It is surprising how much knowledge we have about environmental crises around the world, like the burning of the rainforest in Brazil, and yet how little knowledge we have about our own backyard. Here in Saskatchewan, there is a major problem due to the lack of native vegetation. We live in an area of prime cropland. It is a highly fragmented landscape with only a few natural areas left. Many of our prairie species have to live on very small natural areas. If we continue to develop these areas for other purposes, many of our native species will be lost.

It is for this reason that we are working hard to rebuild and rejuvenate the native land species in our area. Right now we have begun restoring a 20x20m plot of land. This year we used the area to monitor the bloom times of several indicator species and collect data to plot climate change trends with the Nature Saskatchewan Plant Watch Program. We also collected seeds from our plot to assist other groups with prairie restoration projects. We involve the community by inviting them to join in our restoration projects. We hope that bringing people together will assist community members in forming new, long-lasting relationships with each other, us, the community and the environment in which they live. The simple act of making a commitment to the native prairie helps in our community to see the value of this beautiful and scarce piece of our natural heritage.

We hope that our work promotes the appreciation and sustainable use of native species and instills the values of conservation and individual environmental responsibility in our community. After all, in the words of William Shakespeare, "He [or she] who plants a garden, believes in the future."

Andre Boutin-Maloney