NEW NATURE CENTRE OPENS

Released on May 30, 1997

Lorne Scott, minister responsible for the Saskatchewan Wetland

Conservation Corporation, today announced the opening of the Chaplin

Nature Centre, an interpretive site that supports ecotourism, public

awareness and conservation of this vital shorebird area in

southwestern Saskatchewan.



"Conservation of this area is ultimately secured by this ecotourism

initiative," Scott said. "It will bolster the rural economy by

providing opportunities for jobs, increase people's understanding of

wetlands and help to conserve the site for shorebirds, agriculture,

industry and the environment."



The interpretive centre will showcase displays of the various birds

which frequent the area and contains information about the importance

of the wetlands. Visitors can also watch the birds from the viewing

tower or learn more about what bird species are in the area by

listening to the new short distance FM nature radio station.



The centre was opened during a dedication of the Chaplin/Old

Wives/Reed Lakes area as a Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve

Network site.



More than 30 shorebird species use this area to nest or as a stopover

site. On a single day in late May, more than 55,254 sanderlings, or

one-quarter to one-half of the continental population have been

observed.



Just under half of the continent's stilt sandpipers - about 22,254 -

visit these salt flats and over 200 endangered piping plovers nest

here which is over 15 per cent of Saskatchewan's and almost four per

cent of North America's population.



"Birdwatching is the fastest growing outdoor recreation in North

America and with Chaplin beside the Trans-Canada Highway, this site

will become an important tourism attraction for the province," Scott

said. "Project partners from a wide range of interests, from

industrial, community, economic development, wildlife and tourism

sectors, have demonstrated their strong commitment to this

development."



Site development was led by the Saskatchewan Wetland Conservation

Corporation and the Chaplin community. Chaplin is located on the

Trans-Canada Highway between Moose Jaw and Swift Current, 150 km west

of Regina.



The Saskatchewan Wetland Conservation Corporation promotes soil, water

and wildlife habitat conservation through programs that benefit

agriculture, wildlife and all society.



-30-



For more information, contact:



Bob Carles

Saskatchewan Wetland Conservation Corporation

Regina

Phone: (306) 787-0726



Clem Millar

Chaplin Tourism Committee

Chaplin

Phone: (306) 395-2223