The concept behind wetland restoration is to redevelop water basins that have been previously drained. ‘Water basins’ are also known as wetlands, sloughs, potholes, swamps, ponds, bogs or marshes. “Quite often, the wetland was drained with the intent to crop the area. However, drained wetlands don’t always provide ideal land for growing productive crops, and eventually the area becomes a … Read More
New High-Resolution Wetland Data Available
The Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation (MHHC) is pleased to announce that it has publicly released the first of four high-resolution wetland datasets covering the Assiniboine River Valley and surrounding region, extending from the Manitoba-Saskatchewan border to the City of Brandon. MHHC has been participating in a Province-wide wetland inventory project, part of a larger national Canadian Wetland Inventory mapping initiative. … Read More
Manitoba Farmers’ Voice highlights MHHC landowner Alistair Hagan
The Keystone Agricultural Producers magazine The Farmers’ Voice featured an interview with long-time Conservation Agreement holder Alistair Hagan and some discussion on what it means to work with MHHC in protecting your natural habitat. To read the article just turn to page 22 in the Spring 2016 issue, if you have a physical copy, or you can download the magazine … Read More
Crew family recognized for contribution
The Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation (MHHC) was pleased to have formally recognized the Crew family for their donation of two parcels of land to MHHC at a recent dedication ceremony. Frank Crew, originally from Birtle, Manitoba, donated the property that had been part of his family’s farm for half a century. After grain farming in the Birtle area for more … Read More
Largest donated Conservation Agreement in Manitoba history
A Lake Manitoba wetland about five times the size of Birds Hill Park called Big Grass Marsh has been protected by the municipalities of Lakeview and Westbourne for conservation, making this the largest such land donation in the province’s history, Conservation and Water Stewardship Minister Gord Mackintosh announced today. This is the largest conservation agreement of its kind in Canada. … Read More
Wetland Restoration: Restoring Landscape Resilience
The Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation (MHHC) is working with landowners to address on-farm and community-level water concerns through wetland restoration. Restoring wetlands under paid 10-year term contracts or perpetual agreements is a simple and effective way to reduce nutrient loading to Manitoba’s lakes and rivers and support wildlife and waterfowl, while improving your land’s natural resilience to extreme wet and … Read More
Hen Houses Provide a Haven for Nesting Mallards
Thousands of new mallard ducklings will be hitting the water in wetlands across southwestern Manitoba this spring. That would appear to be unremarkable, however, these ducklings would likely not exist but for the combined efforts of the Delta Waterfowl Foundation and the Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation. These two organizations have erected more than 2400 nesting structures on wetlands throughout southwestern … Read More
Sustainable Slopes – The Pembina Escarpment Partnership
A stark contrast to the surrounding flat grasslands, the Pembina Escarpment marks the boundary between the Red River valley to the east and the prairies to the west. Rising 200 metres above the valley, this unique landscape was formed thousands of years ago as beach deposits on the margins of Glacial Lake Agassiz. The escarpment is steep and gouged with … Read More
Wildlife Habitat Organization Cutting Shrubs in Pastures
The Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation (MHHC) has been working with private landowners in South-Western Manitoba over this past summer to cut down shrubs in native pastures. The MHHC is a wildlife habitat organization interested in the conservation and management of native mixed grass prairie in Manitoba. They have begun a 3 year program, available to landowners, that is aimed at … Read More
Shrub mowing to enhance grasslands for Species at Risk
Encroachment by wolf willow, snowberry and other woody shrubs, is a major threat to native mixed-grass prairie habitat. Without proper management, extensive patches can develop. A high density of shrub species negatively affects the health of prairie by competing with grasses for sunlight, nutrients and water. Shrubs also decrease the health of warm season grasses by shading the ground, resulting … Read More