Manitoba Tall Grass Prairie Preserve
Encyclopedia
The Manitoba Tall Grass Prairie Preserve is located in southeastern Manitoba
near Gardenton
and Vita
, this is about 50 kilometres (31.1 mi) south of Steinbach, Manitoba
. It is one of the last remaining stands of tallgrass prairie
in Manitoba and is part of the Tallgrass Aspen Parkland
conservation area in Manitoba and Minnesota
. Several groups and organizations help in land preservation in the Manitoba Tall Grass Prairie such as the Nature Conservancy of Canada
, Nature Manitoba, Environment Canada
, Manitoba Conservation and the Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation.
remains. The area is characterized by a mosaic of habitat types, including tallgrass prairie, aspen woodland, sedge meadow wetlands, riparian woodland, and oak savannah. Over 1,000 species depend on this diverse habitat and 16 species that are on provincial or national endangered species list reside within the area.
The ecological significance of the area that is now the preserve was only discovered in the late 1980s by botanists of the Manitoba Naturalist Society who were cataloging native plant species in the area. They discovered that a significant portion of the tallgrass prairie remained despite the belief it had been wiped out. There are just over 5000 acres (20.2 km²) that are protected in the preserve.
The 13-part television series Canada: A People's History
was filmed on location in the preserve for the realistic settings of First Nations encampments and Metis
ox carts.
The Manitoba Preserve is home to over 1,000 species during the course of the year, as well as a number of endangered or threatened species of plants and animals.
or Turkey Foot (so called because of its resemblance to the big birds foot), Little Bluestem
, Porcupine Needlegrass
, and Prairie Dropseed
grasses. Within the preserve you can find the endangered Western Prairie Fringed Orchid
which is the last known Canadian remnant of the orchid. This is also the worlds largest Western Prairie Fringed Orchid growth containing over half the worlds population of the orchid.
Other federally and provincially listed endangered species are the Small White Lady's Slipper, of which 34,491 stems were counted in the Preserve in 1998, and 16,899 of them were flowering stems. Others include the Great Plains Ladies Tresses
, Culver's Root, Western Silvery Aster
, and Riddell's Goldenrod. Some other prominent plants include Sundrops, Two-flowered Cynthia
, Whorled Loosestrife
, Whorled Milkwort, and Wild Geranium which can all be found within the preserve, though they are not listed on provincial or federal species at risk lists.
can be found in the preserve. The Dakota Skipper
was previously found in the area with specimens being retrieved in the 1980s and last claimed to be found in the year 2000. Since then they are believed to have been extirpated, their loss believed in part possible from a wildfire and burns designed to control woody encroachment in 2001 and 2002. This prairie-endemic species is also threatened by woody encroachment into prairies.. The possibility of reintroducing the Skipper to the preserve was studied in 2006 but considered unfeasible at the time due to the low density of larval and adult host plants.
Also found are nesting pairs of Sandhill Crane
s, Garter Snakes, the Plains Pocket Gopher
, and Prairie Vole
.
There is also another 1.5 kilometre (0.93205910497471 mi) trail in the Tall Grass Prairie Preserve that has been laid out in the southern portion of the preserve. This trail is owned by the Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation, a provincial Crown Corporation which owns some land in the Vita area. There is a "Prairie Day" in the community of Gardenton that is held on the second Saturday of every August. During this time they showcase the flora and fauna of the land and help to educate children and others on the preserve. During this time some species like the smooth green snake
are showcased.
Tallgrass however is a complicated ecosystem that has relied on various measures over time to control it and encourage growth of different species. Historically vast herds of the now extirpated Plains Bison
would help through grazing to eliminate grasses and more importantly the growth of shrubs and trees to prevent the prairie from turning into forest. Fires would sweep through the areas helping to again eliminate trees and shrubs but allowing the native prairie species to survive because of their deep root systems that have adapted and evolved to survive grass fires.
Management and conservation groups have taken these past lessons into consideration and are trialing various methods in the preserve which include light grazing and controlled burns. They are trying to determine which method or group of methods is best to control invasive species and which encourage growth of the native species as each species of flora in the preserve grows and flourishes in one specific area or another. When these tactics are used together it helps to maintain a perfectly diverse and balanced prairie ecosystem.
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
near Gardenton
Gardenton, Manitoba
Gardenton is a community in the Canadian province of Manitoba. It is located in the Rural Municipality of Stuartburn....
and Vita
Vita, Manitoba
Vita is a small community in Southeastern Manitoba settled by Ukrainian immigrants in the late 1890s. It is roughly 50 km by road from Steinbach, Manitoba in the Rural Municipality of Stuartburn....
, this is about 50 kilometres (31.1 mi) south of Steinbach, Manitoba
Steinbach, Manitoba
Steinbach is a city of approx. 13,500 people in the southeast corner of the province of Manitoba, Canada, a short distance from the capital Winnipeg. Steinbach is the largest community in the Eastman region of Manitoba. The city is located in the R.M. of Hanover and bordered to the east by the R.M...
