GOVERNMENT RESPONDS TO THE GREAT SAND HILLS REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY

Released on July 11, 2007

The province has reviewed and accepted The Great Sand Hills Regional Environmental Study Final Report, as prepared by The Great Sand Hills Scientific Advisory Committee. At the same time, government has immediately acted on the most urgent recommendations of the report to describe additional protection in highly sensitive areas in the Great Sand Hills.

The report identifies 18 separate areas as the minimum that need protection in order to conserve this unique part of the Great Sand Hills landscape. Based upon that recommendation, the Minister of Environment will immediately start the process to designate these areas as Ecological Reserves.

"We are pleased to be able to deliver on our commitments, working in partnership with the Universities of Regina and Saskatchewan, to develop preferred scenarios and recommendations that will guide future decision making in the Great Sand Hills area," Environment Minister John Nilson said. "The Great Sand Hills is a spectacular landscape, recognized nationally and internationally as one of the largest remnants of native grassland in Canada.

"Our work will safeguard this land for Saskatchewan people, now and in the future. The Regional Environmental Study identified the values and provides the data we need to establish a long-term management plan for this area. We are moving forward in designating lands for protection as ecological reserves as part of our commitment to sustaining the ecological integrity of the Great Sand Hills."

As well, the Minister of Environment, on behalf of the Government of Saskatchewan, will forward the report and its supporting documentation to his department's Environmental Assessment Branch, to be reviewed as a development proposal under The Environmental Assessment Act. Based on the results of this review, additional areas may be considered for protection.

The report, its recommendations and preferred options focus on overall regional sustainability and the maintenance of ecological integrity of the Great Sand Hills. The report contains recommendations that lie outside the general application of The Environmental Assessment Act. It is expected the final Ministerial Approval will identify those particular recommendations and direct them to the appropriate departments for action.

The province established a Scientific Advisory Committee in January 2005, to oversee the Regional Environmental Study of the area. Dr. Reed Noss of the University of Central Florida in Orlando, a world-renowned expert in ecosystem management is the senior scientific advisor for the Committee. Highly respected Saskatchewan scientists Dr. Bram Noble from the University of Saskatchewan, Dr. Dave Gauthier, Dr. Polo Diaz and Dr. Ben Cecil from the University of Regina and Dr. Paul James from Saskatchewan Environment are the other members of the Committee.

Public and First Nation engagement occurred over a two-year period. The study is comprised of twenty-five individual studies condensed into a comprehensive final report submitted to the Minister of Environment.

The Great Sand Hills area contains more than 1950 square kilometres of native prairie, which includes active and stabilized sand dunes and is home to rare and threatened species such as the Sprague's Pipit.

Background information on the Great Sand Hills Regional Environmental Study and the final report of the Scientific Advisory Committee can be found at http://www.se.gov.sk.ca/GSH.

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For more information, contact:

Traci Braaten
Environment
Regina
Phone: 306-787-1611
Email: traci.braaten@gov.sk.ca
Cell: 306-536-3852