The Community Foundation is pleased to announce the recipients of the Fall 2025 Joyce Gemmell Jessen Habitat Conservation Fund (JGJ) grants. This year JGJ supported 3 charitable programs for a total of $52,000. The purpose of this Fund is to support projects that preserve and conserve native flora and fauna in Saskatchewan.
Congratulations to the successful applicants!
Fall 2025 Recipients ($52,000 to 3 Organizations):
Initiative Name: Saskatchewan Stock Growers Foundation – Term Conservation Easement in SE Saskatchewan
This initiative is to support a term conservation easement that will protect endangered native grasslands west of Weyburn, SK. Saskatchewan has lost over 2 million acres of native grasslands to agriculture and development, with less than 20% remaining intact. Specifically, this term easement would cover an area with Trossachs soils, the majority of which have already been lost to farming (see Attachment 1). Term easements are a new tool that, unlike perpetual easement, last for a defined term, usually 25-45 years. Restrictions on land conversion, wetland drainage, and major developments are placed on the land, with the ranchers retaining the right to use and graze their land. Easements remain, even if ownership changes, providing long
term conservation benefits. The Saskatchewan Stock Growers Foundation is the first organization in Canada to offer term conservation easements. The first term easement was signed in spring of 2025, and interest from ranchers is continuing to grow.
Initiative Name: NCC – University of Regina – Herbarium Prairie Flora Preservation Initiative
This initiative is to support the preservation of Saskatchewan’s native flora through the digitization of plant specimens housed at the George F. Ledingham Herbarium. Funding will enable a student to inventory and catalogue key specimens that represent rare prairie ecosystems and native plant species at risk. This work will improve long-term conservation efforts by making ecological data more accessible to researchers, land managers, and the public. Digitization ensures the preservation of fragile, irreplaceable specimens while enabling better understanding of how Saskatchewan’s landscapes have changed over time due to climate, land use, and invasive species. It also strengthens the Herbarium’s role as a trusted resource for biodiversity
monitoring, policy-making, and education across the province.
Initiative Name: Wanuskewin Heritage Park- Invasive Species Control
This initiative is to enhance remnant native prairie ecosystems at Wanuskewin Heritage Park (WHP) by removing invasive species and reintroducing culturally significant and ecologically important native floral species. Through integrating Indigenous knowledge offered by WHP’s Elders Council and Knowledge Keepers with Western ecological science, the project will work to improve wildlife habitat and support ecosystem resilience through strengthened biodiversity and ecologically functional redundancies. A new greenhouse will enable ongoing propagation of native plants for long-term site enhancement. The initiative also includes ecosystem education for volunteers, school groups, and the public, fostering deeper awareness of Saskatchewan’s prairie landscapes and renewing traditional land stewardship practices.