. It is one of the last remaining stands of tallgrass prairie
Tallgrass prairie
The tallgrass prairie is an ecosystem native to central North America, with fire as its primary periodic disturbance. In the past, tallgrass prairies covered a large portion of the American Midwest, just east of the Great Plains, and portions of the Canadian Prairies. They flourished in areas with...
in Manitoba and is part of the Tallgrass Aspen Parkland
Tallgrass Aspen Parkland
The Tallgrass Aspen Parkland is a Conservation area located in southeastern Manitoba/northwestern Minnesota. The area is characterized by a mosaic of habitat types, including tallgrass prairie, aspen woodland, sedge meadow wetlands, riparian woodland, and oak savannah...
conservation area in Manitoba and Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. Several groups and organizations help in land preservation in the Manitoba Tall Grass Prairie such as the Nature Conservancy of Canada
Nature Conservancy of Canada
Nature Conservancy of Canada is a Canadian private not-for-profit charitable environmental organisation established in 1962. The NCC works to achieve the direct protection of what they deem as Canada's most important natural treasures through property securement and long-term stewardship of...
, Nature Manitoba, Environment Canada
Environment Canada
Environment Canada , legally incorporated as the Department of the Environment under the Department of the Environment Act Environment Canada (EC) (French: Environnement Canada), legally incorporated as the Department of the Environment under the Department of the Environment Act Environment...
, Manitoba Conservation and the Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation.
Manitoba Tallgrass Prairie
Only about 0.5% of the original 6000 kilometres (3,728.2 mi) tallgrass prairiePrairie
Prairies are considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the dominant vegetation type...
remains. The area is characterized by a mosaic of habitat types, including tallgrass prairie, aspen woodland, sedge meadow wetlands, riparian woodland, and oak savannah. Over 1,000 species depend on this diverse habitat and 16 species that are on provincial or national endangered species list reside within the area.
The ecological significance of the area that is now the preserve was only discovered in the late 1980s by botanists of the Manitoba Naturalist Society who were cataloging native plant species in the area. They discovered that a significant portion of the tallgrass prairie remained despite the belief it had been wiped out. There are just over 5000 acres (20.2 km²) that are protected in the preserve.
The 13-part television series Canada: A People's History
Canada: A People's History
Canada: A People's History is a 17-episode, 32-hour documentary television series on the history of Canada. It first aired on CBC Television from October 2000 to November 2001. The production was an unusually large project for the national network, especially during budget cutbacks. The unexpected...
was filmed on location in the preserve for the realistic settings of First Nations encampments and Metis
Métis people (Canada)
The Métis are one of the Aboriginal peoples in Canada who trace their descent to mixed First Nations parentage. The term was historically a catch-all describing the offspring of any such union, but within generations the culture syncretised into what is today a distinct aboriginal group, with...
ox carts.
Flora and fauna
Plants
The Tall Grass Prairie Preserve consists primarily of Big BluestemBig Bluestem
Andropogon gerardii, known also as Big bluestem, Turkey foot, Prairie tallgrass, or simply Tallgrass, is a tall grass native to much of the Great Plains and Prairie regions of central North America- Description :...
or Turkey Foot (so called because of its resemblance to the big birds foot), Little Bluestem
Little bluestem
Schizachyrium scoparium, commonly known as little bluestem or beard grass, is a North American prairie grass. Little bluestem is a perennial bunchgrass and is prominent in tallgrass prairie, along with big bluestem , indiangrass and switchgrass...
, Porcupine Needlegrass
Stipa
This article is about a type of grass.For Speech Transmission Index for Public Address Systems, see Speech transmission index.For the Italian aircraft designer, see Luigi Stipa...
, and Prairie Dropseed
Prairie dropseed
Sporobolus heterolepis, the Prairie dropseed, is a species of prairie grass native to a widespread area of the US and Canada.-Description:Taking up to five years to mature from seed, the adult dropseed can range...
grasses. Within the preserve you can find the endangered Western Prairie Fringed Orchid
Western Prairie Fringed Orchid
Platanthera praeclara, known as the Western Prairie Fringed Orchid or the Great Plains White Fringed Orchid, is a rare and threatened species of orchid native to North America. It has been listed as a threatened species in the United States since 1989, and in 2008 was added to the .The plant arises...
which is the last known Canadian remnant of the orchid. This is also the worlds largest Western Prairie Fringed Orchid growth containing over half the worlds population of the orchid.
Other federally and provincially listed endangered species are the Small White Lady's Slipper, of which 34,491 stems were counted in the Preserve in 1998, and 16,899 of them were flowering stems. Others include the Great Plains Ladies Tresses
Spiranthes
Spiranthes, commonly called Ladies'-tresses, is a genus of orchids Spiranthes, commonly called Ladies'-tresses, is a genus of orchids Spiranthes, commonly called Ladies'-tresses, is a genus of orchids (family (Orchidaceae) belonging to the subfamily Orchidoideae.It has a very wide, almost...
