North American Prairie Conference
Date of this Version
1989
Abstract
Manitoba's tall grass prairies mark the northernmost extent of that community in North America and historically comprised the most extensive area of tallgrass prairie in Canada. The Tall-Grass Prairie Conservation Project is Manitoba's first systematic inventory of this community. Potential sites were located using black-and-white aerial photography, land-use maps, and referrals from outside sources. Sites were systematically ground-checked and ranked using native species dominance, abundance and diversity, evidence of disturbance, and location. About 19% (116,600 ha) of the historic range of the true prairie was surveyed between May and October of 1987; an additional 23% (138,000 ha) was surveyed between May and July of 1988. The project has greatly heightened public awareness of the threat to Manitoba's tallgrass prairie and seeks to incorporate protection and management of prairie remnants with continued inventory.
Comments
Published in Prairie Pioneers: Ecology, History and Culture: Proceedings of the Eleventh North American Prairie Conference, August 7-11, 1988, Lincoln, Nebraska (Lincoln, NE 1989).