News Release, August 6, 2024, Winnipeg, MB
The Manitoba Tall Grass Prairie Preserve will be hosting its annual Prairie Day event on Saturday, August 10, 2024 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Guided walks will take place at the Prairie Shore Trail, approximately 3km east of Tolstoi on Provincial Road 209 from 10:00 a.m. to 12 noon. Guest presentations will take place from 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Gardenton Park and Museum, outside under the shade of the oak trees.
Learn about the amazing species that call this unique prairie region their home. Guided walks will highlight the diversity of the prairie landscape from bees and birds to wildflowers and trees and see examples of prairie management. There are a number of plant and animal species that are listed under Canada’s Species at Risk Act. One very special species is the Poweshiek Skipperling which is found in only a few places in the tall grass prairie and no where else in Canada. Their numbers dropped so significantly that a recovery group was set up to determine what could be done to help their survival. Staff from the Assiniboine Zoo will give an update on the work they have undertaken to help this endangered species. Locally, the Shared Legacy program has been working the landowners with species at risk on their properties and Norm Gregoire will offer an update on how the program is helping species and landowners. Lastly, Terry Galloway, a retired entomologist, will discuss one our favourite groups of insects to complain about, the mosquitoes! Not all mosquitoes are a pest to people, some have an important role to play in our prairie habitats.
Admission for the day is $10.00 per adult and no charge for children. Activities will begin at 10:00 a.m. and wrap up at 3:30 p.m. Lunch and afternoon presentation will take place at Gardenton Park and Museum. Volunteers from Gardenton Park will serve up their delicious homemade perogies with cream sauce and other BBQ treats. Cold drinks will be available for sale from their kitchen. Please note, only cash is accepted for admissions and food purchases. Modern washrooms are available at Gardenton Park.
Please bring a lawn chair or blanket, sunscreen and insect repellent. Walking conditions may be wet so rubber boots or a change of footwear is suggested for those participating in the guided walks. All Prairie Day activities will take place rain or shine.
For more information on this event, please contact Christie at the Manitoba Tall Grass Prairie Preserve at 204-599-8839.
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BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The establishment of the Manitoba Tall Grass Prairie Preserve in 1989 secured some of the largest and highest quality parcels of tall grass prairie remaining in the province. Shortly after securement by Nature Manitoba (formerly Manitoba Naturalist Society) and Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation, seasonal Critical Wildlife Habitat Program staff began inventory efforts to document the various floral and faunal species occurring on these acquisitions. With the addition of the Nature Conservancy of Canada to the Preserve partnership, the Preserve has grown in size to nearly 6,000 hectares. The list of species identified on the Preserve has also increased. To date, nearly 1,000 species have been documented for the area, several of which are considered rare. The Preserve also provides habitat for many provincially rare species, some of which have very limited distributions.
Prairie Day was established to give the public an opportunity to experience the diverse and amazing flora and fauna of the tall grass ecosystem. The event is held annually on the second Saturday of August, a time when the prairie grasses are approaching their peak height and a variety of wildflowers are in bloom. Guest speakers, experts in their field of study, give a short informal presentation on a topic relating to the tall grass prairie then answer questions from the audience. Over the more than 30 years that the event has taken place, topics have ranged from prairie restoration efforts and techniques to survey efforts for specific species as well as featuring a particular group of species such as spiders, bats, frogs and bears, to name but a few.