An elk herd in the Waterton Park Front, a newly-protected area for the Nature Conservancy of Canada, January 31, 2023. (Photo:  Sean Feagan, Nature Conservancy of Canada)

By David Opinko

Two areas outside of Waterton to be protected by Nature Conservancy

Jan 31, 2023 | 10:44 AM

WATERTON LAKES NATIONAL PARK, AB – The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) has announced that it has acquired two parcels of land that are critical to at-risk species.

The NCC says the 255-hectare project is located approximately 10 kilometres south of Twin Butte in the M.D. of Pincher Creek and Cardston County, just outside of Waterton Lakes National Park.

The agency now manages a total of 13,000 hectares of private conservation lands surrounding the national park, known as the Waterton Park Front.

According to the NCC, the area is under threat and features a unique and relatively-intact ecosystem that supports a high level of biodiversity.

A spokesperson with the NCC says, “The project delivers benefits for species at risk including grizzly bear, because this newly conserved area acts as an important corridor, or movement pathway, for wildlife. Ensuring natural areas in the Waterton Park Front remain connected and intact means that wildlife will continue to be able to move throughout this incredible landscape, meet their vital needs and survive.”

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Each of the two parcels of land supports habitats including fescue grasslands, forests, wetlands, and riparian ecosystems along the Waterton River. Animals such as American badgers, bobolinks, and horned grebe have also been documented in the area.

The agency states in a media release that, while cattle ranching has maintained the natural state of the landscape, shifting economics have caused some landowners to use their properties for other purposes such as annual cropping and residential and recreational development. These activities can reportedly be a detriment to nature.

“While this new conservation project may seem like a relatively small addition to the amount of land already conserved in the Waterton Park Front, it will result in a large benefit for nature,” the NCC says. “This is because this newly conserved area acts as an important corridor, or movement pathway, for wildlife in the area.”

The NCC did not state how much money was paid for 255 hectares of land, but mentioned that it used a portion of a $3.7 million donation from Cenovus Energy to make this possible.

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