, Culver's Root, Western Silvery Aster
Symphyotrichum sericeum
Symphyotrichum sericeum is a species of flowering plant in the aster family known by several common names, including western silver aster and silky aster. It is native to the central plains of North America.-Distribution:...
, and Riddell's Goldenrod. Some other prominent plants include Sundrops, Two-flowered Cynthia
Krigia
Krigia is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family....
, Whorled Loosestrife
Lysimachia quadrifolia
Lysimachia quadrifolia is a herbaceous plant in the Myrsinaceae family. It has simple leaves in whorls of 3-7 , and erect stems. It grows to a height of about one meter. The flowers have five pointed, yellow petals with a splash of red near the center.It is native to the eastern United States and...
, Whorled Milkwort, and Wild Geranium which can all be found within the preserve, though they are not listed on provincial or federal species at risk lists.
Animals
The endangered Powesheik SkipperSkipper (butterfly)
A skipper or skipper butterfly is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. They are named after their quick, darting flight habits. There are more than 3500 recognized species of skippers and they occur worldwide, but with the greatest diversity in the Neotropical regions of Central and South...
can be found in the preserve. The Dakota Skipper
Dakota Skipper
The Dakota Skipper is a small to medium sized North American butterfly. It has a wingspan of approximately one inch and the antennae form a hook. The male’s wings are a tawny-orange to brown on the forewings with a prominent mark and dusty yellow on the lower part of the wing...
was previously found in the area with specimens being retrieved in the 1980s and last claimed to be found in the year 2000. Since then they are believed to have been extirpated, their loss believed in part possible from a wildfire and burns designed to control woody encroachment in 2001 and 2002. This prairie-endemic species is also threatened by woody encroachment into prairies.. The possibility of reintroducing the Skipper to the preserve was studied in 2006 but considered unfeasible at the time due to the low density of larval and adult host plants.
Also found are nesting pairs of Sandhill Crane
Sandhill Crane
The Sandhill Crane is a large crane of North America and extreme northeastern Siberia. The common name of this bird references habitat like that at the Platte River, on the edge of Nebraska's Sandhills in the American Midwest...
s, Garter Snakes, the Plains Pocket Gopher
Plains Pocket Gopher
The plains pocket gopher is one of thirty-five species of pocket gopher, so named in reference to their externally located, fur-lined cheek pouches. They are burrowing animals, found in grasslands and agricultural land across the Great Plains of North America, from Manitoba to Texas...
, and Prairie Vole
Prairie Vole
The Prairie Vole is a small vole found in central North America. The vole has long, coarse grayish-brown fur on the upper portion of the body and yellowish fur on the lower portion of the body...
.
Trails
There are a number of partnerships in the Tall Grass Prairie Preserve one of which being The Nature Conservancy of Canada which owns some land in the Vita area. The NCC also maintains and operates a 1.6 km trail which is available to the public called the Aggasiz Trail.There is also another 1.5 kilometre (0.93205910497471 mi) trail in the Tall Grass Prairie Preserve that has been laid out in the southern portion of the preserve. This trail is owned by the Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation, a provincial Crown Corporation which owns some land in the Vita area. There is a "Prairie Day" in the community of Gardenton that is held on the second Saturday of every August. During this time they showcase the flora and fauna of the land and help to educate children and others on the preserve. During this time some species like the smooth green snake
Smooth Green Snake
The smooth green snake is a non-venomous North American colubrid. It is also referred to as the grass snake.-Description:...
are showcased.
Management
Much of the original tallgrass prairie disappeared due to the fact that it was prime agricultural land. Indeed the reason why most of the Manitoba Tallgrass Prairie Preserve remains is because much of the land is unfarmable by machine because of the many boulders left behind by glaciers.Tallgrass however is a complicated ecosystem that has relied on various measures over time to control it and encourage growth of different species. Historically vast herds of the now extirpated Plains Bison
Plains Bison
The Plains Bison or Common bison is one of two subspecies/ecotypes of the American Bison, the other being the Wood Bison . Furthermore, it has been suggested that the Plains Bison consists of a northern and a southern subspecies, bringing the total to three...
would help through grazing to eliminate grasses and more importantly the growth of shrubs and trees to prevent the prairie from turning into forest. Fires would sweep through the areas helping to again eliminate trees and shrubs but allowing the native prairie species to survive because of their deep root systems that have adapted and evolved to survive grass fires.
Management and conservation groups have taken these past lessons into consideration and are trialing various methods in the preserve which include light grazing and controlled burns. They are trying to determine which method or group of methods is best to control invasive species and which encourage growth of the native species as each species of flora in the preserve grows and flourishes in one specific area or another. When these tactics are used together it helps to maintain a perfectly diverse and balanced prairie ecosystem.
