"NCC is key to preserving our heritage for the future
so we don't rob our children and grand children of the great
beauty that once was, and can continue to be."
- Mike Farrell
Help NCC protect the natural prairie grasslands and the
Plains Bison forever. Become a Protector now.
Please become a
Protector today with our secure donation page.
You can also call toll-free at:
1 800 465-0029
to speak with a representative or email us at
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Old Man On His Back |
  Plains
Bison used to roam the Canadian prairies by the millions.
Herds that were a mile wide and ten miles long would take
up to three days to pass through an area. The animals lived
in harmony with other species on the landscape, balancing
out the ecology of the grasslands. But in the 1800s, Plains
Bison all but disappeared from the prairies. Along with the
obliteration of the bison herds came the extinction of the
Grizzly Bear. By the 30s and 40s, Prairie Dogs were gone.
Then the Black-footed Ferret disappeared, then the Swift Fox.
The prairie landscape had changed forever.
In 2003, 50 of these animals were re-introduced to the Nature
Conservancy of Canada's 13,000-acre Old Man on His Back
Prairie Conservation and Heritage Area (OMB), putting them
back in the place that they came from. The bison at OMB will
graze the native grasses, digesting them and working them
through, becoming a vital part of the prairie habitat.
OMB
is one of the best and last remaining expanses of native prairie
grass left in Saskatchewan, thanks to the diligent care of
former owners Peter and Sharon Butala. The Nature Conservancy
of Canada is working with other like-minded landowners in
the area, like Craig DuMontel and his family, helping to conserve
a prairie landscape and a way of life. |
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