swallow and northern leopard frog.

The release says projects like this are important as grasslands filter our water, sequester and store carbon, and, for thousands of years, have provided sustenance for humans. They are also critical stopover sites for migratory birds and provide habitat for waterfowl and imperiled species.

The funding to buy the site came from private donors, local residents and businesses as well as Environment and Climate Change Canada under the National Heritage Conservation Program.