Saskatchewan Celebrates International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists

CANADA, February 17 - Released on February 17, 2026

The Government of Saskatchewan joins the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association (SSGA) and the Saskatchewan Prairie Conservation Action Plan (SK PCAP) in recognizing 2026 as the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP) in the province.

"Saskatchewan's rangelands support a sector that helps drive our economy," Agriculture Minister David Marit said. "This is our opportunity to recognize the hard work and stewardship of Saskatchewan's ranchers." 

Saskatchewan rangelands provide grazing for the livestock industry and habitat for a range of wildlife. These working landscapes stay productive thanks to the ranchers and land managers, also known as pastoralists, who care for them.

"Saskatchewan's rangelands are more than wide-open spaces - they support biodiversity, store large amounts of carbon, increase climate resilience and sustain rural livelihoods," Environment Minister Darlene Rowden said. "Ranchers and land managers play a key role as stewards of the land, and their work helps to preserve native prairie, as well as the many species that rely on these important habitats."

"Since our founding, SSGA has stood for conserving grasslands and protecting the pastoralist way of life through strong, united advocacy," SSGA General Manager Chad MacPherson said. "The IYRP recognizes the same principles by which Canadian Prairie ranchers live: stewardship of the land, economic sustainability and the freedom to produce food responsibly. SSGA is proud to advocate for ranchers as global attention turns to the value of healthy rangelands and the people who manage them."

Through IYRP Saskatchewan's prairie ecosystems, the people who manage them and the world-class livestock they produce will be shown on an international scale. 

"We are excited about the IYRP and raising public awareness of the vital role rangelands and pastoralists play," SK PCAP Manager Carolyn Gaudet said. "Rangelands are ecosystems that support cultures and livelihoods, and ranchers are essential environmental stewards in maintaining healthy rangelands. Through collaboration with our partners, we are celebrating by hosting events and using the international spotlight to bring attention to Saskatchewan's native prairie and rangeland ecosystems."

For additional information about the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists, several Canadian organizations have partnered to create a central hub with materials celebrating the year. 

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