2022 Transboundary Grasslands Partnership Workshop

A New Chapter for Grassland Conservation

November 15th – 16th, 2022

Fireside Room, Stampede Exhibition – Medicine Hat, AB

The 7th annual Transboundary Grasslands Partnership Workshop took place on November 15-16, 2022 in Medicine Hat, AB. There were just over 60 participants who attended in-person as well as between 30-40 participating virtually.

November 15, 2022 – Day 1

Jurisdictional Updates:

• Alberta – Sasha Harriott
• Saskatchewan – Carolyn Gaudet
• Montana – Marisa Sather

November 15 – Recorded Session including:

• Central Grasslands Roadmap – Christian Artuso(Canadian Wildlife Service) and Tammy VanCauteren(Bird Conservancy), Alvin First Rider(Blood Tribe Land Management)
• JV8 – John K. Pattison Williams
• Prairie Habitat Joint Venture – Barry Robinson

Day  1 Wrap-Up – Cliff Wallis

November 16, 2022 – Day 2

Local Presentations:

• Laura and Mark Hoimyr – Grazing and Recovery: Finding a Balance
• Neal Wilson, Antelope Creek Ranch – Targeted Grazing of Crested Wheatgrass
• Tricia Kimmel – Kimmel Ranch – Turner, Montana
• Marika Sherman – Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association – “Using Reverse Auctions for Restoration on Native Grasslands”

If you were able to participate in-person or virtually, please give us your feedback by filling out this short survey. These surveys help us to continually improve these events.

2022 TGP Workshop Feedback Survey

AGENDA   (click to open)

2021 Transboundary Grasslands Partnership Workshop

Global Vision : Local Action

The 2021 TGP Workshop was held online. For those that missed it or those that need to view the sessions again they are recorded and can be found below.

AGENDA

Tuesday, October 19th, 2021 – Global Vision
Welcome, Transboundary Grasslands Partnership (TGP) History and Present – Kevin Ellison, TGP Chairperson

Central Grasslands Roadmap – A Collaborative Conservation Strategy
Tammy VerCauteren, Bird Conservancy of the Rockies and Christian Artuso, Canadian Wildlife Service (Environment and Climate Change Canada)

The science and technology behind USDA NRCS’s first–ever grassland biome conservation framework – Dirac Twidwell, University of Nebraska

Prairie Partnerships: The Pan–Canadian Approach to Transforming
Species at Risk Conservation – Rachel Turnquist, Conservation Coordinator, Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada


Wednesday, October 20th, 2021 – Local Action
Welcome
Montana: Ranching, Conservation and Communities – A Winning Team! – Martin Townsend, Ranchers’ Stewardship Alliance

Saskatchewan: Conservation Challenges of Native Grasslands in Southwest Saskatchewan – Diego Steinaker, South of the Divide Conservation Action Program

Alberta: Grassland Capital X: A Conservation Market Pilot
Western Stock Growers’ Association


Thursday, October 21st, 2021 – Indigenous Perspectives
Welcome

Montana: The Path Back: Bison Restoration at Fort Peck Reservation in Montana, Dennis Jorgenson, Bison Program Manager, World Wildlife Fund and Northern Great Plains Program and Jonny BearCub Stiffarm, Fort Peck Tribes

Saskatchewan: Witaskîwin (Allyship) Through Conservation
Philip Brass, Anishnabek / Nêhiyewak Artist, Hunter and Ceremonial Knowledge Carrier from the Peepeekisis Nêhiyewak Nation and Kristen Martin, Assistant Conservation Science Coordinator, Nature Conservancy of Canada

Alberta: Iinnii Rematriation Bio Monitoring
Alvin First Rider, Environmental Technician, Blood Tribe Land Management and Justin Bruised Head, Blood Tribe Land Management

Background:

In 2016, Alberta Prairie Conservation Forum initiated the Transboundary Grasslands Partnership recognizing that the environment doesn’t respect human boundaries. Watersheds, wildlife, air quality, invasive species…all parts of the environment transcend multiple boundaries on any given landscape. These boundaries are real and can impact the environment and our human objectives for it, especially at the edges of jurisdictions.

Alberta partners proposed  joint workshop to explore the interest for a broader transboundary partnership with Montana and Saskatchewan.  Objectives of the first workshop included:

• Becoming familiar with the broad scope of work and accomplishments of large landscape conservation transboundary collaboratives.
• Reviewing the status of existing transboundary grassland initiatives with a focus on successes, challenges and outcomes.
• Discussion around existing jurisdictionally‐based environmental, land use and natural resource management priorities and challenges. Identify potential topics where new or enhanced transboundary collaboration may result in better outcomes.
• Confirm interest in pursuing additional topical transboundary issues or a broad grassland transboundary large landscape collaborative.

Previous Transboundary Grasslands Partnership Workshop   Transboundary Grasslands Partnership Terms of Reference

Vision:

Working collaboratively to sustain healthy transboundary native biodiversity and the supporting grassland ecosystems and communities.

Mission:

The Transboundary Grasslands Partnership (TGP) is a voluntary collaborative partnership working towards native grasslands conservation. The TGP will provide a forum where transboundary jurisdictions and sectors work collaboratively to conserve and enhance native grassland landscapes. The partnership will operate under three guiding principles:

• Enhance: the health and function of native grasslands, by building on successes and challenges and awareness amongst the partners,
• Create:  working towards collaborative actions that address gaps in transboundary native grassland conservation, and
• Connect: acknowledging and improving transboundary communications, relationship building, education, cooperation and messaging between partners, Tribes and First Nations and interested organizations and individuals.

The Transboundary Grassland Partnership holds core team monthly meetings to maintain communications across jurisdictions. The Transboundary Grassland Partnership workshop is held annually and the location of the workshop rotates between Alberta, Saskatchewan and Montana.