STREAMBANK STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM RECEIVES FUNDING FROM ENVIRONMENT CANADA

Released on April 27, 1998

Lorne Scott, minister responsible for the Saskatchewan Wetland

Conservation Corporation (SWCC), announced today that the corporation

has been awarded a total of $160,000 in funding support over two years

through Environment Canada's "Action 21" program to work on two major initiatives under the Streambank Stewardship Program in Saskatchewan.



This support will allow SWCC and its partners to undertake activities

such as voluntary ecological monitoring, design of grazing management

strategies and information/education programming which will result in

improving the health of streambank habitat. The Partners for the

Saskatchewan River Basin are managing partners in the voluntary

ecological monitoring project.



"This streambank conservation program is important to landowners and

residents of Saskatchewan," Scott said. "Healthy streambank habitat

provides better water quality for our communities, increased forage

production for livestock, good habitat for fish and aquatic life and

improved habitat for wildlife."



Streambank conservation activities are relatively new in Saskatchewan

with only a few programs evaluating the status of our streambanks and

waterways conducted over the past four years.



Over the next two years, SWCC will be working with its partners,

Saskatchewan Environment and Resource Management, Pheasants

Forever, the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation, PFRA, Ducks

Unlimited, Sask Water, the Saskatchewan Grazing and Pasture

Technology Program, the Wimmer Grazing Co-operative, Cypress

Hills Provincial Park and the RM of Elfros near Quill Lakes to

implement various components of the projects.



"It is important to continue working with landowners to increase

their awareness of the benefits of good streambank management and

to extend knowledge to other sectors by involving other

organizations and agencies in the delivery of this program,"

Scott said.



The Wetland Conservation Corporation is currently producing a

step by step management guide and a series of factsheets to help

people manage these habitat areas.



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For more information, contact:



Sharon Metz

Manager, Communications/Marketing

Saskatchewan Wetlands Conservation Corporation

Regina

Phone: (306) 787-9290