PROTECTING BURROWING OWLS IN MOOSE JAW

Released on June 4, 2002

The City of Moose Jaw has adopted a Burrowing Owl Conservation Plan that

creates one of the first urban conservation areas in Canada, where an urban

municipality actively plans for the co-existence of an endangered species

and ongoing development.



The announcement was made today as part of activities to celebrate

Environment Week in Saskatchewan.



The burrowing owl conservation area is in the northern part of the city,

from the Lynbrook Golf Course north through Sunningdale Park and the

Exhibition Grounds to the Western Development Museum. The area includes

the Burrowing Owl Interpretive Centre.



A second area of protected burrowing owl habitat will be established on the

land that was formerly the Moose Jaw Wild Animal Park, in an area known to

have been inhabited by the owls.



The city's conservation efforts are supported by Saskatchewan Environment

and several other nature and conservation organizations.



"This project is another example of environmental leadership by the City of

Moose Jaw," Acting Environment Minister Buckley Belanger said. "In

addition to supporting burrowing owl habitat conservation, Moose Jaw was

the first city in the province to start cleaning up old gas stations, and

one of the first to start effluent irrigation and urban composting."



- 30 -



For more information, contact:



Wayne Harris

Environment

Swift Current

Phone: (306) 778-8218