Voluntary Stewardship and the Canadian Species at Risk Act: Exploring Rancher Willingness to Support Species at Risk in the Canadian Prairies

Abstract

North American temperate grasslands and the wildlife species they support are increasingly imperilled, largely due to habitat loss and degradation. Most remaining prairie is privately managed and supports livestock production. In Canada, voluntary stewardship is the preferred approach for protecting species at risk on private lands under the federal Species at Risk Act (SARA). However, attitudes of private land managers toward species at risk and their willingness to engage in stewardship are poorly understood. With data from interviews with 42 livestock producers in Saskatchewan, Canada, we describe producer characteristics, attitudes, and awareness of species at risk and evaluate how these factors influence willingness to protect species at risk. Younger producers with increased formal education, awareness, and positive attitudes were more willing to support conservation of species at risk. Voluntary stewardship under the SARA may be enhanced by rewarding producers for sound habitat management and improving trust between producers and government agencies.

Keywords:

• species at risk
• livestock producer
• voluntary stewardship
• attitudes
• temperate grasslands

Acknowledgments

The authors thank S. Lutkin for assistance with data collection; L. Ejack, D. Levesque, T. Haapalainen, S. Lutkin, and R. Morriset for interview transcription; and the ranching families of southwestern Saskatchewan for their hospitality and participation. We also thank the staff of Grasslands National Park for logistical support, M. Gilchrist for GIS and mapping support, and two anonymous reviewers and the journal editor for comments which greatly improved the manuscript.

Funding

Research was funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Environment Canada-Canadian Wildlife Service, Species at Risk Inter-departmental Recovery Fund, Saskatchewan Fish and Wildlife Development Fund, University of Saskatchewan, Nature Saskatchewan, and the Canadian Wildlife Federation.