{"id":16432,"date":"2026-02-20T21:41:16","date_gmt":"2026-02-20T21:41:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.cwf-fcf.org\/?p=16432"},"modified":"2026-02-26T16:19:24","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T16:19:24","slug":"the-secret-is-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.cwf-fcf.org\/index.php\/en\/the-secret-is-out\/","title":{"rendered":"The Secret Is Out"},"content":{"rendered":"

When grassland scientists, conservationists, managers and advocates get together, it is like being part of a secret club.<\/h2>\n

Sometimes being part of a small, exclusive group feels good. <\/p>\n

We have a shared vision where all Canadians understand and value the beauty and importance of grasslands \u2014 and are aware of the trouble they are in.<\/p>\n

Coalition Assemble!<\/h3>\n

\"\"This is why we have assembled a very keen group of like-minded organizations and individuals into the Canadian Grassland Coalition: to work on sharing the secret of Canada\u2019s disappearing grassland ecosystems.<\/p>\n

Over the past year and a half, the Canadian Wildlife Federation has been working with more than 30 Coalition organizations preparing an awareness campaign to spread the word about Canada\u2019s grasslands.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s been a great experience. We have met monthly to share experiences about the work we do and brainstorm ways to best communicate messages that will make more Canadians aware of natural grasslands. Working together, we have learned a lot.<\/p>\n

Now, after over a year of hard work, the secret is out. The Canadian Grassland Coalition, with support from the Canadian Wildlife Federation, has launched the awareness campaign \u201cThe Secret Life of Canada\u2019s Grasslands.\u201d\u00a0 You may see our ads on your favourite social media networks and you can visit our new website at CanadasGrasslands.ca<\/a>.<\/p>\n

We hope you learn something about our native grasslands and are inspired to do more. How? You can visit a grassland, join our iNaturalist project<\/a> or even spread the word about grasslands to your friends and family.<\/p>\n

So, What\u2019s the Big Secret?<\/h3>\n

\"\"The secret is that Canada\u2019s natural grasslands are magnificent places. They are home to many fascinating and beautiful wild species found nowhere else in the world. Native grasslands sustain our ecological systems and society by supporting pollinators, managing water in times of flood and drought and sequestering carbon underground, which in turn helps to mitigate climate change.<\/p>\n

Native grasslands are also cultural resources. They are revered by First Nations and M\u00e9tis peoples as well as a wide swath of Canadians who feel connected to Canada\u2019s prairie heritage.<\/p>\n

maskoskahk \u014dma pimatisowin. \u0113 kaskihtam\u0101sot iy\u012bnitoay\u012bsiniw is\u012bhcik\u0113win, ahcahkowin, \u0113kwa p\u012bk\u012bsw\u0113win. ka isi wahkotomihk k\u0101w\u012b pasp\u012bhk \u0113kwa ka apihk\u0101tam\u012bk p\u014dko kikwiy, \u014dma t\u0101pw\u0113win k\u0101 kis\u0113tamihk ka isi p\u012bm\u0101t\u012bsomakahk ok\u0101w\u012bm\u0101w askiy.<\/p>\n

Native prairie is the lifeline for Indigenous plains people’s cultural, spiritual and linguistic existence. Our collective wellbeing and survival are braided together with that of what remains.<\/em><\/p>\n

This is the truth of a living world.<\/em><\/p>\n

~Philip Brass, the testimonial is in n\u0113hiyaw\u0113win (Plains Cree). He is from the Peepeekisis Cree Nation, Treaty 4 Territory, Saskatchewan.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Grasslands are the backbone of Canada\u2019s vital agricultural system. They are found across Canada \u2014 from B.C.\u2019s Okanagan Valley, through the Great Plains of the prairie provinces, to southern Ontario tallgrass prairies and salt marshes in the Maritimes.<\/p>\n

Why Focus on Grasslands Now?<\/h3>\n
\"\"
\u00a9 Jeff Skevington<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Canada\u2019s natural grasslands have sacrificed much in the past 150 years. Experts estimate that more than 80 per cent of natural grasslands have been converted for other uses: agriculture, transportation, mining and urban development. Of the many species that call grasslands home, about 90 are at risk. Natural grasslands are difficult to restore and continue to disappear every day. They are in desperate need of our support, and that starts with creating awareness.<\/p>\n

2026 is the United Nations International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists \u2014 a global campaign raising awareness of the contributions of grasslands and farmers to sustainable food systems, biodiversity conservation and climate resilience. This makes 2026 the ideal year for the Canadian Grassland Coalition\u2019s grassland awareness campaign, providing us with the opportunity to engage with and highlight messages about grasslands in both Canada and on a global scale.<\/p>\n

Like the members of the Canadian Grassland Coalition, we are confident that once you discover the secret life of Canada\u2019s grasslands you will fall in love with, and want to conserve, our natural grassland ecosystems.<\/p>\n

Uncover more secrets \u2014 Visit CanadasGrasslands.ca<\/strong><\/a><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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