Should the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation buy Community Pastures for conservation??

[umchorn2]

You may be aware that control of 62 PFRA pastures in Saskatchewan and 23 in Manitoba have been transferred to the provincial government. The land base represents over 1 million acres of land which has for 80 years generally remained accessible to the public outside of certain times when cattle may be pastured.

This has been especially important for hunters since it offers them an opportunity to hunt a relatively large, mostly natural land base that has remained unfragmented by roads and intensive farming. These spaces have also remained some of the best habitat for mule deer, moose and elk due to the minimal disturbance that having such a large undeveloped and generally inaccessible area might provide.

It currently is the position of provincial wildlife federations that they do not intend to tender to buy such pastures when offerred for sale. Furthermore they hope that and doubt that the sales will proceed to transfer from public to private ownership.

What do you guys think? Should our wildlife federations be using this opportunity to buy pastures up for conservation? Afterall, if our wildlife federations don't buy these lands to protect and improve for wildlife and the hunting community, won't they be sold, cut up and lost forever?

Yes, our wildlife federation should buy community pastures!
Please elaborate.

No, our wildlife federation should not buy community pastures!
Please elaborate.

 

[Buckmastr]

Community pasture and lease lands are a big part of the future of recreational hunting access. It's not going to be cheap, but protecting accessible lands for future generations of hunters is important. Privatizing crown and lease lands is the beginning of the end of our hunting heritage imo.

 

[Prairie Plinker]

If and when some of these pastures come up for sale I hope the SWF is on it and looks into acquiring at least a few parcels of land in the better hunting areas.

Community pasture and lease lands are a big part of the future of recreational hunting access. It's not going to be cheap, but protecting accessible lands for future generations of hunters is important. Privatizing crown and lease lands is the beginning of the end of our hunting heritage imo.

I agree and echo your statement.

 

[scott_r]

I sure as heck hope so but not optimistic. I bet it will be purchased by rich land developers and posted every few feet "NO HUNTING"

 

[the spank]

I would sure hate to see them lost to hunting.

 

[Neilm]

I would think there is a lot of money involved. Instead of trying to buy a small parcel that could be afforded try using that money to try to pressure the the Government to keep that land public in perpetuity. I would think pressuring the MLAs to pass legislation would be money better spent. Just my opinion.

Neil

 

[Suka]

Public land should stay public. With more and more people being brought into the country land will only get more precious as time goes on. Once public land is gone, it's gone forever.

The Chinese still snapping up land in SK?

 

[stratosonic]

I would sure hate to see them lost to hunting.

I moved to B.C. after 30 years in Sask. I was a SWF member. I voted 'yes'.

 

[stratosonic]

Public land should stay public. With more and more people being brought into the country land will only get more precious as time goes on. Once public land is gone, it's gone forever.

The Chinese still snapping up land in SK?

Totally agree. However, there are always the lobbyists in the shadows using whatever means necessary to bring our elected politicians around to 'their' way of thinking.

 

[keith mokry]

I believe they buy land already or the different clubs do. Hopefully they have enough cash on hand when it happens

 

[Brutus]

Saskatchewan committees (with a vested public interest) should buy it IMO.

If you spend any amount of time in South Saskatchewan, there are mysteriously named organizations that purport to be hunter/conservation groups in some rural areas.

They are in reality just American hunter interest groups. Interested only in snatching up our wetlands for their own hunting, and just themselves only.

 

[scott_r]

85% of southern Sask is private land....bet the remainder is mostly Community pasture. It goes, good look to to our children or grandchildren. Every year more and more signs "no hunting are going up"...we have idiots that spoil for everyone but at least people can access pasture lands...now this is going..Thanks Brad Wall.

 

[Dogleg]

Buying land for conservation is well within the mandate of the club; and make no mistake it is a club. There are 1000s of members, most of which aren't "In the club".

It's easy to think that a large membership automatically means that they swing a big financial bat, but the reality is that its not nearly as big as one would think. I still laugh when I think about when our's gained the dubious honor of being about the only organization who could actually lose money on a home lottery. After that fiasco the club eventually admitted that they had over-reached their membership's ability to buy their own lottery tickets. Granted, 100 bucks was a lot more money back then than it is now, but still. People who can't afford 100 dollar tickets aren't likely to be good at selling them, and in most cases didn't travel in circles where that was considered chump change. Few even tried to sell them. Predictably, the plan flopped. Thats usually what happens when you come up with grandios ideas and expect others to do the heavy lifting. The debt from that little exercise lived longer than most of the members that voted for it.

 

[Brutus]

85% of southern Sask is private land....bet the remainder is mostly Community pasture. It goes, good look to to our children or grandchildren. Every year more and more signs "no hunting are going up"...we have idiots that spoil for everyone but at least people can access pasture lands...now this is going..Thanks Brad Wall.

I think that percentage is too low friend. About 93% IIRC.

Cheers

Edit: I guess it's kind of hard to place Indian reserve into any kind of category that would have an impact with most of us??

 

[TheTooner]

I believe they buy land already or the different clubs do. Hopefully they have enough cash on hand when it happens

The SWF owns small parcels of land throughout the province for conservation and they are available to members for hunting. Some of it was purchased, many parcels are gifts and bequests.

Most, if not all community pastures are probably a great deal bigger. If the SWF can afford it, I would be in favour of purchasing as much as possible, but if the government can be persuaded to maintain them as they are, that money would be available to purchase other land.

So as the poll is worded, I said yes.

 

[sheep100]

I am a member, and I say YES. I would event donate to a fund to buy the land.

 

[TheTooner]

85% of southern Sask is private land....bet the remainder is mostly Community pasture. It goes, good look to to our children or grandchildren. Every year more and more signs "no hunting are going up"...we have idiots that spoil for everyone but at least people can access pasture lands...now this is going..Thanks Brad Wall.

This is happening because the Federal government has decided these pastures cost too much money to administer for any good the feds get from them, so they are them dumping them the provinces. It isn't any cheaper for the provincial governments, who have to wonder if they are going to get more votes or less for taking them over.

If we want community pastures to stay in public hands and accessible and we don't bother to write our MLAs to tell them, we don't want them very much.

 

[Brutus]

You folks in Saskatchewan should get really busy. Like maybe yesterday!
If the public does not buy it, I'm sure there are foreign interests that would love to have their very own private hunting reserve on the prairies.

 

[umchorn2]

I have already talked to 2 board members/salaried employees of the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation several times months ago whom I will out of respect for their service, not mention as well as several pasture managers and members of government involved in the process.

The Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation (SWF) along with other conservation organizations have partial access to an annual fund of approximately $2,000,000 know as the Fish and Wildlife Development Fund, which is paid for by a 30% premium on all hunting and fishing license tags sold in Saskatchewan.

SWF is not interested in purchasing PFRA pastures for conservation. In my opinion this is a huge mistake. The pastures will sell, and when they do, the newly privatized land will be deforested, drained, and have roadways constructed every mile east and west and every 2 miles north and south.

I have about 20 Saskatchewan RM maps with all the public lands highlighted...and there are more than a few with not one quarter of public access or FWDF lands available for wildlife or hunters. The RM of Elfros is a case in point witb over 300 square miles of private property.

Gentlemen, the writing is on the Brad Wall...ughm I mean wall. The future of public land access in Saskatchewan will now rest on Provinvial parks and National Parks, where no hunting is permitted. Better find your favorite piece of property and butter up that farmer cause it's gonna be a bumper crop and the Chinese are hungry.