PREMIER DESIGNATES 976,230 HECTARES OF LAND

Released on February 20, 1998

In an address to the tri-annual Prairie Conservation and Endangered

Species Conference today in Saskatoon, Premier Roy Romanow announced

that more than 976,230 hectares (2,397,277 acres) of land has been

designated to the Representative Areas Network.



"This is a major achievement in preserving and protecting our prairie

landscape," Romanow said. "The Representative Areas Network is an

essential part of the province's plan to sustain the health and

diversity of Saskatchewan's environment. By the year 2000, this

network of unspoiled areas, representing all the diverse land forms

and aquatic systems found in Saskatchewan will ensure these water,

land and wildlife resources are available for our children's children

and on into the future."



Crown land designations are on two ecological reserves and a wildlife

refuge in the Cold Lake Air Weapons Range adjoining the Alberta border

- totalling more than 176,600 hectares (421,547 acres) and 27 new

parkland reserves of 76,500 hectares (188,900 acres), located mainly

in Pasquia-Porcupine areas in east central Saskatchewan.



The premier also noted how pleased he was to be present for the

signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Agriculture and

Agri-Food Canada and Saskatchewan Environment and Resource

Management. The MOU enables the federal and provincial

governments and livestock producers to work together to manage

723,130 hectares (1,786,830 acres) of federal PFRA Community

Pasture lands in Saskatchewan, in accordance with the

conservation and ecological principles of the Network.



Traditional land uses which have been shown to have little impact

on the long-term health of the system such as managed grazing on

grasslands, hunting and trapping, are permitted in the designated

representative areas.



Over the last nine months the province has also entered into

agreements with Ducks Unlimited Canada, Saskatchewan Wetlands

Conservation Corporation, the Redberry Lake Pelican Project and

four conservation easements which are contributing to the RAN

program. These agreements consist of 381,774 hectares (943,350

acres).



Premier Romanow also unveiled a Prairie Conservation Action Plan

for Saskatchewan designed to ensure that the province's remaining

native prairie is conserved for future generations. Goals of the

Action Plan are to:



Sustain a healthy, native prairie grazing resource;



Conserve the remaining native prairie resource;



Maintain Saskatchewan's native prairie biological diversity;



Promote the sustainable use of native prairie to enhance the

quality of life;



Promote education and develop communication programs

regarding the conservation and sustainable use of native

prairie.



The Plan identifies specific problems in maintaining this

important resource, suggests actions to determine the real

impacts and defines ways to correct them.



Hailing this as the type of co-operative initiative that has

produced so many Saskatchewan success stories, Premier Romanow

congratulated the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association for

playing a leadership role in developing the plan.



"This plan shows what can be achieved when people who live and

work on the land get together with others to meet a common

objective," Romanow said.



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For more information, contact:



Anna Arneson

Media Services

Regina

Phone: (306) 787-0850