Sand dunes left over from an ancient glacial lake form just one of the habitats on a new property acquired by the Nature Conservancy of Canada.

Sand dunes left over from an ancient glacial lake form just one of the habitats on a new property acquired by the Nature Conservancy of Canada.
Photo Credit: Nature Conservancy of Canada

Historic sand hills area conserved

A leading conservation organization has acquired a 127-hectare property in the province of Manitoba that includes a habitat for many rare and some at-risk species. The Ethier Sandhills property includes sand dunes left over from Glacial Lake Agassiz. That lake was the formed over 11,000 years ago and was the largest glacial lake in North America.

The Ethier Sandhills are ideal habitat for the endangered prairie skink.
The Ethier Sandhills are ideal habitat for the endangered prairie skink. © Nature Conservancy of Canada

Canada’s only lizard lives here

Vegetation has grown on the dunes and stabilized them, making a good habitat for 11 species at risk and uncommon species as well as larger mammals like white-tailed deer and moose.

There is the prairie skink, which is Canada’s only lizard and other sub-tropical species which go south in winter and return in summer.

Plants include silky prairie clover, brittle prickly-pear and the provincially-imperilled spinystar.

The Ethier Sandhills is one of the only places in Manitoba where the imperilled spinystar is found.
The Ethier Sandhills is one of the only places in Manitoba where the imperilled spinystar is found. © Nature Conservancy of Canada

Natural and artificial threats

The property was sold to the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) by a landowner who wanted to protect the natural area in honour of his late mother. “It’s important because it supports a number of Nature Conservancy Canada’s biodiversity conservation targets,” says Kevin Tenecyke, director of conservation for NCC’s Manitoba region.

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“The habitats are rare on the landscapes and there are a number of threats, both natural and artificial, that are working against these habitats that support these more rare and threatened species.”

The area will be maintained and enhanced to preserve the habitats and the public will be able to visit, but only on foot.
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